Closings inch forward as agents navigate title company hack
Fidelity National Financial, the nation’s largest title company, coming back “office by office” as real estate agents and loan officers find low-tech solutions.
Updated November 30, 2023
Cheryl Reid-Simons
Cheryl Reid-Simons has more than a decade of experience covering business, government and courts for daily newspapers in the Pacific Northwest. As a freelancer, she has turned her focus to real estate and healthcare and is known for her human approach to complex topics.
- Georgia homesellers file their own commissions lawsuitThe case takes aim at NAR and local as well as national brokerages, while calling out the current system as a way to protect ineffective agents.Updated December 1, 2023
- Hack at nation’s largest title company stalls closingsFidelity National Financial, parent company of Chicago Title and more, is blocking access to title and escrow services while it investigates a security breach.Updated November 30, 2023
- Buy Side: The impact of Sitzer/Burnett hits homeWhen Melissa Savenko told a pair of buyer clients about the recent verdict, they balked at the idea of paying commissions. She thinks it's just the beginning.November 19, 2023
- Texas commissions lawsuit targets teams, associationsTexas Realtor associations and 20+ brokerages and teams are being sued by a home builder and magazine publisher who call NAR the “creator of the conspiracy.”Updated November 14, 2023
- Brokerage on a mission gives millions back to military familiesIn a Navy town, McKenzie Better Homes and Gardens Realty supports military families and veterans with more than the typical real estate services.November 10, 2023
- Redfin ready for a ‘revolution’ after commissions verdictCEO Glenn Kelman told investors its customer focus, including self-service options for buyers, helped improve earnings and could help Redfin grab market share.November 2, 2023
- Read if you dare: The scariest housing markets in the countryA Point2 analysis says California is all tricks and no treats for homebuyers facing the bogeymen of high prices, low inventory and rising mortgage rates.October 31, 2023
- Buy Side: ‘If you’re going to last in this business, you have to be nimble’Atlanta–area agent Amy Fuchs says people don’t always understand how their agents are compensated, and she worries commissions lawsuits could hurt buyers.October 30, 2023
- Market Moods: Interest rates aren’t spooking Mid-Atlantic buyersA Bright MLS survey found that for most buyers, high mortgage rates didn't affect their purchase decision, and many said it's gotten easier to find a home.October 20, 2023
- Judge reaffirms agents’ right to create listing floor plansTwo cases that attracted national attention move toward a quiet conclusion, with a judge ruling that floor plans aren’t the same as building designs.October 15, 2023
- Real estate diversity groups come together to ‘stop hate’Stop Hate In Real Estate, a collaboration between the LGBTQ+ Alliance, AREAA, NAHREP and WomanUp!, aims to fight discrimination.September 27, 2023
- Why buyers are waiting to act — and how to help them move forwardThe latest installment of Zillow's annual trends report offers insights into prospective buyers' needs and motivations, and how agents can add value.September 24, 2023
- Buy Side: Seller-paid commissions are a ‘win-win’Marcos Martinez loves helping clients find their dream home, but worries the relationship will get more transactional if buyers are forced to pay commissions.September 17, 2023
- Bright MLS teams up with Collabra for digital marketingThe MLS's 100,000+ subscribers will gain access to integrated advertising and social media tools to boost their online presence.September 12, 2023
- Buy Side: Changes to commissions 'would hurt buyer's agents for sure'Monika Kaszycka says buyer’s agents already work hard, and they’ll have to prove their value even more if buyers have to pay them upfront.September 10, 2023
- Mortgage payments jump 60% in just two yearsThe latest Black Knight Mortgage Monitor Report paints a bleak picture of housing affordability with “limited room for a rebound” anytime soon.September 6, 2023
- Buy Side: Buyers, not agents will suffer if commission structure changesFor Heather Maddox, working with buyers is "exciting and positive," and she’s confident she’ll continue to get paid no matter the outcome of lawsuits.September 3, 2023
- Industry unites to help agents shut out by cyberattackCRMLS and other organizations are offering temporary access and support to agents affected by the Rapattoni shutdown, now in its second week.August 16, 2023
- Industry moves quickly to support Maui relief effortsAs the wildfire death toll rises, Keller Williams, eXp and others connect with agents, raise money and even turn an office into an emergency “command center.”Updated August 14, 2023
- Bridgemarq returns to profitability, but income down 90% from 2022The Canadian brokerage giant saw a much smaller drop in revenue, and agent count increased slightly.August 12, 2023
