With Town n’ Country Title offices in Appleton, Arcadia, Green Bay, Holmen, Janesville, Kenosha, La Crosse, Tomah, Wauwatosa, and Winona, we are here to serve you wherever you need us.
Smishing, a combination of the words SMS and phishing, is a cyberattack that uses misleading text messages to deceive its victims. PRO TIP: never click links, reply to text messages, or call numbers you don’t recognize. Don’t call the number listed in the text message – go directly to the institution’s website and use their posted number!
A form of ownership where spouses or domestic partners own equal interest.
Owner’s title insurance is a one-time fee that’s very low relative to the value it provides. It typically costs around 0.5% of the home’s purchase price.
Pre-qualification is an informal way to see how much you may be able to borrow. A pre-approval is the lender’s commitment to lend to you.
An incoming phone call never takes the place of an outgoing confirmatory call before wiring funds. ALWAYS make sure you’re calling to confirm with a known closer and phone number before sending funds!
eSignature platforms apply a “tamper-evident seal” to electronic documents. Any attempt to alter the documents will break the seal and expose that the documents have been changed.
Accepting wire and disbursement instructions via email, fax, or phone can be dangerous. Always call a trusted phone number to verify, not the one in the message.
A judgment may have priority over a purchase money mortgage if the mortgage states, on its face, that it is a purchase money mortgage.
One of the most common real estate-related cybercrimes is wire fraud: a sophisticated tactic used by cybercriminals to trick unsuspecting homebuyers and closing personnel into wiring funds to a fraudulent account.
Myth: Title insurance costs too much.
Fact: A one-time premium protects the homeowner for as long as you or your heirs own the home, and may last forever for any title warranties made in the deed when you sell your home.
Your Homeowner’s Policy will automatically increase by 10% in value each year for the first five years (up to 150% of the original Policy Amount) to help cover increases due to appreciation.
Title insurance offers greater protections than alternative title products. Title insurance protections not provided by alternative title products include the validity and enforceability of the mortgage and off record liens such as HOA assessments.
This section of the Title Commitment notifies the buyer and/or lender of exceptions from coverage. Examples include: restrictive covenants, mineral or water rights, or utility easements. These exceptions from coverage will not be insured on the title policy.
The title company insurance that all existing mortgages and other liens are paid off after closing pursuant to written payoff instructions.
Completely avoiding errors in public records is nearly impossible because buyers have no control over a property’s past or a mistake that could have been made by those filing and recording these documents. However, an Owner’s Policy of title insurance will help protect your ownership rights from errors and defects found in public records. This insurance may cover both the legal costs to defend your interests as well as certain losses sustained as a result of a covered title defect.
An undivided interest in property, taken by two or more joint tenants. The interests must be equal, accruing under the same conveyance, and beginning at the same time. Upon the death of a joint tenant, the interest passes to the surviving joint tenants rather than to the heirs of the deceased.
This is the strongest deed and warrants to the Grantee – this is the deed most used in insuring titles to real property and gives the most protection to the Grantee.
Flood zones are land areas identified by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Make sure you’re protected with adequate flood insurance!
A judgment may have priority over a purchase money mortgage if the mortgage states, on its face, that it is a purchase money mortgage.
Placing an offer to purchase on a home can be a delicate process. The current market condition, time of year, work needed on the home, and length of time the home has been on the market can affect your offer – not to mention your own budget. The price is not the only factor within an offer, you can also negotiate closing costs, necessary repairs, etc. If you have questions, reach out to a trusted Real Estate Agent if your area!
Spouses may be required to sign certain closing documents even though they do not intend to hold title and their name will not appear on the deed. Check with your closing agent and lender to see what documents you and your spouse will be required to sign at closing.
If the current owner has acquired the real estate via a Transfer by Affidavit, 30 days must pass before we can insure a subsequent sale of the property.
These deeds are often used when the conveyance is from an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, etc. There must be a valid reason for the Grantor to be limiting the warranty.
