Real Estate & Mortgage

Given recent revelations concerning the disastrous real estate and mortgage scandal there has been and continues to be ever increasing fraudulent real estate and mortgage fraud on an unprecedented scale. Undoubtedly it will be years before the impact of such activities will be known. Unfortunately those charged with protecting the interests of buyers, sellers, contractors, insurance companies and lending institutions have in many cases been the source of such fraudulent activities.

Our professionals provide those who are victimized by fraudulent conduct to have a fraud risk analysis of any real estate or mortgage transaction. Additionally, identify those responsible for the fraud and develop a strategy to hold them accountable for their conduct and repair any damage they may have caused.

Our staff professionals are well equipped to examine documents germane to real estate and mortgage transactions and have been successful in detecting, preventing and apprehending perpetrators.

Many of the scams today are not discovered until something triggers an inquiry. This combined with an archaic public recording system of such transactions have allowed the fraudsters to have unimpeded opportunities to commit these types of fraud. Most are aware of the current crisis we face in Florida. To compound the problem, law enforcement, at all levels, is simply ill equipped to dedicate the necessary resources to fight this ever increasing dilemma.

At no time in the history of Florida Real Estate has more individuals and businesses felt the “sting” of being scammed. As a result, several of the oldest and most established title insurance companies are on the brink of collapse. Not to mention the number of people that have lost their homes and their savings.

The same problems that are faced in Florida are also being dealt with internationally. We have satellite offices in Central and South America, with offices physicality in Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador,Panama and Nicaragua. Some of the same players in the mortgage and real estate fraud have surfaced in Costa Rica and Panama. Potential investors are well advised that prior to investing in anything in these countries that a complete and thorough due diligence be completed. The cost of a good due diligence prior to investing, is pale in comparison to the loss sustained if the investment “goes south”.

Services

  • Document review, HUD-1 & 1003Õs
  • Closing agent file review
  • Fraud identification and investigation
  • Comprehensive recordation reviews
  • Mortgage proposal reviews
  • Immediate & interim crisis intervention strategies
  • Hard money lender due diligence
  • Real estate and mortgage broker background investigations
  • Real estate and mortgage broker internal investigations of suspicious activity
  • Preparation of statement of facts for presentation to law enforcement if warranted
  • Background screening of potential buyers, sellers and agents
  • Assist in identification, location and recovery of ill gotten gains from fraud
  • Due diligence of investment, property, seller, lender, attorney and insurance company