The Title Report - Daily News

CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index shows rising home price trend

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:46:15 GMT

The CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indexes estimate that home prices increased by 7.3 percent in 2012, the strongest rate of appreciation in nearly seven years. The analysis also projected that the trend of rising home prices will continue in 2013 and beyond. In the five-year period from the fourth quarter of 2012 to the fourth quarter of 2017, home prices are expected to rise at an annualized rate of 3.9 percent.

W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital makes waves with acquisitions

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:42:36 GMT

W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital LLC, a privately held mortgage banking firm, made two big announcements that propelled its position in the mortgage lending ranks. One move in particular pushed the company to status as the fourth-largest independent mortgage lending firm in the country.

Linear Title updates Change of Circumstance tool for lenders

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:49:03 GMT

Linear Title & Closing, a national title agency that specializes in processing a wide variety of loans for lenders, recently released an updated version of its software tool called Change of Circumstance. This software is helping lenders accelerate an approval during its processing of a loan application.

National planning: A look at expanding your licensing footprint

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:36:01 GMT

Title insurance is complicated, and not just in regard to a consumer’s understanding of the product or policy. The regional differences from state to state remove a universal understanding of the title business that can make certain decisions more complicated and confusing for even the most veteran of title professionals as they start to grow their businesses.

On a recent webinar, Mandrien Consulting tried to demystify these issues a little bit, provide a clearer blue print and pose important questions for any title agent looking to ramp up business across a wider geography.

Think holistically

“Where do you begin? You begin with a deep dive into your strategic planning of where you want to start,” said Rusty Solomon, chief executive officer of Mandrien, which acts as product manager for many agencies looking to work on a licensing plan by researching fees, coordinating with underwriters, buttoning up documents that need to be sent, and much more. “It’s rhetorical question. You don’t just start getting licensed. You need to think about it; plan it; give it deep thought.”

How many states do you want to enter, which ones and why?

Market shift: Building permits way up, foreclosure starts way down

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:19:04 GMT

RealtyTrac housing market analysis of building permit data recently released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the first quarter and compared it to foreclosure starts for the same time period at the national, state and city level. According to the company, the results suggest a shift of the market.

First American, Old Republic, Investors Title declare quarterly dividends

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:21:55 GMT

First American, Old Republic and Investors Title all recently declared quarterly dividends. Read on for the round-up of announcement.

Mortgage applications decline 7 percent

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:17:10 GMT

Mortgage applications decreased 7.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 10.

New paper lists 10 issues in lien release process

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:13:39 GMT

Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc., a post-closing services provider for the residential mortgage industry, has released a new white paper that outlines its 10 top issues that mortgage loan servicers must consider when undertaking the lien release, the last step in the mortgage loan servicing process.

WFG beefs up compliance staff with new SVP hire

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:11:31 GMT

WFG National Title Insurance Co. has named a senior vice president, compliance and licensing who will be charged with ensuring that WFG National Title maintains full compliance with state mandated licensing and registration necessary to conduct title, settlement and appraisal management business at the state level and also develop comprehensive audit programs.

Fidelity National Title Group NY Agency debuts new agent resource program

Thu, 16 May 2013 18:09:28 GMT

As one of the nation’s largest providers of title insurance and escrow services, Fidelity National Title Group NY Agency is launching “Total Access,” a business-building program that provides top agents with direct access to Fidelity Title Group’s staff, tools and resources.

Holistic approach to audits benefit the underwriter, agent relationship

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:07 GMT

In this View from the Underwriter column, a rotating series of columns written by various underwriting professionals in the industry, Michael Schefstad, chief financial officer and treasurer of Westcor Land Title Insurance Co., shares his view on how a proper combination of auditing and centralized support enhance an independent agent’s business and the overall relationship with their underwriter.

RealtyTrac adds first real estate company to new data network

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:01:25 GMT

RealtyTrac announced that Southern California real estate powerhouse Prudential California Realty was selected as the first member of the RealtyTrac Network, a licensed network available to leading independent and franchised brokerage companies across the nation.

