Livinglies's Weblog

As we learn and as things change, we arrive at different conclusions. There is no doubt in my mind that our Chain of Title Analysis (COTA) is the best in the country by a large margin. The problem we need to address is that most people including most lawyers don’t know what to do with our COTA.

I also think we may have misnamed COTA. Generally a Chain of Title Report can be produced in minutes or perhaps an hour, at most. Our Chain Of Title Analysis involves 10, 20 and sometimes as much as 50 hours of work. This is detail work and no template or “scan” does the job. The devil is in the details and so are the gems that may win your case.

I have concluded that the COTA should not be released unless the total package includes a Consult — except for lawyers ordering the COTA, although they encouraged to do the Consult too.

The simple reason is that homeowners and even many lawyers do not inherently know what to do with the information in the COTA. They are therefore blurting out bullets from our report without understanding what gets traction or how to present legal argument or how to challenge legal presumptions of false facts. Winning requires effective litigation skills not merely some words on paper.

I have also concluded that there are two types of COTA, to wit:

(1) the normal COTA that involves perhaps 10-12 entries in the chain of title and an investigation of the rest of the entities appearing on the recorded instruments. This requires approximately 10 hours of paralegal investigation and drafting plus a short period of review by me. We can cover the highlights in about 30 minutes and as always I strongly advise having an attorney on the line who is licensed in the jurisdiction in which the property is located. All consults are recorded. Following the end of the Consult you receive a link that you should use to download the audio file within 30 days or it will disappear.

(2) the complex COTA that involves more entries in the chain of title (assignments, powers of attorney, notices of default, lis pendens etc.) plus the investigation of the myriad of other entities that appear on the face or at the bottom or top of the recorded instruments. This requires approximately 20 hours of paralegal investigation and drafting plus 1/2 hour review by me. As always I strongly advise having an attorney on the line who is licensed in the jurisdiction in which the property is located. All consults are recorded. following the end of the Consult you receive a link that you should use to download the audio file within 30 days or it will disappear. 

For the “normal” COTA, the Consult can cover the highlights in about 30 minutes and as always I strongly advise having an attorney on the line who is licensed in the jurisdiction in which the property is located. All consults are recorded. Following the end of the Consult you receive a link that you should use to download the audio file within 30 days or it will disappear.

For the “complex” COTA, the Consult can cover the highlights in about 60 minutes and as always I strongly advise having an attorney on the line who is licensed in the jurisdiction in which the property is located. All consults are recorded. Following the end of the Consult you receive a link that you should use to download the audio file within 30 days or it will disappear.

NOTE: If you don’t use up your consult time we will store it for you so you can call back without additional charge for the unused time.

I have also observed an “inability” — actually reluctance to spend more money after paying “forensic document examiners” and lawyers and getting nowhere. Understandable. If you are tired of the whole affair then walk away, get cash for keys or whatever.

But if you are determined to press on but don’t know who to trust I think we have demonstrated both our commitment and trustworthiness with more than 10 years on this blog and other publications and many CLE seminars for Attorneys, as well as providing as much free service as we can afford to provide — funded by paid services (like COTA) and donations, as well as volunteer time expended on our behalf.

Henceforth the abbreviation for a Chain of Title Analysis (COTA) and a Consult will be “C&C” and will be sold only as a single unit. You can still purchase as many Consults as you want but in most cases you derive far more benefit if you purchase the C&C. Most people and even many lawyers seem to be at a loss as to where to start when asking questions. The COTA part of the C&C gives me the opportunity to tell you my opinion of what questions to ask based upon concrete facts we have reviewed or uncovered.

The price of the “normal” C&C will be $1180 subject to discounts if paid in advance. This fee is divided into four (4) payments:

$295 on placing the order

$295 upon completion of COTA

$295 upon scheduling Consult

$295 due 30 days after C&C is complete.

The price of the “complex” C&C will be $1880 subject to discounts if paid in advance. This fee is divided into four (4) payments:

$470 on placing the order

$470 upon completion of COTA

$470 upon scheduling Consult

$470 due 45 days after C&C is complete.

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• I would be remiss in not pointing out that Bill Paatalo’s report overlaps with our COTA and comes very close to its contents and then he adds additional investigation and research to reveal more facts and reveal more issues for further investigation and discovery. It’s a different report than the reports and affidavits we issue.

• If you purchase Paatalo’s report or a full review from Dan Edstrom, then you probably don’t need our COTA. You can just purchase a Consult from us.

• But you may still need a Case Analysis (a/k/a Review and Report) that lays out our plan for further investigation and discovery, pleading, strategy, and tactics. The Case Analysis should only be purchased on advice or order from your attorney or by pro se litigants who have a properly licensed attorney advising them.

Filed under: foreclosure |