VIVA ESCROW Q & A SEGMENT (Real questions left on our website!) My sister and I hold title on a rental as “Joint Tenants”. She want to transfer her share to her Living Trust. Here are my questions: Do I have to sign and quitclaim and /or grant deed to terminate the Joint Tenancy and … Read more
In this newsletter I cover the following topics: What do I do if one of the property owners passes away? What tax bracket is your home in? Millennial Home Buying Blockchain and Me Amazon HQ2 IRS News How did they come up with this name? It’s happy Chinese New Year Things to remember 1. What … Read more
HAPPY NEW YEAR! A PROSPEROUS AND HEALTHY 2018 TO ALL! I would like to start this new year with a story of a phishing scam that I was unknowingly dragged into right before Christmas, not because I want to start the year out with disturbing news, but because in this day and age, let this … Read more
Happy End of the Year Holidays! WHERE ARE YOU IN TERMS OF WEALTH? As we hit the end of the year, we look back to where we have been and look forward to where we will go. Consider this: A report from Credit Suisse gives us the number of millionaires in the world. It has come … Read more
Yes! Three weeks to Thanksgiving! Okay, now that I got that out of the way…. THE FEEDING FRENZY – AMAZON’S QUEST TO BUILD A SECOND HOME 238 proposals submitted from cities looking for the opportunity to get 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion into their economy with the construction of the new headquarters fo Amazon. … Read more
OH, WOE IS US! AMBIGUOUS? NOT OUR LEGISLATIVE BILLS! That was sarcasm, yes. Whoever said that our legislators could write a bill that is not in some way, shape or form, clear and concise? SB 2 will bring much woe to the escrow, title, real estate industry as well as California’s County Recorder Association. … Read more
BUSY! BUSY!!! HOT OFF THE PRESS AND RIGHT ON TIME – FINCEN GTO CHANGES AND WE NEED TO WATCH OUT For the last year we have kept a very wary eye out for transactions that match the requirements for a “Covered Transaction” under FinCEN’s Geographical Targeting Order (GTO). They have been renewing it every 6 … Read more
Oh, the Hazards of the Escrow Desk! Here is a true story from a Loan Broker client. His client, a Buyer, was in the market to purchase a home and put in several offers for properties through his Real Estate Agent. Buyer got an e-mail from his Real Estate Agent that for his offer to … Read more
Oh, the Hazards of the Escrow Desk! A sharp eyed Escrow Officer in my company got a copy of the recorded Grant Deed on a property in which the owner contemplated doing a Reverse Mortgage. The Deed stated that Jane Doe, a widow, (original owner), granted the property to Mary Smith, (present owner). Upon further … Read more
We are at the halfway mark for the year and I am not sure if I should freak out or breathe a sigh of relief. It’s like looking at a bottle of wine – is it half full or half empty?? Should I just relax and enjoy what is left or should I rush out … Read more