Viking Title Blog
Practical guidance from the Viking Title team on wire fraud protection, Property DNA Reports, title insurance, escrow and closing, title issues, estate planning, creative transactions, commercial title, and housing policy. Real issues, explained in plain English.
48 articles in 9 categories
How real estate wire fraud works, what to do the moment something goes wrong, and how to protect the largest transfer you will ever make.
The criminal may not need to hack your bank. They may convince you to send them the money yourself. Here’s how the scam works, step by step.
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In many wire-fraud schemes, the criminal’s most valuable target isn’t a bank — it’s an email account. Here’s why.
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Buying a home may involve sending the largest wire transfer you’ve ever made. Unfortunately, criminals know that too.
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Act immediately. Minutes matter. Here’s exactly what to do if you’ve sent money to a fraudulent account.
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A failed wire recall doesn’t necessarily mean your money is gone forever. Here’s what happened when our management team helped a victim recover every penny.
Read the articleWhat Property DNA Reports show, and how owners, buyers, agents, and renters use them to look beneath the surface before they commit.
Most people know surprisingly little about a property before they buy it. A Property DNA Report gives you an early look beneath the surface.
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One of the most useful things a homeowner can do before selling is find out what the records actually say about their property.
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Information changes strategy. Here is what a Property DNA Report can tell you before you write the offer.
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Before you promise everyone a smooth closing, find out whether there is anything that deserves a closer look.
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One of the simplest questions in a rental transaction is also one of the most important: does this person actually have the right to rent this property?
Read the articleWhat title companies do, how title insurance works, and what actually happens at escrow and closing. Plain-English answers to the questions buyers and sellers ask most.
There may be homeowners in your market right now who are in foreclosure, have stopped living in their property and have essentially walked away. These zombie properties can represent an opportunity to help save someone’s remaining equity.
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For many independent title company owners, retirement creates a difficult question: What happens to the company? Here is another option besides selling.
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"Cloud on title" sounds dramatic. Sometimes it is. Here's what creates one and how to clear it.
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Your title company may temporarily be responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars of your money. Here's how to know it's being handled properly.
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When you choose a title company, you probably don't ask "Who do you bank with?" Maybe you should.
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Most people don’t spend much time thinking about title companies until they buy, sell, or refinance real estate. Here’s what we actually do.
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You buy one house. There is one closing. So why are there sometimes two title insurance policies?
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Your title company says your money is in escrow. Six months later your mortgage statement says escrow balance. Same word, completely different things.
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You may send a title or escrow company a very large amount of money. Then you wait. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes.
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You make an offer, the seller accepts, and now somebody needs your earnest money. Here’s where it goes and what happens to it.
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A title insurance policy protects against title risks. But what happens if the settlement agent mishandles the closing? That’s where a CPL comes in.
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There’s growing discussion around using attorney title opinion letters as an alternative to title insurance. Here’s what consumers need to understand.
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Hopefully nothing goes wrong. But what happens if you’re the one who has a title problem and no insurance?
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You’ve signed approximately 47,000 pieces of paper. Your hand hurts. So where are the keys? Here’s what happens between signing and getting the keys.
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"It’s 2026. Why can’t you just Google it?" We wish every county worked that way. Here’s why title searches take the time they take.
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Imagine buying a home and discovering you may be able to take over the seller’s existing mortgage — at their much lower interest rate.
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After weeks of applications, documents and waiting, hearing “clear to close” means you’re almost there. Here’s what happens next.
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You refinance your first mortgage and suddenly somebody says "We need a subordination agreement." Here is what that means.
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Get cash from your home equity with no monthly payment. Sounds great but here is what you need to understand before signing.
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Few mortgage products are more misunderstood than reverse mortgages. Here is what they actually are and how they work.
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You've probably seen the scary commercials. But before you pay a private company $240 a year to monitor your title, here's what you should know.
Read the articleInvoluntary liens, HOA liens, and foreclosures: what they mean, how they attach, and whether they can actually stop a sale.
A mortgage is a lien you agreed to. An involuntary lien is different. Here is what you need to know.
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In Nevada, an HOA can have a statutory lien against property for unpaid assessments — and that lien can ultimately be foreclosed.
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"Pre-foreclosure" sounds like the house is about to be sold tomorrow. That is not necessarily what it means.
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Yes, you can sell a house with a lien on it. Here’s how title companies handle liens during closings — and when it gets complicated.
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Most title problems can be solved without a courtroom. But some require a judge. Here’s when quiet title becomes necessary.
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Embarrassment is not a foreclosure strategy. Here is what to do if you are behind on your mortgage and feeling overwhelmed.
Read the articleDeath, trusts, Medicaid, and deeds: who owns the house after a life change, and how ownership can be transferred safely.
Real estate ownership after death depends on how the property was titled, whether a trust exists, and state probate law. It is not always as simple as you’d think.
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Federal law requires states to seek repayment from the estates of deceased Medicaid recipients. Here is what that means for your home.
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They’re easy, inexpensive, and you can find forms online. But before you "just quitclaim the house," here’s what you need to know.
Read the articlePortable mortgages, assumable loans, subject-to transactions, and wholesaling: what these creative real estate structures actually involve and when they make sense.
Imagine taking your 2.75% mortgage with you when you move. Portable mortgages sound great in theory, but here is why they are more complicated than you think.
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Two nearly identical houses, same price, same neighborhood. But one comes with a 3% mortgage you might be able to assume. Here is why that matters.
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Subject-to transactions can solve real problems and carry real risks. Here is what is actually happening when someone buys a property "subject to" the existing mortgage.
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Some people love wholesalers. Some hate them. Before deciding, here is what is actually happening in a wholesale assignment or novation.
Read the articleHousing law, institutional investors, and the market forces shaping who gets to own a home.
Using property data to find future sellers, assumable mortgages, distressed properties, and new opportunities in your market. Practical strategies for agents who want to work smarter.
Commercial real estate title and escrow, portfolio transactions, ground leases, 1031 exchanges, and specialty properties including cannabis real estate.
Commercial real estate is different. The transactions are bigger, the structures more complicated. Here is how Viking handles commercial title nationwide.
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Cannabis real estate creates one of the strangest situations in American commercial real estate. Here is what you need to know about title insurance for cannabis properties.
Read the articleProtect Your Closing
Real estate wire fraud is one of the most common scams in the industry. Never send funds based solely on emailed instructions. Independently verify wiring instructions by phone before you wire a penny.
