UPDATE: Some old Republic agents have received a notice that indicates that the nationwide no-issue order on Ally/GMAC and JP Morgan foreclosures is still in effect.

The Old Republic Bulletin states the following:

Recently, officials at GMAC Mortgage a division of Ally Financial, Inc. and at JP Morgan Chase, announced that they are halting evictions of foreclosed borrowers and are halting REO sales in 23 states, including Florida. In fact, several agents have reported receiving written cancellation of pending transactions involving these lenders.

Accordingly, Old Republic policies may not be issued insuring REO sales after completion of foreclosure by these two lenders.

There is no prohibition on writng title insurance on short sales or following a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure involving these two lenders or any prohibition against insuring titles where a mortgage foreclosure by Ally Bank/GMAC or JP Morgan Chase appears in the back chain of title.

We are continuing to monitor this situation and expect to be able to resume insuring sales by these lenders as soon as the objectionable issues have been resolved.

Please direct any questions you may have to underwriting.

Source of Title had previously reported the following, based on another bulletin found on Old Republic's site that implied that the policy only applied to certain states and conditions.

Old Republic, the fourth largest title insurer, has clarified its policies on insuring Ally Bank/GMAC and JP Morgan Chase foreclosure transactions, and has partially reversed an earlier pronouncement that it would refrain from insuring all Ally/GMAC foreclosures.

Old Republic today told its agents that they must first receive approval from underwriting counsel before insuring a transaction on a post-foreclosure REO property of Ally Bank/GMAC or JP Morgan Chase held for FNMA in twenty-three states that provide for judicial foreclosures. It said that the new standards only applied in a list of 23 judicial foreclosure states.

No limitation or special underwriting procedure was necessary for any other lender or for any other property owned by Ally Bank/GMAC or JP Morgan Chase that was acquired other than through a foreclosure sale, the company said.

Old Republic said on Wednesday that it would not insure title to any property which has been foreclosed by Ally Financial, Ally Bank or GMAC until further notice.