Is the Corporate Transparency Act Still ‘Opaque’ to You?

As part of an ongoing effort to protect national interests and curb financial crimes, the U.S. Congress in 2021 passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Taking effect on Jan. 1, 2024, the CTA requires certain U.S. companies to report specific…

Thanks in large part to a challenging real estate market, fraud is more rampant than ever in the title insurance and real estate industries. Title insurance professionals are often faced with the challenge of verifying the identity of the seller…

The title insurance industry often assumes a leadership role in or has a front-row seat to paradigm shifts and legal and regulatory changes impacting the U.S. housing market. One such area in which we are working to make an impact…

Title searches often reflect an old – or “ancient” – mortgage or deed of trust (lien) of record that the vested owner states has already been paid. The lien itself may also happen to be a complete surprise to the…

It is not your imagination — there is a significant rise in the number of fraud claims across the entire title insurance industry. It seems that every week brings a new scam that title agents need to avoid. Lack of…

As the pandemic is declared over, parties to real estate transactions have started to move back toward traditional, in-person document signings. Given the security advantages associated with remote online notarization (RON), there is a move afoot to combine those advantages…

Since about 2018, Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Services – commonly known as NTRAPS – have been recorded in property records. What are they, and do they do homeowners more harm than good? NTRAPS offer small cash gifts to homeowners…

One of the most fundamental aspects of title insurance work, legal descriptions have a long history in American real estate and serve as the foundation for the sound, legal transfer of property in our country. Here are some terms commonly…

Homebuying has become challenging in some markets due to increased home prices, rising interest rates, challenging lending requirements, and for some, poor credit ratings. Despite this, the interest in owning a home has not abated, leading some to turn to…

We all know that title insurance offers homeowners protection from claims to ownership or use. But what happens when the home in question is a mobile home? Is it considered a vehicle, personal property or real property? Can buyers of…

Did you know that every state has its own rules governing how married persons can legally hold title to real estate? There are five common methods of holding title – although no state recognizes all five. Here’s a summary of…

Sooner or later, every Doma Title Insurance, Inc. agent is presented with a title insurance commitment requirement calling for a Subordination Agreement (SA). What are they, and why are they important? The rights of a tenant under an existing lease…