Carrington announces new VP of operations, national sales director

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:00:42 GMT

The lending division of Carrington Mortgage Services LLC announced the addition of an industry veteran as senior vice president of operations and the promotion of another team member to national sales director for its retail lending division. The recent changes reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its leadership team and to better serve the market with expanded offerings, faster turn times and a broader geographical reach.

TitleCore implements RamQuest One

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:57:39 GMT

RamQuest Inc., a provider of business solutions for the land title industry, announced the implementation of RamQuest One at TitleCore in Nebraska. After a recent acquisition that substantially increased the size of its operation, TitleCore put together a team to review its title and settlement platform. Read on for more about the decision.

Would your marketing agreements pass a CFPB review?

Tue, 14 May 2013 15:55:08 GMT

Much has changed in the way of marketing agreements in the past decade. With the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at the helm, new regulations, an interpretive rule and the volatilities of the market, title insurance, mortgage, real estate and settlement services professionals need to be on alert with how they are structuring marketing agreements. Industry members should also be aware of where the market is headed in terms of business partnerships, alliances and other types of arrangements.

Who is your favorite underwriter to work with? — Voice of the Title Agent extra

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:23 GMT

This year’s Voice of the Title Agent special report was the longest one to date — and we still had more content. Here is one of those features: We asked our agent respondents, just after what type of underwriter they prefer to work with: “More specifically, which is your favorite underwriter to work with?” It was an optional, fill-in the blank question. See what our respondents said.

This was just one question amid a variety of title industry related business and opinion questions we asked in the 2013 Voice of the Title Agent survey this year. To download your copy of the special report, click here.

LPS: New problem loan rate hits six-year low, nears pre-crisis levels

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:03:00 GMT

The March Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services found that new problem loan rates have fallen below 1 percent for the first time since 2007 and is approaching pre-crisis levels. However, a borrower's equity position is still a key indicator of his or her propensity to default. Read on for more details from LPS.

LenderLive Network appoints national account manager

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:00:49 GMT

LenderLive Network Inc. has appointed a vice president and national account manager who will be responsible for helping LenderLive Settlement Services develop strategic lender relationships.

Westcor finds 27-year title veteran to grow Mid-Atlantic region

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:55:17 GMT

Westcor Land Title Insurance Co. announced that a 27-year veteran of the industry has joined the company in the Mid-Atlantic region to assist with the expansion of business in Maryland and Virginia.

Carrington Holding rebrands settlement service business

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:53:55 GMT

Carrington Holding Co. LLC announced that it is renaming several of its businesses in an initiative designed to bring the entire Carrington family of companies under one brand umbrella, more effectively leverage the Carrington name and capitalize on the full continuum of services offered by the organization’s various business units.

Improving housing market report drops from April to May

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:34:17 GMT

The number of U.S. housing markets showed one of its first drops, falling slightly to 258 in May from 273 in April, according to the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI). This monthly report shows sustained improvement in three key measures, and the total list for May, while down, does include entrants from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

SKLD Information Services talks about major land document scanning project

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:30:09 GMT

SKLD Information Services, a division of SKLD Title Service Inc., has long maintained an extensive image library of publicly recorded real estate documents in-house and online. In mid-2012 the company embarked to extend its online database and have documents back to original land patents immediately available to their customers. Read on for the company’s update on the project as well as some of its other special services.

Security Title Guarantee hires state manager for Pennsylvania

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:28:28 GMT

The Security Title Guarantee Corporation of Baltimore announced the hiring of a Pennsylvania state manager who will be charged with signing new agents and servicing the existing agency base in the state.

Marketing tip: Don’t ignore the big picture

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:25:08 GMT

Attention is a finite resource, and part of being successful is learning how to allocate it wisely. Early in our careers we learn to pinpoint priorities, keep some items on the backburner, and ignore everything else. As contributor Alexander Crompton notes, sometimes it's the very things we start to gloss over in the interest of routine that are the most important.

