Plain-language answers to real homebuyer questions across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia — written each week by Karen Todd, Esq.
Many buyers assume that because title insurance appears on their closing statement, their investment is protected. Here is the counterintuitive truth about who that required policy actually covers—and why owner's coverage matters.
Holding the front door keys feels like the finish line, but property ownership transfers in three distinct legal layers across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Here is what actually makes a house yours.
Last week, I found myself on a video call with a client moving here from Seattle for a new position. She was sharp, organized, and had a binder three inches thick. But as we discussed her upcoming closing, her confident posture softened. “I’ve bought a house before,” she said, gesturing to the screen, “but I feel like I’m flying blind here. What actually happens on closing day if I can’t be in the room?”
That old fence or shared driveway might be more than a charming feature—it could be an encroachment or easement. Discover what these survey findings mean for your DMV property purchase and how they are typically resolved, not with bulldozers, but with careful documentation.
It’s one of the last questions you’ll be asked before you get your keys, but it’s one of the most important. An expert explains what “holding title” really means for your future, your family, and your finances in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
It arrives looking just like an email from your title company, with an urgent request to send your closing funds to a new account. It’s a sophisticated scam called real estate wire fraud, and it costs home buyers millions. Here’s how it works—and the one simple, non-digital step that can stop it.
A mechanic’s lien allows a contractor to place a claim on your home if they aren't paid. Learn what a mechanic's lien is and how it impacts homeowners in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
It’s a quiet Saturday morning in your Alexandria rental, and as you scroll through listings, a memory surfaces: the small townhouse you bought in your twenties and sold after a job relocation. That was years ago. You feel like you’re starting over, but a question nags at you—are you still considered a first-time homebuyer in the eyes of the lenders and programs that could help you buy again? The answer is more hopeful than you might think.
It’s one of the most common questions I hear from homebuyers in the weeks before settlement: “I saved for the down payment, but where does all this other money come from?” The figure on the preliminary closing disclosure labeled “Cash to Close” can feel like a second, unexpected mountain to climb. A seller credit can be the bridge that gets you over it.