Gina Leto

Daniel grew up in this lovely house with this huge yard next door and that apple tree. Eventually, he moved to New York, started to practice as a doctor. And then, around 15 years ago, after his parents and brothers had died, he inherited the family home. Eventually, he sold the home, but he kept the vacant lot next door, paid taxes on it, and he regularly fielded offers.

It just looked like this patch of woods in the middle of a neighborhood. And then, one day, two years ago, he was on the phone with a childhood friend.

It just looked like this patch of woods in the middle of a neighborhood. And then, one day, two years ago, he was on the phone with a childhood friend.

It just looked like this patch of woods in the middle of a neighborhood. And then, one day, two years ago, he was on the phone with a childhood friend.

Yeah. How did this happen? How did Gina seemingly buy a property that Daniel seemingly still owned?

Yeah. How did this happen? How did Gina seemingly buy a property that Daniel seemingly still owned?

Yeah. How did this happen? How did Gina seemingly buy a property that Daniel seemingly still owned?

He goes by... Stu, Stuart, whatever you want. It's fine. Stu teaches at Cardozo Law School. His specialty is property and land use. Our first question was, before poor Gina with her half-finished house bought that property, couldn't she have just looked at some kind of big map of the United States to see who owns what?

He goes by... Stu, Stuart, whatever you want. It's fine. Stu teaches at Cardozo Law School. His specialty is property and land use. Our first question was, before poor Gina with her half-finished house bought that property, couldn't she have just looked at some kind of big map of the United States to see who owns what?

He goes by... Stu, Stuart, whatever you want. It's fine. Stu teaches at Cardozo Law School. His specialty is property and land use. Our first question was, before poor Gina with her half-finished house bought that property, couldn't she have just looked at some kind of big map of the United States to see who owns what?

In fact, that's what a deed really is. Having a deed to a piece of land doesn't prove that you own it. It just proves that you got the land from somebody else at some point in time.

In fact, that's what a deed really is. Having a deed to a piece of land doesn't prove that you own it. It just proves that you got the land from somebody else at some point in time.

In fact, that's what a deed really is. Having a deed to a piece of land doesn't prove that you own it. It just proves that you got the land from somebody else at some point in time.

And, you know, technically, a regular person could piece together all this information themselves.

And, you know, technically, a regular person could piece together all this information themselves.

And, you know, technically, a regular person could piece together all this information themselves.

So, essentially, in the United States... The only way to know who really owns what is to piece together a bunch of receipts. And all of those receipts are held in different places that are organizing them differently. And if you don't have complete information about the property you're buying, there can be huge consequences.

So, essentially, in the United States... The only way to know who really owns what is to piece together a bunch of receipts. And all of those receipts are held in different places that are organizing them differently. And if you don't have complete information about the property you're buying, there can be huge consequences.

So, essentially, in the United States... The only way to know who really owns what is to piece together a bunch of receipts. And all of those receipts are held in different places that are organizing them differently. And if you don't have complete information about the property you're buying, there can be huge consequences.

This is a very American problem. A bunch of decentralized systems that are kind of messy. And it creates a bunch of risk for anyone trying to buy a property. But there's also a very American fix for this problem. A market solution. Title insurance.