Settlement Observer

A message regarding COVID-19

Written by Federal Title on March 11, 2020.

Like most people, we’ve been closely watching news coverage of the coronavirus and taking precautions to protect our employees and keep our clients safe. We want to reassure our customers and their clients that we have safeguards in place...

What Exactly Are Home Warranties?

Written by Stephanie Dudley on November 22, 2019.

Imagine closing on your home and right after moving in your dishwasher breaks, the basement sump pump stops working, and your heating system begins to malfunction. None of these issues were discovered during the home inspection and now you...

DC First-Time Homebuyer Recordation Tax Reduction

Written by Ben Raffel on October 17, 2019.

Below Are The Updated (October 2019) Requirements To Qualify For A Recordation Tax Reduction: The purchase price can’t exceed $647,000. Total household income doesn’t exceed the below thresholds: Persons In Household Household...

DC Tax Abatement Program

Written by Federal Title on October 7, 2019.

Also known as DC’s Lower-Income Homeownership Exemption Program, it provides an exemption from the DC 1.1% (or 1.45% depending on the purchase price) Recordation Tax and an allowable credit from the seller(s) of 1.1% (or 1.45% depending on...

Reissue Rates Explained

Written by Joe Gentile on September 12, 2019.

What is a reissue rate? Simply put, it is a homebuyer discount on the cost of an owner’s title insurance policy. The following sets forth the requirements along with the most common questions we encounter from homebuyers. (Our title...

What Is Title Insurance?

Written by Ben Raffel on June 25, 2019.

When a buyer puts in an offer to purchase a house, the buyer wants to ensure that the property is free and clear of title defects. However, even the most diligent search of public records could fail to disclose several title issues. A simple...

Introducing Our REALCredit Partner Program

Written by Federal Title on June 10, 2019.

Federal Title & Escrow Company, the largest non-affiliated title and escrow company in the D.C. metro area, today announced the launch of the REALCredit™ Partner program so that real estate agents and mortgage lenders can better...

Maryland Non-Resident Withholding

Written by Stephanie Dudley on May 13, 2019.

When you sell real estate in Maryland and are not a resident of the State of Maryland, you need to be aware of the non-resident withholding tax. Since 2003, the State of Maryland has mandated the withholding of income tax on the sale of...

Why Picking The Right Closing Date Matters

Written by Joe Gentile on April 22, 2019.

There’s one detail of the closing process that regularly gets overlooked: selecting a closing date. This often-overlooked detail can make a big impact on your entire closing experience. Here are some tips when trying to select a closing...

D.C. Tax Abatement: Can I apply more than once?

Written by Stephanie Dudley on April 15, 2019.

Can you apply for the D.C. Lower Income Homeownership Exemption (D.C. Tax Abatement) more than once? Yes. According to the Recorder of Deeds, there are no current statutory limitations as to the frequency of a homeowner applying for the tax...

Covid concerns? Explore REALSafe™ closing options »

A message regarding COVID-19

What Exactly Are Home Warranties?

DC First-Time Homebuyer Recordation Tax Reduction

DC Tax Abatement Program

Reissue Rates Explained

What Is Title Insurance?

Introducing Our REALCredit Partner Program

Maryland Non-Resident Withholding

Why Picking The Right Closing Date Matters

D.C. Tax Abatement: Can I apply more than once?

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DC Tax Abatement Income, Purchase Price Thresholds Increase

Without title insurance, new homeowner pays special assessment

How to scan your closing documents when you don’t have a scanner

DC Tax Abatement Income, Purchase Price Thresholds Increase

Without title insurance, new homeowner pays special assessment

How to scan your closing documents when you don’t have a scanner