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NS3: Marketing tips for your title company
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
During the 2017 National Settlement Services Summit in San Antonio, two industry experts discussed the best strategies for honing your message to lenders and Realtors.
Panelists at “Power up your marketing” were Marianne Mathieu, vice president, national agency accounts, Fidelity National Title Group; and Kathy Riland-Hinton, director of strategic media initiatives, Meridian Title Corp.
Read on to find out what they told us.
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Service providers analyze final TRID rule
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
Now that the ink has dried on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s finalized updates to its TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule, more and more industry insiders are beginning to weigh in.
While none seemed surprised by the content of the final rule, some expressed disappointment that it does not go far enough in requiring that title fees be clearly stated.
Read on for more details.
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Rep. Hill talks TRID 2.0
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) spent 35 years in the banking industry, including nearly two decades as a community bank CEO.
He’s become one of the title industries leading champions in Congress since being elected in 2014, and he recently talked with The Title Report about the latest updates to the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule.
Read on for his view of TRID 2.0, as well as his thoughts on the recent finalizing of rulemaking concerning arbitration.
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Fidelity posts best title earnings since 2003
Posted Date: Friday, July 21, 2017
An increase in title revenues boosted the second-quarter results for Fidelity’s FNF Group, with the title business generating its largest quarterly adjusted pre-tax title earnings since 2003.
Despite fewer total opened and closed orders in the quarter, the shift to a heavier purchase market drove revenue and earnings higher, the company reported.
Read on for more details.
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FAF posts record title margin
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
First American Financial Corp.’s title segment achieved its highest pretax margin ever, helping the company beat analysts’ expectations and improve its second-quarter results.
The company said a shift to higher premium residential and commercial transactions helped it continue its earnings momentum despite a drop in refinances.
Read on for more details.
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Old Republic’s title group has record quarter
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
Old Republic International Corp.’s title group achieved a new high in pretax operating income during the second quarter, helping the company post “relatively level” operating earnings for the quarter.
The company’s title group slashed its claims losses significantly and increased its share of the title insurance market.
Read on for more details.
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Stewart posts modest revenue gain
Posted Date: Monday, July 24, 2017
Driven by a double-digit increase in commercial revenues, Stewart posted a small gain in total title revenue for the second quarter.
The company’s CEO is optimistic that its recent acquisition of title agencies in California and Utah will significantly increase open and closed orders during the third quarter.
Read on for more details.
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Stewart acquires Title365
Posted Date: Thursday, July 20, 2017
Stewart has acquired the retail branch division of Title365 — two months after bringing that company’s co-founder and CEO onboard as a senior vice president.
Title365’s 250 employees and 15 offices now operate under the Stewart name. Stewart’s CEO said the acquisition aligns with the company’s strategic plan for targeted growth in direct operations.
Read on for more details.
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Fidelity acquires CRM company
Posted Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2017
A little more than a year after acquiring another CRM company, Fidelity has added Dallas-based Real Geeks to its holdings.
Chairman William P. Foley II said the two companies complement each other as one concentrates on elite real estate teams and the other on single agents at lower price points.
Read on for more details.
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LenderLive names CEO, COO
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
LenderLive has hired two executives from EverBank to serve as its CEO and chief operating officer.
The two executives are credited with transforming EverBank from a mortgage company into a nationwide, diversified financial services company.
LenderLive founder and CEO Rick Seehausen will remain with the company as vice chairman and founder. Read on for more details.
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Pilgrim launches paperless system in Rhode Island
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
Pilgrim Title Insurance Co. has deployed a web-based digital closing system that it said is being used elsewhere in the country, but not in Rhode Island.
The paperless system promises to make closing more convenient and secure, and to provide vital information such as mortgage rates and homes sold in the area to agents.
Read on for more information.
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Defective loans continue to rise
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
As volume has shifted from refinances to purchases, the percentage of mortgage loan applications containing defects, fraud and misrepresentation has increased.
Read on for more details.
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Meridian Title hires national operations manager
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
Meridian Title Corp. has selected an industry veteran with experience in both real estate and banking and finance as its national operations manager.
Read on for more details.
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Home prices rose during May
Posted Date: Thursday, August 3, 2017
For the 61st consecutive month, average home prices throughout the country experienced year-over-year growth.
Read on for more details.
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Massachusetts title company names managing partner
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
A Massachusetts title company has selected an attorney who specializes in real estate conveyancing, title matters, short sale seller and buyer representation, contract negotiations and buyer representation of bank-owned properties to serve as its managing partner.
The firm provides title services in the Cape Cod area.
Read on for more details.
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Equity Bank adds two Oklahoma banks
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Since its initial public offering three years ago, Equity Bank has completed five mergers.
Now, the bank has announced definitive merger agreements with two Oklahoma banks. If the mergers are successfully completed, Equity is expected to have $2.08 billion in loans and $2.29 billion in deposits.
