Wills in real estate during COVID-19 era

Covering properties with solid wills during COVID-19 period? Assuming you need a 20 percent down payment. The long-held belief that you must put 20 percent down payment is a myth. While a 20 percent down payment does help you avoid paying private mortgage insurance, many buyers today don’t want (or can’t) put down that much money. In fact, the median down payment on a home is 13 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors. How this affects you: Delaying your home purchase to save up 20 percent could take years, and you could limit cash flow that could be put to better use maximizing your retirement savings, adding to your emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. What to do instead: Consider other mortgage options. You can put as little as 3 percent down for a conventional mortgage (note: you’ll pay mortgage insurance). Some government-insured loans require 3.5 percent down or zero down, in some cases. Plus, check with your local or state housing programs to see if you qualify for housing assistance programs designed for first-time buyers.

You should always trust and follow the advice of an experienced Germany Realtor that has a successful and proven track record of selling homes in your area. You should listen to and follow their advice and recommendations as often as you can to maximize the sale of your home. By following these must-know tips, you will be on your way to getting the best selling price for your home. As your Germany real estate agent, we know all the industry’s best-kept secrets. Give us a call today or visit our website so that we can provide you with all the information you need to start selling your home today.

Most will allow sales at the advice of the trustee, even if purchases or distributions of funds are not permitted while the application is in the courts. Where losses have occurred, tax advice will probably be needed to ensure that as much damage control as possible is carried out. In many cases it seems that the concept of remote working, meeting with clients by way of video calls, remote swearing of affidavits and even remote signing of documents have become more common place and accepted. However if there is a cautionary tale to be drawn it is that the underlying rules of professional expertise, client protection and trustee responsibilities have not changed, they are just being exercised somewhat differently. See extra info on protect myself during coronavirus.

Video-witnessing should therefore be a last resort for those cases when there is no other option for getting a Will signed. The government have issued guidance on the steps to be followed. All parties need to be present at the same time by way of a two or three-way live video link. The witnesses must be able to see the will-maker signing the document, not just their head and shoulders. The Will/Codicil then needs to be taken or posted to the witnesses to add their signatures, again via further live video session(s) with clear sight of the witness signing.

Have an Emergency Fund: If you lost your job tomorrow would you have enough money to live off while you look for a new one? If not then you’re not alone. This study found that although Americans are doing a better job at saving, around 24 percent of them (57 million people) don’t have an emergency fund. Now I don’t want to be a negative Nancy or a Debbie downer, but emergencies happen all the time. They may not happen to you, but it’s always good to be prepared. You can’t predict an emergency, but you can prepare for one. The best way to do so is to set up an emergency fund of 3-6 months living expenses. That means if you lost your job tomorrow, you’d be able to live off your emergency fund for 3-6 months while you look for a new one. Net worth can seem like a tricky topic, but it’s quite simple. Your net worth is how much money you are worth. If you were to sell everything you own, then pay off everything you owe, how much money would be left?

On balance, lenders have remained cautious in their analysis of MAE (which is very complex and fact specific) and the use of the current COVID-19 outbreak to squeeze better terms from borrowers or for that matter to call an event of default. However, as the situation unfolds MAE will be something to keep an eye on, as will the question of whether lenders will come under increasing pressure to invoke MAE (notwithstanding the potential relationship and reputational implications of such action). Based on our experience, in real estate financing transactions, if an MAE has occurred it is very likely that other events of default would have also been triggered under the loan agreement, e.g. LTV or DSCR covenant breaches, and a lender will rely on those breaches to accelerate the facility or renegotiate more favorable terms, rather than relying on an MAE. See even more details at https://techbullion.com/wills-and-covid-19-safeguarding-your-assets-during-a-global-pandemic/.