Fund News and Alerts

Searching for lien search services? Start with our Marketplace vendors! Learn what services Elite Property Research, Exacta Land Survey | Lien Search, Florida Lien Search, Florida Municipal Lien Search, Quality Lien Services, REAL RES, Reliable Lien Search, and Skyline Title Support offer your practice. Visit the Vendor Marketplace today.

Join us Wednesday, November 5 (12:00 PM - 12:30 PM) ET  Join Shannon Widman, Fund Deputy General Counsel, and Marc Hall, Qualia’s VP of Sales, for a 60-minute deep dive on how Qualia can streamline your workflow and explore it’s features and capabilities. No CLE credit, but, hey, IT’S FREE!!

Join us Tuesday, November 4 (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM) ET Complex transactions frequently involve new construction, and the importance of liens related to the payment of contractors, subcontractors and materials suppliers are directly related to the title insurance products provided.  This webinar will review the nuts and bolts of construction liens and provide instruction on how to handle them efficiently. Attendees will receive detailed instruction on the Notice of Commencement and Termination of the Notice of Commencement and concerns with the restoration of priority. In addition, the course will provide education on Claims of Lien, their duration and discharge, with attention paid to special rules pertaining to liens arising from tenant improvements to leased premises. Register Now

Real estate fraud is on the rise, posing serious risks to buyers, sellers, and other industry professionals alike. From forged documents to identity theft and wire diversion, the real estate market is facing increasingly sophisticated threats that demand heightened awareness and fortified security protocols. This article introduces a simple yet powerful framework: Don’t Be a ‘Fraud Magnet.’ Fund Members are the frontline in safeguarding closings. This article outlines a two-tiered strategic approach to combat real estate fraud: establishing minimum standards (SECURITY) and adopting enhanced, strongly recommended standards (PROTECT) to reinforce defenses against increasingly sophisticated threats further. Read the article

By: Frederick W. Jones, Past President, Attorneys’ Real Estate Councils of Florida

Notice to Florida Residential Real Estate Attorneys – UPDATE

Re: Florida Realtor®–Attorney Joint Committee Appointments for the 2026–2027 Term
Deadline for Submitting Applications to The Florida Bar is October 27, 2025! 

The Attorneys’ Real Estate Council of Palm Beach County sponsored a novel event – Real Estate Professionals Night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on July 24.  

Fund Senior Manager, Legal Education, Michael Rothman presented Real Estate Agents Guide to Florida’s Condo Safety Laws Post Surfside to the Central Panhandle Association of Realtors® on June 10, and again to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors® on August 7.  

Do you save the day by saving deals? If you are, then you need to visit the Marketing resource page. We shared some of these resources at the Florida Realtors® Convention & Trade Show and you can too, so check it out today and add a little superpower to your marketing.  

As the saying goes, “death and taxes are the only two certain things in life.” This adage holds true in Florida, particularly when it comes to real estate transactions. The Florida documentary stamp tax, referred to here as the “stamp tax,” is an excise tax applied to certain documents related to real estate transactions, as outlined in Ch. 201, F.S. The stamp tax primarily affects real estate transactions in two areas — deeds and mortgages. However, there are plenty of other instances where the stamp tax can be triggered, which will be further explored in this article. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the basic principles behind the stamp tax, determine what documents are subject to it, and provide resources for further research. Read the article

Before you dive into closing software demos or pricing, think about how you do business.  Which features are essential? What functionality is “nice but not necessary”? What could improve your process?

The "Choosing Your Closing Software Buyer's Guide" includes questions to help you learn more about what each software offers your practice.