Oct. 12, 2016


TLTA Awarded Texas Historical Commission Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation

On Monday, Oct. 10, TLTA received the 2015 Texas Historical Commission Governor's Award for Historic Preservation for our work with the agency's Texas Historic Courthouse Stewardship Program since 2005. This prestigious award, given to TLTA during a special ceremony conducted by Governor Greg Abbott, recognizes TLTA and its members' support for the preservation and conservation of Texas' historic courthouses.

In addition to saving important landmarks, the THC's Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program provides many additional benefits to Texas communities. Restored historic courthouses have proven to be an economic booster for counties, providing increased safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, heritage tourism and more.


Read the Press Release »
Watch the Celebration Video »
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CFPB Structure Ruled Unconstitutional; Bureau Disputes Opinion, Appeal Expected

Texas Land Title Association | Oct. 12, 2016
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled that the CFPB’s leadership structure is unconstitutional. The court also dismissed the $109 million fine that the CFPB had issued against PHH Corp and found that the CFPB violated PHH’s due process rights.

The CFPB was declared “unconstitutionally structured” because director Richard Cordray’s autonomy was a “gross departure from settled historical practice.” Cordray can only be terminated for cause by the President of the United States, which is unusual for agencies with such unlimited authority.
 
The CFPB quickly disputed this opinion, and an appeal is expected. “The Bureau believes that Congress’s decision to make the Director removable only for cause is consistent with Supreme Court precedent and the Bureau is considering options for seeking further review of the Court’s decision,” said CFPB spokesperson Moira Vahey in a statement quoted by HousingWire and several other news sources.
 
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For additional coverage of this issue, see:
Three Takeaways from PHH v. CFPB Ruling (ALTA)
CFPB Survives Legal Attack as Court Trims Director’s Power (Bloomberg)
PHH Wins Landmark Victory: CFPB Ruled Unconstitutional (HousingWire)

TRID: One Year Later

HousingWire | Oct. 3, 2016
Oct. 3, 2015, was a historic day for the mortgage industry. After several false starts, that date was chosen by the CFPB as the implementation deadline for TRID. Now that a year has officially passed since that deadline, it’s easier to see exactly how the industry dealt with the massive changes.
 
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Save the Date for the 2017 Day at the Capitol: Feb. 13-14

Feb. 13-14 will be TLTA's 2017 Day at the Capitol. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see government in action at the Texas Capitol. You and other title industry colleagues will meet with your elected officials to discuss the issues that affect your business. Mark your calendar now and help us pack the halls with the Texas title industry!
 
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The Homebuyer Outreach Program: One Great Message Available in Two Languages!

Have you registered for How to Grow Your Business With the Homebuyer Outreach Program? This highly interactive workshop will show you and your staff how to: 
  • Communicate the benefits of title insurance more effectively
  • Reach more homebuyers, real estate agents and lenders using customized outreach materials
  • Reduce costs by learning advertising best practices and pitfalls
  • Measure the results of your outreach to homebuyers
Featuring Wayne Stanley, Director of Public Affairs at ALTA, as well as Jack Rattikin, III, ALTA board member and TLTA member, this fascinating hands-on workshop is not to be missed. Plus, HOP materials are now available in Spanish on the ALTA website, helping you share information about title insurance to even more homebuyers! (Note: You must log in to view the Spanish-language flyers.)
 
Join TLTA on Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 1 - 5:15 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa for How to Grow Your Business with the HOP.
 
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Take the Dateline Austin Survey

TLTA wants to make Dateline Austin more useful for you -- but we need your help! Take our short survey and let us know how often you read Dateline Austin, which stories you enjoy and more. This brief survey should only take a minute or two.
 
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TLTA is lining up even more great webinars for the fall. Register for these today, or watch them as On-Demand Webinars!

Please Release Me, Part 2 (Tuesday, Oct. 18)
Just Added: Ethics: Things You Shouldn't Do (Thursday, Nov. 3)
Escrow Procedures (Thursday, Nov. 10)