Read on for more details.
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AmTrust adds New Jersey counsel
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
AmTrust Title Insurance Co. has hired an experience attorney to oversee its underwriting in the Garden State.
Read on for more details.
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LenderLive launches new entity
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
LenderLive has launched a new entity through which it will provide expanded compliance services to to banks, non-bank mortgage servicers, credit unions and other financial institutions.
Read on for more details.
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Weston Title offering services in New York
Posted Date: Wednesday, August 2, 2017
The vice president of Weston Title & Escrow in Florida has been licensed in New York and now will provide title insurance services in the Empire State.
Read on for more details.
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Former ALTA director launches marketing company
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
A former ALTA director has launched a company that will assist title companies and other small businesses with branding, marketing and crisis communication.
One of the services offered by the new company is an assessment of a small business’ digital outreach and recommendations on how to improve it.
Read on for more details.
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Report: Housing market bullish through 2017
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
Despite a decline in housing starts that is adding to the nationwide inventory shortage, Freddie Mac is predicting the market will continue its growth through 2017.
Read on for more details.
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Westcor appoints New York commercial counsel
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
Westcor has added a commercial counsel who developed a program and curriculum to improve the practices of hundreds of agent businesses.
Read on for more details.
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Lone Star adds vice president
Posted Date: Monday, July 31, 2017
Lone Star Title of El Paso has hired a former consultant for WFG National Title Co. as a vice president.
Read on for more details.
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Black Knight receives Defense Department award
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
Black Knight Financial Services was recognized for providing additional, non-mandated benefits to Guard and Reserve employees. Read on for more details.
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Kensington Vanguard expands Florida footprint
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
Kensington Vanguard National Land Services has opened a new office in Palm Beach County, from which it plans to target the Boca Raton market.
It also selected an industry veteran to supervise the new office and develop new business opportunities.
Read on to learn who Kensington selected to go after business in south Florida.
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AmTrust adds EVP for business development
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
AmTrust Financial Services has hired an insurance industry veteran from reinsurer PartnerRe to develop and implement its global strategic framework.
The newest member of the company’s executive team will be based in New York and will report to Chairman and CEO Barry Zyskind.
Read on for more details.
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KeyStoneB2B launches new title product
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
KeyStoneB2B has introduced a new title product that facilitates the title order, title close, and borrower and seller closing disclosure during the mortgage lending process.
The company’s solution includes a network of title companies that have been vetted according to lenders’ rules and guidelines.
Read on for more details.
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Average home price gain highest in 10 years
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
Homeowners who sold during this year’s second quarter realized the highest average price gain since 2007, according to ATTOM Data Solutions.
Read on for more details.
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New Jersey title company adds vice president
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
A Garden State title company that serves Atlantic and Cape May counties has added a vice president of business development.
Read on for more details.
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Cloudstar adds administrator
Posted Date: Thursday, July 27, 2017
Cloudstar has hired a senior ResWare administrator who has more than 20 years of experience in the title and escrow industry.
Read on for more details.
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Garden State title companies merge
Posted Date: Monday, July 24, 2017
Two New Jersey-based title companies have merged. The combined entity will have more than 140 employees and 14 locations, with the ability to process, insure and close over 1,800 transactions per month.
The two founders of one of the companies will join the other as senior vice presidents of business development.
Read on for more details.
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Foreclosures drop during first half of 2017
Posted Date: Monday, July 24, 2017
Foreclosure-related filings during the first six months of 2017 dropped significantly, according to ATTOM Data Solutions.
Read on for more details.
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First American Title opens new branch
Posted Date: Monday, July 24, 2017
First American Title has opened a new branch in Colorado and hired an industry veteran to oversee it.
Read on for more details.
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Housing starts up in June
Posted Date: Friday, July 21, 2017
Both the number of building permits issued and housing starts rose in June, according to the Census Bureau.
Read on for more details.
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Old Republic promotes manager
Posted Date: Friday, July 21, 2017
Old Republic has appointed a senior vice president who has been with the company since 2000.
Read on for more details.
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US Mortgage integrates Loan Vision
Posted Date: Friday, July 21, 2017
Starting in September, New York-based US Mortgage Corp. will switch from Intuit Quickbooks to Loan Vision’s accounting software for mortgage banks.
Read on for more details.
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NAILTA adopts ethics code for members
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
The National Association of Independent Land Title Agents (NAILTA) has formally adopted enforceable ethical standards of conduct for its members, the organization announced.
NAILTA said it is the only national land title insurance trade organization to utilize a functioning and enforceable set of uniform professional ethics standards for its members.
Read on for more details.
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Weichert Title Group names president
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Weichert Title Group’s new president previously held senior management positions with both First American and Fidelity National Title and has more than two decades of experience in the residential title industry.
His accomplishments include starting the title and settlement services businesses for a California company.
