News
Southern Title showcases real estate news and information, company updates, interesting articles and much more…
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Title Insurance News
- TRG’s first-quarter revenue declines May 21, 2019A plunge in refinances plus a double-digit reduction in purchase title and closing units resulted in a decline in Title Resource Group’s (TRG) first-quarter earnings, according to the company’s latest earnings statement.
- WFG executive joins Adeptive May 21, 2019The former chief technology officer of Williston Financial Group and later its wholly-owned subsidiary west has joined Adeptive Software, the company announced
- A.M. Best upgrades Old Republic’s rating May 21, 2019A.M. Best has affirmed the financial strength rating and the long-term issuer credit ratings of certain members of Old Republic Insurance Companies.
- Glen Oaks closes bitcoin transaction May 21, 2019Glen Oaks Escrow recently closed a bitcoin transaction involving the purchase of a condo. Read on for more details.
- Tax reform impacting fewer homebuyers May 21, 2019New York and California had the largest percentage of homebuyers who said their search for a home was impacted by Congress’ historical overhaul of the tax code.
ALTA NEWS
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- Our Values Profile: Protecting Customer Money May 21, 2019Last June, a transaction handled by Pennsylvania-based White Rose Settlement Services Inc. was going smoothly. Then, an attorney client’s email was hacked a week before the $9 million deal was scheduled to close. Due to the quick action of company President Shonna Cardello and her team, the money was recovered....ALTA Blog
- Maryland Governor Signs RON Bill May 16, 2019Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan recently signed Senate Bill 678 into law enabling remote online notarizations (RON). In April, Maryland’s legislature passed the bill, which modifies the state’s Uniform Law on Notarial Acts and allows for remote online notarization for real estate transactions. The bill was sponsored by Sen. JB Jennings....ALTA Blog
- 2018 ALTA TIPAC Awards May 16, 2019During the 2019 Advocacy Summit, ALTA honored individuals and entities for their effort in helping to raise donations in 2018 for the Title Industry Political Action Committee (TIPAC). “We are proud to present these awards in honor of the title professionals who understand the commitment to making TIPAC stronger each...ALTA Blog
- How Have the 2017 Tax Law Changes Impacted Real Estate Prices? May 14, 2019By Odeta Kushi Enacted in 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduced tax breaks for homeowners. At the time, many in the real estate industry expected the changes to negatively impact the housing market, particularly in high-priced neighborhoods. The industry concern primarily focused on two specific changes included in...ALTA Blog
- Princess of Title Goes to Washington May 8, 2019The ALTA Advocacy Summit can seem intimidating to those who have no experience on Capitol Hill. In-person meetings with the Congressmen and women who govern the country can feel intimidating and nerve-wracking. ALTA members sometimes hesitate to attend the event because they don’t feel like they can answer questions or be the “expert in the […]ALTA Blog
Real Estate News
- LendingTree: Student loan debt is driving Millennials to buy fixer-upper homes May 24, 2019With more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, new LendingTree research shows an overwhelming majority of homebuyers are considering purchasing “fixer-upper” homes to combat costs. In fact, 88% of homebuyers that are grappling with student loan debt are now more likely to consider a “fixer-upper” home, according to the online lending marketplace’s data.
- NAR files motion to dismiss anti-trust lawsuit over buyer broker commissions May 24, 2019In the last three months, the NAR has been hit with two nearly identical class-action lawsuits that claim its buyer broker compensation rules violate anti-trust laws. But the association isn’t going to roll over without a fight.
- HUD looks to roll back on transgender protections at homeless shelters May 24, 2019This week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule that has the potential to leave thousands of transgender Americans without shelter, according to an article written by Tracy Jan for The Washington Post.
- Grocery store is most-desirable neighborhood amenity, Federal Reserve report shows May 24, 2019The most important neighborhood amenity is a grocery store. About 87% of people said it is “moderately or very important” to have nearby. Next on the list was a combined category of “shops or restaurants,” which 75% of people cited as being important. The next slot went to banks, with 65% of people citing them […]
- The iBuyer market is booming, and it's not slowing down anytime soon May 24, 2019Some might say that so far, 2019 is looking to be the year of the iBuyer. The term has exploded across the internet as major companies like Redfin and Zillow expand their reach into the business of buying homes directly from sellers. Here’s an up-close look at where these companies operate and where they’re headed […]
Lending News
- Calabria: Fannie Mae may be privatized before Freddie Mac, or vice versa May 24, 2019Now that he is officially installed as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mark Calabria is taking GSE reform head-on. Calabria seems set on privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, though not necessarily at the same time.
- Freedom Mortgage to acquire RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing May 24, 2019Freedom Mortgage and RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing are planning to merge, the companies announced Friday. The deal will make RoundPoint a wholly owned subsidiary of Freedom and boost its servicing portfolio to more than $300 billion. Click the headline to read more.
- Top U.S. landlord charged with running Ponzi scheme in massive multifamily mortgage fraud probe May 23, 2019Robert Morgan, one of the largest landlords in the country, was hit with multiple charges this week by both the DOJ and the SEC for allegedly running a Ponzi-type scheme that involves shuffling around money from investors and falsifying loan documents. The charges are the culmination of a cross-agency investigation into a massive multifamily mortgage […]
- Tariff wars: What do Walmart and Target prices have to do with the housing market? May 23, 2019When a top executive at Walmart told Wall Street analysts last week that tariffs on Chinese goods would lead to higher prices for his customers, people who follow the housing and mortgage industry felt a sense of foreboding. Higher consumer prices lead to higher inflation, which leads to higher mortgage rates.
- Multifamily developers’ confidence falters for third consecutive quarter May 23, 2019Multifamily developers’ confidence weakened further in the first quarter of 2019, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Despite Q1's worrisome reading, NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said the results remain consistent with the organization’s 2019 forecast.
Investments News
- Calabria: Fannie Mae may be privatized before Freddie Mac, or vice versa May 24, 2019Now that he is officially installed as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mark Calabria is taking GSE reform head-on. Calabria seems set on privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, though not necessarily at the same time.
- Kushner Companies buys $1.1 billion in multifamily real estate May 24, 2019Kushner Companies, the family real estate company of White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, is significantly expanding its multifamily portfolio thanks to the help of Berkadia Commercial Mortgage. This week, the real estate company closed on its $1.1 billion portfolio through financing provided from Warren Buffet's commercial lending company.
- House passes bipartisan bill that will make saving for retirement easier May 24, 2019The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill Thursday that would significantly improve Americans' ability to save for retirement by making it easier for employers to offer 401(k)s and for employees to live off those balances in their later years. If passed, it would impose the greatest changes to the nation's retirement system in 13 […]
- HousingWire News Podcasts: A conversation with Wings Financial May 22, 2019HousingWire Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gaffney interviews Norm Creveling, the chief lending officer for Wings Financial Credit Union. In this episode, Creveling talks about the emergence of digital mortgages, the current housing market, and trends in consumer credit scores. Don’t miss it!
- HousingWire News Podcast: Blend bridges the digital lending gap May 21, 2019HousingWire Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gaffney interviews Tim Mayopoulos, the President of Blend. In this episode, Mayopoulos discusses his transition from GSE to Fintech, as well as the current market outlook for mortgage lenders.
