Keys to Real Estate October Research, LLC

Listen as Equity Protect CEO Ryan Marshall discusses the growing and latest types of fraud in the real estate industry and how to fight back -via the creative use of intentional title clouds. Marshall offers his perspective on unique and evolving methods bad actors use to perpetrate crimes such as seller impersonation, deed fraud, fake mortgages, fake assignments, and contract for deed fraud. Some high-tech fraudsters are even using AI to impersonate signatures and take advantage of stolen notary credentials. But the industry has access to its own high-tech methods of mitigating these risks, including how to spot properties most at risk. Just by listening to this episode you will be helping in the fight against fraud because, as Marshall notes, education and prevention go hand-in-hand in combating illegal activity in real estate transactions.

Listen as Kevin Nincehelser, chief operating officer for Premier One, covers everything from digital security to artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting some practical advice for protecting business data from a variety of potential risks and considering the growing impact of AI. Speaking with host Mary Schuster, he offers examples in programs and software companies use every day, including email systems, utilities used in remote work, and many often overlooked areas where vulnerabilities can crop up. The discussion goes beyond a typical overview of the latest advice you might hear from your IT department and connects the dots on instruments and outside factors companies need to consider that they may never have before.

Dr. Mark Calabria, former director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, a senior advisor at Cato Institute and author of Shelter from the Storm: How a Covid Mortgage Meltdown was Averted, sat down with Mary Schuster at the 2024 National Settlement Services Summit (NS3). The discussion begins with Dr. Calabria describing his background in government, challenges faced, and his core beliefs, principles, and perspectives on government policies and housing sector. You won’t want to miss Dr. Calabria’s view on title insurance alternative products, the future of Frannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the need to focus on safety and soundness in the real estate ecosystem. Finally, they discuss his predictions for the future of title insurance and near-term interest rate changes.

What does a fishing boat have to do with long-standing judicial standards? Lauran Campisi, partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, spoke with host Mary Schuster about how the outcome of Loper Bright v. Raimondo – a case involving herring fishermen in New England – could have sweeping consequences for laws and regulations that mortgage and title professionals refer to everyday. This is because the case challenges the scope of the Chevron Doctrine, which courts have relied on for decades worth of high-stakes legal decisions in all manner of cases. The conversation highlights the potential consequences of changes in judicial deference and the need for clarity and certainty in the interpretation of laws.

With an uptick in mergers and acquisitions in the title insurance industry, where buyers are looking to acquire companies before the market fully recovers, consulting firm Title Success looks to provide guidance for navigating the various components of these complex transitions, assisting with exit strategies, valuations, and connecting buyers and sellers. Prospective buyers and sellers have concerns about financing, culture fit, team retention, and payout structure. In this conversation, Title Success Partners Marcus Hunt and Wayne Stanley discuss cover topics such as the importance of culture fit, the structure of deals, tax implications, and the challenges of managing people during a transition. They also provide advice for prospective buyers and sellers, including the importance of clear communication and having a plan for day one and beyond.

Having just celebrated his 27-year anniversary in commercial real estate, FNF Vice President and Managing Underwriting Council Joe Powell had plenty of knowledge to share about the industry and the current state of the commercial real estate market. From its resilience following the pandemic to the diverse asset classes within commercial real estate, Powell emphasized the importance of conservative underwriting practices and discussed the challenges and opportunities in converting office buildings into residential properties with October Research’s own resident expert and host, Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster.