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Chronos taking title nationwide
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
When Chronos Solutions bought Commerce Title and Closing Services in early 2016, it signaled a move to offering broader title services to clients, particularly in California.
That move has blossomed since, with new staff added on in the fall and the company announcing the launch of nationwide title services as of today.
The Title Report caught up with Executive Vice President Kandi Jablonski, who is heading the national title originations division, to discuss the progress of building a nationwide rollout and the next steps ahead. Read on for more.
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Fidelity growth plans focused on West Coast
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
The big news coming from Fidelity National Financial’s (FNF) conference call with analysts was not the spectacular showing by the company’s earnings in the fourth quarter and full year 2016.
Instead, it was the news that expansion continues at the company, both in the title insurance area and with other new targets as well.
FNF Chairman William Foley said the plans focused West and offered some insight on the new targets. Read on for more.
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More records for Old Republic, no end in sight
Posted Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
Chalk up another series of record financial performances from Old Republic’s title group, as both fourth quarter and full year results blew past records set just one year ago.
On a conference call with analysts, Old Republic Title Insurance Co. CEO Rande Yeager said there didn’t appear to be headwinds to stop the company from continuing to set records in 2017 and beyond.
“This is a really good report to give,” he said. Read on for all the details from the company’s earnings and call.
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Six years later, ServiceLink settles LPS’ debt
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
Nearly six years after Lender Processing Services entered into a consent order with federal banking regulators over charges of improper actions in foreclosure-related services, the company’s successor is paying the price.
Banking regulators announced a fine assessed to ServiceLink as a result of the actions cited by LPS in an April 2011 consent order.
However, the civil money penalty does not wipe away other parts of the consent order. Read on to find out the process involved to reach a settlement and what ServiceLink still must do to remain in compliance in the future.
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FNF says 2016 most profitable yet
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Don’t tell Fidelity National Financial (FNF) that the glory days of the industry came before the housing crisis hit. FNF’s detail of 2016 shows it to be the company’s most profitable year yet.
Details of the company’s earnings report show the title insurance group driving revenue and earnings both in the fourth quarter and throughout 2016.
Read on for details from the report, including reaction from Chairman Bill Foley and CEO Randy Quirk.
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Knight Barry starts 2017 in growth mode
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Knight Barry is making headlines with its first acquisition in nearly a year. Knight Barry Chief Operating Officer Craig Haskins told The Title Report that the nine-month span between acquisition announcements is mostly a function of seasonality.
The move will bring Knight Barry’s operations to the western part of Wisconsin, with the ability to reach clients across the border in Minnesota.
Read on for details of the acquisition, and Haskins’ view of the industry today.
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AmTrust Title continues expansion
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Coming up on one full year since AmTrust Financial moved into the title insurance industry, the company announced its latest geographic expansion.
AmTrust Title’s executive vice president said the news proceeds increased staffing in the next six months as the company looks to expand further.
Read on for details of where the company has grown and what its plans are in 2017.
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GIT Florida Title moving on up
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
It might not be to the East side, but GIT Florida Title Services is definitely moving on up.
The company announced that it has moved its Florida state headquarters to larger offices in the Center Pointe Building in Sarasota, Fla.
Read on for more details about the company’s move, and why President Greg Kosin said the company is “well-positioned to leverage growth.”
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CFPB cautions buyers on calculators
Posted Date: Friday, January 27, 2017
Do you have a calculator on your website? Do you work with partners who have their own, or mortgage calculators in general? The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, in a recent blog posting, warned consumers to beware of using mortgage calculators to help determine their costs when shopping for a mortgage. Read on for details of the bureau’s warnings.
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FNF adds Quirk to board
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. announced that it would add a member to the company’s board of directors and elected CEO Randy Quirk to become the 12th member of the board. Read on for more about the move.
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Full steam ahead for UCD compliance
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that it’s full steam ahead for technology compliance with the Uniform Closing Dataset (UCD) file, set to be mandated for delivery to the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) as of Sept. 25.
In its latest update, the GSEs announced specification changes and had one clear message to the industry as it prepares for compliance.
Read on to find out what the GSEs want you to know before September.
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MBA economist updates market outlook
Posted Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
What a difference a few months can make.
When Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni spoke at MBA’s annual conference in October, the economic message was one of a growing purchase market and continuing low-rate environment that might slowly rise as 2017 went along.
Speaking at the MBA Independent Mortgage Bankers Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., last week, Fratantoni’s message was markedly different. Read on for the latest details on MBA’s outlook for the year.
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Study shows digital marketing expected to rise
Posted Date: Friday, January 27, 2017
A new study released by GetResponse shows that nearly three-quarters of small businesses plan to increase their digital marketing budgets in 2017, with social, mobile and email marketing driving the spending. Read on for details from the report.
