Meredith Murphy, Foundation Title

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Meredith Murphy, Foundation Title NJ Title Company | Residential & Commercial Closings | Serving All of New Jersey

🏡 **FOCUS FRIDAY: Deed Fraud Is on the Rise in New Jersey. Are You Watching for the Warning Signs?**Here's something eve...
10/23/2026

🏡 **FOCUS FRIDAY: Deed Fraud Is on the Rise in New Jersey. Are You Watching for the Warning Signs?**

Here's something every New Jersey Realtor and real estate attorney should have on their radar.

A recent report from the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation identified 135 reported deed fraud incidents between 2020 and March 2026. Investigators believe the actual number could be higher.

The concern? Someone posing as a legitimate property owner and attempting to sell or transfer property they don't actually own.

And some transactions deserve a closer look.

🚩 A seller who insists on communicating only by email or text.

🚩 Vacant land, second homes or investment properties where the owner isn't regularly present.

🚩 A seller pushing for a quick closing without a clear explanation.

🚩 Last-minute changes to wiring instructions or payment details.

🚩 Identification or ownership information that doesn't match the property records.

These situations don't automatically mean fraud, but they're reasons to ask more questions.

**For Realtors:** Knowing who you're working with and recognizing unusual seller behavior can help prevent a fraudulent transaction from getting too far.

**For Real Estate Attorneys:** Reviewing ownership records, verifying identities and addressing inconsistencies early can help protect your clients and the integrity of the closing.

New Jersey lawmakers are also considering additional protections following the state's recent investigation.

The takeaway? **A smooth closing starts long before closing day.**

At Foundation Title, we understand how important it is to have experienced title professionals involved throughout the process.

If something about a transaction doesn't seem right, it's worth taking the time to investigate.

**DM Us. Let's Partner Up.**

📰 Source: NorthJersey.com / The Record, October 12, 2026. NJ State Commission of Investigation, September 2026.

10/22/2026

Agents — picture this: a title search finds a deed from decades ago that describes the wrong lot number — a simple clerical error, copied forward from one deed to the next for thirty years.

Nobody built on the wrong land. Nobody noticed. But legally, the paperwork didn't match the property until someone caught it. Fixing it takes a corrective deed and some patience.

Foundation Title serves all of New Jersey.

DM Us — Let's Partner Up

(Illustrative scenario, not a specific case — but description errors like this are more common than you'd think.)

Agents, here's a habit that protects your own timeline, not just the buyer's: order a preliminary title search the same ...
10/21/2026

Agents, here's a habit that protects your own timeline, not just the buyer's: order a preliminary title search the same day you take a new listing, not once you're under contract. Catching a lien or ownership issue early means it never becomes a fire drill once you're racing toward a closing date. It's a small step now that saves you from being the agent explaining a delay later.

DM Us — Let's Partner Up.

10/20/2026

Agents — vacant land deals feel simpler. No house, no tenants, no oil tank.

But the title search often gets more complicated, not less. Access easements matter more when there's no driveway already built. Wetlands and subdivision approvals can affect what's even buildable. Old mineral or timber rights can still be attached.

An empty lot can carry a full history. Don't treat a land deal like a smaller version of a house deal.

Foundation Title serves all of New Jersey.

DM Us — Let's Partner Up

Agents, the next time a client asks what's taking title so long, here's the answer that makes you sound like you know ex...
10/19/2026

Agents, the next time a client asks what's taking title so long, here's the answer that makes you sound like you know exactly what's happening: we're digging through public records for outstanding liens, unpaid taxes, judgments, easements, and gaps in the ownership chain, sometimes going back decades on a single property. It's not a delay, it's the work that protects your buyer from inheriting someone else's problem. Being able to explain that confidently makes a big impression.

DM Us — Let's Partner Up.

🏡 **Sunday Morning Market Snapshot | October 18, 2026**Mortgage rates finally stopped climbing this week, but they're st...
10/18/2026

🏡 **Sunday Morning Market Snapshot | October 18, 2026**

Mortgage rates finally stopped climbing this week, but they're still putting pressure on homebuyers.

According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate held steady at 7.40%, compared with 6.27% a year ago.

For New Jersey Realtors, that means affordability is likely to remain a big part of the conversation.

Buyers may be reconsidering their budgets, looking at different towns, or taking more time before making an offer.

And for real estate attorneys, helping clients understand the full financial picture, including closing costs, title issues, and ownership protection, remains an important part of the transaction.

A higher mortgage rate can change what a buyer can afford. It shouldn't change how carefully their purchase is handled.

Have you noticed buyers becoming more cautious as rates have climbed?

**DM Us. Let's Partner Up.**

🏡 **FOCUS FRIDAY: New Jersey Home Sales Are Slowing. But Prices Are Still Rising.**Redfin just released its September ho...
10/16/2026

🏡 **FOCUS FRIDAY: New Jersey Home Sales Are Slowing. But Prices Are Still Rising.**

Redfin just released its September housing market report, and the national numbers are getting plenty of attention.

Pending home sales across the country have dropped to their lowest level since 2014, excluding the pandemic shutdown in 2020.

But what does that actually mean for New Jersey?

Here's where things get interesting.

📍 **Newark, NJ Metro**
Pending sales dropped 3.0% compared to last year, but home prices increased 4.0% to a median of $613,591.

📍 **New Brunswick, NJ Metro**
Pending sales fell 7.5%, while prices still increased 1.5% to a median of $583,660.

Meanwhile, new listings increased in both markets.

So while buyers may be taking longer to make decisions, we're not seeing the same story everywhere.

For Realtors, this creates an opportunity to have a different conversation with clients.

Sellers need to understand that pricing and preparation matter, especially as buyers have more homes to consider.

Buyers may have more room to negotiate, but waiting for a major price drop isn't necessarily going to pay off in every New Jersey market.

And for real estate attorneys, a changing market makes communication and careful attention to contract terms, inspections and closing timelines especially important.

**The market is changing. The key is understanding what's happening locally.**

At Foundation Title, we're here to help keep your transactions on track from contract to closing.

**DM Us. Let's Partner Up.**

📊 Source: Redfin, October 12, 2026. September 2026 housing market data.

10/15/2026

Agents — manufactured and mobile homes can be titled more like a car than a house — a certificate of title through the DMV, not a deed through the county.

If it's been permanently affixed to land the owner also owns, it may need to be converted to real property first, on purpose, on paper. Skip that step, and your buyer's mortgage lender may not recognize it as real estate at all.

Know which kind of title you're dealing with before you list.

Foundation Title serves all of New Jersey.

DM Us — Let's Partner Up

Address

3 Becker Farm Road
Roseland, NJ
07068

Telephone

+19734775887

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