Ryan Wilford - Closing Agent - Business Development

Ryan Wilford - Closing Agent - Business Development Your full-service title partner for real estate closings and title insurance in ME, NH, and MA.

We manage the entire process and bring the closing to you—day, night, weekday, or weekend.

I thought I’d seen just about everything at the closing table… until today’s buyers arrived in this beautiful Ford Model...
07/10/2026

I thought I’d seen just about everything at the closing table… until today’s buyers arrived in this beautiful Ford Model A!

After hundreds of closings, this was a first. It definitely made for a memorable day.

Congratulations to these wonderful clients on their new home, and thank you for trusting Red Door Title to be part of the journey. Great job on guiding them to the closing table, Jacquelynne Danielle Rivers!

Wishing you many happy miles, both on the road and in your new home! 🚗🏡

Well, the move is officially complete!After many years at 101 Main Street, Red Door Title’s Farmington office has a new ...
07/07/2026

Well, the move is officially complete!
After many years at 101 Main Street, Red Door Title’s Farmington office has a new home at 600 Wilton Road.

This move wasn’t about wanting a bigger or fancier office—it was about finding a space that better serves our clients and the people we work with every day. Our old office served us well, but parking was always a challenge, and many of you reminded us of that over the years. 😄 The new location gives us plenty of parking, more space, and a layout that’s simply a better fit for our team. We still have a ways to go getting more furniture and decorating, but it’s fully functional.

You’ll notice we’re now located right next to Coldwell Banker Sandy River Realty. Since I know a few people have already asked, I’ll mention that we’re not affiliated or merged in any way—we just happen to be neighbors. We work with Coldwell Banker often, just as we do with many other real estate offices throughout western Maine, and this location made a lot of sense for us.

We’re excited to continue serving our clients from our new office and look forward to seeing many familiar faces here. If you’re in the area, stop in and say hello!

06/25/2026

Affirmative coverage is one of those title insurance terms that sounds complicated, but the concept is actually pretty simple.

Normally, title insurance protects against unknown title issues.

Affirmative coverage is when a title company knows about a specific issue and agrees to insure over it anyway.

For example, there may be a question involving an easement, boundary issue, or another known title concern.

Instead of excluding that issue from coverage, the title company may agree to provide affirmative coverage and stand behind that specific risk.

Not every issue qualifies, and not every title company is willing to provide it.
But in the right circumstances, affirmative coverage can help keep a transaction moving forward while still providing protection.

06/24/2026

Doing a 1031 exchange?

A common misconception is that the title company handles the exchange itself.

In reality, the exchange is typically facilitated by a qualified intermediary or 1031 exchange company.

Our role is to work alongside the exchange professional by executing the required documents, returning paperwork, and wiring funds according to the exchange instructions.

We’re an important part of the process—but we’re not the ones facilitating the exchange.

Getting your 1031 professional involved early helps keep the transaction on track and avoids surprises at closing.

06/23/2026

Selling property in the United States as a foreign seller?
There’s a federal withholding requirement called FIRPTA—the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act—that can have a significant impact on your proceeds at closing.
In many transactions, the buyer is required to withhold 15% of the sales price and send those funds to the IRS.
For example, on a $500,000 sale, that could mean $75,000 being withheld at closing.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the seller owes $75,000 in tax. It’s a withholding, and depending on the circumstances, some of those funds may ultimately be returned.
The important thing is to understand how FIRPTA may affect your transaction before you get to the closing table.
If you’re a foreign seller, don’t wait until closing to start planning.

06/08/2026

Selling property to a family member?

You may not owe Maine's real estate transfer tax.

Many transfers between immediate family members qualify for an exemption, including certain transfers between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, spouses, and siblings.

The important thing to remember is that not every family relationship qualifies.

Just because you're related doesn't automatically mean the transfer is exempt.

That's why it's worth asking the question before preparing the deed.

A qualifying exemption can save a family hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars in transfer tax.

As always, it's best to verify eligibility before the deed is prepared and recorded.

06/05/2026

Just bought a home in Maine?

Don’t forget about the Homestead Exemption.

If the property is your primary residence, you may qualify for a reduction in your property’s taxable value, which can lower your property taxes.

One thing many homeowners don’t realize is that it doesn’t happen automatically. You need to file an application with your town office.

Once approved, the exemption generally stays in place as long as the property remains your primary residence.

I’ve seen plenty of homeowners miss out on this benefit simply because nobody told them about it.

You can access the Homestead Exemption application here:https://www.maine.gov/revenue/sites/maine.gov.revenue/files/inline-files/homesteadapp2022.pdf

Or visit your local town office.

06/04/2026

Buying and selling on the same day? Here's a tip.

Try not to schedule the two closings back-to-back.

Many people assume the proceeds from their sale will be immediately available for their purchase. But in some cases, the title company must wait for funding authorization from the buyer's lender before funds can be disbursed.

If that authorization is delayed, the wire gets delayed too.

We recently had a transaction where everything went smoothly—but funding authorization took longer than expected, delaying the seller's wire by a few hours and creating unnecessary stress for everyone involved.

If you're buying and selling on the same day, give yourself some breathing room between the two closings whenever possible.

And here's my shameless plug: if both transactions are closing with Red Door Title, we can often transfer funds internally, making the process much smoother.

As good as it is to be efficient, a little extra time between closings can save a lot of stress.

05/28/2026

Title opinion versus title insurance — there’s a big difference.

A title opinion is exactly what it sounds like: an attorney’s opinion about the condition of the title.

A title commitment with owner’s title insurance comes with an actual insurance policy backing it.

Some smaller banks still use title opinion letters. And while that may reduce the buyer’s closing costs upfront, the buyer is giving up protection in exchange.

That’s why buyers and buyer’s agents should understand what product the lender is actually using — and whether there’s an owner’s title insurance policy involved.

Because there’s a big difference between an opinion… and protection.

05/27/2026

A question we hear a lot:

“Why can’t I just bring a personal check to closing?”

Because title companies are required to collect certified funds before money can be disbursed.

That usually means a wire transfer or certified bank check.

A personal check can bounce, be fraudulent, or take time to fully clear. And once closing funds are sent out, there’s no undo button.

That’s why title companies require “good funds” before the transaction can be completed.

It protects everyone involved in the closing

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5 Community Drive
Augusta, ME
04330

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