February 4, 2004
 

A survey of 420 abstractors and agent operations showed that problems or defects in title are discovered through examinations performed by title industry professionals in one out of every four real estate transactions. Because of the research and corrective work that title companies perform, it is rare for homeowners to suffer a loss under their title insurance policy.  Source: ALTA  

Do you have a TITLE QUICK FACT you would like to have included in Downdate? E-mail us at tlta@tlta.com
 

January 27, 2004

U.S. Representative Martin Frost (D-TX) is urging HUD to reevaluate the RESPA reform proposal and consider issuing a rule that the real estate services industry could support.

In a Jan. 12 letter to incoming HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson, Rep. Frost said he has deep concerns on the proposed RESPA rule after hearing from many constituents from mortgage broker firms, banks and small businesses – all of which , he stated, are “extremely displeased” with the final proposal rule.

Referencing a Dec. 8, 2003 letter to then-Secretary Mel Martinez from the National Association of Realtors, The National Association of Homebuilders, the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, the Mortgage Brokers Association of America and the American Land Title Association, which requested that he reconsider publication of the rule, Rep. Frost said, “On behalf of thousands of hard working citizens in my district alone, I respectfully request that HUD work with the real estate community and the title industry to develop a RESPA rule that has broad support in the industry, including small businesses.”

Letter-writing campaigns

Rep. Frost’s letter is likely the result of a grassroots action campaign by the Texas Land Title Association (TLTA). Taking a cue from the American Land Title Association (ALTA), the TLTA is urging its members to get their concerns on RESPA reform heard via a letter to their congressmen. The goal of the letter-writing campaigns is to get the congressmen to relay the concerns of the real estate industry to HUD and the OMB.   

Rep. Frost’s letter seems to be proof the TLTA campaign is working. The TLTA wants their congressmen to tell HUD to “re-publish a proposed rule and work with the real estate community and the title industry to develop a RESPA rule that has broad support in the industry, including small businesses.”
 

In accordance with Article Sixteen, Section 4 of the TLTA Bylaws, this is your official notice that the TLTA Board of Directors voted to amend the Bylaws on January 14, 2004. Click here for the redline version of the approved Bylaws amendments. Please call or e-mail marybeth@tlta.com if you have any questions regarding the Bylaws amendments.
 

The Underwriter Section Executive Committee elected Glenn Clements as Section Chair and Tim Redding as Vice Chair on November 24, 2003 to fill vacancies resulting from a resignation in the office of Section Chair.

Need extra copies of the TLTA Membership Directory? Order yours now, and keep members and associates' names and numbers right at your fingertips. To download an order form, click here:

Please make the following CORRECTION to your 2003-2004 Membership Directory on page 296. This information was inadvertently omitted in the directory.
      
         Title Data, Inc. DONALD J. NALICK  e-mail:   dnalick@titledata.com
         
Please make the following ADDITION to p. 168 of your Membership Directory.

HUDSPETH COUNTY
Lone Star Title Company of El Paso, Inc.
d/b/a Lone Star Title of Sierra Blanca
102 N. Nichols P.O. Box 250 Sierra Blanca, TX 79851
915.369.2011 FAX  915.369.2000
John C. Martin President / Owner
Bill Love Manager

Please join us as we welcome the following new TLTA members:

ACTIVE MEMBERS
First Title of Limestone County, Inc.
Cody Campbell, Manager
108 South Dr. J. B. Riggs Drive, P. O. Box 229
Groesbeck, TX 76642
County: Limestone
Phone: 254.729.7960 Fax: 254.729.7980
email: codycampbell@ftlc.net
Web site: www.ftlc.net

Guardian Fidelity Title Company
Heidy Sohrt, Managing General Partner
1120 Nasa Road One, Suite 660
Houston, TX 77058
County: Harris
Phone: 281.335.7775 Fax: 281.335.9995
email: heidy@guardianfidelitytitle.com

Integrity Title Company, LLC
Marian Cones, Vice President
9800 Northwest Freeway, Suite 210 (77092)
P. O. Box 70558
Houston, TX 77270
County: Harris
Phone: 713.683.8030 Fax: 713.683.0493
email: shester@integritytc.com
Web site: www.integritytitlecompany.com

MTH Title, L. C.
Mary Alice Gonzalez, President
14100 Southwest Freeway, #200
Sugar Land, TX 77578
County: Fort Bend
Phone: 281.313.8080  Fax: 281.313.8088

Richmond Title Services, LP
Suzette Switzer Hinds, Executive Vice President
901 N. Dallas Parkway, Suite 110
Plano, TX 75093
County: Collin, Denton
Phone: 214.291.8808 Fax: 214.291.8809
email: shinds@richmondtitletexas.com
Web site: www.richmondtitletexas.com

