Lien on Me: The UDAAP Story of NTRAPS

The American Land Title Association (ALTA) has been leading the title industry in pushing back against Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services (NTRAPS). The prototype for NTRAPS is an agreement reserving a right to list real estate in the future. The right is secured by a filing in the local land records that effects constructive notice to … Continue reading Lien on Me: The UDAAP Story of NTRAPS

Virginia Law on Establishing Bottomland Ownership with a King’s Grant

Nejron Photo/Shutterstock.com Subject to certain exceptions, Virginia law is that the Commonwealth of Virginia owns the bed of the rivers, creeks, bays and the sea all throughout the state.[1] The September 15, 2022, issue of this Magazine catalogued these exceptions in an article titled “Does the Property Line Move When the Shoreline Changes at My Waterfront … Continue reading Virginia Law on Establishing Bottomland Ownership with a King’s Grant

ARTU December 2022

Question:  In 2005 acreage was conveyed to Development Company, Inc. (DDI). In 2008 DDI properly recorded a subdivision plat of Happy Acres (the original subdivision plat). In June 2009 DDI conveyed Lot 12 of Happy Acres, containing 4.5 acres, to Richardson Thompson. In August 2009 DDI recorded a resubdivision plat of Happy Acres, which increased … Continue reading ARTU December 2022

The Recordation Tax Exemption That You Likely Never Knew Existed

There is a full exemption from the Virginia grantor’s tax and state and local recordation taxes available on certain deeds and deeds of trust, which you have probably never heard of – and for good reason. You will not find the exemption anywhere in Chapter 8 of Title 58.1 of the Virginia Code; in fact, the … Continue reading The Recordation Tax Exemption That You Likely Never Knew Existed

THE NTP DESIGNATION AND WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING IT

When asked to write an article for the Examiner Magazine on obtaining the ALTA National Title Professional (NTP) Designation, several thoughts ran through my mind. First, I was flattered that a simple post on the VLTA Online Community website had inspired another member to consider, and eventually earn the NTP Designation herself. Second, I was … Continue reading THE NTP DESIGNATION AND WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING IT

VCTSA Success Story

In 2021, I took the Virginia Certified Title Settlement Agent (VCTSA) course through VLTA. By its own definition, the VCTSA Course is “the only advanced instructional program available for title settlement agents in Virginia to promote higher standards and skills for title settlement agents to benefit the land title industry and real property consumers.”    My reasons … Continue reading VCTSA Success Story

NEW LAWS July 1, 2022

The summaries below were drafted by the Virginia Division of Legislative Services.   From the thousands of bills which were introduced during the 2022 session, these summaries include only bills which have been signed into law by the Governor and have been found by this author to be relevant to the VLTA membership.  This selection process … Continue reading NEW LAWS July 1, 2022

Urban VS. Rural Title Research – Is There a Difference?

Urban vs. rural title research, is there any difference between the two or is it only that it is in a different location? What about the two makes them different? This was a question posed recently that made me dig a little bit deeper into the background of the two. In my experience when conducting … Continue reading Urban VS. Rural Title Research – Is There a Difference?