Many homeowners do not want to short sale their properties but unfortunately are being forced to. In a recent TBWS Daily Show Frank Garay pointed out an individual named Jarred who worked for Chase Servicing was told by his boss that servicing companies are “not in the modification business, they are in the foreclosure business”. An answer often suspected but never actually acknowledged within the industry.

Given the demise of real estate prices in recent years and the potential for resurgence, it is surprising so little is known about Real Estate I.R.A.’s. With historically low prices in Southwest Florida coupled with the recent gains of the stock market, individuals may wish to consider moving a portion of their qualified retirement plans from Wall Street to the beaches of Florida through investing in real estate. Many Individuals are simply unaware how easy it is to transfer funds tax free from an existing retirement account into a Self Directed IRA.

There are numerous facilitators we have worked with that our office can direct you to (see Penscotrust.com as well as theentrustgroup.com) to serve, among others, as Custodians for your Self Directed IRA.

The Most Versatile and Beneficial way for Canadian Citizens to hold Title to Real Estate in the State of Florida TITLE CONCERNS. Transferring funds to purchase a home or condominium is a simple process for Canadian buyers, however, many foreign buyers often overlook the consequences of their purchase. The acquisition of U.S. real estate by a Canadian citizens poses significant issues including but not limited to U.S. estate tax, capital gains tax, incapacity issues, complex Florida probate rules and creditor protection issues. Proper cross-border planning for Canadian Citizens must address all of these issues. A deep analysis is required to find the best solution. There is no simple answer or one size fits all. However, as a general rule, the vast majority of concerns can best be addressed by creating and taking title in a Canadian Florida Land Trust which is considerably more advantageous then owning property in a buyer’s individual or corporate name or even a Canadian Trust.

I am certain most everyone is familiar with the age old adage “if it sounds too good to be true…” yet buyers purchasing foreclosures are falling for this trick every day. Just because the lender/seller is offering to provide a free title policy does not mean the buyer is protected! Many times there is a reason for it.

Would you put the fox in charge of the hen house? Yet every day countless buyers are getting slaughtered with excessive closing fees, useless title policies and many times deeds signed where there is a complete lack of visible authority of the individual signing.