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ALTA: Protecting property rights with title insurance

Housing Wire

For most real estate industry professionals, title insurance needs no introduction. A trusted product , title insurance has been used to protect real estate transactions and property rights for over a century. Title insurance is different than most other insurance products. Diane Tomb, ALTA CEO Contributor.

Insurance 468
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HUD sued over alleged failure to refund mortgage insurance premiums

Housing Wire

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is being sued in federal court over accusations that it failed to refund nearly $385 million in mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) to borrowers over a period of more than two decades. Sarmiento reportedly requested the documentation for a refund on Jan.

Insurance 448
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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. We haven’t seen any real data based on the conversation that it is going to save money.

Insurance 295
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Homebuyers have many options; let’s make sure they’re aware of them

Housing Wire

Admittedly, the myriad of documents requiring signatures can be overwhelming, especially for first-time homebuyers. One of the most important roles we play at ALTA is strongly encouraging buyers to shop around for their title insurance company. To many, homebuying is a daunting, often confusing process.

Insurance 493
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Opinion: What you need to know for a successful real estate transaction

Housing Wire

The home-buying process involves numerous steps, documents and parties that you have to work with. They also help to prevent fraud and ensure that the sale is conducted legally and ethically. By having a neutral third party manage the transfer of funds and documents, the sale can be completed quickly and efficiently.

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Opinion: Foreign land ownership legislation and principles for protecting property rights

Housing Wire

As an organization dedicated to protecting property rights, the American Land Title Association (ALTA) wants to help ensure laws do not discriminate against or prevent people from legally purchasing real estate. Laws should also be clear on the role title insurance professionals play in facilitating transactions with foreign owners.

Law 336
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Judge sides with trade groups, halts new CRA rules

Housing Wire

A federal judge in Texas has granted a preliminary injunction to banking trade groups that seek to halt the implementation of new rules for modernizing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), according to court documents reviewed by HousingWire. Each of the agencies are named as defendants in the case.