News By Edition

A majority of title insurance underwriters showed an operating profit in 2011; claims went down; net income went up … has bottom been reached and are the Big Four changing their strategies? See what financial analysts had to say in this in-depth feature from our 2012 Title Insurance Financial Report.

The recent movement for clean energy and onshore drilling is making it more and more difficult for title insurance professionals, who need to adapt both in the way they search for ownership on property and the way they insure that ownership. Read on for details about an educational event that will provide instruction on how to conduct better transactions with these unique and, many times, difficult properties.

The results of a recent survey from Ernst Publishing Co. and the American Land Title Association captured the feelings about fraud in the mortgage and settlement services industries, and two responses in particular seemed to surprise both Ernst and a panel of experts discussing the survey. Both involved national database solutions that could prevent fraud, but also change the title agent landscape.

A new Urban Land Institute survey of 38 leading real estate economists and analysts from across the United States projects broad improvements for the nation’s economy, real estate capital markets, real estate fundamentals and the housing industry through 2014. Read on for a look at the results and coverage of the panel discussion that followed the release of the results.

Data Trace Information Services LLC, a provider of data services to the settlement services industry, announced that it has completed its statewide title plant expansion project in Florida. Read on for more from its announcement.

A mortgage broker and closing agent was sentenced to 27 months in prison in connection to a scheme that involved potentially more than 200 mortgages and more than $3 million. Read on for details of the case and the sentencing.

First American Title Insurance Company’s National Commercial Services Division announced the formalization of an energy group. Read on for more details about this transaction-specific team.

First American Title Insurance Co.’s Mortgage Services division announced a new chief operating officer for its Default Services group. Read on for more information.

Demotech Inc. has updated its Financial Stability Ratings information assigned to title insurance underwriters based on its review of year-end 2011 statutory financial information. Read on for a few of the standout storylines and the complete list of the Demotech title insurance ratings.

At the American Land Title Association Business Strategies Conference, we sat down with Chief Executive Officer Michelle Korsmo to catch up on what ALTA is working on and what Michelle is hearing from the group’s members. Read on for the entire transcript.

TSS Software Corporation presents “Do You Know?” Live, a collection of training seminars based on the Webinar series that helps TSS customers optimize use of their TitleExpress software.

The latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed an increase in both purchase and refinance activity for the first time in six weeks, as refinances have been a drag on the overall numbers. Read on for more from the weekly stats.

Fidelity National Financial officially announced the completion of its tender offer for all outstanding common stock of restaurant business O’Charley’s Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary, Fred Merger Sub Inc. Read on for more details.

If you’re looking for a better understanding of what goes into the financial analysis of the title insurance industry, Fitch Ratings has issued a sector-specific special report that should help you out. The new supplemental report describes the credit factors the agency uses to analyze the U.S. title insurance sector. Read on for insight into what separates an A underwriter from a BBB underwriter.

CoreLogic’s latest Foreclosure Report shows a still declining foreclosure market place for the month of February compared to the previous month and one year ago. Read on for more analysis on this data and the numbers across the country.

The 2012 Title Insurance Financial Report is an added bonus PDF special report from The Title Report. Subscribers will receive a free download and nonsubscribers can purchase it for $19.99. Read on for more about the report and download information.

ALTA has launched a free and voluntary endeavor called the Title Action Network, which the association said is dedicated to “strengthening the industry’s voice and impact on lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and state capitals across America.” Read on for more information about the network’s free membership and what it plans to add to the industry.

Westcor Land Title Insurance Co. announced that the chief title officer from Bank of America has joined the company’s senior management team as senior underwriter and director of national services, which includes the newly formed Lender Service Group. Read on for more.

Jeffrey Arouh, a partner with McLaughlin & Stern LLP, told the audience at the Real Estate Services Providers Council’s (RESPRO) 2012 Annual Conference that there are several different ways for settlement companies to gain additional income from a residential transaction. Read on for more of this presentation and coverage of the recent RESPRO conference.

Things are starting to come to a close in the Troese/Hughes title agency fraud case in Maryland. Co-defendant James Hughes was sentenced and received the harshest penalties thus far. Read on for the details of the sentence and the background on the scheme itself.

