March 19, 2026
In This Issue:
- TDI Announces New Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Protection Division
- ALTA Resource and Data: Behind Every Closing - The Complex Work of Clearing Title
- ICYMI: TREC Posts for Public Comment Changes to Standard Contract, Including New FinCEN Reporting Change Recommended by TLTA Advocacy Team
- Reminder: RESPA, P-53 and Anti-Rebating Statutes Remain in Effect for Title Agents and Are Enforced
TDI Announces New Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Protection Division
TDI | March 17, 2026
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) announces Matthew Tapp as deputy commissioner of its Consumer Protection Division.
Tapp will oversee the division, which helps Texans resolve insurance questions and complaints and protects consumers by overseeing agent and adjuster licensing. The Consumer Protection Division also administers TDI’s disaster response program and Texas Windstorm Insurance Association ombudsman program.
For the past four years, Tapp served as TDI’s associate commissioner of Consumer Protection.
Read More »
ALTA Resource and Data: Behind Every Closing - The Complex Work of Clearing Title
ALTA | March 10, 2026
New research from ALTA shows the work performed by the title insurance industry, which includes searching property records, identifying defects and resolving issues before closing, helps mitigate between $600 billion and $900 billion in potential risk exposure annually for homebuyers, lenders and other real estate market participants. The findings come from a new report produced with ndp | analytics, Measuring the Complexity of Title Production: A Study of Operational Demands, Risks, and Curative Challenges. Based on responses from nearly 450 industry professionals across 47 states, the study offers one of the most detailed looks yet at the operational demands involved in clearing title.
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ICYMI: TREC Posts for Public Comment Changes to Standard Contract, Including New FinCEN Reporting Change Recommended by TLTA Advocacy Team
TLTA | March 12, 2026
On February 27, TREC posted in the Texas Register
proposed changes to the Standard Contract. Among the changes proposed is a change recommended by TLTA's Advocacy team related to new FinCEN reporting requirements on certain all-cash real estate transactions. The following is an excerpt from TREC's proposal in the Texas Register:
Spurred by recent law changes related to the federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or FinCEN, language has been added to Paragraph 20B of the One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), which requires the parties to provide information needed by the escrow agent for any governmental reporting requirements and requires the buyer to pay any charges associated with gathering and reporting such information.
TLTA Advocacy team previously submitted two letters recommending this change and TLTA Vice President of Government Relations and Counsel Aaron Day attended a meeting of the Texas Real Estate Commission Broker-Lawyer Committee to discuss the commission's proposal.
By posting the proposal in the Texas Register, TREC is opening the proposal to public comment. Following the public comment period, TREC will either adopt the proposal or propose additional changes based on any feedback received.
TLTA continues to monitor this process closely and will remain engaged until new language is finally adopted.
Learn more about new FinCEN reporting requirements implemented March 1 »
TLTA Editor's Note: While TLTA's Advocacy Team will continue advocating for changes like this TREC proposal, which will help equip title agents to better respond to these new reporting requirements, legal challenges to FinCEN's new requirements continue.
The new FinCEN real estate reporting rule has survived two court challenges, but there are two pending lawsuits seeking to change the new requirements. You can learn more on the status of these suits in this coverage from ALTA.
Reminder: RESPA, P-53 and Anti-Rebating Statutes Remain in Effect for Title Agents and Are Enforced
TLTA | March 12, 2026
Title agents are subject to federal and state rules and statutes–including the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), TDI's Rule P-53–prohibiting marketing-related rebating practices, and TREC's §535.148
In response to questions from title industry professionals regarding the continued applicability of TDI’s P-53 rule, TLTA has compiled background information, FAQs, and other helpful resources related to the state and federal statutes that prohibit marketing-related rebating practices.
TLTA's Anti-Rebating Resources for Title Professionals »