meridian-title-company

Meridian 1031 Exchange Division

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Tue, 28 May 2024 11:34:32 GMT

We are pleased to announce that alongside our partner and Qualified Intermediary (QI), Accruit, we can now facilitate 1031 exchange transactions through our Meridian Exchange Division.

1031 exchange transactions are one of the most popular tax strategies available when selling and buying real estate “held for productive use in a trade or business or investment.” Today, taxpayers use 1031 exchanges to increase cash flow by deferring taxes on gains realized through the sale of real estate if they reinvest those gains in the replacement property. In practical terms, a taxpayer sells a property used for business or investment in exchange for another property for business or investment use. When transacting an exchange, the taxpayer never receives nor controls the funds from the sale of their relinquished property. The funds are directly used to purchase the replacement property. Because taxpayers never actually gain the proceeds from the sale, they may defer the tax they would pay if they sold a property and kept the money.

To learn more about 1031 exchanges or to obtain a quote on your specific transaction contact your Meridian Title Account Manager.

Meridian 1031 Exchange Division

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Tue, 07 May 2024 11:17:01 GMT

We are pleased to announce that alongside our partner and Qualified Intermediary (QI), Accruit, we can now facilitate 1031 exchange transactions through our Meridian Exchange Division.

To learn more about 1031 exchanges or to obtain a quote on your specific transaction contact your Meridian Title Account Manager.

How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 11:31:25 GMT

Two-factor authentication (2FA), also known as two-step verification or multi-factor authentication (MFA), is a security process that requires users to provide two different authentication factors to gain access to an account or system.

2FA is important for several reasons, primarily because it significantly enhances the security of online accounts and systems. 2FA adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password. It requires users to provide two separate pieces of information to verify their identity, typically something they know and something they have. Even if a hacker manages to obtain your password, they will still need the second factor to gain access to your account. Check out this quick video below on how to set up 2FA on your devices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlpoc3C1kWM

Protecting Your Home: Understanding Home Title Fraud

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:28:30 GMT

Homeowners often pride themselves on the security of their most valuable asset—their home. However, amidst the joy of homeownership lurks a lesser-known threat: home title fraud. This insidious form of identity theft can wreak havoc on unsuspecting individuals, potentially leading to devastating financial losses and emotional distress.

What is home title fraud?

Home title fraud, also known as deed fraud or house stealing, involves an unauthorized individual illegally transferring the title of a property to themselves or another party without the actual homeowner's consent. Essentially, the fraudster assumes the identity of the homeowner, forges signatures, and files falsified documents with the appropriate authorities to transfer ownership of the property.

What does home title fraud entail?

Home title fraud typically begins with the perpetrator obtaining personal information about the homeowner, such as their name, address, and other identifying details. The fraudster can acquire this information through various means, including data breaches, phishing scams, or publicly available records.

Once armed with this information, the fraudster proceeds to forge signatures on property transfer documents, often using counterfeit identification to pose as the legitimate homeowner. These falsified documents are then submitted to the relevant government offices responsible for property records, such as the county recorder's office, where they are processed and recorded without proper verification.

How can you protect yourself from being a victim?

While home title fraud can be a frightening topic, there are several proactive steps homeowners can take to minimize their risk:

Monitor Your Property Title: Regularly review your property title and related documents for unauthorized changes or suspicious activity. Many counties offer online access to property records, making it easier to keep track of any alterations.
Stay Vigilant Against Identity Theft: Safeguard your personal information by practicing good cybersecurity habits, such as using strong, unique passwords, being cautious of phishing attempts, and monitoring your financial accounts for any unusual activity.
Enable Alerts and Notifications: Take advantage of alert services offered by financial institutions and credit monitoring agencies, which can notify you of any suspicious activity related to your property or identity. Some Indiana counties are offering a free service that provides property watch alerts. To search your county, click here .
Seek Legal Advice: If you suspect you've fallen victim to home title fraud or encounter any discrepancies in your property title, seek legal counsel immediately to explore your options for recourse and mitigation.

