First American Title Expands No-Cost Property Title Monitoring to Its Independent Title Agent Network and Their Clients
September 20 2026 | |
“Title agents are trusted advisors to the home buyers and homeowners they serve, and they are looking for meaningful ways to help protect their clients,” said Steve Vincini, president of First American Title’s Agency Division. “By making title monitoring available through our agents on all eligible owner’s title policies underwritten by First American, we’re providing an added layer of protection against the growing threat of real estate fraud and helping homeowners stay connected to trusted title professionals long after their purchase is complete at no additional cost.”
|
|
NAR Wins Meta's 2026 Agency Award for Best Use of Automation
September 18 2026 | |
“This recognition shows our strategic plan in action. We are modernizing how NAR works for members by using new tools to help them get to their next transaction more efficiently,” said Bennett Richardson, NAR chief marketing and communications officer. “We reached prospective homebuyers more effectively while reducing costs and delivering greater value to our members.”
|
|
Settlor Integrates with TitleSphere CRM
September 17 2026 | |
Settlor is among a small number of title production system providers that offers a genuinely open API, meaning technology partners can build integrations without the technical and commercial friction that closed systems often impose.
|
|
Florida Agency Network Expands CertifID Use to Strengthen Closing Communication
September 17 2026 | |
The Florida Agency Network, Florida's largest independent provider of title and settlement services, has rolled out an expansion of its use of CertifID, a nationally used closing and fraud prevention platform, throughout its operations for identity verification and payoff clearance, adding direct wire fraud protection to every closing it conducts.
|
|
Single-Family Starts Rebound but Market Challenges Persist
September 17 2026 | |
“Single-family starts unexpectedly increased in August, but higher mortgage rates, rising construction financing costs and affordability challenges continue to weigh on the market and limit momentum for new-home construction,” said Bill Owens, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders.
|
|
|
|
Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
September 16 2026 | |
“Ongoing market concerns over spiking energy prices, persistently high inflation, and future monetary policy pushed bond yields and mortgage rates higher last week. As the 10-year Treasury inched closer to the 5 percent mark, mortgage rates followed and were almost 7 percent. The 30-year fixed rate at 6.97 percent was at its highest level since May 2025,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s VP and Deputy Chief Economist.
|
|
Builder Sentiment Falls on Higher Interest Rates and Costs
September 16 2026 | |
“Buyer traffic has weakened across much of the country, largely because of rising mortgage rates,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “Builders also continue to face higher material costs, rising gas and diesel prices and persistent labor shortages. In some markets, builders report that increased immigration enforcement is discouraging legal workers from reporting to job sites.”
|
|
August New Home Purchase Mortgage Applications Decreased 5.5 Percent
September 15 2026 | |
“Increasing mortgage rates continue to put pressure on new home sales activity. Applications to purchase newly constructed homes declined in August for the fifth straight month, with the level of applications down to its lowest in 2026,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist.
|
|
|
|
NAR Existing-Home Sales Report Shows 2.0% Decrease in August
September 13 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates and home sales move in opposite directions, so it's not surprising to see a mild dip in home buying activity due to high mortgage rates,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Still, home prices are rising, and existing home sales are actually up 1.6% year-to-date through the first eight months of the year."
|
|
Kriss Law/Atlantic Closing & Escrow Welcomes Partner Nicole Torres
September 09 2026 | |
"Nicole is exactly the kind of attorney who helps a firm grow the right way," said KL/ACE President and CEO Scott D. Kriss, Esq. "She has spent years earning trust with agents and brokers across Massachusetts, and her addition strengthens a market where we already have a robust presence."
|
|
Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
September 09 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates moved higher last week, driven by ongoing investor concerns over inflation and the federal budget deficit. The 30-year fixed rate increased to 6.85 percent, the highest since June 2025 and 36 basis points higher than a year ago,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist.
|
|
|
|
Title Resources Group Appoints Cheryl Cowherd as Deputy Chief Underwriting Counsel, Central Plains
September 08 2026 | |
“Cheryl is one of the most respected underwriting professionals in the title industry, bringing decades of experience, deep legal expertise and a passion for agent education,” said Mickey Godat, chief underwriting counsel for TRG. “Her extensive underwriting background, strong industry relationships and commitment to helping agents succeed make her an exceptional addition to the team."
|
|
Stewart Expands Commercial Energy & Infrastructure Capabilities with Acquisition of Tower Title
September 02 2026 | |
Founded in 2019, Tower Title quickly became a leading national title company catering to the telecommunication industry, while also servicing solar farms, wind turbines, data centers, and billboards. They built a name for customer service through collaboration and customization, leveraging extensive energy expertise to partner with customers across the transaction lifecycle.
|
|
Hopdox Founder Paul Clifford Named 2026 Recipient of PRIA's Carl R. Ernst Founders Award
September 02 2026 | |
“Paul's impact on this industry is hard to overstate,” said Brian Boike, President of Hopdox. “From helping bring eRecording to thousands of counties for the first time to building an entirely new platform focused on service and fair pricing, Paul has spent his career making recording easier for the people who do this work every day. This award is a fitting recognition of that legacy, and everyone at Hopdox is proud to see it honored.”
|
|
New York Housing Leader Warns Congress Gas Bans Undermine Affordability
September 02 2026 | |
“I see firsthand what that means for builders and home buyers,” Fazio said. “In colder climates, fully electrifying a new home can add more than $15,000 to construction costs. For families already struggling to buy a home, that can mean the difference between qualifying for a mortgage and being priced out.”
|
|
Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
September 02 2026 | |
"Mortgage rates reached their highest levels in four weeks as investors’ concerns about inflation and growing deficits push yields higher across the globe,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “Refinance volume dropped in response, but purchase volume increased modestly over the week and was slightly below last year's level."
|
|
Stewart Strengthens Title Capabilities Through Acquisition of ProTitleUSA and DocSolutionUSA
September 01 2026 | |
“Both of these companies bring specialized expertise that aligns with Stewart’s long-term strategy for our centralized title services,” said Fred Eppinger, Stewart CEO. “Together with our existing offerings these businesses expand our scale in title services, strengthen our lender and servicer offerings for investors and capital market clients and add innovative analytic and document generation capabilities that are highly complementary to our existing platform.”
|
|
Large Metro Core Counties Drive Drop in Single-Family Market Share
September 01 2026 | |
“Builders are finding more opportunities in smaller metro areas, where developable land is generally more available and less expensive,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “Outlying counties of small metros posted the largest gain in single-family market share, underscoring how affordability challenges are shaping where new housing can be built.”
|
|