FHA Opens Door for Condo Loans
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) What is the FHA? Created in 1934 to encourage lenders to loan money for single and multifamily homes, the government’s Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) provides Lenders with “mortgage insurance” to protect Lenders from losses in the event an owner defaults
Whoa Pilgrim, The Advent of Title Insurance
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) When I think of Pilgrims during Thanksgiving, I think big black buckled hats, square toed shoes, and outstretched socks that look like leg warmers. But the word “Pilgrim” refers to easterners settling into the Old West facing the bitter new
Selling Real Estate in the Eye of the Hurricane
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) We know major storms come, so how should realtors and practitioners in disaster prone areas prepare to minimize disruptions in their transactions? According to the National Hurricane Center, Florida’s hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. Facebook also
FIRP-DUH! – Selling Real Property for Foreigners
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) What is FIRPTA? Say a foreign seller wants to sell their real property; well, everyone is expected to pay their fair shares of taxes, and foreigners are no exception. So the IRS established FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax
Real Estate’s 2019 Legislative Changes
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) Fla. Stat. §604.71 Vegetable Gardens.?When city fined homeowner for vegetable garden, Florida said That’s fertilizer!, essentially voiding local regulation of residential vegetable/herb gardens. Fla. Stat. §119.071 Shhh!. Exempting public disclosure of current/former government personnel, spouses, and kids’: addresses; phones; birthdays;
Attracting Out-of-State Homebuyers Using S.A.L.T.
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) I always heard other states pay more taxes than Floridians, but I had no idea how much?!? State and Local Tax (S.A.L.T.) deductions allow taxpayers of high-tax states to deduct local tax payments (e.g. property, income, and sales taxes) from their
WeedEstate – Real Estate up in Smoke
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) Intro. Mom says “Yes,” but Dad said, “No.” That’s what this hot topic is like. Even though Florida legalized medical (not recreational) marijuana use, marijuana businesses precariously operate in violation of Federal laws. As a result, banks and title companies
Will Short-Term Rentals be Curbed?
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) In 2017, Airbnb sued to stop Miami from banning property owners and investors from renting out their houses as short-term rentals by issuing $20,000+ fines pursuant to Miami’s local ordinance. Advocates for short-term rentals reap rental income rewards; while opponents
RON – Remote Online Notaries-Closings Worldwide?
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company [email protected] (954) 500-Title (8485) Florida proposed two bills, HB-409 and SB-548, to allow Remote Online Notaries (RON) using audio-visual technology over the internet, instead of requiring signers’ physical presence before a notary. 19 states have pending RON bills, 10 have RON laws. This article
GTO’s – Laundering Real Estate
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company Website: https://FTIC.net Email: [email protected] Phones: [954.500.8485]; (954) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [786.500.8485]; (786) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [561.500.8485]; (561) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) Addresses: 1720 Harrison Street, Penthouse B Hollywood, FL 33020 and 2600 Island Blvd., CU-1 Aventura, FL 33160 The U.S. Treasury commissioned FinCen (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) under the
World of OZ – Opportunity Zones
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company Website: https://FTIC.net Email: [email protected] Phones: [954.500.8485]; (954) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [786.500.8485]; (786) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [561.500.8485]; (561) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) Addresses: 1720 Harrison Street, Penthouse B Hollywood, FL 33020 and 2600 Island Blvd., CU-1 Aventura, FL 33160 1. What is an Opportunity Zone? This is the new real
Homestead and 10 Other Exemptions
Randy Gilbert, J.D. Chief Happiness Officer Florida’s Title Insurance Company Website: https://FTIC.net Email: [email protected] Phones: [954.500.8485]; (954) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [786.500.8485]; (786) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) [561.500.8485]; (561) 500-T.i.t.l.e (8485) Addresses: 1720 Harrison Street, Penthouse B Hollywood, FL 33020 and 2600 Island Blvd., CU-1 Aventura, FL 33160 Do I qualify? If by January 1, your property is either