TitleStar of Texas, L.L.C.
Linda Pierce, Operations Manager
1500 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 448
Houston, TX 77077
County: Harris
Phone: 281.504.2458 Fax: 281.504.2407
email: lindap@bbwcdf.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Flynn, Campbell & Francis, LLP
Larry D. Flynn, Managing Partner
700 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 150
Southlake, TX 76092
County: Tarrant
Phone: 817.329.3000        Fax: 817.481.5464
email: ldflynn@flynncampbell.com

NoteWorld Servicing Center
Linda Remsberg, Executive Vice President
1001 Pacific Ave., Suite 200 (98402)
P. O. Box 2236
Tacoma, WA 98401
County: Out of State
Phone: 253.620.7040        Fax: 253.620.7005
email: lremsberg@noteworld.com
Web site: www.noteworld.com

Reconveyance Services, Inc.
Jan Hollenbeck, National Sales Manager
154 Village Court, Suite 1
Monroe, WA 98272
County: Out of State
Phone: 360.863.8999        Fax: 360.863.8994
email: janhollenbeck@reconveyanceservices.com
Web site: www.reconveyanceservices.com
 

Come enjoy Texas' "City by the Sea" and bring the family for a great mini-vacation! Local attractions include the USS Lexington and Texas State Aquarium. You'll also find golf, sailing, fishing, plentiful shopping and beautiful beaches. Room rates can't be beat, at $120 single or double for the Omni Bayfront and only $95 single or double at the Omni Marina Tower.  Click here for information on both hotels and beat the rush! Call 361.887.1600 and don't forget to mention you are with TLTA in order to receive the conference room rate.

The TLTA Individual Membership program has received a great response from those attending our Regional Seminars. Committee members Joey Prohaska, Sally Vetters and Bruce Liesman have manned an Individual Membership booth at the Austin and Houston seminars with excellent results. As of this writing we have 319 Individual Members, and we'd like to welcome each of you to TLTA. Click here to see a complete list of the Individual Members who have joined since September 2003. We urge you and your employees to get more involved in  TLTA by becoming an Individual Member. Sign up now and be eligible for some incredible prizes! For more information click here: http://www.tlta.com/about/indmemberprizepromo.asp.

Looking for the best method to reach other title industry professionals? Whether you are advertising for a job opening, selling your business, equipment or service, the TLTA GREENSHEET is your answer. It's your on-line connection to industry related employment and business opportunities. Click here for the latest GREENSHEET classified ads

Expand your professional library with these TLTA publications:

Texas Forms Manual, A Guide for Real Estate and Title Documentation is compiled, edited and maintained by fellow TLTA members. The 8˝ x 11, loose-leaf volume contains the documents most commonly used to handle a real estate transaction in Texas – all the way to the closing at the title company. Order yours today, and see why so many real estate and title professionals depend on this valuable resource. Click here http://www.tlta.com/products/formsmanual.pdf to download an order form.

“A Handbook for Texas Abstracters and Title Men”  Written by the late Frank A. Stamper, one of the most distinguished members of the Texas title insurance industry, this textbook is a must for every title professional. Topics include The Evolution of Title Evidence and Assurance, The Texas Registration System Reading, Interpretation and Platting of Property Descriptions and The Abstract Plant. Click here to download an order form.

Extra copies of The 2003 Texas Land Title Institute Course Manual are available for purchase. Complete your reference library with this valuable reference tool! Click here to download an order form.

We continue to have excellent attendance at TLTA Regional Seminars, and the special Abstracting and Examining Seminar has been very well received. January's Houston Regional Seminar drew a total of 578 participants, and the A&E Seminar was attended by 134 title professionals.
 
Upcoming on TLTA's Calendar:
 
Dallas/Fort Worth Regional Seminar Doral Tesoro Hotel, Fort Worth, February 6-7
Land Title School of Texas Hyatt Regency, Austin, March 8-12
Management Seminar  Marriott Las Colinas, Irving, April 16
South Texas Regional Seminar  Sheraton Beach Hotel and Condominiums, South Padre Island, April 24
94th Annual Conference  Omni Bayfront Hotel, Corpus Christi,  June 4-6

For more information about any of these seminars, or to view the 2003-2004 TLTA education calendar, click here.
 

We know many of you serve as teachers or trainers for your company, or have written articles about the title industry in the past. We would love to have more articles and information to publish in Downdate, Dateline, and on the TLTA Web site. If you have an article you have written, or if there is a topic you are interested in writing about, we want to hear from you. Please send articles or feature ideas to tlta@tlta.com
 

We welcome your comments or suggestions about DOWNDATE. Please forward information to kathy@tlta.com