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Thought leader and industry expert, Jeanne, shares important information regarding the real estate and title industries.
Blockchain Can’t Protect Property Rights, but Title Insurance Can
From ALTA's Title News Archive By Zachary Kammerdeiner and Ashley Sadler It’s hard to open a newspaper today (or, more accurately, scroll through the news) without seeing an article about blockchain. This new technology is taking our society by storm with many touting...
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CFPB Finalizes TRID Amendment Allowing Lenders to Disclose Closing Cost Increases
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized an amendment to its TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule that addresses when mortgage lenders with a valid justification may pass on increased closing costs to consumers and disclose them on a Closing...
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Fitch: Does Blockchain Represent a Paradigm Shift for the Title Insurance?
April 26, 2018 In a report titled “Blockchain and Insurance - The Trust Machine,” Fitch Ratings views blockchain as a potential game-changing technology for the insurance industry over the long term. Fitch concludes that blockchain offers several benefits, but says...
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Property Records Industry Association and GIS
The Property Records Industry Association (PRIA) has released its latest whitepaper on GIS and Land Records Integration. Although Geographic Information System (GIS) is a relatively new tool for anyone interested in land records, the recording of property records has...
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Fidelity National Signs Merger Agreement with Stewart Information Services
Industry News Monday, March 19, 2018 Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (FNF) has signed a merger agreement to acquire Stewart Information Services Corp. for $1.2 billion in cash and stock. If approved by regulators and stockholders, Fidelity would pay $50 per share of...
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The Life Skills Gap
I have always been concerned about what and how we help learners. Do we teach them "by the book," using specific outlines that are given, or do we consider real life situations when providing educational training. I've always thought there was a gap. A young niece of...
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E-notarization vs. Distance E-notarization
E-Notarization has been here for some time. Effective July 1, 2006, the Minnesota Legislature enacted electronic notary legislation pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 358 and 359, allowing electronic notarization to be applied to a document so that the document can be...
read moreActing Director Mulvaney Calls for Evidence and Public Comment on CFPB Functions
Seeks Public Input on Ways to Better Fulfill Statutory Obligations JAN 17, 2018 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today announced that it is issuing a call for evidence to ensure the Bureau is fulfilling its proper and appropriate functions...
read moreCarver County Requires Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Form
Effective January 1, 2018, Carver County requires on all sales a Subsurface Sewage System Treatment Form along with the certificate of real estate value, to be presented to the county auditor's office. While I think it's a good idea to handle such things at the time...
read moreDon’t Believe Those Online e-Notarize Ads
In Minnesota and other states, electronic notarization (e-Notarization) is moving fast. But DO NOT BELIEVE THE ADS. It is complicated. Each state has its own laws, rules, and especially its own legal terminology. In Minnesota, a notary may perform electronic notarial...
read moreeClosing and buying a home: Technology’s role in closing on a mortgage
CFPB POST Technology is transforming everything; it is changing the way we communicate, the way we access goods and services, and even the way we purchase homes. Soon, more and more consumers may increasingly find themselves being offered technology that allows them...
read moreNational Association of Realtors on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act – What it means for Americans
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) worked throughout the tax reform process to preserve the existing tax benefits of homeownership and real estate investment, as well as to ensure real estate professionals would benefit from proposed tax cuts. Many of the...
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