In major mortgage industry news to start the new year, one of the country’s largest mortgage companies has officially gone public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) after a multibillion-dollar merger.

Most people understand the necessity behind purchasing title insurance, but few know that there are two distinct kinds of title insurance, and even fewer know the differences between them. Owner’s and Lender’s title insurance are similar in nature but cover two different sides of a real estate transaction.

Homeowners have tried figuring out the best time for home refinancing for an exceptionally long time. Even before COVID-19, many people needed clarification about the appropriate time to consider refinancing, particularly those who have never owned a home before or are unfamiliar with the refinancing process. The historically low mortgage rates that have come alongside the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic have left multitudes of homeowners itching to take advantage of low rates to refinance their homes. It is easy to understand why. Low interest rates make for low mortgage rates, which is excellent when refinancing. That makes sense, right?

Public record errors can leave a significant impact on your home’s title.Moving into a new home should be one of the most exciting moments in your life. You have worked hard for it, searched high and low for that dream house, and now, it is all yours!At least, it should be, but what happens when public record errors affect your home’s title? Your house might be a new acquisition for you, but unless it is also newly built, there is a history to be uncovered.

Imagine spending hour after hour searching for your dream home and finally finding it. But, as you start to complete all the paperwork and get ready to close an urgent email appears in your inbox. The email appears to be from your agent or attorney or from someone representing the seller urgently requesting for the down payment and other closing costs to be wired today.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fed lowered the historically low prime interest rate to 0%. Interest rates for 30-year mortgages are currently at historic lows, around 3% for the past few months since the virus outbreak.

These are certainly uncertain times for much of the U.S. economy, but one industry that is still open is real estate. Especially given the current interest rate, many lenders are overwhelmed with mortgage applications.

Late last week, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-10 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This order implemented a stay-at-home mandate, emphasized social distancing, and identified essential businesses permitted to remain operational. The order took effect on Saturday, March 21, 2020, at 5:00 PM and is set to continue through April 7, 2020.

When buying a home, title insurance serves as a safeguard against ownership disputes caused by title defects. While most financial lenders require buyers to purchase title insurance, you might wonder if it’s necessary when buying with cash.

The home-buying process should be exciting and joyful, but concerns about the legal status of your property’s title can quickly dampen the experience. Ensuring you have a clean and undisputed claim to your property is essential—and that’s where Illinois title agents come in.