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Conversations with the C-Suite: General Title Insurance Co.
Posted Date: Friday, January 20, 2017
Welcome to our latest Conversations with the C-Suite exclusive to The Title Report. In these features we talk to leaders of the industry about their business priorities, plans for the future and what title agents need to know to succeed. In this edition, Editor Tara Quinn spoke with General Title Insurance Co. President and General Counsel Rob Holman.
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Fee disclosures still causing problems
Posted Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Lodestar Software Solutions founder and CEO Jim Paolino told The Title Report many in the industry are still handling the upfront fee disclosure incorrectly.
A lot of title agents and lenders overestimate their fees to avoid shortages and its causes problems down the road.
Read on to learn more.
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House passes Small Business Regulatory Reform measure
Posted Date: Friday, January 13, 2017
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2017.
It was introduced by Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot to force federal regulators to take the economic effects to small businesses into consideration when drafting legislation.
Keep reading to learn more.
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Stewart names two to Board of Directors
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
Stewart announced two new appointments to the board of directors.
They are replacing retiring board members Frank Keating, the former governor of Oklahoma, and Laurie Moore-Moore. The moves are part of the agreement Stewart reached in October with an activist investor group.
Keep reading to learn more about the new appointees and what their compensation for being on the board entails.
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Majesty Title Services expands into Brandon
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Majesty Title Services announced that it has expanded into Brandon, Fla.
This is the fourth Tampa Bay office for Majesty Title in the Brandon market. CEO Vince Cassidy said the move was a “logical extension” of the company’s plan.
Keep reading to learn more about the move and that plan.
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Metropolitan Title Co. expands to new county
Posted Date: Friday, January 6, 2017
Metropolitan Title Co. will expand its service area coverage in northern Indiana to a new county through the acquisition of an abstract company.
The abstract company’s name formally has changed to Metropolitan Title Co. as of the first of the year.
Keep reading to learn more about the deal and the future of the abstract company’s leadership.
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F&M Bank Corp. acquires title company
Posted Date: Friday, January 6, 2017
F & M Bank Corp., parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank, has acquired a title company based in Virginia.
The real estate settlement and title insurance company has offices in Harrisonburg, Fishersville and Charlottesville, Va., and has been in operation since 1985.
Keep reading to learn more details about the acquisition.
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Title Midwest moves into Wisconsin
Posted Date: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Title Midwest recently announced that it made its first move into the state of Wisconsin following the acquisition of a title company.
Title Midwest also has locations in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas. TM Holdings Inc. President John Stauffer talked to The Title Report about the expansion
Read on to hear what Stauffer had to say about the move and the services that the company will be able to offer in Wisconsin.
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ServiceLink acquires United Lender Services
Posted Date: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Pittsburgh-based ServiceLink announced that it has acquired United Lender Servicers.
The company said the acquisition was a strategic move, particularly for ULS’ originations and valuations businesses. Read on to learn more about the recent deal.
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First American projects fewer loan defects in 2017
Posted Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
First American Financial Corp. released the First American Loan Application Defect Index for November 2016.
Chief Economist Mark Fleming said although the downward trend has paused from the previous month’s index, he expects the number of defects to continue to decrease throughout 2017.
Keep reading to learn more on Fleming’s insight for the next year.
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Segin Systems announces ISO-27001 certification
Posted Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Segin Systems, Inc. has announced its recent ISO-27001 certification.
Among the 114 requirements, Segin has implemented end-to-end security controls for risk management, incident management, vulnerability management and physical security.
Read on to learn more.
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First American Mortgage Solutions integrates with LoanLogics
Posted Date: Friday, January 6, 2017
First American Mortgage Solutions announced that it has completed its integration with LoanLogics.
The technology integration will provide users of LoanLogics’ LoanHD platform with access to First American’s FraudGuard product.
Keep reading to learn more about how users can order FraudGuard services directly from the AppQ Network vendor management portal.
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Wyoming authorizes eRecording statewide
Posted Date: Friday, January 6, 2017
On Jan. 1, a law authorizing eRecording statewide took effect in Wyoming. Simplifile announced four counties already have joined its network. Read on to learn more.
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CourthouseDirect.com releases search-by-address feature
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
CourthouseDirect.com new feature allowing users to search real property records by address.
President Paul Cones said the new technology offers more information and faster results.
Keep reading to learn more.
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CSC adds to eRecording network in December
Posted Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Corporation Service Company (CSC) announced several new jurisdictions have been added to its eRecording network in December.
