Denise R. Scolaro-Klag Cleveland Home Title

10/23/2026

Friday rate check 🏡

Freddie Mac's survey (out 10/22): the 30-year fixed dropped to 7.32% — the first weekly decline since August, down from 7.40%. The 15-year eased to 6.68%. The MBA survey (out 10/21) had the 30-year at 7.41%, down from 7.50% — its first drop in over two months.

Still 1.13 points above a year ago. Rates remain near multi-year highs.

Why it matters at closing: most rate locks run 30–60 days. If a title surprise delays closing past the lock window, you re-lock at that day's market rate. Start title work early to protect your timeline and your rate.

69 days left in 2026. Questions about your closing? Message me — Denise R. Klag, Cleveland Home Title.

General info only, not financial advice. Sources: Freddie Mac PMMS (week ending 10/22/2026); MBA weekly survey (10/21).

10/22/2026

Most closings hit at least one title surprise. Here's what usually turns up in a title search — and how it gets fixed:

Liens — tax, contractor, HOA, court judgments. The most common find. Paid off, usually from the seller's proceeds at the closing table, with a formal release recorded.

The paid-off mortgage that never got released — one more document, filed correctly, and it's gone.

Paperwork errors — misspelled names, wrong legal descriptions, missing signatures. Fixed with a corrective affidavit or re-recorded document.

Boundary questions — fences, driveways, sheds in the wrong spot. Settled with a survey or an agreement between the parties.

Most clear up in days or a few weeks. The complicated ones — disputed ownership, unknown heirs — take longer, and lenders will not close until resolved.

With closings stacked before December 31, there's no room for a late surprise.

Buying or selling before the year turns? Ask your title company what title work is already in motion.

10/21/2026

10/21/2026

For all my people looking for great homes for your buyers!!!

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10/21/2026

The year-end closing countdown is on: 71 days left in 2026.

If a deal needs to close by December 31, the clock is already ticking. A typical financed closing takes about 30 to 45 days — and the holiday weeks in between slow everyone down.

Three moves that keep a year-end closing on track:

1. Get under contract early. Waiting until December leaves no room for surprises.
2. Start the title work right away. Anything the search turns up has to be cleared before closing, and that takes longer around the holidays.
3. Build in buffer days. Recorder offices, lenders, and title companies close or run short staff around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Planning to close before the year turns? Now is the time to get it moving.

General timing information only — not legal or tax advice.

10/20/2026

5 simple moves that keep your closing on schedule

Most closing delays are paperwork problems that could have been handled weeks earlier:

1. Get your documents in early — ID, insurance info, payoff details.
2. Disclose liens or judgments up front — the title search will find them anyway.
3. Flag any divorce, death, or name change — gaps in the chain of title are slow to fix.
4. Don't wait on the HOA — payoff statements can take weeks.
5. Keep your lender in the loop on any change mid-process.

Buying or selling in Northeast Ohio? Message us with your title questions.

10/17/2026

Paying cash for a house? You still need title insurance.

With no lender in the deal, nobody requires a policy — but nobody shares the risk either. Every dollar on the table is yours.

Here's what to know:

✅ An owner's policy is a one-time premium at closing. It lasts as long as you (or your heirs) own the home — no renewals.

✅ It covers hidden defects a title search can miss: forged paperwork, recording errors, a lien nobody knew about, an heir who shows up later.

✅ Who pays for the policy varies and is negotiable — ask your title company what to expect.

Paying cash doesn't make the title clean. The owner's policy protects it.

Buying without a lender? Let's talk about protecting your investment.

10/14/2026

Will mortgage rates come down?

Wondering if rates will drop before you buy? Zillow just put a number on it.

• The 30-year fixed is at 7.568% and the 15-year at 6.844% (The Mortgage Reports, data dated Oct 9, 2026) — mid-7s, the highest in about three years.
• Zillow's October forecast expects modest relief: the 30-year easing to 7.1% by the end of 2026, and only 6.5% by the end of 2027.
• Waiting for the low-6% world to come back? The signal is it isn't — work with the market you're in, and get your rate in writing.
• Any discount points or rate buydowns you negotiate show up on your Closing Disclosure — that's the document your title company walks through with you before you sign anything.

General information only, not financial advice.

Questions about what your Closing Disclosure will show? Cleveland Home Title walks buyers through every line before they sign.

10/13/2026

Closing wire fraud: one phone call protects your down payment

The FBI logged over 12,000 real estate fraud complaints last year, with $275 million in reported losses. The most common trick: an email that looks exactly like it's from your title company, with wiring instructions inside. One wrong wire and the money is gone.

Before you send a dollar:
→ Never wire based on emailed instructions alone. Not ever.
→ Call your title company at a number you already have — their website, your closing paperwork, a business card — and confirm the instructions out loud.
→ A "voice confirmation" can be faked too. Use a trusted number you already have, not one from the email.
→ If instructions feel off, stop and forward them to your title company. They can verify in minutes.

Agents: warn your buyers about this before closing day.

10/11/2026

Escrow 101: Where your earnest money actually goes

That earnest money check you write with your offer? It's a good-faith deposit — not your down payment — and it goes into escrow.

What happens to it:
• A neutral third party (usually the title company) holds it in a secure escrow account while the deal plays out
• It's typically around 1–3% of the purchase price, and at closing it's credited toward your down payment or closing costs
• If the inspection, appraisal, or financing falls through, you generally get it back
• Walk away without a valid contingency, though, and you could lose it — know your contingencies before you sign

Questions about escrow or your closing? Reach out — happy to walk through it.