Stewart Information Services Corp. honored one of its long-time executives last week before leaving the company to pursue new opportunities. Read on for more information and the executive’s next opportunity.

Ritter & Randolph LLC announced the appointment of a vice president of Cambridge Land Title Agency Inc., the law firm’s in-house title agency. Read on for the details of the appointment.

CoreLogic announced a new service designed to help originators identify potential Home Affordable Refinance Program 2.0 refinance prospects.  Read on to learn how the company is leveraging its proprietary database to assist in connecting potential borrowers to mortgage brokers.

Interthinx has released its annual Mortgage Fraud Risk Report, which highlights some of the most significant mortgage fraud risk trends based on analysis of loan applications processed in 2011 by the Interthinx FraudGUARD system. Read on for a summary of the report, including which states are the highest in the index and what the rise in employment/income risk is attributed to.

The latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows that purchase activity is holding steady across the country, but refinance activity has dropped considerably since a peak in February. Read on for the analysis of the weekly mortgage survey.

This might be the first conference since pre-2008 where the dreaded E word — economy — didn’t permeate every discussion, which is definitely a good thing. Business is still a concern, but the attendees and the agenda at the 2012 American Land Title Association Business Strategies conference seemed to be over that topic. The focus instead rested on the two F words: fraud and forms. Read on for a conference wrap-up and a preview for features in the coming weeks.

The opening day general session at the 2012 ALTA Business Strategies Conference focused heavily on the CFPB, the new settlement disclosure forms and the rule-making process. There are several big questions that could totally change key pieces of the closing process and speakers on the panel noted that now is the time for the title community to react and comment.

CoreLogic reported that for every two homes available for sale today, there is still one in the “shadow,” with the current shadow inventory as of January 2012 estimated at 1.6 million units. Read on for the company’s take on the upcoming peak selling season and its impact on the current housing supply.

RamQuest Inc., a provider of business solutions for the land title industry, announced the release of RamQuest One, its new flagship solution built on the Microsoft .NET platform. According to the company, it offers industry professionals a single automated, fully integrated, title, settlement and escrow accounting solution. Read on for the details, including the plans for the product rollout.

Stewart Information Services Corp. has been recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. Read on for the details and for the criteria used in determining the top 100.

A Garden City-based title insurance agency has acquired an agency in Riverhead, according to a company statement. Read on for a look at the two agencies and their plans.

Missouri-based title agency Insight Title Co. recently named John Duckworth its newest president. We chatted with John about his “state of the union” for the company this year, what his top concerns are for the title industry and how business should be done at the agent level.

According to a report from Fannie Mae, recent economic data are pointing to a gradually improving economy. GDP revisions for the fourth quarter of 2011 indicated a stronger underlying pace of demand with higher consumer spending and business investment.

Impac Mortgage Holdings Inc., a Maryland corporation, reported net earnings for the year ended 2011 of $3.2 million as compared to net earnings of $10.3 million for the year ended 2010. Their financial results are notable because the company divested its interest in title and escrow services in late 2011. Read on for more about their third quarter sale and its impact on the year-end results.

First American Title Insurance Co. promoted a new vice president, county operations and sales manager for the company’s Los Angeles County and Ventura County operations. Read on for more.

Even though Old Republic’s title insurance segment has been delivering profitable results and gaining market share, the same could not be said for its Consumer Credit Indemnity division and its Mortgage Guaranty segment, which were both hit hard by the economic downturn. As result, the company is combining the two and separating them from the holding company. Read on for all of the details of this move.

Despite the mostly positive reports and analysis of the title insurance industry after the fourth quarter earnings conference calls, title insurance premiums slightly declined from 2010 according to the American Land Title Association. Read on for the year-end results, including the shifts in market share among all underwriters and which states saw the biggest increases.

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported yet another dip in the weekly purchase activity, but noted the increasing demand in certain states for HARP 2.0. Read on for more from the latest data from the MBA.

Lender Processing Services Inc., a provider of integrated technology, data and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries, reported the following "first look" at February 2012 month-end mortgage performance statistics derived from its loan-level database of nearly 40 million mortgage loans. Read on for the run down.