Discovering you own only half your yard | Morning Newsletter
And you decide which Eagles stay or go
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
We’re looking at temperatures in the 30s today, fresh off the weekend’s “bomb cyclone.”
Today we look at what’s known as tangled titles — the surprising, confusing, and disruptive discoveries that threaten more than $1 billion in household wealth in Philadelphia alone.
And with the Eagles’ season over, we give you a chance to decide who the franchise should keep — and who the Birds could do without.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com )
😲 A Wallingford family discovered they owned only half of their yard.
😕 A South Philly homeowner learned he only owned half his house.
😡 A Lower Merion family found they owned only half their driveway.
Those are some surprising tales of people dealing with tangled titles — when portions or sometimes the entirety of a property doesn’t transfer to a new owner. In Philly alone, there are currently more than 10,000 such cases, which threaten an estimated $1 billion in household wealth. It comes down to title companies, and what they do and don’t do for homeowners.
What title companies do:
Search the chain of ownership of a residential property going back 60 years.
Make sure the seller of the home is the legal owner.
Search for liens, court claims, unpaid taxes, and bankruptcies.
What they don’t do:
Visit the actual property.
Ensure that boundaries match buyer expectations.
“It doesn’t happen all that often, but when it does, it’s catastrophic,” says real estate lawyer Lance Rogers.
Our reporter Michaelle Bond has more, along with steps you can take to avoid getting tangled in titles.
What you should know today
Queen Village business owners are still waiting for repairs and repayment after a 130-year-old water main broke in July.
Philadelphia International Airport is bidding farewell to the PPA’s control of its parking lots, ending a 50-year partnership.
Penn’s investment in West Philly’s Lea Elementary is exciting — but comes with some concerns from the community.
Microchips, paint, and trains. All things SEPTA anxiously awaits due to supply chain woes.
Our columnist Trudy Rubin checks in from Ukraine as the country braces for a possible Russian invasion.
Scores of people took to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to denounce Russia’s flex on Ukraine.
And a look at the lessons learned from navigating life amid the omicron variant of COVID-19.
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
Our annual Eagles Stay or Go is going interactive. In addition to our own take on the team’s roster, you get to decide which players are vital to the Birds’ success — and which have trade value or should just be cut to make space for new talent.
Our reporter Jeff McLane gives his take on the entire 53-man roster, and you then get to decide whether he’s right.
Eagles quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Gardner Minshew? Jeff says 👍
Wide receivers Jalen Reagor and Greg Ward? Jeff says 👎
So play the role of Eagles general manager — and then see how your roster compares with others. 🦅
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
Today will be cold, but it won’t be the coldest last day of January in Philly on record. That happened during a polar vortex that had the entire city and suburbs in a deep freeze. Today’s question: Do you know which Jan. 31 was the coldest in city history? Take a guess and find the answer here.
a. 2018
b. 2019
c. 2016
What we’re…
🤔 Contemplating: What improvements and advances are in store for Philadelphia’s libraries under their new director.
🔬 Wondering: How do pandemic woes make gastrointestinal problems in teens even worse? This expert explains.
📚 Reading: Does anyone feel like hugging a cow today? It’s just one of the unique team activities employers are using to get their employees to de-stress.
Photo of the day
Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. I’ll see you tomorrow. 💯