Author name: Adriana Lemus

Shared driveways, often established via an easement, grant a neighbor’s right to access your property, creating potential for disputes. Issues like parking, maintenance, or unclear boundaries can arise. To avoid conflict and protect property value, formalize agreements in writing, clearly mark boundaries, and maintain open communication. For buyers and sellers, thorough disclosure and review of […]

Title insurance is crucial for safeguarding property ownership, protecting against issues like undisclosed heirs or forged documents. It involves a thorough title search before issuance, offering both owner’s and lender’s policies for a one-time premium. This essential coverage helps protect your investment with the right legal safeguards, ensuring you have clear and legal ownership, and

Community Seconds are subordinate loans from approved sources like state HFAs, nonprofits, or employers that help homebuyers with down payments and closing costs. This addresses how Community Seconds work for down payments by acting as a second mortgage layered onto a primary loan, often with low-interest, deferred, or forgivable terms. They boost affordability and are

Even after a foreclosure, you can negotiate with your lender. Key options for settling foreclosure debt with your lender include seeking a deficiency waiver to forgive the remaining balance, offering a lump-sum payment to resolve the debt, or arranging a “cash-for-keys” agreement to vacate peacefully. Acting quickly and understanding your state’s laws are crucial to

A defeasance clause ensures a lender releases their claim on a property upon mortgage payoff. However, it doesn’t protect against other title defects like errors or hidden liens. So, does a defeasance clause fully protect your title? No, title insurance is still crucial as it safeguards against past ownership issues, forged documents, or undisclosed claims,

Have you faced the emotional and financial strain of losing your home through foreclosure or received a deficiency judgment? You’re not alone. While these events can feel like the end of the road financially, they don’t define your future. Many homeowners, investors, and even first-time buyers have recovered from such setbacks—and so can you. impact

Choosing a deed in lieu (DIL) requires careful planning to avoid common pitfalls. Key things to know before choosing a deed in lieu include engaging early with your servicer, exploring all alternatives, and securing a written deficiency waiver. Additionally, address junior liens, understand tax implications, and maintain the property’s condition. Always negotiate for relocation assistance

Understanding how a deed in lieu works as a foreclosure alternative involves voluntarily transferring your home’s deed to the lender to satisfy the mortgage debt, often waiving deficiency judgments. It’s quicker and less credit damaging than foreclosure, but offers less control than a short sale. A short sale involves selling the home for less than

Refinancing can significantly lower monthly payments and refinancing can reduce the overall interest paid over time if you secure a lower interest rate without extending the loan term. However, resetting to a new, longer loan term, even with a lower rate, can lead to paying more in total interest due to the extended period over

Bi-weekly mortgage payments accelerate loan payoff and save interest by making an extra full payment annually. This strategy, achieved by paying half the monthly amount every two weeks, significantly reduces the principal faster. Because compound interest can significantly increase your total mortgage cost, reducing the principal more frequently also reduces the base on which interest