Tag Archives: Attorneys & Title Companies

Home price increases slowed on a monthly basis in July as more markets approach their pre-crash peaks, Lender Processing Services (LPS) reported in its monthly Home Price Index (HPI) report. Nationally, LPS' index was up to $231,000 in July, a 0.6 percent gain over June. Compared to last year, July's index was up 8.7 percent. Meanwhile, several of the largest metros across the United States--including many of Texas' bigger cities--continue to outperform their pre-recession highs.

One of Title365's founders has been appointed president of Texas State Operations for the company. Vickie Crestani has more than three decades of industry-related experience and has an extensive working knowledge of commercial and residential closing transactions, real estate exchanges, and executive-level management experience.

Despite rising interest rates, owning a home is still significantly cheaper than renting, according to Trulia's Summer 2013 Rent vs. Buy Report.

Home sales and prices both improved year-over-year for the 19th straight month in August, according to multiple listing service (MLS) data from RE/MAX.

Equity Loans to Transition Top Management at IFG Equity Loans LLC, a leader in the residential mortgage industry with operations in more than 30 states, announced plans to transition top management and key employees from IFG Mortgage Corp., an origination firm that serves the lending needs of real estate professionals, builders, and homebuying individuals.

As home price appreciation continues at accelerated levels, John Burns Real Estate Consulting is warning clients in certain areas to keep in mind the artificial boosting effect that home flippers bring to the market. "Home price appreciation has been so rampant, particularly in California and Florida, that flippers and get-rich-quick scam artists are flourishing again," said Chris Cagan, VP at John Burns. "Just as in the mania of 2004-06, flippers make money when the party is raging, but inevitably, someone loses when the party is busted."

Mortgage Returns, a St. Louis-based provider of marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for the mortgage industry, announced the launch of its Business Analysis Reports, an in-depth report offering information on production statistics, marketing return on investment (ROI), customer retention, and loan officer performance.

In a blog for the company, Trulia chief economist Jed Kolko posits his own theory for why new construction is moving so slowly.

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Virginia) is seeing tremendous momentum toward GSE reform in Congress, he said during a discussion with Zillow chief economist Stan Humphries this week. He also expressed his optimism that the Housing Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2013--a bill he helped co-sponsor--"actually has a chance" of passing. Fellow co-sponsor Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), who was also part of the discussion with Humphries, expressed similar sentiment, saying the bill is "gaining momentum."

360 Mortgage Group, a privately owned mortgage banker headquartered in Austin, Texas, announced the hiring of Scott Brackett as regional manager for the western region of the United States.