Category Archives: Mortgage
Do I Have to Pay My Mortgage After a Divorce?
Recently, I spoke at Become A Better Agent, a seminar hosted by Insured Title Agency and Synergy Title Partners in Tampa Bay. One topic of my presentation was the identity of the proper party to sign and sell real estate, especially in a situation where the parties are divorced. Many times, the party that… Read More »
How Long to Satisfy a Paid Off Mortgage?
We have helped 3 different clients over the last week to eliminate mortgages and other liens from the public records. In each of the these situations, the loans were satisfied, but the lien holders (lenders / banks) failed to record a satisfaction or release. Of course, we didn’t know this until after we filed… Read More »
Freddie Mac Fraud Prevention and the Exclusionary List
I do have to give Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) credit for implementing programs to prevent fraud on consumers and to prevent Freddie Mac from purchasing non-investment quality loans. In my experience, however, the Exclusionary List casts such a wide net that it often traps those who may have innocently created a… Read More »
Help! The IRS has a Lien on my House!
When I meet with a client who has owes money to the IRS, we determine whether the IRS has filed a lien against real property or if the IRS is trying to collect a debt owed by the client, or both. Despite contrary language in the Florida Constitution, federal tax liens can be enforced against… Read More »
Top 5 Myths about the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List
Few people understand the Freddie Mac List, what it means to be on that List, and how to come off the List. In the time we’ve been representing clients to come off the List we’ve come across some myths and misconceptions, so we want to dispel some of those: Being on the Freddie Mac… Read More »
How Do I Come Off the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List?
Over the years I’ve created content around the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List – videos, Crushing Debt Podcast episodes and blogs. Put simply, the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List is a list of real estate professionals that Freddie Mac believes have taken some action, failed to take some action, originated loans, or have some systemic failure… Read More »
Freddie Mac Exclusionary List, Lessons Learned
I first discovered the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List years ago while preparing for a Realtor seminar on the topic of Realtor liability. Put simply, when Freddie Mac believes that you have done something to cause harm to the company, they will put you on their Exclusionary List – preventing you from participating in a… Read More »
Why Title Insurance?
One question we get often is “Should I buy Title Insurance when I buy my new house?” Without hesitation, the answer is “YES” 100% of the time. Title insurance is exactly what it sounds like – insurance that your title to the house is clear. In other words, no one is going to claim… Read More »
Mortgage Deficiency, 1099 & Mortgage Insurance
The Mortgage Debt Relief Act seems to be gone for good. I’ve heard no news that Congress chose to keep it beyond December 31, 2016. What impact does this have on a homeowner who chooses to do a short sale, a deed in lieu of foreclosure, or loses the house in foreclosure? Typically the… Read More »
Attorney Fees In A Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Case
Someone facing a mortgage foreclosure is feeling a lot of pressure – from the lender, from family, possibly from other creditors. The last thing I want to do as an attorney is to create additional pressure on a debtor trying to save their home. Unfortunately, many attorneys have fallen into a habit of charging… Read More »