New RamQuest product tries to modernize the closing process

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:18:51 GMT

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created, essentially, to make sure all of these financial service providers kept the consumer in mind. That was the easy part — figuring out how to actually do that has been the challenge of regulators and industry professionals the last three years. At the American Land Title Association Federal Conference, RamQuest and Guardian Consumer Services unveiled a new product that they think achieves many of the aims of the CFPB and the industry to provide a new environment that standardizes the closing process for all stakeholders.

Purchase applications at highest level since May 2010

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:15:08 GMT

News from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey showed the continued strengthening in purchase activity as well as another slight boost in refinances mostly through government channels.

Windward announced new office, sales manager

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:12:21 GMT

Windward Consulting made two announcements linked to its continued growth this week, including a new office space and a new hire. Read on for more details on both.

Investors Title net income more than doubles in first quarter 2013

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:10:42 GMT

Premiums written from purchase transactions increased substantially versus the prior year period, while the level of refinance activity has trended slightly downward, and according to Investors Title Co., those factors, as well as a more favorable claims experience, contributed to a jump in net income compared to the prior-year period.

ALTA awards three professional designations, two Protecting the American Dream awards

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:08:27 GMT

The American Land Title Association, the national trade association of the land title insurance industry, awarded three National Title Professional designations and handed out its “Protecting the American Dream” award during its Federal Conference in Washington, D.C.

Has your E&O insurance changed in the last year?

Tue, 07 May 2013 20:04:28 GMT

This year’s Voice of the Title Agent special report was the longest one to date — and we still had more content. Here is one of those features. We asked our agent respondents: “Has your E&O insurance policy changed in the last 12 months?” Read on for the results and some additional commentary.

Real Estate Data Shield wins award for data security e-courseware

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:59:17 GMT

Real Estate Data Shield’s compliance and data security Awareness e-Courseware wins this year’s Horizon Interactive Bronze Award. The Horizon Interactive Awards is an international competition for excellence in interactive media production.

Title365 hires industry sales veteran in business development role

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:51:12 GMT

Title365 Company, a nationwide provider of title insurance and escrow services, announced that a 25-year sales veteran joined the team as its new vice president, director of business development for the Greater San Diego County area. She is responsible Title365’s recruitment, training, talent acquisition and development of customer-centric programs throughout the region.

Download the 2013 Voice of the Title Agent now

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:57:18 GMT

San Francisco adds e-recording system

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:58:47 GMT

Carmen Chu, San Francisco Assessor-Recorder, announced that San Francisco County has begun to electronically record real estate and land use records, partnering with Corporation Service Co (CSC).

Fidelity conference call: Market predictions for 2013, effects on staffing

Fri, 03 May 2013 19:20:19 GMT

Fidelity National Financial posted its first quarter earnings and during its call discussing the numbers, there were a few interesting quotes to note concerning the potential dip in refinance transactions to close out the year, the business mix and its effect on staffing levels and the area of the company they are most focused on growing right now.

Independence Title adds to its staff

Fri, 03 May 2013 19:18:13 GMT

With steady growth in the year’s first quarter, Independence Title Inc.’s Fort Lauderdale, Fla., office responds with an expansion of its team adding another licensed title agent to their staff, making that three licensed title agents in all to help fill the needs of a busy marketplace.

Stewart Lender Services brings on new executive

Fri, 03 May 2013 19:16:35 GMT

Stewart Lender Services, Inc. announced the hire of a vice chairman and executive vice president of strategy and business development.

WINDWARD is corporate sponsor of ‘Make A Child Smile’ Bike-Building Charity Event

Fri, 03 May 2013 14:24:38 GMT

October Research, LLC is pleased to announce that WINDWARD CONSULTING | SOFTWARE, LLC is once again the corporate sponsor of the annual "Make a Child Smile" Bike-Building Charity Event at the National Settlement Services Summit.

Spam emails sent to mimic ALTA, association responds

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:15:01 GMT

The American Land Title Association last week issued a warning to title agents about a new spam email going around that is meant to look like an official email from ALTA. ALTA seems to have a handle on the issue, but the news resonated on a broader scale. This spam email is so specific in its focus and is yet another warning shot that outsiders have their sights set on the title insurance industry.

