Articles
Along with articles written by members of the Go Get Experts staff and our National Advisory Council, we also search the Internet, magazines and books to provide the best, most up-to-date information for you. Please bookmark this page and check back often for our latest articles including tips on choosing a real estate agent, loan officer, escrow officer or notary public; info on mortgage programs, the escrow process, title insurance, home buying, home selling, FICO scores, credit repair, and bankruptcy. Send us an email if there's a new topic you'd like to see covered here.
by John T. Lotardo aka TITLEMAN™
Sr. VP/General Counsel, Stewart Title & Trust of Phoenix, Inc.
Q. My boss asked me to handle this one thing and I am not sure it’s okay. You see, it’s with a “durable power of attorney” that the real estate agent sent us for a transaction. I think this may not constitute a legal binding contract, since the attorney in fact who signed the contract […]
Posted: September 12th, 2006
Topic:
Ask the TITLEMAN™
by Edward Jamison, Attorney, The Jamison Law Group
Increasing one’s available credit can be a tedious process that, for most people, takes years. With the right strategy, however, it can happen in a fraction of the time. I learned early on that credit card companies love people who max out their credit cards. They love them because of the income stream they get […]
Posted: September 7th, 2006
Topic:
Credit Wise
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
This week, Dr. Gary Lacefield discusses a pending lawsuit implicating a Re/Max branch in California and United Title Company, alleging they violated RESPA rules by fostering kickbacks, constructive fraud and […]
Posted: August 28th, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
by John T. Lotardo aka TITLEMAN™
Sr. VP/General Counsel, Stewart Title & Trust of Phoenix, Inc.
Q. I have a real estate agent, who called us yesterday and asked us to let everyone know that she has a listing with a certain customer. The customer has asked her to cancel the listing but she won’t. She wants us to notify her if that customer comes in to open an escrow. […]
Posted: August 28th, 2006
Topic:
Ask the TITLEMAN™
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
A civil lawsuit in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the subject of this week’s video. After several companies were fined by HUD, homebuyers felt they were owed money for inflated and excessive […]
Posted: August 15th, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
This week Dr. Lacefield discusses a 30-month probe into Stewart Title of California, Inc. The company reached a settlement of $750,000 plus costs of $160,000 for inducements to agents.
View the […]
Posted: August 8th, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
This week Dr. Lacefield addresses undisclosed revenue sharing arrangements and other violations by Michigan-based Hantz Financial Services, Inc. The company was fined $675,000 for fraud and misrepresentations. John Hantz, the […]
Posted: August 1st, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
This week’s video covers the refund of $2.2 million by Fidelity National Title Insurance Company to 10,000 customers in Florida. The refund program was the result of the Department of […]
Posted: July 25th, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
More tips on RESPA law, guidelines and violations for real estate agents and loan originators from former HUD investigator and RESPA expert, Dr. Gary Lacefield.
This week’s video deals with more details on overcharging for Detroit conference rooms. The leads to a HUD investigation and $150,000 in settlements.
View the RESPANewsUpdate.com video here. This educational […]
Posted: July 18th, 2006
Topic:
RESPA Updates
by John T. Lotardo aka TITLEMAN™
Sr. VP/General Counsel, Stewart Title & Trust of Phoenix, Inc.
Q. Well here is another question for the TITLEMAN. Does the lien of a judgment attach to the real estate acquired by the judgment debtor, after the date of the entry of the judgment (i.e. do judgments attach to future acquire property)?
A. Yes, Arizona judgments that record in the County records become […]
Posted: July 5th, 2006
Topic:
Ask the TITLEMAN™
