Posts

Showing posts from March, 2018

Understanding the Benefits of a 1031 Exchange

Image
When considering real estate options, there are several tax benefits that you may be eligible to take advantage of, including a 1031 exchange . Through a 1031 exchange, real estate owners can defer capital gain taxes when they sell a business or investment property and use the proceeds of the sale to purchase another property ‘similar’ to the first. Business owners and taxpayers who want to accomplish a wide range of business and/or investment objectives can reap many benefits by taking advantage of a 1031 exchange, take a look. Preservation of Equity  A properly structured 1031 exchange provides taxpayers the opportunity to defer 100% of both federal and/or state capital gain taxes, as well as depreciation recapture taxes. This essentially equals an interest-free, no-term loan on taxes due until the property is ultimately sold for cash. Leverage  Many taxpayers exchange from a property where they have a high-equity position or one that is “free and clear” into a larger a

Understanding Your Title Commitment

Image
During the home buying process, buyers typically have to go through the  steps of getting a title insurance policy , whether it's the Owner's policy and the Loan policy, or just the Loan policy itself. One of those steps is to request for a title commitment to be completed and to review that report once the title insurance company sends it to you. But what exactly is a title commitment and what does it entail? This week, we'll go over in detail what it is and what information it provides to homebuyers and the title company. What is a Title Commitment? A title commitment is basically the title company’s promise to issue a title insurance policy for the property after closing. The title commitment contains the same terms, conditions, and exclusions that will be in the actual insurance policy. Almost every purchase and sale agreement contains language requiring the seller to provide the buyer with title insurance. At  Arrowhead Title , we issue the title policy using f

Benefits of Getting Title Insurance

Image
Title insurance may not be as well-known or as well-understood as other types of insurance, but it is equally (if not more!) important. Title insurance protects your property investments in the event that someone else decides to stake a claim on your personal property. Having an accurate, experienced title insurance company on your side during any commercial or residential estate transaction can make all the difference. Check out some of the benefits you'll reap by getting title insurance. Background Information By purchasing real estate, you are essentially purchasing the legal right to use and occupy the land. When you make this purchase, you are given the "title," to the land. The term "title" can refer to your rights surrounding the use and ownership of the land or it can refer to the physical document (the deed) that declares you the rightful owner. Protection Sometimes, title issues can arise. Titles can be limited by others staking claim over

Closing a Real Estate Transaction

Image
When  closing on a real estate transaction , there are a lot of steps that must be taken and processes that must be completed to ensure a smooth and timely closing. Often times, transactions go so smoothly, in fact, that the buyers and sellers think it's too easy and may wonder if there's more that should be taking place or that they should be doing. What they don't see is all the work that gets put into the transaction on the back end of the deal by a  Lake of the Ozarks escrow agent . So here are the basic steps of closing on a real estate transaction behind the scenes. Starting the Process A sales contract is signed by the buyer and seller and delivered to the closing agent, usually with a deposit check. The escrow is accepted by the escrow agent, often by written notation on the contract. The escrow agent starts the closing process by opening a title order. The file begins to be processed. Tax information, loan payoffs, survey, homeowner/maintenance fees, inspecti