YourDox, Greenfolders integration to provide secure document delivery

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:12:07 GMT

As lenders and regulatory agencies place increased importance on the security of the closing process, title companies are seeking new solutions to secure their files and the non-public personal information they contain. Although pre-closing processes are increasingly handled electronically, most buyers and borrowers still leave closings with a stack of papers containing their most sensitive personal and financial information. YourDox and GreenFolders are attempting to bridge this gap with a new solution.

Fidelity reports highest Q1 title margin since 2004, business shifting toward purchase

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:06:08 GMT

Fidelity National Financial reported its highest first quarter pre-tax title margin in close to a decade (12.3 percent) and a 16 percent increase from the prior-year period, partly driven by a slight shift in business mix to purchase over refinance transactions, as well as a sharp increase in closed orders.

Title agent customization added to PropertyInfo’s SureClose platform

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:01:29 GMT

PropertyInfo Corp., a Stewart company, announced the enhanced SureClose guest view for SureClose title agency customers. The guest view allows title agencies using SureClose to extend their brand to customers by providing a custom online transaction portal.

Equity National to insure lenders beyond CPLs

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:58:47 GMT

Equity National has introduced Equity ISP, an insurance product protecting the insured mortgage lender against closing fraud, defalcation and closing instruction violations – issues that go beyond the standard protections in a closing protection letter.

The tide is going out: Prepare now for your title company’s sale

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:57:16 GMT

Contributor Carl Grimes says title company owners and most small business owners need to know which way the tide is headed in order to make a good decision about setting “sail” on the sale of their business. And the news is, the tide is going out, receding, moving away from the shore of prosperity for owners of businesses. Why, you may ask, is the tide going out?

Mortgage banker and world-wide ‘edutainer’ to deliver powerful keynotes

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:50:21 GMT

October Research, LLC is pleased to announce it has selected a high-profile mortgage banker and a world-renowned business author to deliver keynotes at the 2013 National Settlement Services Summit, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, June 10-12 at the Marriott at Key Center.

LPS: Non-current mortgage inventory at lowest level is five years

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:56:10 GMT

Lender Processing Services, a provider of integrated technology, data and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries, reported the following look at March 2013 month-end mortgage performance statistics derived from its loan-level database representing approximately 70 percent of the overall market.

Voice of the Title Agent: Plenty of optimism about business in 2013

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:46:37 GMT

The 2013 Voice of the Title Agent report is being prepared this week for its May 6 debut, but we wanted to give a sneak peek at some of the interesting results from the survey. Maybe the most notable takeaway this year: In terms of business success, our respondents are the most positive they have ever been. Read on for what our respondents had to say.

Title insurance companies – Smart banking post-recession

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:39:25 GMT

Following the challenging days of the 2008 collapse, title companies found themselves impacted by a perfect storm of consequences: an increase in claims, slowed government searches of records, transactional drop-offs, increased competition and rising purchases by investor groups more likely to use the services of real estate attorneys and brokers. In such a climate, title companies have needed to be astute with regard to their banking relationships – seeking bankers who provide security, responsiveness and creative business solutions for a myriad of situations.

CoreLogic acquires Case-Shiller from Fiserv

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:38:20 GMT

CoreLogic, a residential property information, analytics and services provider, announced the acquisition of Case-Shiller from Fiserv Inc. in conjunction with first quarter 2013 CoreLogic earnings results on April 24. The acquisition closed on March 20.

Title Source hiring additional 250 employees for new location

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:36:44 GMT

Title Source announced it will be locating an additional 550 people to the burgeoning technology district at Campus Martius in downtown Detroit, including 250 new, full-time team members and 100 summer interns.

Western Region Report: Portland hit high mark in December, now on decline

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:31:12 GMT

The volume of total dollars insured in Portland, Ore., (Multnomah County) has been trending generally upward over the past 12 months, with a downward trend over the past 2 months, according to DataQuick in this month’s Western Region Report. Check out the chart of activity as well as the top three title businesses in the county by market share gains.

