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Title insurers reckon with attorney opinion letters

Housing Wire

Prior to the advent and widespread use of title insurance, before taking title to a property, the buyer required that the title be free of any rights, interests, liens or encumbrances of others for which the buyer would be responsible for.

Insurance 378
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Going to Extremes

Appraisal Buzz

Does the cost of homeowners insurance affect the price of a home? In recent years, insurance companies have pulled out of some markets altogether after sustaining massive losses due to wildfires, flooding, and other climate-related disasters. In some markets, the answer is increasingly yes.

HOA 370
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Opinion: What you need to know for a successful real estate transaction

Housing Wire

Buyers, sellers and lenders all have a stake in the sale, and title and escrow ensure that everyone’s interests are protected. They also help to prevent fraud and ensure that the sale is conducted legally and ethically. In real estate, a title is a legal document that establishes ownership of a property or asset.

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NAR CEO back on stand for second day of defense testimony in commission lawsuit trial

Housing Wire

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — National Association of Realtors CEO Bob Goldberg was back on the stand Tuesday morning at the start of the seventh day of the Sitzer/Burnett class-action buyer broker commission antitrust lawsuit. Goldberg said he wasn’t sure, deferring the decision to the trade group’s legal team.

Realtors 417
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Title industry prepares for possible changes in a post-commission lawsuit world

Housing Wire

In recent years, the value proposition of title insurance has come under attack following Fannie Mae’s announcement that it would accept attorney opinion letters in lieu of title insurance, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s title waiver programs , which were eventually scrapped. “If

Insurance 417
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Reasons To Get An Appraisal

Padove Appraisal Service

Financing: If you are financing your purchase or refinancing your existing mortgage, your lender may require an appraisal to ensure that the property’s value is sufficient to secure the loan. They are an important tool for ensuring that property is priced, taxed, insured, and distributed fairly and accurately.

Appraisal 148
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Illinois homebuyer files commission lawsuit against @properties

Housing Wire

The suit takes aim at the National Association of Realtor’s Participation Rule which requires listing brokers to make a blanket offer of compensation to the buyer’s broker in order to list a property on a NAR affiliated MLS. As with all of the other commission lawsuits, Tuccori’s suit is seeking class action status.