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Celebrating 25 years of The Title Report
Posted Date: Monday, October 21, 2024
The Title Report is celebrating 25 years of providing title and settlement services professionals with the information they need to navigate an evolving industry. For the last 13 years, October Research CEO and Publisher Erica Meyer has been continuing the vision of Joe Casa, who established October Research and The Title Report in 1999.
Key figures over The Title Report’s 25 years of providing industry insight shared their thoughts on the publication’s beginnings and what has kept it a go-to source for the title industry.
Read on to find out more.
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Retiring Stewart group president speaks on title career journey
Posted Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Stewart Title Group President Steve Lessack sat down with The Title Report to detail his career journey and thoughts on the industry as he nears his Dec. 31 retirement date.
Lessack has spent nearly 30 years with Stewart after selling the company his title business in 1995. He went on to lead Stewart’s expansion into Canada and other international territories.
Read on to find out more information.
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Rynoh releases new version of software bundle
Posted Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Rynoh announced the launch of the latest version of its software bundle, offering an overhauled user interface, enhanced reporting dashboard and other upgrades.
The company also expanded its resource center to include tutorials, webinars and other tools to help clients maximize the new features in Version 3.0.
Read on to find out more information about the update.
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Allegiance Title expands in Arkansas
Posted Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Arkansas-based Allegiance Title has expanded in its home state roughly three years after the company’s founding, company leaders announced.
Allegiance Title offers title and closing services for both residential and commercial real estate transactions across all of northwest Arkansas, as well as a commercial team managing transactions throughout Arkansas and neighboring states.
Read on to learn more.
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FNTI announces return of claims counsel
Posted Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
First National Title Insurance Co. is welcoming back a familiar face to serve as claims counsel. The new hire has more than 20 years of industry experience in various roles.
Read on to find out more.
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Neoanalyze puts forth AI-driven title claim tool
Posted Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Tech firm Neoanalyze is putting forth an artificial intelligence-driven tool designed to handle the title insurance claims process, with a full launch expected later this year.
Read on to find out more.
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Qualia expands bank partner network for title, escrow integration
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Title and escrow companies can save thousands in settlement software costs and bank fees, while integrating with title-specialized banks, according to Qualia, speaking on its expanded banking partner network.
By banking within the Bank Partner Network, companies will earn credits that can be used to cover bank fees and eligible Qualia products or services.
Read on to find out more.
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Minnesota Secured Title expands with pair of acquisitions
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Minnesota Secured Title added four locations to its service area through its acquisition of a pair of title businesses within its home state.
Leaders said the acquisitions position both companies to serve an even broader range of real estate professionals and homebuyers, including realtors, mortgage lenders, builders, commercial clients and individuals buying, selling or constructing homes.
Read on to find out more.
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NFIB: Job openings fall to three-year low
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Small-business job openings reached their lowest level since 2021, according to a new report from the National Federation of Independent Business.
Data also shows the percentage of owners reporting labor quality as their top small-business operating problem in September fell four points from August to 17 percent.
Read on to find out more information.
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FNF appoints Maryland agency representative
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Fidelity National Financial has added a long-time title agency owner and manager to its Maryland team as agency representative.
Read on to learn more information.
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Life coach shares strategies to cultivate confidence
Posted Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
At last year's Women’s Leadership Summit (WLS) presented by October Research, Life Coach and Counselor Michelle Fraley hosted the workshop “Cultivating Confidence,” which offered strategies for overcoming fear and building confidence. Don't miss this year's WLS Nov. 3-4 in Cleveland.
Read on to find out more information.
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FNF acquires commercial services of N.Y. title agency
Posted Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
Fidelity National Financial (FNF) announced its acquisition of commercial services belonging to New York-based First Nationwide Title Agency (FNTA), with key leaders also joining FNF.
Founded more than a decade ago, FNTA has rapidly gained a reputation for its expertise in closing and insuring commercial real estate transactions all over the U.S.
Read on to find out more information.
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Study: Title insurance industry mitigates $600 billion-plus in estimated risk exposure annually
Posted Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
Analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming found that title professionals’ maintenance of reliable and accurate property ownership records dramatically reduces estimated risk exposure in real estate transactions.
During the boom in sales and mortgage refinancing during the pandemic, total estimated industry risk exposure surpassed $1 trillion a year, the study also found.
Read on to find out more.
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SoftPro names chief product officer
Posted Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
SoftPro used a promotion to fill its chief product officer seat, appointing a former senior vice president of product who joined the company in 2020.
Read on to learn more.
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Zions Bancorporation ramps up digital closing with Snapdocs
Posted Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
A new collaboration between Snapdocs and Zions Bancorporation has led to significantly increased adoption of digital closing across the lender’s network, according to the companies.
