The Who, What, Where, When, and Why (and maybe even a Why, Not?) Disclaimer: The information given in this article is only intended to be a guide to the reader for transactions in which the information might be …
Continue Reading →Earnest Money Deposit
(aka the Good Faith Deposit)
What do you mean the document got “pulled”? Every once in a while the unthinkable happens and the document that is sent to the California County Recorder’s office for recording is rejected, or “pulled”. This is a dreaded …
There are many ways that a person can purchase and hold ownership of real estate and businesses. Which type of entity to use is a decision that has a lot to do with financial needs, the structure of …
Continue Reading →Corporations, LLCs and other Non-Individual Legal Entities, Oh, My!
When Technology is Moving Faster Than the Escrow Industry When technology is moving faster than the speed of light and the process of Escrow is moving at the speed of molasses, you know that the two worlds are …
One of the most prevalent types of check scams is the passing of fraudulent checks to unsuspecting and naive sellers who post personal stuff for sale on public sites. Here is the setup: The sale piece is usually …
Continue Reading →Check Fraud! It Could Happen to You! Tips to Avoid Being a Victim
Through the almost 40 years that I have been in this escrow industry, I have been through several economic roller coaster rides that have left me dizzy and hanging on, wondering what the industry would look like when …
Secured and Unsecured Taxes What is the difference? Taxes! The bane of our lives! Federal income tax, State income tax, property tax, sales tax, use tax, transfer tax, if the government can find a name for it, they …
FIRPTA Withholding in California – Federal regulations under IRC Code section 1445 (FIRPTA) Are you an individual who is looking to buy a property in the U.S. but you are a foreigner? There are no restrictions for you to …
Continue Reading →Are You a Foreigner and Need to Know About U.S. FIRPTA Withholding Laws?
(State of California Real Estate Withholding under the Revenue and Taxation Code Section 18662) Are you an individual who is looking to sell a property in California? There are no restrictions for you to buy, but when it …
Continue Reading →California Real Estate Withholding
For All Sellers
The Basic Facts About Deeds of Trust Deed of Trust or “Trust Deed”, is the document that secures a loan on a piece of property. The Deed of Trust and the secured Note go hand-in-hand and the Deed …