Read on for details of who Weichert selected to lead its expansion efforts.
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May home prices continue upward trend
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
According to CoreLogic, home prices showed strong year-over-year increases during May.
Read on for more details.
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Thomas Title hires Arizona market president
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Thomas Title selected an industry veteran, who has more than 40 years of experience in the title industry, to lead its Arizona operations.
Read on for more details.
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RamQuest adds director
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
RamQuest has created a Customer Experience Team and hired a director to oversee it.
Read on for more details.
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Ascendant Title expands Colorado footprint
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Ascendant Title has expanded its operations in Colorado by taking over two offices in Boulder and Fort Collins which were previously owned by Kensington Vanguard.
The company, which now has six locations throughout Colorado, also announced the launch of refinancing services at all of its locations.
Read on to learn who will lead the additional offices.
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First-quarter title premiums see double-digit increase
Posted Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
ALTA’s market share analysis found that title insurance premiums rose nearly 11 percent during the first quarter of 2017.
The association’s analysis also found that independent underwriters increased their share of the market during the quarter.
Read on for details on the industry’s quarterly operating expenses, losses and net gains.
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Texas law firm launches title company
Posted Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
A law firm that has provided title services for nearly a decade has started an independent title company.
Based in Colleyville, Texas, the new company’s underwriters include Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Alamo Title and Commonwealth Land Title.
The company’s founder has experience as a real estate agent, real estate attorney and a title specialist.
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First National Title integrates RamQuest
Posted Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
A new integration will enable First National Title Insurance Co.’s agents to generate the company’s policy jackets and closing protection letters directly through RamQuest’s Closing Market platform.
Both companies said the integration will improve accuracy and reduce the time needed to produce these items.
Read on for more details.
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CATIC gains positive SOC 2 report
Posted Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
CATIC announced that it has received a positive SOC 2 report verifying the company’s critical controls are effectively designed to manage the security and confidentiality of its data.
Read on to learn more.
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Advanced Title adds staff
Posted Date: Monday, July 17, 2017
Advanced Title Co. in Grand Junction, Colo. has named a transaction coordinator and an administrative assistant.
Read on for more details.
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Report: Inventories, rising pricing constraining home sales
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
Throughout many areas of the country, low home inventories have contributed to an increase in home prices.
However, many in the industry are concerned that many homebuyers will soon be priced out of the market, especially in places such as Boston and San Francisco, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book.
Read on for more details.
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ARMCO names president
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
ACES Risk Management has selected a president to oversee all company operations, including expanding its audit technology platform.
The company’s new president has been in the mortgage industry for 25 years, and has held numerous executive positions with mortgage lenders and mortgage technology providers.
Read on for more details.
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Loan defects rose in May
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
The frequency of defects, fraud and misrepresentation submitted in mortgage loan applications during May reached its highest level since 2015.
Read on for more details.
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RamQuest, ProcessFast form partnership
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
RamQuest, Inc. has announced a vendor relationship that will allow it to offer ProcessFast’s SaaS operational reporting solution to its customers.
Read on for more details.
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Cascade implements LoanScorecard’s underwriting system
Posted Date: Friday, July 14, 2017
Cascade’s business agreement with LoanScorecard will enable the financial services firm to automate underwriting its portfolio loans and manage exceptions based on valid compensating loan factors.
Read on for more details.
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Severn Bancorp buys Maryland title company
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Severn Bancorp has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase a Maryland title company that is based in Annapolis and was founded by real estate attorneys in 1981.
The acquisition is subject to the completion of due diligence and is expected to close in September.
The bank’s CEO said the acquisition would complement the bank’s current offerings.
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Landmark Title adds Old Republic executive
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Landmark Title Assurance Agency has hired a former Old Republic executive to oversee its business development, expand operations and manage the company’s escrow officers.
The new hire, who will report to the company’s president, previously led a team of 13 employees at Old Republic Title Agency.
Read on for more details about the hire.
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NS3 Keynote: Former FHFA director speaks on GSE reform, compliance impact
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Former Federal Housing Finance Administration Director James Lockhart, currently vice chairman at WL Ross & Co., offered his thoughts on reforming the secondary mortgage market and how that market is being impacted by compliance concerns and general political and economic uncertainty during his keynote address at October Research’s 2017 National Settlement Services Summit in San Antonio.
Read on to learn more.
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Rising prices decreasing underwater properties
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Over 40 million Americans have tappable equity available in their homes today, which is the largest population on record, according to Black Knight Financial Services.
Read on for more details.
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Mississippi county joins ePN network
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
A county in Mississippi recently installed ePN’s DocRouter Solution and can now accept electronically submitted documents.
Read on for more details.
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ARMCO updates audit technology
Posted Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
ACES Risk Management has incorporated the parameters set by Fannie Mae’s Day 1 Certainty initiative into its audit technology.
Read on for more details.
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