Read on to find out more.
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Attorney calls for permanent video notarization provisions after catastrophic hurricane
Posted Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
North Carolina real estate attorney Jaime Kosofsky is calling for permanent video notarization capability in the state following Hurricane Helene’s historic destruction.
During a previous talk with The Title Report in August, Kosofsky cited North Carolina’s vulnerability to hurricanes as a factor making it imperative to keep video notarization provisions in place.
Read on to find out more information.
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ALTA reports Q2 uptick in title premium, income
Posted Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
New second quarter data from the American Land Title Association shows year-over-year increases in title insurance premiums written, total operating income and other areas.
Total industry assets reached almost $11.3 billion in the second quarter, including almost $10.2 billion in cash and invested assets. Statutory surplus sat at $5 billion and statutory reserves were strong at more than $5.6 billion.
Read on to find out more.
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Kensington Vanguard completes integration of title group
Posted Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
Kensington Vanguard National Land Services (KV) has completed its integration of BridgeTrust Title Group, company leaders announced.
Prior to its consolidation with KV, BridgeTrust Title operated for more than 20 years as an independent title insurance agency, focusing on both commercial and residential transactions with 18 offices in eight states and over 130 employees.
Read on to find out more.
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Zillow adds climate risk data on for-sale listings
Posted Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
For-sale listings on Zillow will now feature detailed climate risk information for five key categories — flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality — along with insurance recommendations.
Read on to learn more.
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Westcor announces leadership changes
Posted Date: Thursday, October 3, 2024
Westcor announced multiple leadership changes, including its chief operating officer stepping into a new role as well as two promotions.
Read on to learn more information.
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Title Resources Group acquires Doma, receives new investment
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Title Resources Group (TRG) has finalized its acquisition of Doma Holdings, Inc., a move in the works since earlier this year.
Doma’s underwriting division, Doma Title Insurance, Inc., is now a wholly owned subsidiary of TRG. Doma’s technology division, renamed Doma Technology LLC, will operate on a separately capitalized basis.
Read on to find out more.
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Title Financial Corp. makes Montana acquisition
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Idaho-based Title Financial Corp. has expanded its footprint in Montana through the acquisition of a nearly 90-year-old business in the state’s capital.
Title Financial Corporation was established in Blackfoot, Idaho, in 1905 and has extended its service net throughout Montana, Idaho and Wyoming while also offering cross-state services.
Read on to find out more information.
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Credit ratings affirmed for Stewart Title Group members
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
AM Best has affirmed financial strength ratings and credit ratings for Stewart Title Guaranty Co. and other companies belonging to Stewart Title Group.
Positive ratings reflect Stewart’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.
Read on to learn more.
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CATIC launches secure payments tool
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
CATIC has put forth Versapay, a new secure payments tool for agents with features including immediate application and posting of payments and elimination of printing and mailing checks.
Read on to learn more.
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NotaryCam appoints head of customer success
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Stewart-owned remote online notarization provider NotaryCam has appointed a new head of customer success, who brings a long record of increasing retention rates.
Read on to find out more.
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Redfin: Demand for second-home mortgages at 8-year low
Posted Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Mortgage-rate locks for second homes have dropped 13 percent since last summer—more than twice as much as rate locks for primary homes, according to Redfin.
Read on to find out more.
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Will interest rate cut bring homebuyers back to the market?
Posted Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024
With a .50 interest rate cut made official by the Federal Reserve, real estate and title professionals are waiting to see its effect on homebuyers and transaction volume.
According to industry leaders, the rate cut is spurring some new activity and optimism, but ongoing inventory shortages and other factors may spell a slower recovery process.
Read on to find out more.
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Proper Title expands in northwest Indiana
Posted Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024
Chicago-based Proper Title has opened a new office in northwest Indiana to replace a smaller temporary space that began operations in 2022.
The location marks Proper Title’s second office outside of Illinois and its 14th closing location. Leaders also announced the filling of two key leadership positions at the new office.
Read on to find out more information.
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Iris launches Total Title Protection package
Posted Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024
A new protection package guarding against home title theft, scams, cyberattacks, and identity fraud has been launched by Iris.
The product helps protect clients against the financial expenses associated with the resolution and restoration of a stolen identity and home title theft. Users can receive up to $2 million home title identity theft expense reimbursement.
Read on to find out more.
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CATIC hires senior title counsel
Posted Date: Thursday, September 26, 2024
CATIC has brought on a new senior title counsel who will work out of the company’s Norwalk, Conn., office.
Read on to find out more.
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