Owning a home is a significant achievement, but it comes with responsibilities, including ensuring your property has a clear title. Title issues can arise unexpectedly, from outstanding liens and errors in public records to unknown heirs and boundary disputes.

Navigating real estate transactions can be challenging, especially when sellers are out of the country. A Power of Attorney (POA) can streamline the process. This legal document allows one person to authorize another to act on their behalf, handling everything from financial decisions to property transactions.

A plat map, also known as a “plat,” shows you how a tract of land is divided into lots in your county. It is drawn to scale and records the land’s size, boundary locations, nearby streets, flood zones, and any easements or rights of way.

California’s builders, in an effort to combat the dual problem of an increasing population and a declining availability of prime land, are increasingly turning to common interest developments (CIDs) as a means to maximize land use and offer homebuyers convenient, affordable housing.