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February 2018
Title Notes E-News

Holiday Schedules, Office and Courthouse Closures

 

February 19: Courthouses and Virginia Title Center will be closed for President's Day.


Please remember to allow additional days for title searches to be completed, and schedule closings accordingly.
How to Stop Procrastinating
by Lila MacLellan

To be human is to procrastinate. 

Here are a few hacks with suggested tactics for designing your own more holistic approach to beating procrastination.

1. Take the first (micro) step 5. Time travel to your future self
2. Manage your emotions, not only your time 6. Make plans to work around the "The hell 
    with it" effect
3. Name your delay: Is it really procrastination? 7. Avoid berating oneself
4. Practice "structured" procrastination Click HERE to learn the specific tactics for each of these hacks.
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Here is an additional article related to Personal Development you may enjoy: 
Virginia Title Center Welcomes Kathleen Spano to the Team Full Time

Kathleen came on board at Virginia Title Center as a part-time teammate in 2016 after graduating from Roanoke College with a degree in Communications. She transitioned to her current role as Marketing & Office Administration in January 2018. 

Kathleen is responsible for assisting with marketing and business development efforts, as well as providing a wide variety of office support. 

Kathleen and her husband enjoy hiking and attending concerts. Please join us in congratulating Kathleen on her new position.

Click HERE to meet the rest of the Virginia Title Center Team.
MBA Economist is Mostly Optimistic on Housings' Future
by Phil Hall

The near-term future for the housing market is mostly healthy, announced Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni, although some troubling issues have yet to abate.
 
"We expect this growth to continue over the next few years,"  said Fratantoni at the MBA Independent Mortgage Bankers Conference. "We could see an early start to the spring homebuying season." Click HERE to read on.
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Charges Associated With Closing Protection Letters
According to the Bureau of Insurance

On November 3, 2017, the Bureau of Insurance issued an Administrative Letter which instructed title insurance companies that impose a charge for a closing protection letter ("CPL) to treat the charge as an insurance premium on closing documents.

As such, we would like to remind you to please make sure that you consistently label the ICL/CPL charges as a "premium" not a "fee" on the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.

Click HERE to read the Administrative Letter in its entirety.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions or need clarification.
Ken Rogoff, Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Economics at Harvard University.
Banks 'don't even have a plan A' For Another Financial Crisis Rogoff Says
by Natasha Turak

Financial institutions have fewer tools to deal with a crisis than ever before, according to Kenneth Rogoff.
But the Harvard economics professor said Tuesday he remains optimistic that a financial crash isn't imminent.

Still, he said, "I don't feel this time is different. We're still coming out of the last financial crisis," adding that a deep and systemic financial crisis has a long afterlife, and taking a decade to recover is not abnormal.  Click HERE to read this article in its entirety.
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What Great Leaders Know About Conflict Resolution 
by John Mattone

Conflict resolution is a big challenge to even the most competent leader. Effective leaders must have good conflict resolution skills, yet few of us are ever taught how to do this.

Conflicts are inevitable, and anyone with even the slightest level of maturity understands this and understands that conflict is not the end of the world. While there may be a few people who are entertained by others' conflict, most of us don't enjoy dealing with it. That said, conflict is often a necessary step forward, and a leader's skill at handling conflict can put him or her at a higher level of effectiveness and ensure a greater legacy. Click HERE to read on.
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Here are additional articles related to Leadership & Professional Development you may enjoy: 
Setting Sale: How to Build a Winning Cross-Silo Referral Program
by Mark Renfro

It's one of the most ubiquitous sales programs in the banking industry and should be one of the most productive: the cross-silo referral program. So why does it often fail? After all, customers welcome an apt referral because it means getting needed help from a place they trust.

The bank welcomes a good referral because it deepens the customer's loyalty. The two bankers involved at either end develop a relationship and move from referring to the anonymous "business bank" to their colleague. And cross-silo represents an inexpensive way to improve the bank's sales focus via a relationship strategy.

But what if your referral program isn't delivering hoped-for results? Click HERE to ask yourself one or more of these five questions.
 
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**Remember to offer your borrowers Owner's Coverage on their most valuable investment. It's a one time premium with a lifetime of security. In addition, they will receive a reduced premium rate when they obtain it simultaneously with your Lender's Coverage.**

WANTED: YOUR FEEDBACK
What Topics Are On Your Mind?

Virginia Title Center wants to provide you with pertinent information in future E-Blasts and Webinars. What questions are on your mind regarding the real estate and mortgage lending industry? What topics would you like addressed in future E-blasts?  Send Patti your thoughts.
Past issues of the Virginia Title Center E-News are archived on our website HERE
Patti L. Dickerson                                      

Give us a call and let us know how we can better serve you and your team!

Director of Operations & Marketing
Virginia Title Center, LLC
Integrity. Security. Excellence.

 

Virginia Title Center is committed to serve you with unmatched expertise, exceptional customer service and a comprehensive selection of title and settlement solutions to help you grow and succeed. 

 

 Our professionalism, technical knowledge and experience provide security as we insure protection for your most valued investment.