Monthly Archives: March 2020

eClosing

eClosings: Welcome to the Future!

businessman-hands-signing-digital-signatureYOU Are a Time Traveler!

Congratulations to you, the time-traveling realtor, for helping to advance closings of the future. If you’re not as excited as we are, it’s likely that you don’t know you’re a part of the future of real estate – eClosings.

What Is an eClosing?

An eClosing is any closing where documents are delivered and executed electronically. If you’re a customer of any Florida Agency Network title agency, you have probably participated in an eClosing as we stay on the cutting edge of closing technology.

If you’re not already one of our lucky time travelers, here’s what an eClosing can look like for you and your customers:

  1. Using our online portal, your customers are not at the mercy of office hours to have documents sent or received. There is no need to fax or come into the office.
  2. Some documents will be sent directly to your customers to be signed electronically. Most modern mortgage documents are signed with services such as Docusign or Adobe Sign.
  3. A digital PDF copy of the Closing Disclosure is sent electronically for review by you and your customers.

Then, most importantly, when it comes to the actual closing day, you and your customers have many choices on where – and HOW – to execute the final documents:

  1. Come to any of our 25+ offices to sit with one of our licensed title agents who can answer any questions you might have. They may have you sign at least some of the  documents electronically.
  2. Next, have your customers meet you at their home, place of work, or your office. We can send one of our “Mobile Closers” to you to make the closing completely convenient and have someone guide your customers through the documents.
  3. With RON, or remote online notarization, you may be able to have your customer close anywhere in the WORLD – while they are on vacation, a work trip, or just sitting on the beach. They just need to be a U.S. citizen and have a strong WiFi connection.

So, while we’re still waiting for our flying cars and robot maids, you can join us in the future today!

 

 

Resources

Tax time – How to Get Your Documents from Our FAN Portal!

tax season

A few things in life are certain, and taxes are one of the least enjoyable ones. For real estate agents that are guiding their customers through one of the most important financial decisions of their life, it’s vital to understand that they are likely to have tax implications when buying or selling a home and to know how to get them started on the right path to properly file.

Jake Alexander, President of Action Accounting in Clearwater, states that “it’s very important for real estate agents to advise their clients to know their dates and know their numbers, so they can file properly the first time and not have to deal with a surprise letter from the IRS years down the road.”

Luckily, Florida Agency Network is equipped with a secure portal that allows YOUR buyers and sellers to pull their documents in the privacy of their own home.

Both buyers and sellers can login to the same portal they used when purchasing or selling their home and navigate to the documents section to find their tax documents.

  • Buyers should pull their ALTA statement from the “SETTLEMENT STATEMENT” section of the portal. They should also keep track of purchase documents and improvements they make to their home to reduce their tax liability within the 24-month exemption of capital gains in case of the sale of the property.
  • Sellers will need to pull the 1099 forms provided on the portal and report those on their taxes. The issue of tax liability when selling their home will rely on many factors, and they should seek the advice of a tax professional to answer any questions.

Be sure to mention the availability of these documents to your buyers and sellers throughout the year and consider setting up a calendar reminder to touch base with all of them at tax time. They’ll appreciate the reminder!

As always, if you need any assistance with helping your customers locate their documents, please feel free to reach out to any of our locations. 

 

 

Buying a Home, Resources, Selling a Home, Title and Closing

What Every REALTOR Should Know about Title Insurance

woman-wearing-white-top-holding-smartphone-and-tablet

Every real estate agent understands that buying a home is overwhelming for many clients. There’s a mountain of paperwork to sign and different fees associated with the closing process. All of these things can confuse even an experienced buyer.

Title insurance, or an owner’s title policy, is often misunderstood by home buyers at closing. Buyers, especially first-time home buyers, look to real estate professionals as experts in the industry. It’s important to be the advisor to your clients and help them understand the value of an owner’s title policy and the risks that can arise without it.

What is Title Insurance?

Title insurance, or an owner’s title policy, is a policy that protects the home buyers’ property rights. For the same reasons that the bank requires a lender’s insurance policy, a home buyer obtains an owner’s title policy to protect their legal rights to the property.

How Does It Protect Your Client?

Here’s an example: Your client purchased a new home from a builder, but the builder failed to pay the roofing company. That roofing company wants to get paid, so it files a lien against the property. Without an owner’s title policy, your client is responsible for paying that debt. This is just one example of how an owner’s title policy protects a home buyer from a variety of significant risks, such as unknown heirs, illegal deeds, forged documents, and much more. With an owner’s title policy, a buyer’s property rights are protected while they own the property.

The Value of Title Insurance

The good news is that an owner’s title policy financially protects home buyers for as long as they own the home. For Florida buyers, the price of an owner’s title policy depends on the sales price of the home. Florida’s promulgated rate is $5.75 per thousand, up to $100,000, and $5.00 per thousand thereafter, up to $1 million.

The party that pays for the owner’s title insurance policy varies from state to state. In Florida, the seller typically picks and pays for the owner’s title policy. However, that can change depending on which county/area the property is located.

Fees can add up during the closing process, but this one-time fee gives home buyers peace of mind. After all, the home may be new to your buyer, but every property has a history.

How Title Insurance is Regulated

Each state regulates its title insurance costs, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regulates closing and settlement services to protect consumers from unfair practices. Established in 2011, the CFPB educates consumers about making smart financial decisions and holds companies accountable for any abusive or discriminatory procedures.

 

Title insurance can be confusing and seem like “just another expense” during the closing process. But, what’s the price of your buyer’s peace of mind? As a real estate professional, educating yourself and your clients on title insurance, the protections it provides, and the risks of going without it is vital.