Real estate quishing is a growing cyber threat in 2025 that targets homebuyers, sellers, and title professionals during the closing process. Quishing—short for “QR code phishing”—is a modern twist on traditional email scams. Instead of clicking on suspicious links, victims are tricked into scanning fraudulent QR codes with their phones. These attacks are particularly dangerous in the real estate industry, where QR codes are now embedded in closing instructions, wire transfer requests, and digital communication.

The April 2025 housing market reflected a highly mixed landscape shaped by stubbornly high mortgage rates, increased builder caution, and evolving buyer behavior. Existing-home sales declined to the slowest April pace since 2009, while new home sales surprisingly jumped more than 10% from March, defying industry expectations. Although inventory levels are beginning to rise, affordability concerns and policy uncertainty continue to suppress overall transaction volume. According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, the median price of existing homes reached a record $414,000, while new homes dipped slightly to $407,200.

Illinois Title Insurance Act regulation forms the backbone of the state’s protections for real estate transactions. Designed to govern the conduct of title insurers, agents, and escrow providers, the Act ensures that title services are conducted with transparency, integrity, and consumer safeguards. Title insurance companies play a critical role in safeguarding buyers and lenders from risks associated with property titles, supporting Illinois’s robust real estate market.

The March 2025 housing market reveals a complex but telling snapshot of today’s real estate environment. With declining existing home sales, a modest rise in new home purchases, falling housing starts, and a drop in mortgage applications, both buyers and sellers face a challenging landscape shaped by economic uncertainty and fluctuating interest rates.

The February 2025 housing market offered a mix of resilience and restraint, with stronger-than-expected existing home sales and a notable rebound in new home construction. While some hurdles remain—particularly around inventory and builder sentiment—the month delivered promising signs for buyers, sellers, and industry watchers alike.

After a winter marked by powerful winds and relentless rainfall, Illinois homeowners are entering spring with saturated soil, swollen waterways, and growing concerns about the potential for flooding. As the weather warms and seasonal storms approach, the threat of flood damage once again becomes a top concern.

The January 2025 Housing Market saw a decline in sales of existing homes, falling 5% from December. However, sales were still slightly higher than a year ago, indicating some resilience despite ongoing challenges in affordability and supply. The median existing-home price stood at $396,900, marking a 5% increase compared to the previous year and setting a record high for January. Inventory levels remained at historically low levels, with a 3.5-month supply nationally—still far below the six-month supply that characterizes a balanced market. However, there was a silver lining: inventory levels were 17% higher than a year ago, providing some relief for prospective buyers.

A like-kind exchange, as defined under Internal Revenue Code Section 1031, allows individuals and businesses to exchange real property used for business or investment purposes for another property of a similar nature, deferring capital gains taxes in the process. As a title insurance company, Plymouth Title Guaranty Corporation understands the importance of smooth and legally compliant real estate transactions. These exchanges play a critical role in facilitating real estate investment and ensuring market stability.

The December 2024 Housing Market experienced a modest but notable increase in sales of existing homes, reaching the highest level since February. Sales were 9% higher than a year ago, signaling some resilience despite ongoing challenges in affordability and inventory. The median existing-home price climbed to $404,400, reflecting a 6% increase compared to the previous year. While this uptick in sales is encouraging, the market remains constrained by historically low inventory levels, which stood at just a 3.3-month supply nationally—far below the six-month supply typical of a balanced market. However, there was a silver lining: inventory levels were 16% higher than a year ago, offering some hope for prospective buyers.

In 2025, title insurance still plays a crucial role in the home buying process, protecting lenders and homeowners from financial loss due to defects in property titles. However, recent discussions led by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Federal Insurance Office (FIO) have sparked debate on the industry’s pricing, regulatory framework, and potential reforms to lower closing costs and enhance transparency.

The November 2024 housing market marked a significant month, with sales of existing homes rising 5% from October and 6% from the same time last year. Similarly, the median existing-home price climbed 5% year-over-year, reaching $406,100. However, while inventories improved by 18% compared to last year, the supply remains at a historically low 3.8-month level, well below the 6-month supply indicative of a balanced market.

The 2025 Illinois commercial real estate market is set to undergo significant transformations, presenting a landscape filled with opportunities and challenges. One of the most notable drivers of activity in the sector is the substantial volume of loans maturing this year. These maturities create a ripple effect, stimulating refinancing, sales, and overall property market activity across the state.

The October 2024 housing market demonstrated remarkable resilience, with home sales and prices exceeding expectations despite broader economic uncertainties.This month brought several notable developments, highlighting both opportunities and challenges for buyers, sellers, and industry professionals. Here's a comprehensive look at the latest trends shaping the housing market.

Tracking homebuilder sentiment is crucial for understanding the health of the housing market. One of the most reliable tools for this purpose is the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), which provides a detailed view of builder confidence and overall market conditions. The HMI captures the perceptions of single-family homebuilders and serves as a vital indicator for future housing trends. Plymouth Title Guaranty explains the HMI, how it’s measured, and the key factors influencing builder sentiment, offering a comprehensive look at the dynamics shaping the housing market.

The September 2024 housing market presented a mixed bag of data, highlighting a complex landscape with contrasting trends in existing and new home sales. On one hand, sales of existing homes declined to their lowest level since October 2010, reflecting ongoing challenges like limited inventory and high prices. On the other hand, new home sales showed signs of strength, rising both month-over-month and year-over-year. Adding another layer to the story, single-family housing starts and builder sentiment also pointed to potential optimism for future market conditions. Let’s break down what these numbers mean and how they could shape the housing market going forward.

In recent years, there has been a surge in regulatory scrutiny aimed at the title insurance industry, driven by mounting concerns over practices that inflate costs and obscure transparency for homebuyers. Investigations into unethical schemes, such as kickbacks and hidden fees, have emphasized the need for reform.

However, these new regulations aren’t just about policing the industry—they catalyze positive change. These reforms create a more transparent, fair, and consumer-friendly marketplace by enforcing ethical practices.

The August 2024 housing market experienced fluctuations, with both new and existing home sales showing changes in activity over the past few months. From shifts in home prices to the impact of external factors like hurricanes, recent trends offer critical insights into the future of the housing sector.

In real estate, few things are as critical as ensuring accurate and well-maintained property ownership records. The title insurance industry is pivotal in securing these records and protecting homeowners, lenders, and other stakeholders from costly disputes and legal complications. However, the consequences can be severe when property ownership records are not curated effectively.

Drawing insights from the First American Whitepaper on Property Ownership Records and other industry reports, this blog explores the potential risks of neglecting to curate these records and the importance of title insurance in mitigating these risks.

The July 2024 housing market has shown some intriguing developments, with existing-home sales rebounding after months of declines. Buyers and sellers navigate new opportunities as the market adjusts to economic shifts and inventory challenges.

The 2024 title insurance outlook is optimistic, driven by the expectation of lower mortgage rates and the potential for increased real estate activity. As mortgage rates drop, both purchase transactions and refinancing are expected to rise, giving title insurers the chance to boost their revenues.

While refinancing opportunities will offer short-term benefits, it’s the anticipated increase in home purchase transactions that will significantly impact the title insurance market. Let’s explore how the forecast for lower mortgage rates could benefit title insurers and shape the future of the industry.