Housing Wire

JUNE 21, 2022

As someone who spent a career in the title insurance industry – both as a builder of a title business and leader of the industry’s trade group, — I am proud of the role we play in helping to protect what most Americans consider the biggest purchase of their lives. Why is a title search necessary for refinancing?

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Insurance Easement Real Estate Investing 518

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024

Why is homeowners insurance so expensive in the Upper Midwest? The growing prevalence of extreme weather events and the high cost of construction are pushing property insurers to significantly raise their prices , even in places you might not expect. More: catastrophic weather events are “a key driver” of the premium hikes.

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Insurance Construction Technology Investing 459

Housing Wire

MAY 21, 2024

After two years of limited demand, private equity and insurance companies are increasing their allocations to single family residential mortgages. This is resulting in new balance sheet strategies for institutional investors.

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Insurance Mortgage Investors Finance 488

Housing Wire

JULY 24, 2024

While it may be easy to attribute the slower market conditions to the state’s well-publicized insurance issues , local agents say there is a perfect storm of factors. “It Insurance is still a major hurdle for many. Altos’ data shows that the 90-day median time on market jumped from 49 days a year ago to 70 days as of mid-July.

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Inspection Insurance Marketing HOA 488

Housing Wire

JANUARY 24, 2024

In fact, for many new buyers entering the market this year, this will be the first time they ever hear the words “ title insurance.” Against this backdrop, it is critical that new homebuyers and homeowners alike understand what title insurance is, its benefits and the importance of asking about discounts available to them.

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Insurance Sellers Buyers Housing Market 468

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 24, 2024

The latest investment — led by New York investment firm WestCap and Silicon Valley venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz — brings the total amount of capital raised by Valon to $230 million since its launch in 2019.

Mortgage 448

Mortgage Real Estate Agent Technology Real Estate 448

Housing Wire

JUNE 28, 2024

Title insurance provides vital protection to the largest and most important purchase most Americans will ever make—their home. Director Rohit Chopra himself, in a recent appearance before the House Financial Services Committee , shook his head “no” when asked whether title insurance was a “junk fee” in questioning from Rep.

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Insurance Property Taxes Sellers Development 397

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 5, 2023

Porch Group announced that its insurance subsidiary Homeowners of America (HOA) has been placed under temporary supervision by Texas regulators. Vesttoo’s alleged fraudulent activity is an unfortunate event for insurance carriers and the reinsurance industry alike,” Matt Ehrlichman, CEO of Porch Group, said in a statement.

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Insurance HOA Legal Development 435

Housing Wire

JANUARY 13, 2025

According to CoreLogic , the total damage cost estimate for the Los Angeles wildfires as it relates to insured properties is currently at $30 billion. Assuming all of those burnt, thats about a $30 billion insured loss event. A lot of the dollars could come from things like investments, and will not be only physical damage.

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Supply Chain Insurance Modernization Development 397

Housing Wire

MARCH 4, 2022

Fannie Mae this week completed its first credit insurance risk transfer (CIRT) deal of the year as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to share mortgage risk with the private sector. . The deal transferred millions of dollars of credit risk to a group of 22 private insurers and reinsurers. That credit risk is tied to a $26.1

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Insurance Real Estate Mortgage Finance 448

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Detroit had the largest return on investment (ROI), with the typical investor selling a home for 135% — or $121,500 — more than the initial purchase price of $90,000. Additionally, home insurance and HOA fees are skyrocketing,” Redfin noted. Las Vegas (22.9%), San Francisco (21.4%) and Los Angeles (20.9%) were next.

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Investors Real Estate HOA Housing Market 488

Housing Wire

JULY 7, 2022

the holding company for Enact Mortgage Insurance Co. , The credit facility will be used for working capital and other corporate purposes as well as for capital contributions to its insurance subsidiaries. Enact (Nasdaq: ACT), formerly known as Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corp., Making certain investments.