- Agents scramble as cyberattack freezes MLSs nationwideMLS system provider Rapattoni has been down since midweek, leaving tens of thousands of agents unable to add listings and update information.August 11, 2023
- Douglas Elliman still sees hope in luxury after a tough Q2The company reported significant year-over-year declines, with revenue taking a nearly 25% hit — but numbers were much improved over Q1.August 11, 2023
- Redfin to change up agent recruiting, splits as losses continueAmid falling revenue and elusive net profits, the company plans to pilot a program to give agents "the lion’s share of the commission on self-sourced sales."August 3, 2023
- RE/MAX profits up, revenue down — and U.S. agents keep leavingThe company's net income of $2 million was an improvement after losses in Q1, while revenue fell by more than 10% and U.S. agent count dropped by 6.3%.August 2, 2023
- Where buyers can live large without breaking the bankNashville tops the list of cities with "just right" homes with ample square footage and big yards near urban centers.July 28, 2023
- The latest housing trend: Permanent vacationsMore people are moving closer to beaches and further from urban centers to places with city amenities and lower housing costs, according to a new report.July 23, 2023
- 'Threads' is taking off — here's why you should try this Twitter alternativeYes, there's a new social media app in town. It might be a fad — or the next big thing — but getting on board now could reap dividends for your business.July 7, 2023
- NAR accuser withdraws racial, sexual discrimination suitA former employee has withdrawn a lawsuit alleging she was unfairly fired after ending a relationship with the National Association of Realtors president.July 6, 2023
- Pending home sales fell, but a summer bump is still possibleNAR's Pending Home Sales Index for May showed national declines but significant gains in the Northeast.June 29, 2023
- NAR and its president accused of racial, sexual discriminationA former employee has filed a lawsuit alleging she was unfairly fired after ending a relationship with National Association of Realtors President Kenny Parcell.June 28, 2023
- OKC brokerage leverages its reputation to lure two teamsRob Allen, CEO of Sage Sotheby's Realty, says a slower market has agents wondering if they're at the right brokerage — but he doesn't sign just anyone.June 12, 2023
- How to target buyers and sellers — and turn them into clientsSeek genuine connections, coaches say, and embrace the four P’s: parents, passions, partnerships and passages (from one life stage to the next).June 10, 2023
- Appeal denied in major commissions lawsuitNAR was unsuccessful in its attempt to overturn the class action status of the $13 billion Moehrl suit.Updated May 31, 2023
- Lorne Wallace, founder of Lone Wolf Technologies, has diedWallace, who grew up in a real estate family, was proud to be involved in an industry that had such a profound impact on people's lives.May 22, 2023
- The particular (and sometimes peculiar) needs of pet-owning buyersFor some homebuyers, their "fur babies" come first. Agents who know how to best serve clients with pets can land more business, and maybe a few nose nuzzles.May 14, 2023
- The 'catastrophic' impact of a debt default on housing costsThe U.S. has never defaulted on its debt, but without government action, it could happen by June 1 — leading to a surge in mortgage rates and monthly costs.Updated May 24, 2023
- Offerpad slows losses after selling off 'legacy' inventoryThe company managed to cut losses by half in Q1, and CEO Brian Bair said Offerpad has a "realistic and achievable plan" to meet its goals.May 3, 2023
- Corcoran's five decades of female leadershipIn 1973, with a $1000 loan, Barbara Corcoran launched what would become a global luxury real estate company. And it's always had a woman at the helm.April 22, 2023
- Redfin cuts more than 200 positionsThe brokerage's real estate support division was the hardest hit in this third round of layoffs since June.April 13, 2023
- Zillow tool helps buyers find affordable mortgageThe portal's new search filter lets buyers search by total monthly payment — which takes interest rates and other costs into account — not just the list price.April 11, 2023
- Down payment assistance 'a gold mine' for first-time buyersThere’s money out there for people who need help getting into their first home — especially if they’re part of an underserved community.April 7, 2023
- Zillow settles co-marketing suit for $15MAfter more than 5 years of litigation, the company agreed to a settlement with shareholders over its co-marketing program, which remains active.April 4, 2023
- Opendoor upping incentives for agentsThe iBuyer hopes to attract more agents with an expansion of their loyalty program and increased commissions.April 4, 2023
- Agents, get your sellers ready for the selling 'sweet spot'A Realtor.com analysis identified the best time to sell in 2023, and it's just around the corner. The report also said to expect a more typical spring season.March 31, 2023
