News
Southern Title showcases real estate news and information, company updates, interesting articles and much more…
Southern Title is working to make you a more effective real estate agent. See our Classes page for information on our training and development events that are licensed by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission for continuing education credits.
We also offer customized training for non-profit agencies, faith-based organizations and other economic development agencies. Let us help you to educate your members about the various home-ownership options that are available now – some for a limited time only! Contact us for more information.
External RSS Feeds
Title Insurance News
- eTitle expands Michigan presence September 13, 2019A title agency headquartered in Troy, Mich., has expanded its footprint with the opening of a new office in a historic building in downtown Detroit. Read on for more details from the company’s expansion.
- Costs of data breaches expected to soar September 13, 2019The cost of data breaches is expected to will rise 11 percent annually through 2024, according to a new report from Juniper Research. Read on for more details from the report.
- loanDepot opens Hawaii locations September 13, 2019California-based mortgage lender loanDepot announced that it has opened a pair of retail locations in Hawaii. Read on for more details of the new Hawaii locations.
- Agents National appoints underwriting counsel September 13, 2019Agents National Title Insurance Co. has appointed a Southwest underwriting counsel. Read on for more details.
- Simplifile adds 31 jurisdictions September 13, 2019Simplifile has added 31 recording jurisdictions in 13 states throughout the Midwest, southwest and western U.S. to its eRecording network. Read on for more details.
ALTA NEWS
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/south150/public_html/wp-includes/SimplePie/Parse/Date.php on line 694
- The Business Value of ‘Thank You’ September 13, 2019By Cindy McGovern Remember the last time a client, a boss or a co-worker gave you a handwritten thank-you note to let you know you’re doing a good job? Maybe someone at work has surprised you with flowers, an unexpected gift or a bonus. Has a vendor ever slipped you...ALTA Blog
- RESPA 411: Be Confident that You’re Complying with RESPA September 12, 2019By Holly Bunting and Ken Trepeta Do you know the Dos and Don’ts to promote your business compliantly under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)? Are you operating (or have you considered operating) advertising agreements or joint ventures with real estate brokers and mortgage lenders? What kinds of arrangements...ALTA Blog
- Build a Culture That Embraces Technology September 11, 2019Technology is rapidly evolving. Is your team ready to change with it? Here are a few tips to help you build a culture that embraces technology: Understand Habits Have you ever moved into a new home and found yourself driving back to your old address instead of your new one?...ALTA Blog
- Commercial Business: Getting Your Feet Wet Without Sinking The Boat September 10, 2019Where do I start? How can I just jump into the ocean with the big fish and act like I know what I am doing? YIKES! Take a breath. You have mastered the residential side of title and escrow. Think about it! Not an easy task. Most people do not...ALTA Blog
- Better Than 20/20 Vision: A Blueprint for Profitable Growth September 5, 2019By Cindy McGovern How many times have you sat in the optometrist’s chair and heard that endless series of questions: “Is this one better? How about this one? Now, how about this?” It’s not that different from settling down to write your annual strategic business plan. “Would this strategy be...ALTA Blog
Real Estate News
- Calabria: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t privatize until 2020’s end or later September 17, 2019The federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said the nation’s largest mortgage financiers won’t be privatized until the end of 2020 at the earliest. “It really depends on how quickly they raise capital,” said Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria in a Tuesday interview on Bloomberg TV.
- Homebuilders are feeling better about the housing market than they have all year September 17, 2019Homebuilder confidence came in at 68 points in September, rising from August's upwardly revised reading of 67, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. September's sentiment level now marks the highest reading since October of last year. NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde said low interest rates and solid demand continue to […]
- Average FICO score stands at record high September 16, 2019The average FICO score stands at a record high, said Ethan Dornhelm, vice president of scores and predictive analytics at FICO. One of the key drivers is the economic expansion, but the purging of Great Recession credit events is also helping, FICO said.
- Average U.S. rent climbs to $1,472 in August September 16, 2019America’s rental prices continued to grow in August, as RentCafé indicates the nation’s average rent increased $47 from the previous year. According to the company’s Apartment Market Report, the national average rent in August totaled $1,472. This is a 0.1% increase from the previous month, and also represents a 3.3% increase from the same time […]
- It stinks to be Powell this week as Fed chairman grapples with Trump’s ire September 16, 2019Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will answer questions from reporters following the end of Wednesday’s policy-setting FOMC meeting that’s widely expected to produce a 0.25% rate cut. Watch out. The last time Powell held a press conference, after July’s FOMC meeting, he used two words that spooked investors and cratered the stock market. And, then […]
Lending News
- Calabria: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t privatize until 2020’s end or later September 17, 2019The federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said the nation’s largest mortgage financiers won’t be privatized until the end of 2020 at the earliest. “It really depends on how quickly they raise capital,” said Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria in a Tuesday interview on Bloomberg TV.
- Life insurance companies to fuel multifamily surge in 2020 September 17, 2019Life insurance companies are set to create a surge in multifamily lending in 2020, according to a new study from the Mortgage Bankers Association. This should help propel multifamily originations, which are set to hit yet another all-time high in 2020, according to the MBA.
- Fintech company Plaid secures investments from Mastercard and Visa September 16, 2019Plaid, a technology platform that connects various applications with users’ bank accounts and has a growing presence in the mortgage space, raised $250 million last December in its Series C funding round that pegged the company with a reported valuation of $2.65 billion. But now, the company has two new and very notable investors: Mastercard […]
- Mid America Mortgage to offer HECM, private reverse products September 16, 2019Mid America Mortgage will soon be offering HECM and private reverse mortgage products. However, rather than developing a proprietary reverse origination solution in-house, Mid America Mortgage is partnering with ReverseVision, the two companies announced.
- Average FICO score stands at record high September 16, 2019The average FICO score stands at a record high, said Ethan Dornhelm, vice president of scores and predictive analytics at FICO. One of the key drivers is the economic expansion, but the purging of Great Recession credit events is also helping, FICO said.
Investments News
- Calabria: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac won’t privatize until 2020’s end or later September 17, 2019The federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac said the nation’s largest mortgage financiers won’t be privatized until the end of 2020 at the earliest. “It really depends on how quickly they raise capital,” said Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mark Calabria in a Tuesday interview on Bloomberg TV.
- Fintech company Plaid secures investments from Mastercard and Visa September 16, 2019Plaid, a technology platform that connects various applications with users’ bank accounts and has a growing presence in the mortgage space, raised $250 million last December in its Series C funding round that pegged the company with a reported valuation of $2.65 billion. But now, the company has two new and very notable investors: Mastercard […]
- It stinks to be Powell this week as Fed chairman grapples with Trump’s ire September 16, 2019Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will answer questions from reporters following the end of Wednesday’s policy-setting FOMC meeting that’s widely expected to produce a 0.25% rate cut. Watch out. The last time Powell held a press conference, after July’s FOMC meeting, he used two words that spooked investors and cratered the stock market. And, then […]
- FHFA moves to curb Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac green loans for multifamily September 13, 2019The federal regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced changes on Friday to tweak its role in the multifamily mortgage market. The FHFA boosted the multifamily lending caps for the nation’s two largest mortgage financiers to $100 million each, but that won’t necessarily increase volume because it also ended the exemption for “green loans” […]
- Fannie Mae announce sale of more than $1 billion in non-performing loans September 12, 2019Fannie Mae began marketing its latest sale of non-performing loans totaling more than $1 billion in unpaid principal balance. The latest non-performing loans sale included the company’s sixteenth Community Impact Pool.
