INDUSTRY EVENTS
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INDUSTRY NEWS
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the future of not just the players in the real estate industry but the industry itself. Who wins and who loses in the next several years depends on various combinations of many factors against the backdrop of an uncertain environment, not unlike “Game of Thrones”.

Attorneys' Fees / Voluntary Dismissal: it is an exception to the general rule that when a plaintiff voluntarily dismisses an action the defendant is the prevailing party, when both parties compromised in agreeing to a settlement to end their litigation -

The NY State Department of Taxation & Finance has issued a technical bulletin, TSB-M-19(1)R, to explain changes to New York’s real estate transfer taxes, including several new taxes that will apply to conveyances of real property in New York City effective July 1, 2019.

For many Americans the ultimate summertime fantasy has less to do with washboard abs and a killer tan than owning their own piece of beachfront real estate—aka bliss.

WASHINGTON—Mark Calabria has a message for Congress: Help the Trump administration overhaul mortgage-finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or he will do what he can on his own.

NotaryCam®, the pioneering leader in online notarization and the original provider of mortgage eClosing solutions, today announced that Fidelity National Financial (FNF), will allow the use of NotaryCam to deliver remote online notarization (RON) and remote online closing (ROC) capabilities to FNF’s network of direct title and settlement operations, as well as its network of independent title agents. 

Potentially millions of records on microfilm have what’s called vinegar syndrome. That happens when acetate film, like in old movie reels or government microfilm, is stored in hot, humid rooms. It gives off a pungent odor.

LEGAL NEWS
A couple from Sonoma, California, has been fined almost $600,000 for uprooting an almost two-century-old oak tree from their property.

As any seasoned developer knows, condominium development projects involve a delicate interplay between the developer, unit owners, the condo association, and the lenders that fund construction and acquisition costs. 

The town of Monterey will be allowed to drive vehicles across a disputed easement to the Bee Rock natural area as they prepare for a park dedication ceremony later this month.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kerville Holness thought he’d done a great job snapping up a $177,000 Tamarac villa for only $9,100.

Even though Hurricane Katrina and the Great Flood of 2016 made the problem much worse, the sad fact is that blighted property was a problem in many cities across Louisiana for a long time before those calamities.

TECHNOLOGY & SOCIAL MEDIA
Mark Zuckerberg is about to become the head of a very big bank based in Switzerland. Libra is Facebooks’ new cryptocurrency. Imagine sitting in a room thinking about what else you can sell to your 2.4bn people (including some bots) backed by a $1bn in guarantees from companies as wide as Paypal, Mastercard and Uber.

The bill passed out of committee on a 9-0 vote, sending it to the House floor for debate. Suddenly, it got serious. You could hear the buzzing swarm approaching. "The lobbyists go nuts," Gio said.

Even as paperless transactions simplify the homebuying process, not everyone wants to go completely digital.

WORLD NEWS
Just how sacred is a land title? Christopher Chan explains the Malaysian laws that guarantee the indefeasibility of a title. The main land law in Peninsular Malaysia is the National Land Code 1965 (NLC) which came into force on 1 January 1966. 

Gary Engle, president of EHI Acquisitions, told a House subcommittee a year ago that the National Park Service had not offered anything "substantive" towards a lease agreement for the Caneel Bay Resort.

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.

OTHER TRENDING NEWS
The Evolution of Miniature ‘Safety Towns’ for Kids
Traffic is light in this section of Ashville, New York, despite it being home to a cluster of storefronts: A McDonald’s is kitty-corner from a Walmart, and Tim Hortons is across the street from AAA. Convenient as it all may sound, this district is not quite real.

Everyone loves the story of a good grift, from brilliant ruse to inevitable downfall. This week, we’re ushering in the spring of the swindle by highlighting the stories of the greatest con women in history. 

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