Friday, June 25, 2010

The California Deed How To Obtain One

By Carl White

A deed is the legal document that is used to transfer ownership of real estate when it is bought or sold or when someone passes away. The title of the property can change ownership many times and usually the deed is updated accordingly. There are many types of deeds and you may wonder how a California Deed works.

There is the basic deed or grant deed which gives the owner the right to transfer title of ownership of property or land to someone else. Then there is the quit claim deed which is used to remove the name of someone from the deed who no longer has an interest in the home or land. This type of deed may be used most in joint ownership when one of the owners moves out or gets divorced from their spouse. The trust deed is what mortgage lender holds if the home is involved in a foreclosure. These are the most commonly used deeds in California and while a deed is not exclusive to this state, other states may vary in what they use their deeds for or what they are called.

A deed should be notarized and recorded with the local county clerk for record keeping purposes. Those who have an interest in a property such as a lien, judgment or lawsuit against the owner need to be able to look up title to the home which is a public document. They need to see if any other claims on the said property are in effect to secure their interest in it.

When the sale of a home takes place there needs to be a change of ownership recorded on the deed and again filed with the county clerk. There are certain forms you need to fill out for change in ownership and these can usually be obtained from an attorney or law library or other legal entity.

To begin your search for a particular property record you must visit your local county clerk and ask to have access to them, there may be a small fee for a title search which you will have to pay. You can look up properties by the owners name or address of location. You may also want to hire a professional title search company to do this for you if you are in the market to buy a home or need one for other purposes.

There may be several reasons why you may want to do a search on a property you are interested in purchasing, the main reason is to see if any claims on the property exist that were not mentioned. Sometimes you may find that you will be responsible for settling these claims before the property can be purchased which makes it more expensive and less attractive. You can also use the services of a professional title searcher for this task.

Paying for a house in full will give you rights to the title of the home. You will receive a deed when the final payment has been processed by the lender. You may want to file the document away in a safe place to protect it for future reference. A locking safe is the best and if it is fire proof and waterproof that is even better. You can find these types of safes in office supply stores.

You may have questions concerning deeds that require more in depth knowledge. A real estate attorney may be able to assist you and consult with you on more complex matters. They will also help you in case there are any legal issues involving your home and be able to guide you in what you should do to protect your property.

About the Author:

Friday, June 18, 2010

The Tips In Applying For California First Time Home Buyer Grants

By Jill Tucker

Are you a first time home buyer? You may be able to get a lot of assistance when you do find the home that you would like to buy. The government has funds set aside for just this reason. With the economical low the country is in, it is going to be easier than ever to get a grant. If you live in the state of California, what can you do to get California first time home buyer grants?

If you have a home in mind already, then you should go ahead and apply for a loan. The lender that you choose will be a lot help to you in getting the kind of grant you you need for being a first time home buyer. You will not be able to get a grant without first having a lender.

You have probably heard of the Urban Housing Department, HUD, but never thought of contacting them. If you are a first time home buyer, you should visit their website for tips in what you can do to secure a home as first time buyer. The HUD site will help you in finding guidelines for California about getting help with home purchase.

The amount of money that you make is going to matter a lot in whether or not you qualify for a home buyers grant of any kind. If you have low income, then you may able to find it easier to get the money you need. Many programs are in place for those that do not make enough to make ends meet, much less in trying to buy a home.

HUD was founded to help those in need of homes. You can find a lot of links to all kinds of help through HUD. Make sure that you take the time to find out the ways you can obtain the help that you need for buying a home. If you live in the state of California, you will be able to find many programs through HUD for home purchases.

Most people need help in learning the ways to write for and to to apply for a grant. There are certain steps that must be taken to fulfill the criteria needed for grants to awarded. If you would like to apply for any kind of first time home buyer's grants, then you need to research these steps through HUD. There are many ways that you can go through HUD to obtain grant money.

The internet is full of people that are trying to sell software to get free government money. Make sure that you do not fall victim to scams in this way. Many offer software that will help you in applying for government grants. There are some legitimate offers out there for great help in applying for grants, but make sure that you choose the ones you can trust.

The dream of home ownership should be realized by everyone. Many people that work hard everyday and still have to rent housing can benefit from the government grants that are available for them. You need to check into all the ways you can apply for California first time home buyer grants.

About the Author:

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Gaining Mastery Over California Foreclosures By Keeping A Hand In Golden State Housing

By Jack Bennenstein

Dealing with California foreclosures by sticking with California's real estate market in the face of, until recently, increasing foreclosure rates will take a very strong investor who comes to the game with strong financial backing and a lot of patience. It wasn't always the case that an investor needed to be this way out in California, because (prior to the real estate bust) any people played the game with little or no financial backing to speak of.

Much of the reason for why people were playing the game with not a lot of resources has to do with the speculative real estate environment that was going on around much of the country but especially in California. People were buying homes strictly as a short-term investment rather than as a place to live. They get into the market with very little money and got caught out when the market finally collapsed.

All of this short-term buying and selling (known as "flipping") case people a false sense of security. They didn't believe that the boom would ever and in that a bust was due sooner or later. Unfortunately, one need only look at California foreclosures as a prime indicator that every economic boom is eventually followed by a correction or "bust."

Nowadays, it looks to have happened everywhere. The nationwide foreclosure rate has been holding at about 300,000 per month, and California (along with several other states) contributes nearly 60% of that number. Many home owners and investors, who came to the game with little backing, have been forced to flee the markets. This is yet another reason why California foreclosures have become common out in the Golden State.

Whether or not any investor has the fortitude to stick with California real estate depends on that investor's tolerance for risk, for one. Patience and tolerance or not characteristics that many investors in the old California real estate market possessed in large degree. But, long-term prospects for an eventual rebound look strong, meaning the patient investor could make something of even the California market over time.

It doesn't seem that property values will be increasing at any appreciable rate for the next several years even out in California, which has featured some of the most desired and attractive real estate in the country for years and years. In investor from just a couple of years ago could expect a 20 to 30% return on investment from real estate in the space of a single year, in extreme cases.

Nowadays, investors looking to time the market to get in at its bottom and take control of several California foreclosures should expect a more reasonable rate of return of from 3% to 7% in the short-term, though prospects are better over the long term. They will certainly also improve as California stabilizes its housing markets and budget issues. Though a generalization, these figures have held true lately.

This isn't necessarily bad news for those who want to look into California real estate even in the face of CA foreclosures, because a "buy and hold" rather than a "buy and immediately dispose of" investment philosophy makes more sense for the long run, anyway. It would seem that the upcoming paradigm for investors in California will be strong finances and a lot of patience, to tell the truth.

About the Author: