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The Latest News from WFG National Title Company
ryantate
132
WFG News
January 26, 2015

What real estate can learn from consumer brands that ‘get it’

The real estate transaction has been commoditized … have you noticed? Between the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state and local regulations, can you honestly tell me that how you transact a brokerage deal, mortgage, or settlement is significantly different from your competitors? Face it,…
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ryantate
215
WFG News
January 26, 2015

Special report: How to deliver technology agents need

Money is pouring into real estate technology, and the sheer number of products available to agents has risen exponentially in recent years. Whatever the merits of that increase, on a practical level this means that real estate agents are often bombarded by solicitations from tech companies peddling the next big…
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ryantate
149
WFG News
January 26, 2015

How a strong vendor network secures more listings

Selling a home is a team effort. In addition to the broker and the client, there’s the mortgage lender, the painter, the title lawyer, the plumber and a host of other home services professionals. And the real estate agent must be the team coach. Michael Banks, a real estate broker…
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ryantate
168
WFG News
January 26, 2015

Lindsay Listanski: ‘Social media makes the world a smaller place’

Age: 27 Years in real estate: I’ve been with Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC for three years but grew up in real estate. My father has been with the Coldwell Banker brand for nearly 30 years, he is now the Branch Vice President of the Livingston, New Jersey, office. Some…
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ryantate
118
WFG News
January 26, 2015

Is real estate missing a $100 billion opportunity?

In the last three years, a new class of homeowner entered our business. They are the largest in history, and they represent the beginning of something much more important to come. Institutional investment in single-family rentals, the SFR industry, began as a purely opportunistic pursuit. The housing crisis captured Wall…
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ryantate
118
WFG News
January 26, 2015

MLSs around the country offer agents showing tool

Showings are an essential part of an agent’s job — people rarely buy homes sight unseen. In order to help agents tackle the logistics of getting prospective buyers inside properties, more and more multiple listing services are helping their members schedule showings online. Eight MLSs have signed licensing agreements to…
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ryantate
134
WFG News
January 26, 2015

Zillow opening doors to developers for ‘hackathon’ competition

Zillow is opening up its doors to developers for a weekend “hackathon” competition that will run from Feb. 6 to 8 at its Seattle headquarters. The top three winners will be awarded cash prizes with a grand prize of $10,000. With access to real estate data from Zillow and the federal…
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ryantate
134
WFG News
January 24, 2015

New York Times baking editorial content into real estate search

The New York Times will integrate editorial content including neighborhood videos and written pieces into its real estate search platform to help homebuyers get a better sense of what it might be like to live in different areas of the city. To build up its video library for the new initiative,…
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ryantate
102
WFG News
January 24, 2015

Mortgage lenders settle RESPA kickback charges for $35.7M

Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $34.8 million to settle allegations that more than 100 loan officers in at least 18 branches steered thousands of mortgage borrowers to a Maryland-based title company in exchange for kickbacks in the form of valuable marketing services and cash. JPMorgan Chase will also pay…
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ryantate
164
WFG News
January 23, 2015

Zillow, Trulia changes could foreshadow post-merger strategy

Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff snapped a photo of Zillow’s headquarters glowing with a “12” on Friday evening ahead of the Seattle Seahawks’ astonishing comeback victory against the Green Bay Packers that secured the team a trip to the Super Bowl. Go #ZillowTower lit up with #12 #Seahawks. And glad to be home. pic.twitter.com/VHSV1XzPEy —…
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