Bankers Title will be closed on

Thursday, July 4th

in observance of Independence Day

Many of the Courthouses will be closed on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th

I Always Thought Title Insurance Was a Waste of Money Until This Happened to Me

by Christy Bieber

I am currently involved in a long process of buying a home from some investors who purchased it in foreclosure. The home closing has been held up multiple times, as the sellers are having a hard time getting liens off the property.

That's not what made me glad for title insurance though, since the title company identified all of these claims and is requiring the sellers to clear them up before the purchase can be finalized. The thing that made me glad I have title insurance was when the former owner of the property showed up. Our sellers are allowing us to stay at the house before closing since it's their fault we're delayed, and we were outside our home one day when the former owner came by.

She claimed she still owned the home and was involved in a lawsuit to get it back -- and that this had worked for her several times before. A review of court records showed that she had, in fact, had several foreclosure auctions canceled -- although the most recent one was a final sale and she didn't own the house anymore.

The issue, though, is that if she did make a claim, we could be stuck potentially defending it or losing money. But having title insurance would protect us against those losses. Remember, a home is a very expensive purchase. You simply can't take a chance of something unexpected happening with your ownership rights and not have insurance to protect you in case that occurs.

Mortgage lenders require that you buy a lender's title insurance policy. However, buying an owner's title insurance policy is usually considered to be optional. While it is optional, though, the reality is that you never know when something could go wrong. And if it does, you don't want to get stuck with legal fees or paying someone else's debt. Click HERE to read this article in its entirety.

As Deepfakes Redraw Cybersecurity Battlelines, Banks Must Change Their Approach

by Michael Marcotte, artius.iD

When deepfakes charged into the public consciousness, the cybersecurity landscape immediately underwent a seismic shift. The battle lines were instantly redrawn, and conventional cybersecurity assumptions and rules were undermined overnight. Banking and financial services institutions are on the front lines of this new arms race – and currently, some are on the back foot. Malicious actors armed with generative artificial intelligence (gen AI), deepfakes, and machine learning have already caused havoc, siphoning off millions in cash and stealing reams of highly sensitive financial data. The very notion of a bank is built on perceived impermeability. When this perception shatters, banks can unravel rapidly, as the history of bank runs shows from the 16th century right up to Silicon Valley Bank last year. Click HERE to learn more.

4 Things Banks Are Doing to Grease the M&A Wheels

by Caitlin Mullen

As regulatory approval timelines for bank mergers and acquisitions stretch out, bankers are eager to smooth the way for a potential deal. That’s led more banks to pledge they’ll raise capital to boost a deal’s chances of approval, or explore charter changes to find a more amenable regulator. Investment bankers and attorneys say banks are making these moves more often with the goal of obtaining necessary regulatory approvals. After hitting a five-year low in 2023, bank M&A activity has shown signs of life this year. Click HERE to read on.

Identify -- and Develop -- Your Natural Strengths

by Sanyin Siang

When we think of self-improvement, we tend to focus on our weaknesses. But that means we often underestimate our strengths — or even don’t recognize them at all. In this article, the author explains why we’ve developed this focus on weakness, and she then lays out a program for identifying and developing our strengths, with a particular focus on natural abilities that we might take for granted and therefore overlook. Click HERE to learn how to work to identify and develop your innate strengths, and then use them with intention.

The Top 20 Reasons People Quarrel

by Frank Sonnenberg

Having an argument isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of a good time. And yet, they seem to be a common occurrence, both at home and at work. By pinpointing the main triggers of disagreement, you might be able to steer clear of conflicts altogether. According to an unscientific poll, most people quarrel for the same reasons. From communication breakdowns to divergent values, 20 root causes of conflict fuel the flames of discord. Understanding these fundamental triggers is essential for managing interpersonal relationships. Click HERE to understand the 20 root causes. Identifying the causes of conflict is half the solution; doing something about it is the other half. Avoiding arguments doesn’t require rocket science. It simply requires genuine desire and unwavering commitment.