October Research has published there 2012 “State of the Industry”. It is available for free at http://www.thetitlereport.com/TTR/IndustryReport2012.aspx . It contains sections about:

Real Estate
Gradual housing recovery expected, but sleeper issues creeping up

Title Insurance
Distressed market to define title insurance business in 2012

Homebuilders
Homebuilders in 2011: Bubble states hold down housing starts

Mortgage
Consumer confidence improves, but mortgage markets remain constricted

Appraisal
Appraisal industry battles continue into 2012

Settlement Services Law
Business-changing issues loom in 2012

RESPA
RESPA in 2012: The evolution of a titan

The Dodd-Frank Act
Dodd-Frank in 2012: big issues, little certainty

Posted via email from Title Insurance
Continuing Ed for Title Agents

Main

Fannie Mae Predicts ‘Moderate Growth’ in 2012

January 19, 2012 admin

The U.S. economy is projected to grow 2.3 percent for the year, according to Fannie Mae’s Economics & Mortgage Market Analysis Group.

Growth will be affected by “fiscal policy issues and political economic uncertainty,” according to Fannie Mae.

The upcoming presidential election, the healthcare debate, and the sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone are three wild cards causing concern for Americans.

Recent improvements in employment have elevated consumers from their “summer rut,” and the housing market is showing some positive indicators, though movement is slow.

“We’re entering 2012 with decent momentum, especially on the employment side,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist.

However, Duncan suggests this momentum will fade over the first half of this year amid “policy changes and challenges that involve the global economy, the domestic economy, and the housing sector.”

Duncan predicts “a year of moderate growth edging away from the 2011 threat of a double dip.”

via dsnews.com

Posted via email from Title Insurance
Continuing Ed for Title Agents