New York became the latest state to officially enact legislation that outlaws the practice known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services or NTRAPS, which threatens senior citizens with loss of their homes. Processing Content Gov. Kathie Hochul signed the bill into law after it passed the New York State Legislature with wide bipartisan support […]
New York becomes latest state to outlaw NTRAPs Read More »
Title and settlement services technology provider Settlor has introduced a new integration with DataTrace. The connection allows Settlor’s users to access DataTrace tools directly within Settlor’s title production system — eliminating the need to switch between platforms. Integration gives users the ability to run automated title searches tied to specific properties and retrieve related documents
Settlor integrates with DataTrace to streamline title searches Read More »
Title insurers may face more paperwork and larger compliance costs next year as a federal court is leaning toward allowing a new reporting rule to go into effect. Processing Content U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel J. Horovitz recommended this week to the case’s presiding judge to grant the government’s motion for summary judgment, in a challenge
Court backs tougher reporting rule for title firms Read More »
Embattled MV Realty has settled a lawsuit filed by Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador involving an agreement it promoted known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services or NTRAPS. These contracts, also known as “Homeowner Benefit Agreements,” lock a homeowner into a long-term arrangement to sell the property in exchange for a fee. This encumbrance
MV Realty settles NTRAPS cases in Idaho, New Jersey Read More »
Kriss Law/Atlantic Closing & Escrow (KL/ACE) has merged with DaMore Law and its Vermont division, Green Mountain Lawyers — expanding the attorney-driven settlement firm’s reach across New England and strengthening its presence in Vermont. Merging brings DaMore Law’s 25-year regional presence — with offices in Burlington, Vt., Methuen, Mass., and Killington, Vt. — into KL/ACE’s
Kriss Law/Atlantic Closing & Escrow expands New England footprint with merger Read More »
Fraud and forgery attempts that appear in refinance transactions are turning out to be a rising risk factor leading to claims that end up costing title insurers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Claims resulting from fraud or forgery now average $206,976, according to research conducted by the American Land Title Association and consulting and actuarial
Forgery, fraud make up 40% of title insurance losses Read More »
Fathom Holdings is leaning into expansion, agent productivity initiatives and stronger ancillary service performance — reporting double-digit growth across its core operations in the third quarter. Revenue rose 38% year-over-year to $115.3 million, while agent count climbed 24% and transactions increased 23%. “In the third quarter, we continued to build on the momentum achieved in
Fathom Holdings reports 38% revenue growth Read More »
In a year marked by consolidation, the mortgage industry saw another two merger agreements over the past week, both leading to unions between Mid Atlantic lenders. On Monday, Northern Virginia-based Atlantic Coast Mortgage reported it had reached a deal to acquire a fellow in-state retail lender. Located in Fairfax and currently licensed in 40 states,
Mortgage M&A streak continues with new deals Read More »
Falling mortgage rates during the third quarter of 2025 were certainly a boon for the Big Four title insurance firms who all saw title insurance revenue rise year-over-year during the quarter. At First American, which released its earnings in late October, company-wide revenue was up 41% annually to $2.0 billion, while net income rose to
Title insurance revenue rises for Big Four firms in Q3 2025 Read More »
While the publicly traded title underwriters across the board reported improved third quarter results on a year-over-year comparison, helped by September’s refinance activity that several mortgage lenders referred to in their results. The biggest news from the sector came after the quarter ended, with three of the companies announcing merger and acquisition deals. Fidelity
Refis drive better 3Q for major title insurers Read More »