Industry & Technology news compliments of Marianne Mathieu
Title Insurance Industry & Technology News 02/14/18
Compliments of Marianne Mathieu
Industry Events
Look for NEW events posted since the last issue!
Industry News
Here are the challenges in repurposing commercial projects
AZ Big Media - With the desire by many Arizona residents to experience a more urban lifestyle, the repurposing of commercial buildings/areas has become very popular over the last seven years.

vector_city_blueprint.jpg
Google finalizing $2 billion purchase of Chelsea Market
New York Business Journal - Google is taking over Chelsea Market in New York City. The Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) subsidiary is paying more than $2 billion for the renowned food hall and shopping mall based in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.

Sometimes, the Animals Come with the House
uexpress - When there is a dispute between buyer and seller over what stays with the house and what goes, it’s usually over a prized bathroom mirror, a beautiful sconce in the hallway or some ornate, custom curtain rods. But what if the issue involves animals? Now it gets sticky.

Link Directly to Your ALTA Registry Listing
ALTA (American Land Title Association) - The ALTA Registry establishes the ALTA ID number and contains a snapshot of information – each of your business locations may have its own ALTA ID and a confirmed listing. What better way to feature your company than to have a tailored link to your listing in the ALTA Registry using your ALTA ID. 

Some Tips to Avoid Wire Fraud This Year
Daily Business Review - If you are an attorney, title agent, realtor, broker, lender, home buyer or seller, or an individual or business that even occasionally sends or receives wire transfers, there is significant likelihood that a skilled hacker is working feverishly on conscripting you and your business into a $5 billion (and growing) illegal industry. 

Legal News
Huge new house in historic neighborhood will have to shrink or go, state supreme court rules
USA Today - Owners of a house that towers over others in a historic neighborhood must match their dwelling to the historical standards of the neighborhood, the state's high court ordered in a unanimous ruling Thursday.

red-flowerbox.jpg
2018 Brings Changes To North Carolina’s Power of Attorney Act
JD Supra - At the end of last year, North Carolina Session Law 2017-153 (Senate Bill 569) was signed into law. The law adopted the NC Uniform Power of Attorney Act, which makes substantial changes to North Carolina’s power of attorney (“POA”) laws.

Tech / Social Media
Arizona-based RealBlock brings blockchain to real estate
AZ Big Media - RealBlock, an Arizona-based real estate blockchain company, announced that Title Security of Arizona has agreed to incorporate RealBlock’s blockchain enterprise into its day-to-day operation. RealBlock expects to unleash the key attributes of blockchain on to the transaction-heavy real estate industry.

The History of Land Surveying
CourthouseDirect.com - Here’s a look at the history of land surveying and how it has evolved over time – an exciting journey from ancient Egypt to modern-day surveying aided by technology.

Title Agency & People in the News
Title Agents Go Nationwide
For agents interested in growing their businesses by expanding into multiple states, we’re here to make the process simple and profitable. We offer you one point of contact to streamline your options and solutions.

business_concepts.jpg
In Other News
7 Girl Scout cookies you thought you were getting but aren’t
Los Angeles Times - When you bite into a Thin Mint, you probably aren't wondering where it comes from. (The Girl Scouts, of course.) But wait, there are two bakers. And they make two very different Thin Mints: One is crunchier, more minty. The other is richer with a smooth chocolate coating.

Where Old, Unreadable Documents Go to Be Understood
Atlas Obscura - For hundreds of years, history was handwritten. The problem is not only that our ancestors’ handwriting was sometimes very bad, but also that they used abbreviations, old conventions, and styles of lettering that have fallen out of use. 

declaration-independence.jpg
Title Insurance Turns Up in the Unlikely Places
The Chronicle of Higher Education - In 2015, an article in the Atlantic considered the ways in which algorithmic analyses can incorporate prejudices and other forms of statistical skew. Lauren Kirchner’s piece was entitled “When Discrimination is Baked Into Algorithms.”

chocolate_cake_berries.jpg

Marianne Mathieu, NTP
Vice President/National Agency Accounts
Fidelity National Title Group
347-987-0677