EACH VOICE COUNTS The Virginia Land Title Association (VLTA) is thrilled to announce our Annual Convention, taking place October 23-24, 2025, at the Hilton Short Pump in Richmond, Virginia. This year’s convention promises dynamic education sessions, powerful networking opportunities, and plenty of fun as we come together to celebrate the people and progress of our industry. Whether you’re a … Continue reading Virginia Land Title Association 2025 Annual Convention
VLTA Members in Motion – June 2025
Share with VLTA what you’re doing in your community, your new jobs, promotions, retirements, milestones, professional accomplishments, good deeds, events, awards, or even a member advocacy story, or testimonial while you’re at it! News can include a relevant link to an article, blog post, press release, video, landing page, or website. New Stewart Underwriting Counsel … Continue reading VLTA Members in Motion – June 2025
Virginia is for Homeowners: Trends to Watch
Article by Ryan Price & Dominique Fair, Virginia REALTORS® June is Homeownership month, a time to not only celebrate homeownership but also encourage and educate prospective homebuyers on its benefits. Some of those benefits include financial ones such as predictable housing payments, building home equity, and tax advantages. This financial security can lead to people … Continue reading Virginia is for Homeowners: Trends to Watch
The Claims Corner: Back in My Day…
Article by John Rinaldi I don’t know whether to be proud of or to be depressed by the fact that I am now at the point in my career when I can use phrases like: “When I started practicing law…” or “When I learned how to do it, we always….” Causing every younger attorney within earshot … Continue reading The Claims Corner: Back in My Day…
VLTA President’s Ponderings – Summer 2025
Article by Becky Taylor Welcome to Summer! Did you know that Friday, June 20, 2025, marks the first astronomical day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere? It is also known as the summer solstice or June solstice and the longest day of the year. My 33rd wedding anniversary is June 20, 2025, and as I … Continue reading VLTA President’s Ponderings – Summer 2025
VLTA Attends ALTA Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. May 5–7, 2025
Article by Sharron Kennovin Earlier this May, VLTA proudly participated in ALTA Advocacy Day—a pivotal three-day event dedicated to educating and empowering members of the title industry to effectively engage with lawmakers. The experience was packed with impactful speakers, strategic training, and invaluable conversations about the future of our industry at the national level. Attending … Continue reading VLTA Attends ALTA Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C. May 5–7, 2025
Summer 2025 Puzzle
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Conversation With the Clerks: Giles County Circuit Court Clerk
The Honorable Sherry Gautier Article by Elaine Cook As a title examiner, I have had the opportunity to visit many different Clerk record rooms, and I have been very impressed with the progress that Giles County has made in making the items needed most available to patrons online. In recognition of Clerk Appreciation Week (May 5-9, … Continue reading Conversation With the Clerks: Giles County Circuit Court Clerk
VLTA Political Action Committee Trophy
Article by Becky Taylor As a multiple winner of the VLTA’s PAC Trophy, I was asked to share my why – why do I contribute to the VLTA PAC? My journey with the PAC Trophy started at the 2019 VLTA Convention. The PAC Trophy was offered as a Live Auction with Kevin Pogoda and Skip Sacks … Continue reading VLTA Political Action Committee Trophy
What’s New With ALTA – June 2025
How to Spot Phishing: A Guide to Keeping Your Operation SafePhishing is one of the oldest tricks in the hacker playbook—but also one of the most effective. And it’s not just big businesses being targeted—individuals and small title agencies are vulnerable. The good news? You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to protect yourself. … Continue reading What’s New With ALTA – June 2025
Why Escheatment Matters
Article by Carol Frye Escheatment is often overlooked by title companies, yet it serves several critical purposes: Legal Compliance and Avoiding Penalties Failure to comply with Virginia’s escheatment laws can result in significant penalties. Under Virginia Code 55.1-2528, entities that fail to file an unclaimed property report or to submit abandoned assets on time may … Continue reading Why Escheatment Matters
HOP – the FREE Marketing Resources Every Title Agent Needs at their Fingertips!
By: Tina Merritt What is HOP? HOP is ALTA’s Homebuyer Outreach Program; a valuable resource for title agents looking to educate consumers, real estate agents and other parties about the importance of title insurance and the closing process. By providing clear and concise information, HOP helps demystify the often misunderstood aspect of the title and … Continue reading HOP – the FREE Marketing Resources Every Title Agent Needs at their Fingertips!
IC3 Report Highlights Need for Heightened Cybercrime Awareness
Article by Michael Holden, Author of The Ramblings of a Title Man and Vice President of AmTrust Title Insurance Company. Each year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) releases a detailed report on the number of cybercrime complaints fielded in the previous year. This year as it marks its 25th anniversary, the agency highlighted … Continue reading IC3 Report Highlights Need for Heightened Cybercrime Awareness
FIRPTA: In a Nutshell – Part Two
Article by Kevin Pogoda. This is part two of "FIRPTA: In a Nutshell - Part One". Determining tax liability based on capital contribution is well beyond the expertise of the purchaser (who is liable for such withholding) or the settlement agent acting on the purchaser’s behalf. Other options to consider: (1) sending the full amount of … Continue reading FIRPTA: In a Nutshell – Part Two
Issues Involving Railroad Rights-of-Way in Virginia (Mostly) – Part Two
Article by R. Michael Smith This is the second installment of a two-part article that is an expansion of the materials included in the VLTA seminar, The Sound and the Fury: Railroads, Rights-of-Way, and Revesting, and a 2017 Examiner article, Derailed by the Supreme Court. Some sections have remained the same, other sections have been … Continue reading Issues Involving Railroad Rights-of-Way in Virginia (Mostly) – Part Two
Testifying as an Expert Witness as a Title Examiner
Article by Julie Ann Rutledge “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience. You need experience to gain wisdom.” Albert Einstein This quote described my reality upon graduation from University with a BSW, many moons ago. The excitement of graduation was quickly squashed by the lack of available jobs in my field. All … Continue reading Testifying as an Expert Witness as a Title Examiner
Twenty Helpful Title Research Tools Found Outside of the Land Records
Article by Michelle L. Statz & Jerry C. Booth, Jr. Title research is typically associated with examining public land records to confirm ownership and to uncover any outstanding claims or encumbrances against a property. However, there are instances where additional sources and methods, outside of traditional land records, are very helpful in discovering more information … Continue reading Twenty Helpful Title Research Tools Found Outside of the Land Records