Homeowners | Federal Title & Escrow Company

Loan payoff includes more than just principal balance

Written by Joe Gentile on March 20, 2013.

In about half of the settlements that I conduct a seller will stop me and comment, “The payoff is too high, I owe less than what’s listed.” This is because the seller is confusing the mortgage principal balance with the payoff amount. The...

Refinance appraisal: How you can prepare

Written by Guest on February 26, 2013.

Now you’re doing a refinance, and your appraisal is scheduled for next week. We talked earlier about what you can expect from an appraisal. Now let’s discuss some things you can do to prepare. The following are some thoughts, based on my...

Refinance appraisal: What you can expect

Written by Guest on February 25, 2013.

You’re refinancing the mortgage on your home, and your lender tells you there will be an appraisal. If this is your first refinance, you probably have only a vague memory of the last appraisal of your home, which would have been before you...

Cost saving tips for home insurance

Written by Guest on February 19, 2013.

Homeowners can do a number of things to ensure they get the best home insurance rate possible, and today I’d like to share some of my top suggestions, created with the help of manifested data and proven reports. While most companies’...

Condominium limited common elements: Know what you’re buying

Written by Guest on February 11, 2013.

Condominium ownership is really popular in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Here at Federal Title, condominium sales make up about 25% of our transactions. Most people buying a condominium understand the basics – you’re buying a unit, and you...

Homeowners should follow 2 golden rules when it comes to tree law

Written by Guest on December 7, 2012.

While trees provide shade and beauty to our homes, they can also wreak havoc when not properly maintained or cared for. As a homeowner, it’s important to understand your responsibilities when it comes to tree care and the law. By following...

Homeowner’s guide to surface water law

Written by Guest on November 30, 2012.

What if you are suffering flooding and damage to your property from water running off from your neighbor’s property? Is your neighbor liable? Must your neighbor take action to avert the water runoff? In the District of Columbia, the neighbor...

What does ‘ground rent’ mean?

Written by Guest on June 6, 2012.

A ground rent refers to a scenario where an individual owns his house, but someone else owns the actual property (the “ground”). The homeowner pays the ground rent owner an annual fee, or a ground rent, as a rent on the land. In Baltimore,...

Why does owner’s title insurance get a bad rap?

Written by Guest on June 5, 2012.

Google "owner’s title insurance," and you will find scores of blogs and other publications scorning this misunderstood insurance product. Frequently, at the settlement table, we hear homebuyers opine that title insurance is a "rip-off" and...

Borrower pays $2,000 for in-office closing?

Written by Guest on April 18, 2012.

Your refinance loan application has just been approved and your lender asks if you have a preference in selecting a title company. The borrower (name redacted) in the HUD-1 you see below answered “No” to this question and was...

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Tag: Homeowners

Loan payoff includes more than just principal balance

Refinance appraisal: How you can prepare

Refinance appraisal: What you can expect

Cost saving tips for home insurance

Condominium limited common elements: Know what you’re buying

Homeowners should follow 2 golden rules when it comes to tree law

Homeowner’s guide to surface water law

What does ‘ground rent’ mean?

Borrower pays $2,000 for in-office closing?

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