When I set out to begin my quest to discover the goings-on behind the scenes of the 2008 financial disaster, I had no idea that my research was going to develop into a widely-circulated book or the design of a specific chain of title assessment protocol. I never understood why Americans lacked a real financial education until I began to understand for myself what happened to me, happened to a lot of other people as well.
It became my objective to teach my research in a workshop format … so I did. I then realized that my book made an impact on others who wanted me to expand my skills and expertise in doing real property land record audits for the county recorders and clerks themselves. I did not care about becoming front page news. I cared about my fellow man … about the condition of his wealth and this grew into the concern over the integrity of not just my chain of title but millions of others as well. My focus became national in nature. I held myself out there. I realized that I couldn’t change the world. I can’t change America. Change must come from within, by example.
Yes, it is a fact that DK Consultants LLC did conduct a Forensic Examination of the official real property records of Osceola County, Florida, which was an extension of the type of the audit examination that DK Consultants LLC conducted in the official real property records of Williamson County, Texas. Not only does it look good on your resume, but at the end of the day, you’ve done something that has impressed someone in government to change things for the better.
But I can’t do this alone and neither can you.
Similar types of examinations have taken place in Guilford County, North Carolina; Southern Essex County, Massachusetts; and more recently in King County, Washington (on behalf of the City of Seattle). Some sort of “action” resulted in each case (excepting Seattle’s audit), wherein publicly-elected officials either filed suit or went after the perpetrators in civil fashion. In Osceola County, Florida, however, the first ever criminal application of a forensic examination allegedly took place. Despite the negative publicity, we collectively affected American history and sent a message to the powers-that-be that we know what is going on.
Awakening a sleeping giant must be the last thing on one’s mind when they’re pouring through land records looking for clues to violations of law. But without your help, no one else will be held to a higher standard. It is sad when politics impedes justice. The point is, this will not be my “Last Tango in Paris” (so to speak).
Al West has come up with a way for California counties to self-finance audits of their land records! Not only are these audits self- financed, there is a specific fund dealing with mortgage fraud that will finance criminal investigations. We are researching other states to see if similar statutes exist.
The point is: All of you reading this newsletter right now are sitting on a gold mine overlooking the American Frontier. Collectively, we are pioneers in a country fraught with deceit and fraudulent impropriety when it comes to protecting the sanctity of our property recording systems and each of us can take our place in history by getting educated and getting “in the game”.
History will not change for the good of mankind until you step up and make a difference. You must step up and make a difference and take your place in American history!
Not only did the examiners involved with both of these examinations put themselves “out there”, they may have put themselves at risk. But that is what America is all about.
Need I bring up Paul Revere and William Dawes and their role that changed American history.
Had they not conducted their famous midnight ride through village and town, waking up the townspeople, collectively, history would have told a different story because there would have been a different outcome.
Our real property records were started back in those days. They were designed to protect our wealth, our culture, our history and our personal futures. We cannot sit idly by and wait for others to rise to the occasion. If you’re reading this newsletter, it is because you care about your fellow man and you’re dealing with your own crisis, both of which depend on a positive outcome no matter what the cost.
Imagine that I would rewrite Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem to read a bit differently:
Listen my children and you shall hear,
The legendary records that I hold dear;
The banks and their minions that caused us harm,
Which spread to every village and farm.
Shall we not rise up and fight the good fight?
And study to be vigil through day and night?
How then shall we answer when times are terse?
When asked to contribute, what shall be your verse?
You have the opportunity to make a difference in American history to the benefit of yourself and your fellow man. I am but one person with a mission to bring justice to an otherwise unconscionable scenario.
Every day I pray for and praise those dedicated individuals who toiled over the research, pouring through land records, specifically knowing what to look for, based on their training and research they inherited from conducting chain of title assessments for both themselves and others.
You are part of a skill set that needs to grow and your mission is to prepare yourself to become part of our country’s future because more audits and forensic examinations are going to become commonplace and we need leaders and researchers to train into become the valiant stewards of our real property records, running for office with the purpose of fighting to maintain the integrity of the records our forefathers fought and died for.
This is one of the reasons I go around the country teaching the basics of chain of title. I personally have conducted over 100 of these examinations (not including the county real property records examinations themselves) involving homeowners’ chains of title. It does not take great effort to rise to the occasion, just the knowledge gleaned from past experience.
The only way to get “experience” is to train for it. When you’ve done a few COTAs, you can begin to see the given similarities and legal theories come to light. This makes you a viable candidate for consideration when it comes to auditing and conducting forensic examinations of the real property records themselves (for the county clerks, registers of deeds and recorders). Yes, you get paid for the work (it’s not handsome, but it is for public service and for the good of mankind) … and your work goes down in history!
You have the power to evoke change.
Just because there are stumbling blocks does not mean they cannot be overcome. The pendulum is swinging back in favor of homeowners, provided their cases are properly plead and argued. Many attorneys I have spoken with are convinced that chain of title is the real issue here. Collectively, we need to get on top of this. This is why we have COTA Workshops because they get to the heart of the chain of title in such a way as to prepare you for your future contribution. This is where it all started, way back when. Be of part of history and get educated!
I invite you to the October Challenge, so you may contribute a verse!