- Staging can add value in any kind of marketAgents surveyed for NAR's Profile of Home Staging reported that staged homes can sell faster and for more money, even in a sellers market.March 30, 2023
- Condos an overlooked step to homeownershipNew study finds condos cheaper than homes in most major cities, on par or more expensive in others.March 24, 2023
- Market Moods: Prices dropping, but not all markets got the memoTwo recent reports showed median U.S. home prices dropping year-over-year in February, the first such drop in a decade. But the local view varies.March 24, 2023
- Industry icon Wes Foster, co-founder of Long & Foster, has diedWes Foster, known for his integrity and "larger than life presence," said he was most proud of growing Long & Foster from humble beginnings into a major player.March 18, 2023
- Market Moods: Price cuts are rare when a home is priced rightIt might seem like sellers are slashing prices, desperate for a sale. But while price cuts are up, agents say they're still the exception.March 17, 2023
- More Latinos are becoming homeownersA new report from NAHREP found that Latinos formed more new households than any other demographic group in 2022 while also increasing their homeownership rate.March 14, 2023
- Market Moods: Agent perspectives on home showings (are they really up?)ShowingTime's Showing Index found that home showings were way up in January over December. Are agents on the ground seeing the same trend?March 12, 2023
- Will the housing supply gap ever close?Housing completions went up in 2021, but builders tapped the brakes in 2022. At the same time, more households formed, leading to an ongoing shortage.March 8, 2023
- Working with iBuyers can mean easy money for agentsThe commissions are lower, but so is the effort. Representing a client in an iBuyer transaction takes less time and can supplement an agent's business.March 4, 2023
- What ChatGPT can (and can't) do for agentsThe popular AI tool can be a helpful starting point when writing content like listing descriptions or social posts. But it has its limitations.February 25, 2023
- A breakthrough in home shopping for the visually impaired“Finding Homes” is an Alexa-based tool that could revolutionize real estate for blind and visually impaired consumers.February 12, 2023
- Fair housing advocate and NAR leader Margo Wheeler has diedWheeler, a John L. Scott broker in Tacoma, Wash., was VP of association affairs at NAR, a local industry leader, and a volunteer at several housing nonprofits.January 31, 2023
- NAR succeeds in halting DOJ investigationDespite reaching a settlement agreement in 2020, the Department of Justice reopened a probe into NAR policies. The association fought back — and won.January 25, 2023
- Buyers grapple with uncertainty but have reason to be hopefulWary of making a bad decision in a shifting market, buyers are weighing their options — and waiting for prices to fall along with interest rates.January 18, 2023
- Agents of Change: Helping families cope with a loved one's addictionAgent Kelly Gill understands the trauma caused by addiction, and she has made it her mission to help others affected by a family member's stuggles.January 15, 2023
- ChatGPT AI chatbot writes the perfect listing, except for the made-up features*The experimental ChatGPT platform is a monumental leap forward in natural language AI technology — with the potential to simplify some real estate tasks.December 28, 2022
- Agents of Change: Raising the ethical bar for agents in NYCAgent Heather McDonough Domi co-founded NYRAC with a mission “to elevate the ethical standards of our profession" through advocacy and collaboration.December 27, 2022
- Appraisal values grow on the Gulf Coast, wane on the West CoastFlorida was the big winner in a newly released dataset from the FHFA showing quarterly and annual appraisal values for the top 100 U.S. metros.December 16, 2022
- Great deals in the Great Plains: Kansas is tops for first-time buyersWichita was No. 1 among the 10 best metros for first-time buyers, offering a mix of affordable homes, good inventory and a higher share of price cuts.December 7, 2022
- Giving back: Cathy Taub 'grateful to be of service' to food-insecure peopleTaub, a NYC agent with Sotheby's International Realty, helps feed families in her community as a volunteer and board member at the New York Common Pantry.Updated November 22, 2023
- Opendoor losses stem from unprecedented market conditions, says CEO Eric WuRate hikes slowed demand from a wide-open firehose to a trickle faster than the company or its algorithms could predict.November 21, 2022
- Zillow Gone Wild: What happens when your listing goes viralThe social media sensation drives plenty of traffic to the listings it features, but it may not help your sale.November 5, 2022
- 5 ways agents can help with home inspectionsHome inspectors don't want to be "the bad guy." They offer tips for agents to help their clients through the inspection process.Updated July 24, 2023
- Tennessee MLS finds a new path to expansionAfter an initial expansion failure, one MLS has embraced a broker-focused strategy that is starting to pay off.October 23, 2022
