We are currently seeking a Part-Time Office Assistant to support the daily operations of Parks Title’s satellite office in East Lansing.  Principle responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Perform routine clerical and administrative work:
  • answering telephones
  • providing customer assistance
  • data processing
  • filing
  • use of Microsoft office programs

Qualified candidates should have a minimum of two years experience.

Parks Title is committed to being the best place to come for excellent service and a fulfilling career. We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefit packages.  To learn more please visit our website www.parkstitle.com.  Please send your resume and salary expectations in confidence to hopalewski@parkstitle.com.

The post Lansing Job Opportunity – Part Time appeared first on Parks Title.

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However, unless Congress acts this year, short sale sellers can expect an income tax increase in 2013.

Natasha Padgitt explains it this way at houselogic.com, “Let’s say you owe $150,000 on your mortgage, but your REALTOR® finds a buyer willing to pay $120,000. The bank approves the short sale and forgives the $30,000 difference. If you don’t complete the sale by Dec. 31, 2012, as of Jan. 1, 2013, that $30,000 in forgiven mortgage debt will be considered taxable income by the IRS.”

In 2007, Congress passed legislation to protect homeowners from the tax, but that protection expires at the end of 2012.

One Senate bill recently introduced by Sen. Debbie Stabenow seeks to extend the law and eliminate the new tax. The Stabenow bill would extend the expiring law for two years.

“It’s bad enough that so many families are faced with mortgages that now exceed the value of their home,” Stabenow said in a statement. “But to add insult to injury, without this bill, the IRS would once again require these families to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars in additional income tax when they sell or refinance their home. That’s just wrong.”

If you have questions on the short sale process, please contact Jessica Dyer at Parks Title, (517) 853-8211 or jdyer@parkstitle.com.

The post Short Sales May Be Subject to New Tax appeared first on Parks Title.

Under this new act, the filing deadline for principal residence exemption has been changed to June 1 for the next summer tax levy and also offers property owners a second filing option of November 1^st for the next winter tax levy and all subsequent tax levies.

In addition, a land contract vendor, bank, credit union or other lending institution will retain the exemption of any property they own as a result of foreclosure that held exempt status prior to the foreclosure.  The lending institution will have to pay into the School Aid Fund what it otherwise would have paid in school operating taxes as well as an administrative fee retained by the local tax-collecting unit.

For your reference, a copy of the legislation is linked here.

If you have any questions about this change to the General Property Tax Act, and the potential impact it may have on how you do business, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

The post Big News for Realtors, Land Contract Vendors & Foreclosing Lenders appeared first on Parks Title.

• Unpaid water bills or multiple water accounts
• Board up of abandoned property by the City
• Grass/Weed cutting by the City
• City charges for Snow Removal
• Ordinance Violations for broken steps, missing railings, etc.
• Unpaid fees for Inspections/Certificates of Occupancy/ACRs
• Special assessments for paving, sidewalks, sewer, etc.

If you are purchasing a property on land contract or for cash, I always recommend that you purchase an owner’s policy. Protect yourself and your investment even further by closing with an experienced, professional title company.

When people ask me why they need title insurance, I always ask, “How much time do you have?”

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The exemption is meant for owner occupied, homestead properties where the current SEV is either the same or lower than the original SEV.

Check with your local taxing authority to find out if your seller meets the requirements.

You could save your seller a lot of money.  People remember things like that.

The post Michigan Real Estate Agents – Did you know…. appeared first on Parks Title.