DIY Changes, Member Advocacy & Assembly News

This week's message includes a request…..and then some updates.  Happy reading!

Dear Members,

This week's message includes a request…..and then some updates.  Happy reading!

YOU HAVE THE POWER……to amend your commitments. Many of you order title information from our branches in the form of commitments.  Commitments need to be accurate and complete.  But information often changes - purchase price, loan amount, lender name, buyer name, etc.  Many of you send those changes back to the branch and ask for amended commitments.  So where am I going with this?  Here's the deal.

  • You can easily make simple changes to the commitment YOURSELF.  You do not need to send a request back to the branch to correct a buyer name, change the loan amount or the purchase price.
  • You can even add a new mortgage loan (when you thought it was a cash deal) without our involvement.  But this is a tad more complicated and you may not be comfortable inserting the appropriate mortgage execution and delivery requirement.
  • I recognize that your time and your paralegal's time is valuable ………but our examiners are getting bogged down with these types of clerical changes that take them away from doing what they do best:  examining title!

So here's my call to action:  begin making these simple changes to your commitments.  If most Fund Members do this, examiners will be freed up to focus on doing searches and examining title.  The next title search that YOU order will be the one that they can get to more quickly.  Thanks!

2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.  Hard to believe but the session kicks off next week on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.  A large number of bills have been filed and many have already begun their journey through the various committees.  We are actively monitoring these bills on your behalf and will let you know if anything pops up that looks likely to pass and will affect you in some way.  Which is a great segue to…..

2021 ASSEMBLY.  This year's Assembly will again be virtual, based on our conclusion that May is just too early to feel comfortable about everyone's safety.  I know this is disappointing to many of you - for lots of reasons.  But the good news is this:  we will still bring you incredible information, with timely and informative topics…..with some different things thrown in there to make this "not your typical, boring virtual webinar." You will soon see some fun promotional videos and information about when and how to register.  Please keep an open mind about yet another virtual webinar - we are working hard to make this the best virtual webinar you have attended.

That's all for this week.  Let me know how we can help you.

Melissa Jay Murphy
Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer,
General Counsel and Secretary

02/24/2021