🐐 TU🕵️♂️ : Delinquencies & Bank Failure: A Perfect Storm?; NY Goes All In Deed Theft & Could False Claims Impact Your Operations?
This Week in the Title Underground (10-May-2026): Business Growth: The New Middle-Class Housing Economy Is Here—Will Your Title Company Be Part of It? Best Time of Year for Home Sellers, & The Power
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📢Announcements
I wasn’t happy with last week’s issue of Title Underground. The format was off and I appologize for not giving you my best. But it’s a new week, so we’ll adapt.
To all readers: Your email client might be cutting off the newsletter if it exceeds length limitations, be sure to click “View entire message” or read on the website or read in the Substack app, for the full issue.
Paid members: You’ll find some brief analysis and insights at the bottom of the newsletter. Also watch your email for more some more extended articles coming your way.
Thank you to our friends, contributors & sponsors: 🔒 Closinglock, 🌍 Foreign Tax CPA, 🧱 Brickhouse Consulting, 🖊️Dotted Line Signings, Our Paying Readers, 🌐 Title Thrive, Mark Nemetz, New York State Land Title Association
🕵️♂️Underworld Intel
Market Shifts
📄 ATTOM analysis reveals best times of year for home sellers
📄 This Change to Credit Scores Could Help 7.7 Million Americans Qualify for a Mortgage
📄 Homebuyer aid broadens to middle class amid price pressures (🔒 This presents business growth opportunities. Scroll down for insights.)
📄 Homebuying literacy gaps highlight rift between purchase affordability and buyer demand
Other
🎥 Community Bank & Trust - West Georgia becomes 2nd bank failure of 2026! (The first bank to fail in 2026 was Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust in Chicago) - submitted by Mark Nemetz, Residential Mortgage/Title Consultant
⚖️Legal
Regulatory updates, Claims, Lawsuits, & Enforcement
National
📰 HUD continues shift away from ‘housing first,’ harm reduction in homelessness funding
📰 HUD trims environmental reviews for multifamily projects - updated requirements in the Multifamily Accelerated Processing Guide should ease the development process, particularly for the Section 221(d)(4) program
State
⚖️ Establishment of the Dedicated Office of Deed Theft Protection: As of May 2026, the most significant recent action in New York City is the establishment of the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention by Executive Order 16 in April 2026. This office was created to centralize citywide efforts and address a crisis that has seen over 3,500 complaints in the last decade, predominantly in Brooklyn and Queens. Its mandate includes flagging suspicious property filings, improving data sharing between agencies, and providing direct support to victims through a newly created Deed Theft Prevention Advocate.
Lawsuit Stories
📰 False Claims Act Liability for Direct Endorsement Lenders (🔒Scroll down to read how this could potentially impact title operations)
Did your email cut off this newsletter? Be sure to read to the end.
💸Business Growth & Operations
🎥 How Business Owners Should Plan for Retirement (Most Get This Wrong)
📄 Exponential income growth requires a shift away from small deals
🎥 Build Credibility Online; The Power of Strategic Content Marketing
🎟️Events
📅 May 11th | ⏰ 12:00am -6:00pm EST | 📍 Washington, DC
📅 May 14th | ⏰ All Day | 📍 Washington, DC
🎟️ VLTA Night at The Diamond: An Evening with the Richmond Flying Squirrels!
📅 May 20th | ⏰ 7pm-9:30pm EST | 📍 Richmond, VA
📅 May 28th-June 2 | ⏰ All day | 📍 Centennial, CO
💼 Job Postings
🔒 Closinglock is one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the title and settlement space, helping modernize the closing experience through secure payments, fraud prevention, identity verification, and streamlined client communication tools. Their platform is built specifically for real estate transactions, with a strong focus on solving real operational pain points for title companies while helping protect consumers from wire fraud and closing-related risk.
Working at Closinglock means joining a company that’s actively shaping the future of real estate closings. The team combines startup energy with deep title industry knowledge, creating an environment focused on innovation, collaboration, and building technology that title professionals actually use in the real world.
Current Job Posting Include:
Business Operations Associate
Head of People
Head of Revenue Operations
Partner Marketing Manager
Compliance & Security Analyst
Product Marketing Lead
Senior Backend Engineer
Senior Engineering Manager
Senior Frontend Engineer
Sales Development Representative
📌 Free content keeps you informed. Paid keeps this independent.
If you want the unfiltered version of this industry—back it.
🐐 About Wicked Title | 🔔 Upgrade Now | 📢 Be a Sponsor
🎁Don’t Miss Out on the Members Only Content Below!
🐐 Could the False Claims Act Impact Title Insurance?
🐐 The New Middle-Class Housing Economy Is Here—Will Your Title Company Be Part of It?
