The DMV Title Guy Blog
Title Insurance & DMV Closing Insights
Straight answers on title insurance, closing costs, and settlement for buyers, agents, and lenders across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
85 articles · written by Will Rapuano, Pruitt Title LLC
Showing 13 of 85 articles
FeaturedFake Purchase Contract Scams: How Title Companies Spot Them
A fake buyer, a generic contract and an oversized deposit. How the fake-contract scam aimed at title companies works, and how to check a deal is real.
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First-Time Homebuyer Closing Tax Breaks: MD vs DC vs VA
Maryland buyers can pay no transfer tax, DC cuts recordation to 0.725%, and Virginia has no closing-tax break. What each saves on a $600,000 home.

Montgomery vs Prince George's County Closing Costs (2026)
Prince George's County costs more in transfer and recordation tax below about $775,000; Montgomery costs more above it. Rates, totals and who pays.

Title Company or Attorney for Closing? VA, MD and DC
You don't need your own attorney to close in Virginia, Maryland or DC. Who can run a closing in each, DC's deed rule, and when to hire a lawyer anyway.

Virginia vs Maryland vs DC Closing Costs for Buyers (2026)
On a $600,000 home, a buyer's taxes run about $3,600 in Fairfax County, $6,725 in Montgomery County and $8,700 in DC. Side-by-side breakdown.

525 New Affordable Homes Coming to Tysons: What Buyers Need to Know
525 affordable housing units are coming to Tysons near Greensboro Metro. Here's what buyers need to know about title insurance for new construction, income restrictions, and metro-adjacent properties.
Escalation Clauses and Closing Costs: What Changes When Your Offer Goes Up
An escalation clause raises more than the price. How it changes transfer and recordation taxes and title insurance in VA, MD and DC, and how to plan for an appraisal gap.

The DC Real Estate Contract: How a Washington, DC Home Purchase Contract Works
How a DC home purchase contract works: the GCAAR form set, seller disclosures, condo resale rights, TOPA for tenant-occupied homes, lead paint and taxes.

Maryland First-Time Homebuyer Transfer Tax Exemption: Who Qualifies and What It Saves
First-time Maryland buyers pay no state transfer tax. The seller pays a halved rate. Who qualifies, the sworn statement, and what it means for county taxes.

The Maryland Real Estate Contract: How the Standard Residential Contract of Sale Works
How the standard Maryland residential contract of sale works: deposits, contingencies, disclosure and HOA/condo rescission rights, and transfer taxes.

Title Company for Military and Out-of-State Relocation to Northern Virginia
PCSing or moving to Northern Virginia from out of state? You can close without being here, you choose the settlement agent, and VA loans limit what you can be charged. What to line up first.

Title Insurance for FSBO Buyers in Northern Virginia: What Happens With No Agent
Buying directly from the owner in Northern Virginia? Virginia law gives you the right to choose the settlement agent, and your FSBO contract may not say so. What to order, and when.

Types of Property Surveys: A DMV Homebuyer and Closing Guide
Compare boundary surveys, location drawings, ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, topographic surveys, and building plats—and learn which survey fits a DC, Maryland, or Virginia transaction.
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