Mortgage applications stay steady from previous week

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:06:20 GMT

Mortgage applications showed little movement from the prior week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 19. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

Old Republic net premium up nearly 30 percent from last year

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:02:42 GMT

Old Republic International Corp. showed further momentum in its title insurance segment while questions linger about the run off of its mortgage insurance subsidiary. Title insurance registered a triple-digit improvement in operating earnings, while the combined mortgage guaranty and consumer credit indemnity run-off segment produced much lower losses.

First American revenue, premium rise despite commercial claims hit in Q1

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:51:43 GMT

First American Financial reported increases in revenue and agent premium and shifts in order mix toward higher premium resale transaction in its first quarter 2013 earnings report. The positive returns were somewhat tempered by a few large commercial title claims that required a reserve strengthening.

Stewart shows $15M net earnings increase year over year

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:38:42 GMT

Stewart Information Services Corp. showed positive net earnings in the first quarter this year, compared to a $12 million net loss in the prior-year period as revenues were up across the board and the company’s claims experience continues to decline.

Westcor grows national lender services division with new SVP hire

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:33:28 GMT

Westcor Land Title Insurance Co. added a senior vice president of business development to its national lender services division who arrives from First American Mortgage Services. Read on for more about this latest addition.

Existing-home sales up year over year, but down from February

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:09:21 GMT

Existing-home sales eased in March from inventory constraints, which continued to pressure home prices, according to the National Association of Realtors, but remain 10.3 percent higher than the 4.46 million-unit pace in March 2012.

Title agent among five charged in multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scheme

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:07:19 GMT

A 34-count indictment was unsealed charging five people, including one title agent, with various crimes stemming from their participation in a mortgage fraud scheme between May 2004 and February 2009 that involved fraudulent documents, inflated purchase prices on loan documents for more than 100 Philadelphia properties and resulted in more than $20 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.

North Carolina attorney sentenced to three years for false HUD-1s

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:06:35 GMT

A North Carolina attorney was sentenced to three years in prison for, among other things, falsifying HUD-1s. Read on for details of the scheme and the total amount of money he will have to pay in restitution.

Continental Title acquires local title agency for 13th office

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:04:28 GMT

Continental Title Holding Co. Inc., an independent title insurance agency in St. Louis, with offices throughout the states of Kansas and Missouri, announced the acquisition of Assured Title Co. of Warrenton LLC. The combined entities anticipate annual revenue for 2013 to be $26 million.

WFG hires 30-year title vet for compliance, national training role

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:50:14 GMT

WFG National Title Insurance Co. added a senior vice president, compliance and national training officer. This latest hire will be responsible for compliance audits as well as employee and WFG agent training.

Title industry profits not a blip on the radar — 2013 Financial Report excerpt

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:40:32 GMT

The following is an excerpt from the 2013 Title Insurance Financial Report. The excerpt is a contribution from Demotech, written by Douglas Powell and Paul Osborne, senior financial analysts at Demotech, and it is also part of the company’s 2013 Edition of Demotech Performance of Title Insurance Companies.

Since 2006, the title insurance industry has experienced significant underwriter consolidation. At its peak in 2006, 96 underwriters reported statutory financial data. In 2012, the number of underwriters reporting decreased to 44.

A majority of the decrease in count resulted from larger groups assimilating acquisitions made from earlier years in an effort to improve operational efficiencies and eliminate redundancies. Other companies voluntarily ceased their underwriting operations due to the challenging economic conditions over the last few years. As market conditions improve, total count in underwriters may increase but should remain far below the market peak of 2006.

E-recording update: Total number of counties tops 900

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:34:07 GMT

The number of recording jurisdictions that are electronically recording (e-recording) documents reached the 900 mark in April, according to Kay Wrucke, recorder, Martin County, Minn., and president of the Property Records Industry Association. Read on for more about this achievement, PRIA’s 2013 goal and a couple new counties added to the networks of Simplifile and Corporation Service Co.

