AGENCY BLOG
Issue No.266, February 16, 2022


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NEWS ARTICLES
INDUSTRY
Real estate predators use “quiet title” petitions to seize Midwest homes
Legal loophole puts immigrants at risk of losing homes in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas.

Washington Database May Expose Personal Information
The Washington State Department of Licensing said the personal information of potentially millions of licensed professionals may have been exposed after it detected suspicious activity on its online licensing system.

New Guidance For Virginia Settlement Agents Regarding Split Settlements
Did you know that Virginia's Bureau of Insurance issued an administrative letter notifying settlement agents that Virginia's applicable statutes and regulations do not authorize split settlements?

Who's That RON Guy You Keep Talking About? The Inside Scoop from Someone Who Knows RON Well
RON is still a mystery to some, offering a bag of time-saving technology to improve the title & settlement industry. Others argue that RON isn't safe and will replace experienced staff providing good old fashioned customer service. 

LEGAL
Property Owner Forced to Accept Deed Notice by Good-Faith Remediator?
What happens when a property owner refuses to consent to a deed notice to address historic fill on its property? 

You Can’t Run From That Arbitration Covenant Running With The Land
In a recent case, the Florida Supreme Court held that an arbitration covenant contained in a developer’s original deed also bound the second owner. The case serves as a good reminder that, although a subsequent owner of residential property might not think to even review the original deed, such a review is necessary because that original deed may contain provisions that bind subsequent owners.

COA: Family can keep title by adverse possession of lakefront walkway
A family that has used and maintained a walkway to access a lake near their home for more than 60 years may keep a newly awarded fee simple title by adverse possession, the Court of Appeals of Indiana has affirmed.

Did a mortgage holder violate the Homeowner Bill of Rights (HBOR) by foreclosing when the property owner rejects an offer for a trial loan modification plan?
An owner defaults on the mortgage on their home. The mortgage holder initiates foreclosure proceedings without first discussing foreclosure alternatives. The owner files a complaint under the California Homeowner Bill of Rights (HBOR) alleging the mortgage holder violated the HBOR by failing to conduct a pre-foreclosure workout.

Is a judgment creditor entitled to proceeds from a property sale occurring after their lien expired?
A creditor is awarded a money judgment and records an abstract of the judgment which attaches to title of a property subject to an existing mortgage. Later, another judgment creditor records an abstract of judgment attaching to title to the property. 

TECHNOLOGY
5 Places to Obtain Virtual Real Estate Data
People spent over $500 million on virtual real estate assets in 2021, but until very recently, it hasn’t been easy to find the data necessary to make informed purchasing decisions.

WORLD
Legal Hypothetical: Claim To Enforce Squatter’s Rights [Australia]
TIM is part of a wealthy family and has inherited a number of properties from various family members over the years. Tim had regularly moved up and down the coast as a younger man and later in life, settled in a small seaside township. Tim had forgotten about a large parcel of vacant land that he inherited 25 years ago.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Nyack People & Places: Peter Williamson–The Last Surviving Person Formerly Enslaved in Rockland County
Peter Williamson died in Upper Nyack in January, 1886. He was said to be the last living person in Rockland County born in bondage. Peter was born into slavery on the 90-acre Williamson farm in Upper Nyack, taking on the last name of his owner.

Title Agents Take Business to the Next Level
For agents interested in growing their business 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
Would you take free land in rural America?
In the midst of a national housing shortage, towns on the Kansas plains are giving away free land and ultra-cheap houses. Is the offer worth it?

Read More [Contributed by Bill Collins, Frontier Abstract]
The New Land Economy
While it is well known that reducing global carbon emissions to net-zero will require widespread economic change, far too little attention has been paid to the issue of land use. The green transition will require a fundamental reconsideration of how we apportion rights to the planet's surface.

Last Sold In 1969 For $60,000, A Historic Los Angeles Home Lists For $5.8 Million
Stories of property values increasing by 5,000% over the last fifty years are not uncommon in states like California—in 1970, the statewide average home price was $24,300 and is as of early this year just under $800,000.

Terrible real estate agent photographs
Remove the need for a vacuum cleaner by eliminating the possibility of floorspace.

Pizza Isn’t Italian
It's as American as Dixieland Jazz

Read More [contributed by Bill Collins, Frontier Abstract]