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Insurance Mortgage Finance Investing 435

Housing Wire

JANUARY 22, 2025

Evernest already offers services including brokerage , maintenance, renovation, insurance and lending. The $15 million investment announced Wednesday from private equity firm LL Funds will help Evernest build a home services platform focused on rental property owners. . This isn’t the only recent acquisition for Evernest.

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Property Management Local Properties Renovations Investing 395

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

real estate investors are planning to grow their portfolios and invest significantly in property improvements in 2025, according to a new survey from property management software provider RentRedi. Regional investment trends also vary. Rising maintenance costs, property taxes and insurance expenses are also pressing concerns.

Real Estate 284

Real Estate Home Improvement Landlords Investors 284

Housing Wire

JULY 29, 2022

vertical manager of strategic partnerships at Liberty Mutual, to discuss how partnering with a nationally recognized insurance company improve borrower engagement for lenders. HW: How can partnering with a nationally recognized insurance company improve borrower engagement for lenders?

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Insurance Business Mortgage Lending 418

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

We have amazing data scientists who are building out new models — from reducing premiums on wildfire insurance in California to using image analytics so that an appraiser can capture the appraisal in real time and use it for quality assurance. The insurance commissioner there declared 13 resiliency prerequisites. Risk Rating 2.0

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Development Insurance Appraisal Real Estate 370

Housing Wire

MARCH 14, 2025

Advocus National Title Insurance Co. A 1031 exchange allows investors to reinvest proceeds from the sale of an investment property into another similar property without immediately incurring capital gains taxes.

Real Estate 270

Real Estate Investors Insurance Investing 270

Housing Wire

JANUARY 27, 2025

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) this month published an issue spotlight that takes a closer look at home equity contracts, or what the industry refers to as home equity investments (HEIs) that offer a lump sum payment to clients in exchange for a stake in their home equity.

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Contracts Mortgage Property Taxes Law 370

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 13, 2022

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.

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Insurance Legal Legal Fees HOA 415

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 18, 2022

Boston-based real estate investment proptech Knox Financial announced Monday it is launching new products on its platform that will help homeowners transform their homes into investment properties. Each Knox product includes guidance from a property wealth advisor, who estimates a property’s investment potential.

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Investing Real Estate Lending Tenants 435

Housing Wire

MARCH 10, 2025

However, long-standing challenges still persist within foreclosure firms, title and escrow companies, and title insurance underwriters. Fortunately, information technology company Mortiles brings comprehensive solutions to the ever-changing title insurance, escrow and settlement arena. We invested close to $1.5

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Technology Clients Real Estate Insurance 333

Housing Wire

JULY 25, 2023

HousingWire recently spoke with Matic CEO and co-founder Ben Madick about the changing home insurance market, how it impacts mortgage lenders and homeowners, and why lenders should pay attention. HousingWire: What is the current home insurance market like? In 2022, property and casualty insurers recorded a combined ratio of 102.4%

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Insurance Marketing Business Mortgage 370

Housing Wire

AUGUST 23, 2023

million for “unsafe and unsound practices in its flood insurance compliance program and for flood insurance regulatory violations,” according to the Fed. There was no customer impact as the matter was confined to our own internal monitoring of flood insurance policies on certain properties,” the spokesperson said.

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Insurance Investing Development 370

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 13, 2024

Boston-based fintech company Hometap has deployed more than $1 billion in home equity investment (HEI) products since its launch in 2017, the company announced on Tuesday. The HEI provider typically recoups its initial investment and takes a percentage of the home’s future value when the property is sold.

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Investing Renovations Tools Real Estate 424

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

Redwood Trust and home equity fintech lender Point have closed on a $139 million bond secured by 1,577 home equity investment (HEI) contracts. In October, Unlock Technologies , another home-equity investment firm, and Saluda Grade , a private real estate investment firm, completed the first-ever securitization rated by DBRS Morningstar.