An Ordinance to Provide Property Tax Relief for Qualifying Homeowners in St. Joseph Co.

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 11:23:55 GMT

Ordinance No. 138-23

Many longtime elderly residents of St. Joseph County have experienced significant increases in property tax liabilities or struggled with financial constraints. The Indiana legislature enacted code Section 6-1.1-49 as a new chapter to the Indiana Code, effective July 1, 2023, to allow a County fiscal body to provide for a Circuit Breaker Tax Credit to qualified individuals in a designated neighborhood enhancement district.

Visit the link below for the full copy of the adopted county ordinance. For questions, contact your Meridian Title Account Manager.

Ordinance-St-Joseph-County.pdf

A New Era for Meridian Title

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:19:24 GMT

Questions About MAX?

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:13:35 GMT

MAX is ready to help! He saves Real Estate Agents, Lenders, Buyers and Sellers time by providing real-time information concerning their closing throughout the entire closing process. If you have any questions about MAX and how he can benefit you, contact your Account Manager today!

New Sales Disclosure Form - Indiana

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:11:02 GMT

Effective January 1st, 2021, a new Sales Disclosure Form will be required for the state of Indiana. Use the link below to visit the IN.gov website for more information about the changes, instructions and the form itself.

New Sales Disclosure Form Resources →

Introducing MAX!

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:05:35 GMT

Say hello to our newest (and cutest) team member MAX! Our new virtual assistant is available to help our customers and clients with questions about their closings in real-time.

See how MAX can help →

Important Statutory Change

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 11:02:13 GMT

Effective July 1, 2020:

Senate Enrolled Act 340 changed Indiana Code 32-21-2-3(a) by replacing ‘or’ with ‘and’. requiring both an acknowledgment in front of a notary AND a common law proof in front of a notary. Before the statutory change, a deed, mortgage or other recorded instrument could have either an acknowledgment in front of a notary OR a proof in front of a notary.

A proof requires a witness (not the notary) to witness the signatures of parties, not just grantors of a deed or mortgagors of a mortgage, who execute any instruments that are to be recorded. The witness must be over the age of 18 and can NOT be an interested party to the transaction. Relatives of the signer, buyers, sellers, real estate agents and lenders would all be ineligible to act as witnesses.

We are working with the ILTA and our lobbyist to see what can be done quickly about this, but the new law goes into effect July 1st, so any documents recorded on or after July 1st will need this certificate.

Are Your Transactions e-Ready?

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 10:59:23 GMT

The real estate industry was already on a trajectory to move more into the digital realm. The current economic and social climate may speed things up a bit. Here is some information about electronic transactions to help get you informed and prepared.

Are You e-Ready? →

Curbside Closings

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Mon, 09 Mar 2020 10:55:59 GMT

These are unprecedented times and Meridian Title is aware of the necessity of caution. In an effort to accommodate those needs and ensure the safety of our staff, we will offer closing services “curbside” at most of our locations.

What does this mean? You will be able to conduct your real estate transactions from the security of your vehicle. One of our employees will greet you in the parking lot and guide you through the transaction via telephone in order to minimize your contact with others.

Please contact your local Meridian Title office and your Real Estate professional to determine if you qualify for this service.

Elkhart Blood Drive 2019

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 10:44:10 GMT

Thanks to everyone who came out to this year's blood drive. All you donors kept the SB Medical Foundation Bloodmobile staff very busy while helping save lives. And a very special thanks to our own Adam Hooten for putting in all the work to organize this great event!

Dancing With The Stars Columbus Style

joe@riveravenuedigital.com (Joseph Ashby) — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 10:52:14 GMT

So proud of Trish Ward (from our Columbus office)!

Trish recently participated in Dancing With The Stars Columbus Style. This event was a fundraiser for Children, Inc. Learning Center and Family School Partners - both of which are United Way Certified Agencies. Not only are we impressed at your courage to get on stage, but also your willingness to help these wonderful causes. You do an amazing job, Trish, in and out of the office!