News By Edition

In what is shaping up to be another landmark case in the field of excess equity foreclosures, Pung v. Isabella County will go before the Supreme Court later this year. While Tyler v. Hennepin County asked whether excess equity belongs to the property owner when the government takes a property, Pung asks how much that property owner is owed.

Solidifying plans made last fall, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network finalized a rule delaying enforcement of its Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Program for registered investment advisers and exempt reporting advisers until 2028.

Jeff Lanier, head of finance and senior vice president of strategic accounts at Stewart, shared some of what he plans to discuss in his upcoming Q1 Economic Forecast, which will cover some of the most pressing housing issues facing the industry today.

In a move mirroring several other states, a law recently enacted in Arizona has implemented prohibitions against “foreign adversary nations” acquiring real estate in the state. The restriction is to be enforced by the state’s attorney general.

Several new laws sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara took effect in California on Jan. 1, with the goal of strengthening consumer protections and wildfire safety measures for homeowners.

When Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Alan McClain instituted a law requiring title agents operating in the state to be physically located in Arkansas, a legal challenge to the regulation was eventually filed and brought before a U.S. District Court.

According to an official order by the Texas Commissioner of Insurance, basic title insurance premiums are scheduled to decrease by 6.2 percent, effective March 1. Texas Land Title Association CEO Leslie Midgley provided some background on the process.

In a settlement with Massachusetts Attorney General Joy Campbell, a Delaware-based national residential mortgage loan servicer agreed to pay $4.65 million in restitution after allegations of engaging in deceptive business practices.

As changes continue to come down from Washington, D.C., the compliance landscape for 2026 could be very different than in 2025. Mayer Brown's Kris Kully and Mother Lode Holding Co. CEO Lisa Steele discuss the latest developments from federal agencies as it relates to emerging litigation risks and how technology and legislative priorities will reshape the industry.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the RAISE Act into law, which requires certain developers of artificial intelligence technologies to create and publish documents detailing their safety protocols, including provisions governing the reporting of data breach incidents.

A former real estate broker from Seattle was convicted in connection with an investment fraud scheme that stole more than $2 million from Washington-area victims. Charges included wire fraud, money laundering and tax fraud.

Seeking recompense for allegedly unfair trade practices and over-charging for notary services, an individual sued a title agency while attempting to commence a possible class action suit.

A bill that would fully fund and authorize the National Flood Insurance Program through Sept. 30, 2026, has been advanced to the floor of Congress by the House Financial Services Committee.

In preparation for the upcoming Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule scheduled to go into effect March 1, 2026, the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has released a series of resources and compliance guidelines.

As federal administrators signal even more emphasis on artificial intelligence investment in the future, members of the National Council of Insurance Legislators expressed their opposition and concerns about state regulatory power.

A comprehensive document prepared by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has been released to educate Indiana residents of their rights under the state’s Consumer Data Protection Act, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey has announced the nomination of Jennifer Davenport as the state’s next attorney general.