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 »
As new American Land Title Association (ALTA) President David Townsend steps into his role, he’s wasting no time setting an agenda that includes expanded housing access and a halt to right-to-list agreements — also known as non-title recorded agreements for personal service (NTRAPS). Townsend said these initiatives, along with efforts to improve affordability, streamline permitting
ALTA’s David Townsend on housing affordability and title insurance regulations Read More »
Old Republic is set to acquire a major insurer of small farm owners and select commercial agricultural operations. The specialty insurer bought Everett Cash Mutual Insurance Co. and affiliated companies for an undisclosed number, following its conversion to a stock company in a sponsored demutualization transaction. “With ECM’s ‘narrow and deep’ expertise in the farm
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Title and escrow company Propy says it is ready to revolutionize the title insurance industry. Central to this plan is a $100 million expansion, which includes the planned acquisitions of title firms nationwide, according to an announcement on Thursday. Propy says, once acquired, it will upgrade the firms “to faster, safer and fully digital closings,
Propy leans on acquisitions, AI to ‘modernize’ title Read More »
WFG National Title Insurance Co. — a subsidiary of Williston Financial Group — on Thursday announced its expansion into New Mexico. “WFG continues to grow in ways that strengthen our national footprint while staying true to our mission of improving the real estate process for everyone involved,” said Patrick Stone, chairman and founder of Williston
WFG National Title expands operations into New Mexico Read More »
The Federal Reserve’s decision this month to cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points was encouraging news for Americans eager to become homeowners. Although mortgage rates aren’t set by the Fed, they are impacted by its policy changes. Indeed, prior to — and in anticipation of — the Fed’s announcement, mortgage rates fell
Why title insurance is essential to secure, affordable homeownership Read More »
Title insurers generated $4.5 billion in premiums during the second quarter of 2025, up from $4.1 billion a year earlier, according to the American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) latest Market Share Analysis. “The title insurance industry continues to demonstrate resilience and reliability, even as the broader real estate market faces headwinds,” said ALTA CEO Chris
Title insurance premiums rise to $4.5B in Q2 Read More »
Title insurance firms gearing up for the implementation of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers Rule can slow their efforts. On Tuesday, FinCEN announced that it was postponing the implementation of the policy from Dec. 1, 2025, to March 1, 2026. The rule requires title firms to
FinCEN delays implementation of anti-money laundering rule Read More »