|
Interest rate hike not expected to slow market
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
For the second time this year and the third time since December, the Federal Open Market Committee has lifted its benchmark short-term interest rate.
The committee said a strengthening economy and decreasing unemployment justified the increase. Two industry analysts told The Title Report the rate hike is not expected to have a huge impact on mortgage rates.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Fidelity acquires stake in Hawaii title company
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Fidelity National Financial has acquired a majority ownership stake in the oldest title company in Hawaii.
The company, which has nearly 400 employees and locations throughout the state, will retain its name and there will be no staff changes as a result of the deal.
“We are excited to formally welcome" the company into the FNF family, Chairman William P. Foley, II. said. Read on for more details.
|
|
|
ValuAmerica acquires escrow company
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
The Pittsburgh-based provider of real estate information and technology services has expanded its footprint with the purchase of an independent escrow company in California.
The acquired company will continue to operate with its current staff and under its own brand and license.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Equity National selects eClosing platform
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
The partnership between Equity National Title and Pavaso will produce hybrid eClosings in which select documents, such as the deed and note, are printed and wet-signed, but much of the closing package is executed electronically.
With yet another national title provider choosing an eClosing process, Pavaso’s CEO said a large title network for digital closings is emerging.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Regional title company building new headquarters
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
A regional title company with about 200 employees at 21 offices in Missouri and Arkansas has announced plans to combine its existing corporate headquarters and title plant at a newly constructed office.
The company’s chief operating officer said bringing more employees under one roof will help increase the firm’s visibility.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Knight Barry acquires abstract company
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
The Knight Barry Title Group has continued its aggressive expansion in Wisconsin with its second acquisition this year.
The company’s latest acquisition is in Chippewa Falls, Wis. Knight Barry now has 48 offices and 300 title and closing professionals.
Read on for details about the latest company to become part of the Knight Barry team.
|
|
|
ALTA urges CFPB restructuring
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
More than 20 organizations, including ALTA, are urging Congress to change the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to a bipartisan committee.
The group includes banks, credit unions, financial institutions and businesses. They point to a recent survey in which a majority of respondents favored scrapping the agency’s current structure.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
General Title, Indiana law firm link
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
General Title Insurance Co. has linked itself with an Indiana law firm that has provided insurance services for more than three decades, the law firm announced.
Based in Huntington, Ind., the law firm has three offices and offers assistance with buying and selling real estate of all types, including retail, industrial and residential development, commercial and residential leasing.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Fidelity, Black Knight split edges closer
Posted Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
The boards of directors of both Fidelity National Financial and Black Knight Financial Services have signed formal agreements approving the plan for Black Knight to become an independent company later this year.
The split is scheduled to become official sometime during the third quarter.
Read on for details of what still needs to happen to complete the plan.
|
|
|
Ellie Mae: Refinances declined in May
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insight Report, the percentage of home purchase loans continues to climb as the percentage of refinances declines.
The report said that the home purchase portion of closed loans in May was the largest since May 2011, when Ellie Mae began tracking that statistic.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Signature Information Solutions’ Roe honored
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Patrick T. Roe, general manager of Signature Information Solutions LLC, was recently recognized by two different title insurance associations.
|
|
|
NAR names CEO
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
The National Association of Realtors has selected a group insider as its 12th CEO.
The group’s new leader will replace industry mainstay Dale Stinton, who is retiring after leading the group for nearly four decades.
NAR partnered with executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles to find its new leader. Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Rekon names three vice presidents
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Rekon Technologies has moved three company veterans into vice president roles.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Qualia integrates NotaryGO
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
A new integration allows Qualia users to order NotaryGO signing services within Qualia’s platform.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Home flips hit two-year low
Posted Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Both the number of homes flipped and average return on investment on those transactions declined during the first quarter of 2017, according to ATTOM Data Solutions.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Nationwide Title Clearing hires lead general counsel
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Nationwide Title Clearing has hired a veteran attorney, who has been a partner at national commercial law firms, to serve as its lead general counsel.
The company’s CEO said the new hire understands the complexities of compliance in the industry and will give clients an additional layer of confidence.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
loanDepot expands executive team
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
loanDepot has expanded its executive team by hiring two industry veterans to fill its newly created positions of executive vice president, marketing and executive vice president, next generation lending.
