Real Estate Closings News
Recent Blog Articles
What is the difference between fair market value, appraised value and assessed value?
Throughout the course of performing several closings recently, many customers have had difficulty trying to distinguish between the concepts of "fair market value”, “appraised value” and “assessed value” as they relate to their home. So to assist them (and you), I will try to explain the differences between these three concepts,...
How to really save money at your next real estate closing
As a smart consumer in today’s economy, you probably find yourself doing extensive research before making any major purchase or hiring someone to perform a professional service. The same should hold true for when you go through the home buying process: you've looked at dozens of houses, negotiated the perfect price and then found just the right...
What is private mortgage insurance and how do I remove it?
In today's marketplace, when you purchase your new home and your down payment is less than 20% of the property's appraised value or purchase price, your lender might require that you get mortgage insurance, or "MI" for short. This type of insurance policy is issued to protect a lender in circumstances in which a borrower might default on the...
The true value of owner's title insurance
A frequent question we get from buyers nowadays is "Why should I buy an owner's title insurance policy?" It is an optional expense, and with all of the other costs associated with your new home purchase, you might be inclined to simply save a few dollars by bypassing this extra expense. However, as many real estate professionals will...
Is owner financing dead in Kentucky? Not so fast ...
Back in 2008, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (“HERA”) was signed into law by Congress, which represented a massive new initiative by the federal government designed to assist with the recovery and the revitalization of our nation’s residential housing market. One of the most important facets of HERA was the Secure...