Read on to learn more.
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Alliant manager achieves fraud examiner certification
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
Alliant National Title Insurance Co. announced its Continuous Improvement Manager Tom Weyant is now a Certified Fraud Examiner.
He is the second professional at the title underwriter to achieve this designation.
Keep reading to learn what that entails.
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Study: Businesses unprepared for cyberattacks
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2017
A lack of knowledge and protection is putting businesses across the globe at risk of grinding to a halt, according to the 2016 Kaspersky Lab Corporate IT Security Risks survey.
A lack of knowledge and protection is putting businesses across the globe at risk of grinding to a halt, according to the 2016 Kaspersky Lab Corporate IT Security Risks survey.
The annual survey included responses from more than 4,000 representatives of small, medium and large businesses, including financial institutions.
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WFG adds to Chesapeake Region team
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
The Agency Group for WFG National Title Insurance Company named an assistant vice president, underwriter/account manager for the company’s Chesapeake Region. Read on to learn more.
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Greenberg Traurig adds focus on title insurance
Posted Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Greenberg Traurig, LLP has added a shareholder to its Sacramento office to focus on administrative law, insurance regulation, title insurance and appellate law. Read on to learn more.
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Time to close loans rises near 2016 high
Posted Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2016
More than a year since the new disclosure forms became effective, overall closing times have risen near their highest mark of 2016, a new report from Ellie Mae states.
Closing times are one day behind January’s level, which was the longest period of time to close loans registered by the report since February 2013.
The increase in closing times in November comes after a leveling out from January through August. Read on for details from the Origination Insight Report.
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Young workers behind, but optimistic
Posted Date: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Youngers workers in the U.S. experience higher rates of unemployment than then population as a whole, but are still generally optimistic about their job prospects, according to the Federal Reserve.
Its report states young adults prefer steady work over less steady, higher paying positions.
Keep reading to learn more about the latest findings.
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Survey says commercial outlook strong
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Commercial and multifamily mortgage lending is expected to increase in 2017, as lenders’ appetites to place new loans and borrowers’ appetites to borrow both remain strong, according to a new Mortgage Bankers Association survey. Read on to learn more.
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Real estate outlook declines, First American says
Posted Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2016
First American Financial Corp. released its Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI) for the fourth quarter of 2016. The RESI showed expectations for changes in transaction volume and prices over the coming year decreased 3.8 percent this past quarter as compared with a year ago. Read on for more findings from the report.
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Pending home sales dip, NAR says
Posted Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Pending home sales dipped in November to their lowest level in nearly a year, according to the National Association of Realtors. Its latest report found a brisk upswing in mortgage rates and not enough inventory dispirited some would-be buyers. Read on for more details.
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House bill eyes small business flexibility
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2017
House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) introduced the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2017.
The bill is designed to force regulators to craft smarter, less burdensome regulations taking into consideration their direct and reasonably foreseeable economic effects, especially on small businesses, Chabot said.
Read on for more details of how the bill would impact small businesses.
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Housing survey includes crime, food security focus
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 10, 2017
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau released the results of the 2015 American Housing Survey, focusing on 25 metropolitan areas across the country. Read on to learn which areas have low food security and the highest crime rates.
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Buying more affordable than renting in most markets
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
ATTOM Data Solutions released its 2017 Rental Affordability Report, which shows that buying a home is more affordable than renting in 66 percent of U.S. housing markets analyzed for the report. Read on to learn more.
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Ten X lists ‘hottest’ single-family markets
Posted Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
Ten-X released its Top Single-Family Housing Markets Report for winter, which ranks the nation’s 50 largest housing markets according to current and forecasted housing fundamentals. Read on to learn more.
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December home sales down slightly from November
Posted Date: Wednesday, January 4, 2017
According to the latest Ten-X Residential Real Estate Nowcast, December existing home sales showed a modest month-over-month decrease, down 1.8 percent from November, but up 0.9 percent from a year ago. Read on for more details from the report.
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Existing home sales forge ahead in November
Posted Date: Tuesday, December 27, 2016
A big surge in the Northeast and a smaller gain in the South pushed existing-home sales up in November for the third consecutive month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Keep reading to learn more.
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Simplifile adds 12 to eRecording network
Posted Date: Thursday, December 22, 2016
Simplifile announced the addition of eight Georgia counties and four Louisiana parishes to its eRecording network. Keep reading to learn more.
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