Number of improving housing markets holding steady in April

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:32:27 GMT

Following seven consecutive months of gains, the list of improving U.S. housing markets remained virtually unchanged in April, with 273 metros on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index. Read on for more about the new entries on the list.

Lawyer convicted in 220-property, $50M fraud scam

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:30:36 GMT

Following approximately three weeks of trial, a lawyer from Louisiana who had worked in Las Vegas as a real estate agent has been convicted by a jury of conspiracy and multiple fraud counts for his involvement in the mortgage fraud scheme involving more than 220 properties and more than $50 million in losses.

Title industry claims, statutory reserve figures for 2012

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:29:05 GMT

The American Land Title Association released its official title insurance industry statistics for 2012. We originally reported on the premium data earlier in the year (and included it in our 2013 Financial Report) but also included in this announcement were the totals for claims and statutory reserves as well.

Luxury homebuilder says market is ready, pitches new concept

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:28:02 GMT

The founder of Emerge Homes Inc., Michael Hill, has put the remnants of his homebuilding business up for sale after a five-year hiatus, but is pitching his vision for a new homebuilder model because he thinks it is what consumers want, and what the oncoming market recovery will need. Take a look and see what you think.

Stewart steps up for agent base with Trusted Provider Program

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:54:46 GMT

Themes that have consistently stayed in the headlines the past year are agent vetting and verification and regaining customer confidence. In an attempt to address the issues, one of the larger national underwriters launched a new program to communicate the competency of its agency base to customers. Stewart Title Guaranty Co. announced the Stewart Trusted Provider Program to provide lenders, Realtors, builders, investors and consumers peace of mind in the real estate services rendered by approved Stewart agencies.

“The idea came from agencies,” said George Houghton, group president of agency operations for Stewart, in an interview with The Title Report. “With the emergence of the third-party vetting companies in 2012, as I traveled the country and talked to agencies, what I kept hearing was, ‘what is my underwriter going to do to help me in this environment?’”

It’s key to note up-front that this program isn’t an additional hurdle for agents to jump or a special designation to achieve within the Stewart agency base. Stewart believes its agency network already meets high standards, are vetted properly in order to write policies for Stewart and this Trusted Provider Program is a way to brand that fact and provide transparency into Stewart’s vetting and ongoing monitoring process.

In The Title Report’s April 8 cover feature about the national agent database concept, it was noted that lenders are looking for assurances as to who the settlement agent is on the end of the transaction. The assurances, very broadly, can be broken down two ways:

1) Is this a valid agency of this underwriter?

2) If yes, then what defines ‘valid’ for this underwriter? What went into that ‘yes’?

Stewart visited national lenders last fall to discuss their processes and their vetting and verification program (which we detailed in the Nov. 12, 2012, edition of The Title Report) to generally build that confidence. Those meetings and the questions from agencies led the company to the Trusted Provider Program. By adding a layer of transparency into specifically what their agent vetting/monitoring processes are, Stewart hopes to provide a window that will assist inquiring lenders and regulators.

Western Region Report: Phoenix rising after late-2012 slump

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:13:11 GMT

Total dollars insured in the six-county Bay Area region of Northern California has been trending sharply upward over the past 12 months, according to DataQuick in this month’s Western Region Report. Check out the chart of activity as well as the top three title businesses in each county by market share gains.

Universal Land Title acquires 30th office location

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:01:01 GMT

Universal Land Title LLC acquired the assets of Lincoln Title Services LLC, a Lake Mary, Fla., title agency founded three years ago by Michael Ussery, a former Universal employee. Over those years, Ussery has led the rapid growth of Lincoln into one of the Orlando area’s more successful title agencies.

Builder confidence keeps sliding during spring season

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:58:15 GMT

Facing increasing costs for building materials and rising concerns about the supply of developed lots and labor, builders registered less confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in April, with a two-point drop to 42 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

United Lender Services to expand its commercial title services

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:18:47 GMT

United Lender Services Corp., a national title insurance, settlement services, and appraisal management company, is expanding its commercial title insurance services. This expansion will provide a national platform for developers, lenders and borrowers for commercial real estate transactions, the company said.

