Happy Holidays from Cowlitz Title!

Happy Holidays from Cowlitz Title!

Holiday Greetings from your friends at Cowlitz Title!

Judy and Kathy Thank you to everyone who attended the Harvest Open House at the office of Cowlitz Title. It was great to see all of you enjoying yourselves and giving the staff of Cowlitz Title the opportunity to visit with you in a much relaxed atmosphere. Congratulations to Diane Fulton of Walstead Mertsching who won the turkey, and to Judy Ainslie of the County Treasurer's office (pictured, right, with incoming County Treasurer Kathy Hanks) who won the beautiful pine centerpiece.

At the close of yet another year, the staff of Cowlitz County Title pauses to wish you and your family a warm and happy holiday season. During the year, Santa's helpers at Cowlitz Title have been busy producing accurate title reports and closing short sales, along with practicing their Christmas caroling. Look for them at your office on December 23rd!

Sincerely -

Bianca Lemmons and the Cowlitz Title Staff

Is Santa Claus Real?
How will you answer?

Santa This is a question that is on most children's lips at some point in their childhood. What will you tell your child or grandchild when they ask if Santa Claus is real? Visit this website -- and also send a free special Christmas message to your child from Santa so that they know that the patron saint of giving still lives!

The Sad Truth About Foreclosures

Bianca Lemmons,
Manager

Although our local news media has been doing a good job of covering home foreclosures-they rightly have recognized the number of foreclosures as a major factor in our local real estate market. As the Manager of Cowlitz County Title Company, I note that the local media sometimes fails to describe the Washington State foreclosure process.

An example of this is the scandal in some states where a lawsuit must be filed by the foreclosing lender, involving lenders who failed to do their foreclosure paperwork properly. The local media fails to mention that Washington State is one of the majority of states that does not require a lender to file a lawsuit to foreclose on a defaulting borrower. In our state, foreclosures are done, with rare exceptions, "non-judicially". In this process, the defaulting borrower is given a Notice of Default, a Notice of Trustee's Sale is recorded at the Auditor's Office and later published twice in the newspaper, then an auction is held near the Cowlitz County courthouse by the foreclosure company or law firm that is hired by the lender to conduct the foreclosure. No lawsuit is ever filed.

The question that many of you have asked is whether or not the Underwriter's decide not to insure transactions after some lenders have foreclosed? Because of the differences in foreclosure processes described above, this decision doesn't affect Cowlitz County or Washington State. Cowlitz County Title Co. continues to insure buyers of foreclosed properties, with the goal of helping the real estate market and our neighborhoods recover by getting the record number of foreclosures behind us and returning these houses to owners who will maintain their homes, mow the lawn, and help stabilize home prices.

The news concerning foreclosures has been bad for years now, and each foreclosure has a personal story of job loss or unexpected financial circumstances. Because everyone in the community is affected by these foreclosures, it's critical that people facing foreclosure, or thinking of buying a foreclosed home, understand the process.

Cowlitz Title News
What's Happening In Our Office

Noah Title Officer Dyann Crayne has a new addition in her family: Noah Michael Anderson was born October 11, 2010, at 10:48 a.m. He was 6#11oz and has brown hair and dark blue eyes. (So far).

He is the son of Cody and Jaelyn Anderson and the grandson of Dave and Dyann Crayne (their 4^th grandchild!) and Mike and Dina Buchanan.

Noah was born with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Dyann says, "We have witnessed so many miracles in little Noah's life so far. Our prayer now is to have him home for Christmas."

Keep little Noah in your prayers for a holiday home with his family!

MBA Statistics
Rates and Trends
The Mortgage Bankers Association application statistics can be an interesting picture of what's going on in the real estate market. Click here to view some of the most recent graphs.

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