Title company stays busy during slump

Title company stays busy during slump The tight real estate market has meant tough times for title insurance companies throughout South Florida. For Equity Land Title LLC of Boca Raton, keeping busy during slow times meant thinking ahead, figuring out niches to create within the industry, or finding ways to set itself apart from the …

Family, friends in on real estate plot

Family, friends in on real estate plot Web of fraudulent flips leads to prison for Todd Kolbe, problems for many others For almost 10 years, Todd Kolbe was the mastermind of an effort to defraud banks of millions of dollars by inflating the value of Southwest Florida real estate. Kolbe, a mortgage broker by trade, …

Robert Bruss: The pros and cons of flipping property

Robert Bruss: The pros and cons of flipping property Are you a real estate “flipper” or a “keeper”? Most home buyers are keepers, owning their houses and condos for five or more years. However, even as residential sales prices currently “stagnate” or “plateau” in most cities, according to the latest statistics from the National Association …

Deputies warn to beware of old scam with new twist [Central Florida]

Deputies warn to beware of old scam with new twist [Central Florida] Collier County officials have a warning for anyone in Southwest Florida trying to find the perfect renter because con artists using an old scam with a new twist may be targeting you. It all involves bogus checks that are complete with the logos …

Owners grapple with choice to sell, rent

Owners grapple with choice to sell, rent As the real estate market in Washington slowed in 2006, some home sellers opted to offer incentives to potential buyers, such as closing-cost assistance or payment of condominium fees, while other home sellers dropped their listing price, sometimes more than once. Some sellers, frustrated by a lack of …