Refinance activity on the rise in April

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:16:14 GMT

Mortgage applications increased 4.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 12.

Former Interthinx VP heads to ServiceLink

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:38:58 GMT

ServiceLink, an end-to-end origination, servicing and default solutions provider for mortgage lenders and servicers, announced that a former vice president of business development and marketing for Interthinx has joined the company as senior vice president of corporate development.

WFG Lender Services acquires Valutrust Solutions

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:01:56 GMT

WFG Lender Services has acquired Valutrust Solutions LLC, a national mortgage services and technology development business based in Overland Park, Kan. WFGLS is a national, full service provider of title insurance and real estate settlement services for lender real estate transactions. Read on for how this deal will change the operations of WFGLS.

MortgageDocs hires new CEO

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:00:50 GMT

MortgageDocs, a national notary signing services company, has hired a new Chief Executive Officer. The appointment of an established executive in the mortgage servicing industry, signals a renewed focus on growth and innovation for the national mobile notary company.

Webinar to deliver in-depth RESPA training

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:43:09 GMT

The RESPA statute is among the most controversial consumer protection laws impacting mortgage and settlement services, and companies year after year defend themselves in court over violations. But industry professionals and business owners can prevent lawsuits and government enforcement actions by understanding what can and cannot be done under this unwieldy federal law and staying abreast of new guidance and judicial decisions.

FHFA extends HARP to 2015

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:41:27 GMT

Have you become accustomed to the high volume of refinance transactions the last few years? For myriad reasons, that volume will most likely not continue, however, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has no plans to end the Home Affordable Refinance Program any time soon, which has been a boost to the pipelines since it was reworked to include more underwater borrowers.

Ernst offers sub-jurisdiction fee solution via geocoding

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:27:03 GMT

Ernst, a provider of technology and closing cost data for the real estate and home finance industry, has released new functionality for its patented fee engine technology that allows the firm to overlay its data on a geocoding application provided by CoreLogic to provide precise local tax jurisdiction information to its customers.

Adeptive introduces address validation integration

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:24:33 GMT

Adeptive announced an integration for address validation using SmartyStreets. When clients of ResWare either enter a new order or edit an existing order, a property address validation can be performed via the smart data managers of SmartyStreets.

Knight Barry, tech company partner to develop secure email system for title agents

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:21:32 GMT

Knight Barry Title Group, one of the largest title agencies in the Midwest, has partnered with Cliq2 Technology to develop a secure email system for title insurance agents known as Cliq2Send.com. The delivery system allows title agencies to quickly and effectively address the third pillar of the ALTA’s Title Insurance and Settlement Company Best Practices.

NextAce’s Title Editor 2.0 speeds title exam process

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:18:25 GMT

NextAce Corp. announced the immediate availability of Title EDITOR 2.0, which gives the title examiner the new-found ability to review from the actual prelim, commitment or title product from the very start of the process, eliminating guesswork and errors.

Demotech, Fitch provide exclusive commentary for 2013 Title Insurance Financial Report

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:52:22 GMT

We reported the 2013 earnings reports from each of the top underwriters, but now we have tapped the experts to tell you what those numbers mean. This annual special report, brought to you by The Title Report, includes reports from the top title insurance companies but also drills down on the financial stability of the title insurance underwriting world, takes a look at the current ratings, explores the market share shifts and details the title premium data.

Wells Fargo launches new local bank format

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:10:35 GMT

Wells Fargo & Co. announced a new banking store concept — the neighborhood bank format — that it created to deliver the kind of on-site banking experience that Wells Fargo customers have come to expect, but in a smaller format that allows the company to offer store locations with personalized service, in settings not suitable for its larger stores.

Third family member pleads guilty in Colorado mortgage fraud case

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:13:17 GMT

The husband of a mortgage broker/settlement agent/license title insurance agent pled guilty to making a false statement to a bank in a $12 million mortgage fraud case involving his wife and another co-conspirator — their son — reported the FBI field office in Colorado.

