The search should turn up a tax bill or property assessment that gives you more information.

Interestingly, my detailed itemized list is almost always a range that includes 50%....With that said, I want to highlight that if you use an itemized approach, be comprehensive!

i was looking at fort lee too, but found a lot of co-op building, I hope you fine your answer.oh i see you are in maryland...I used the forum in city-data.com to get a better idea of the area. it's a site where ppl moving ask questions, like where to live, where to rent. best schools etc.then I use zillow and such to see recently sold home, see the taxes.then county assessment websites to track neighborhood, specific homes.once i narrowed down an area we drove there. and that usually results with TARGET or back to drawing board. because we can only do so much online

The county recorder will have a form to be completed that is used to state if there is an eligible exemption and to determine the amount of the transfer tax - and when a nominal amount is used ($1 or $10 for example), then they use the current assessed amount multiplied by a leveling factor (that the state has for each county), and that amount is what they will use for the transfer amount and base the transfer tax due on that.

The non-profit really has the best built in liability protections.Owning properties holds different risks than being a lender, but if you actually lend, you have almost as many issues (and much more compliance) than owning properties.You need to assess what you will be doing and identify the types of risk exposures you will assume, avoid and insure against.

Now the info I got from them was just a quick convo so I could assess and do a little research before I actually drove over there.

I would have to agree with your assessment Peter.

For examples, an lo can have an approval in the system technically but say the dti is over 50% it is up to the underwriter to assess the file to have compensating factors.Or say someone is out of Chapter 13 bankruptcy - the system will deny the file - but a lo following guideline procedures would submit the file manually for underwriter approval if he/she felt the loan qualified.Banks operate under a deskwriting underwriting system that tells the LO whether or not the loan is approved - this is how pre approvals are done.

You can count on having special assessments at some point because HOAs, like any property, will have big bills they have to pay.

You can certainly look further back to see if any red flags pop up, but you're not qualified to assess all the title issues that could exist.As I said, always get title insurance unless you have the money to defend title out of your pocket.