A Legal Description is the description of land recognized by law, based on government surveys, spelling out the exact boundaries of the entire parcel of land. It should so thoroughly identify a parcel of land that it cannot be confused with any other. You can find your property legal description in your Title Commitment.
Earnest Money is a down payment made by a purchaser of real property as evidence of good faith; a deposit or partial payment.
The Disbursement Date is the date the amounts are to be disbursed to a buyer and seller in a purchase transaction or the date funds are to be paid by the borrower or third party in a transaction that is not a purchase transaction.
A Closing Disclosure (CD) form is designated to provide disclosures that will be helpful to borrowers in understanding all costs of a transaction. This form will be given to the consumer three business days before closing.
Process of applying the notary signature and notarial seal to electronic documents in Wisconsin was enacted on March 3, 2020.
A hazard policy, also known as homeowner’s insurance, with the lender designated as the insured holder of the mortgage, is required on most loans. Evidence of hazard insurance, including a paid receipt, must be provided PRIOR to closing.
FIRPTA stand for the Foreign Investor in Real Property Act. In the U.S., tax law requires that all persons whether foreign or domestic, pay income tax on disposition of US real property interests. This Act was put in place to collect taxes from foreign persons.
Your home may be new to you, but every property has a history. There may be hidden issues in the chain of title, which could affect your homeownership! Errors in Public Records, Unknown Liens, Undiscovered Wills, Forgeries. Unknown Easements and more. Get your Owners Policy from a title company you trust, like Town n’ Country Title.
A common way title can be held is by Life Estate. It is a grand or reservation of the right of use, occupancy, and ownership for the life of an individual.
The American Land Title Association (ALTA) is a trade group made up of over 6,000 title companies, underwriters, and other title specialists. Fun Fact: Town n’ Country Title is active in several ALTA committees including Best Practices, Talent Development and HOP!
The Short Form Policy is a lender policy of title insurance adopted on 12/09/2012. This short version of the “long form” includes all of the terms, exclusions, and conditions from the 2006 ALTA Loan Policy.
An eClosing refers to an “electronic closing” which can include an eNotary, eDocument, eSignature, or eRecording.
I have worked with Town n’ Country Title in Green Bay for many years. They have a fantastic team and are very dedicated to helping me & my clients. Chris Charles is fantastic. He is the best closer around. He is so helpful and accommodating. I recommend their services whenever I possibly can.
The most customer service friendly company I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Friendly, efficient and a “get it done” attitude. I highly recommend Town n’ Country Title!
Town n’ Country Title is filled with staff who are professional, helpful and who are constantly going above and beyond. They work hard to take care of their clients and make sure each transaction goes as smoothly as possible. They are an incredible resource and offer a welcoming environment to ask any questions. What has impressed me most about Town n’ Country Title is their dedication not only to their clients, but their entire real estate industry and our community. If you’re looking for the best service and knowledgeable staff contact Town n’ Country Title!
I recently sold a duplex for my father without a realtor. When I researched title companies I found most charged a lot of different fees. I chose Town n’ Country Title because they were extremely knowledgeable, very responsive to my first request, plus they didn’t charge seller closing or deed prep fees, making them significantly less expensive. They used a prior abstract to reduce the cost further, and when it came time for the actual closing, they were on-time and made the process incredibly smooth. I am now using them for another property that I just sold through our realtor.
It’s the service that sets them apart and I have nothing but good things to say about Jim and the Town n’ Country Title team. At first I thought the service I was getting was because I was a new customer that they were trying to impress, but that service has continued. I know if I am in a bind I can call and they will do everything they can to help me out. I would recommend Town n’ Country Title to anyone.
I have been working with Town n’ Country Title for the past couple of years. They are my preferred title company and are always professional, prompt, knowledgeable and fun! I had a particularly ugly deal last year and Maria went BEYOND the extra mile to help my seller close. I truly love working the gang at Town n’ Country!
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