Visionet Systems forms new banking suite solution

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:08:03 GMT

Visionet Systems, a provider of outsourcing solutions and mortgage, title and servicing software, has combined many of its successful product solutions to form VisiBanking Suite. This suite leverages rules engines, OCR/ICR, auto-indexing and numerous validation tools, evolving workflow, best practices, analytics and audit for a powerful tool set.

North American Title Insurance Co. adds agency manager and director of marketing

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:06:18 GMT

North American Title Insurance Co. announced two new additions last week — a state agency manager for Oregon and Washington and a director of marketing and educational programs. Read on for more details.

Simplifile adds counties in North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:04:16 GMT

Simplifile announces new counties that have added e-recording every couple of weeks. We’ve combined the announcements from April so far into this post, which includes counties in North Carolina, Idaho and Nebraska.

Fraud prevention tip: Beware the random call from a 'software vendor'

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:57:07 GMT

The real secret to a fraud attack is trickery. Even as malware viruses and bots have become more insidious and able to use new technology for nefarious purposes, the attackers still need to rely on the naive, careless or unprepared victim to fall for their trap. We’ve discussed much of this in previous articles on protecting your agency from cyber attacks, but in a recent exchange with Greg McDonald, president of Cloudstar Consulting, he gave another example of how low-tech some of these schemes can be. McDonald thinks that lost in all of this new technology is just how important the human element of the title company really is in terms of protecting the business.

First National Title reports $4.5M revenue in Q1

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:56:06 GMT

First National Title Insurance Co., a regional title insurance underwriter new to the scene in 2012, announced record revenues and earnings for the first quarter of 2013 as well as a few other companywide news items and goals for 2013.

Government purchase apps plummet; conventional purchase loans at four-year high

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:54:43 GMT

Mortgage applications increased 4.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 5. The most intriguing data this week comes from the split in the purchase application data.

Old Republic sets Q1 2013 earnings call

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:53:00 GMT

Old Republic International Corp. announced the date and time of its 2013 first quarter earnings report and conference call. Read on for all of the pertinent call in information.

RamQuest incorporates signing service into Closing Market

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:52:02 GMT

RamQuest Inc. announced an integration with Nations Direct, a nationwide signing service that will enable RamQuest’s customers to electronically order signing services for closings directly from their title production solution.

Title Source obtains title licenses for entire state of California

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:50:29 GMT

Title Source, a large provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services, announced it has expanded its presence in California and is now licensed to write title insurance policies in all 58 counties in the state.

Thomas Title & Escrow hires EVP, SVP and relationship manager

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:34:02 GMT

Thomas Title & Escrow brought aboard three new hires in Texas and Arizona, the company announced in a recent e-news blast from the president and chief executive officer, Frank Busch III. Read on for information about all three.

Demotech’s rating for Founder’s Title withdrawn

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:32:06 GMT

Demotech Inc. has withdrawn the Financial Stability Rating assigned to Founder's Title Insurance. This action was taken at the Company's request.

Chicago Title to be organizing sponsor of 2013 East Coast Gaming Congress

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:19:49 GMT

Chicago Title Insurance Co. announced it will be an organizing sponsor of the 17th Annual East Coast Gaming Congress & Hospitality Forum, which will take place May 21-22, 2013, at the historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Fidelity, First American set dates for first quarter earnings calls

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:15:59 GMT

Fidelity National Financial Inc. and First American Financial both announced the dates and times of their first quarter 2013 earnings call and financial report releases. Read on for all of the pertinent details.

First National Title promotes from within for executive team role

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:14:56 GMT

First National Title Insurance Co. announced the advancement of the company’s underwriting counsel to vice president and her appointment as a member of the FNTI executive team.

Adeptive shows its growth with new hires, office space

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:13:48 GMT

Adeptive announced a litany of personnel changes and a new office space as part of its continued growth and expansion. In the last few months, the company increased its space from 1,000 sq. ft. to more than 4,000 sq. ft. Read on for more about several new staff additions.