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Nationwide housing production up 11.3 percent
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
Despite a slight dip in single-family production, December’s housing production rate is the fourth highest single-family pace since the Great Recession, according to National Association of Home Builders Chairman Granger MacDonald. Keep reading to learn more.
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Simplifile cites 2016 growth, 2017 focus on agents
Posted Date: Saturday, January 28, 2017
Simplifile released its latest data on the growth of its eRecording network in 2016, saying the company added 182 counties and parishes across 32 states to its network over the course of the year.
That pushes the total network coverage for the company to more than 1,500 counties, reaching more than 75 percent of the population.
The company said its focus for 2017 was going to be on agents, rather than network expansion. Read on for details of the company’s strategy.
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Qualia adds to title settlement system
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
Qualia released an advanced reporting module. It equips title professionals with a tool to analyze revenue sources, business relationships and operational efficiency. Read on to learn more.
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Alliant, SoftPro expand integration
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
Alliant National Title Insurance Co. announced an expanded integration between the company’s Agent Resource Center and SoftPro 360. The extended integration offers users new features. Read on for the details.
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ValuAmerica integrates with ClosingCorp
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
ValuAmerica announced that is has reached a deal to integrate technology from ClosingCorp into its website.
The move will provide greater transparency for ValuAmerica’s lender and Realtor clients, the company said in a news release.
Read on for more details of the plan with the national provider of title, closing, appraisal and settlement services.
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Longtime Stewart leader retires
Posted Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Agency Executive Vice President George Houghton has announced he will be retiring at the beginning of April 2017 after a 35-year association with Stewart, 19 as a Stewart employee. Keep reading to learn more.
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Lawyers Title names vice president
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
Lawyers Title, a member of the Fidelity National Financial family of companies, has named a new vice president and leader of the DFW Commercial Sales team. Read on to learn more.
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FNTI adds to underwriting team
Posted Date: Friday, January 27, 2017
First National Title Insurance Company announced that it added an industry veteran to the company’s underwriting team. He most recently was a general counsel at a real estate brokerage firm. Read on for more about the new hire.
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RynohLive adds new executive
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
RynohLive announced it has added a senior vice president of business development to the company. He will assist the company’s sales team and lead business development initiatives. Read on for more details.
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Agents adds new chief strategy officer
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Agents National Title Insurance announced that it has brought on an industry veteran to take on the new role of chief strategy officer. Read on for more about the move.
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Advantage Group promotes trio
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
The Advantage Group announced that it made three executive promotions, including one at the Advantage Title company. Read on for details of the promotions and the new executives’ responsibilities.
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Report: Distressed sales at nine-year low
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
ATTOM Data Solutions’ 2016 U.S. Home Sales Report found that distressed sales of single family homes and condos reached their lowest annual level in nine years. Read on for more details from the year-end report.
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Cenlar back for more with Black Knight
Posted Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Subservicer Cenlar FSB and Black Knight Financial Services announced the companies reached a five-year renewal deal for Cenlar to remain a client of LoanSphere MSP. Read on to learn why Cenlar wanted to stick with Black Knight.
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MUFG Union Bank signs on with Black Knight
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
The 21st largest bank in the country has signed on the dotted line with Black Knight Financial Services.
The companies announced that MUFG Union Bank will implement Black Knight’s LoanSphere Data Hub to “provide broader and deeper insight” into the bank’s mortgage portfolio.
Read on for more about what the deal will mean for both companies.
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Freddie Mac outlook considers uncertainty
Posted Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
After the housing market’s best year in a decade, Freddie Mac’s January 2017 outlook considers the uncertainty on the future as the year begins. Read on for details of Freddie’s report and insight from Chief Economist Sean Becketti.
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Home sales forecast predicts flat start
Posted Date: Thursday, February 2, 2017
The latest forecast of existing home sales from Ten-X indicates a flat start to 2017 in the market, the company announced. The Ten-X Residential Real Estate Nowcast shows a targeted number of sales matching December and slightly higher than a year ago. Read on for more details.
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General Title on Wells Fargo approved list
Posted Date: Monday, January 30, 2017
General Title Insurance Company announced their inclusion on the title industry coveted “Wells Fargo Mortgage Banker Finance Group – Approved Master Title Underwriter List.”
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Mutual of Omaha Mortgage expands into new states
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage recently expanded into a pair of new states.
President Tim Connealy said this represents a significant milestone for the lender, which offers a range of home financing products and services through a growing number of full-service locations and a national call center.
Read on to learn more about the new moves.
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Black Knight: Foreclosure rate down 30 percent
Posted Date: Thursday, January 26, 2017
The Data and Analytics division of Black Knight Financial Services, Inc. reported its first look at December 2016 month-end mortgage performance statistics.
A spokesman told The Title Report the foreclosure rate showed the largest decline on a percentage basis dating back to at least 2000.
Read on to learn more from the report.
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