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Investing Finance Contracts Insurance 435

Housing Wire

APRIL 1, 2024

Through a home equity investment, homeowners can receive cash upfront in exchange for a share of the home’s future value. Hometap is among a handful of companies — including Unison , Unlock , Point and Aspire — that offer home equity investments. The annual investment volume in the U.S.

Finance 468

Finance Investing Real Estate Agent Real Estate 468

Appraisal Buzz

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

According to study data published by RentRedi , most American real estate investors intend to increase their portfolios and make large investments in renovating their existing properties in 2025, exhibiting a strong growth mindset. The poll, which was performed from November 722, 2024, found that 59% of U.S.

Real Estate 327

Real Estate Investors Landlords Renovations 327

Housing Wire

MARCH 5, 2025

Economic and political uncertainty: Concerns over inflation, tariffs , job stability and a potential shift in federal policies have made real estate investments riskier. Elevated borrowing costs have made these investments less attractive. Despite the decline in overall purchases, the total value of investor-bought homes rose 6.3%

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Investors Real Estate Investing Housing Market 341

Housing Wire

MARCH 11, 2025

The funding round was led by prior investors Ribbit Capital , DST Global and NFX along with new investor Progressive Insurance. Were excited to invest in Tomo and to support their mission to modernize the home buying experience, Erwin Raeth, corporate development leader at Progressive Insurance, said in a statement.

Mortgage 354

Mortgage Investors Insurance Loan Officers 354

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2024

ICE Mortgage Technology — part of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) – will be offering lenders access to investment advisory advice in its Encompass loan origination system (LOS) through a partnership with Halcyon , a tech firm specializing in advanced data integration. “In

Clients 459

Clients Investing Mortgage Technology 459

Appraisal Buzz

JANUARY 9, 2025

According to a survey of 783 title insurance entities nationwide conducted by ALTA and NDP Analytics, 28% of title insurance companies reported at least one SIF attempt in 2023, and 19% reported an attempt during the month of April 2024 alone. Fortunately, most SIF cases are identified and addressed before closing.

Legal 397

Legal Insurance Tools Real Estate 397

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

“Agents become more like wealth managers, helping them evaluate investment potential, seasonal rental opportunities, and resale value. There’s much more to consider — like insurance regulations or local zoning laws — making having an expert in this space crucial.”

Agents 370

Agents Marketing Luxury Properties Real Estate 370

Housing Wire

JULY 18, 2022

However, it’s also a good time to invest in digital transformation. HousingWire recently spoke with Michael Valdes, president and founder of Axis Technical Group, about investing in automation technologies as a way to prepare for the next boom cycle. Now is an ideal time to invest in automation systems and digital workflows.

Real Estate 418

Real Estate Technology Investing Insurance 418

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 22, 2024

These costs include mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance and utilities that must be paid while renovations are performed. Respondents in both states reported higher resale supply, homebuilder competition and insurance premium increases compared to other locations.

Investors 433

Investors Mortgage Property Taxes Inventory 433

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 22, 2024

30, approximately $200 billion in unpaid principal balance, more than 30% of the loans in our portfolio, had a rate above 5%, $90 billion of which was government-insured or guaranteed loans, and $108 billion of which was conventional and other loans,” Spector said. “As of Sept.

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Government Investing Mortgage Valuation 435

Housing Wire

MARCH 6, 2025

Net cash provided by operating activities a measure of how the business is performing outside of investing and financing activities was $48.7 The company also touted its title insurance business as high margin and rapidly growing, with revenue reaching $4.8 It posted a net loss of $26.5 million last year, roughly in line with 2023.

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Brokerage Agents Loan Officers Business 370

Appraisal Buzz

JANUARY 9, 2025

Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) has published a Final Rule in the Federal Register to modernize and strengthen regulations for the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME). Click here for more on HUDs HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME).

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Tenants Development Modernization Inspection 349