The company’s CEO said the new hires will help the company form digital relationships with customers that cover all aspects of consumer lending and homeownership.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Freddie: Home sales expected to grow in 2017
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Freddie Mac believes recent declines in home sales are likely to reverse as low mortgage interest rates and solid job gains boost the housing market.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Home prices hit new highs in April
Posted Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Black Knight Financial Services’ Home Price Index found that average home prices in April hit new peaks in nine states.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
RamQuest selects chief strategy officer
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
RamQuest has promoted one of its own to replace Brooks Yeager, who left the company in May to become a senior vice president at Old Republic National Title Insurance Co.
The company’s new chief strategy officer was previously vice president of technology operations and was responsible for Closing Market.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Where do houses sell the fastest?
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
A new index from ATTOM Data Solutions identifies markets with the highest ratio of homes likely to sell within 30 days of the estimated loan settlement date.
Read on for details.
|
|
|
ARMCO releases trends report
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
According to ACES Risk Management, more than 68 percent of loan defects last year involved implementation of TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rules and loan package documentation.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
RamQuest, BC Law partner
Posted Date: Friday, June 23, 2017
A new integration will enable RamQuest users to order conveyance documents from BC Law’s document preparation services.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
|
Ryan: Transformational tax reform coming in 2017
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
During a speech before the National Association of Manufacturers, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Republicans are committed to tackling transformational tax reform this year.
He said President Donald Trump’s plan would lower the corporate tax rate for all businesses and make it simpler for families and individuals to file taxes.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
ClosingCorp introduces new product
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
ClosingCorp has launched an advanced rate management solution that enables title organizations to collect and manage their specific rate and fee data.
The new technology is designed for underwriters and title companies seeking to create and manage special lender pricing, as well as standard rates for lender use nationwide.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Foreclosures up in May
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
According to ATTOM Data Solutions, the number of homes in foreclosure throughout the U.S. increased during May.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Premium Title receives MOR RV1 ranking
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
Premium Title has received the highest vendor ranking from Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
ATG Trust adds to staff
Posted Date: Thursday, June 22, 2017
ATG Trust Co. has added a former Iowa assistant attorney general with more than 15 years of experience in estate and trust administration, estate planning and elder law to its staff.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Fraud-prevention costs stymieing innovation
Posted Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
According to a newly released survey, more than 40 percent of finance executives said fraud risk is interfering with corporate efforts to develop new products and services and prompting business model changes.
More than half of the executives surveyed said fraud increased, not decreased, with the introduction of EMV technology.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
Highlights from the 2017 National Settlement Services Summit
Posted Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Title agents fortunate enough to attend October Research’s 2017 National Settlement Services Summit in San Antonio earlier this month did more than renew acquaintances and eat great Tex-Mex.
Most took advantage of a one-stop opportunity to join informative sessions that equipped them with information on adopting eClosings, tools for attracting more business and efficient methods for marketing their brands.
Read on for this year's highlights.
|
|
|
Title Alliance adds pioneering attorney
Posted Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Title Alliance’s newest board director was the first female partner in the 90-year history of the founding office of Coopers & Lybrand.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
IDS expands LendingQB integration
Posted Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
A new feature added to International Document Services’ integration of LendingQB allows the preview of mortgage documents before they are submitted to fulfillment.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
|
NAWRB announces award winners
Posted Date: Monday, June 19, 2017
The National Association of Women in Real Estate Business (NAWRB) recently announced the recipients of its Roaring Thirty Awards. NAWRB said the awards honor the women leaders in the housing ecosystem making a difference with a seat at the table. Read on for details of the winners and leading ladies named in 15 categories.
|
|
|
Stearns acquires mortgage company
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
Stearns Lending has acquired a residential mortgage origination and servicing company that is licensed in more than 40 states and originated $1.9 billion in 2016.
Stearns’ CEO said the acquired business is complementary to its current business and strengths and that it has offered jobs to mortgage production related employees affected by the acquisition.
Read on for more details.
|
|
|
April home prices inched upward
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
According to the CoreLogic Home Price Index, home prices increased during April.
Read on for details of which states had the largest increases.
|
|
|
Qualia integrates A.S.K.
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
A new integration will enable Qualia users to access A.S.K. Services, Inc.’s residential and commercial title search and examination services.
Read on for details.
|
|
|
NextAce launches podcast
Posted Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017
NextAce’s audio podcast is available on its website, focusing on innovations and new technologies in the title, real estate and mortgage industries.
Read on for more details.
|
|