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
Article by Jon W. Brodegard I. Introduction and Background At its broadest, ownership of or title to land means the right to use or develop, to exclude others from, and to otherwise control everything within the cubic space located not only below and upon, but also above a defined area located on the surface of … Continue reading Some Air Rights Considerations in Virginia
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. Join us in celebrating … Continue reading VLTA Members in Motion – March 2025
2025 Market Outlook: Insights and ProjectionsThe economic and housing landscapes remain at the forefront of conversations about growth, stability and opportunity. During an ALTA Insights webinar, Odeta Kushi, deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp., analyzed economic indicators, mortgage rate projects, housing inventory forecasts and market dynamics that will affect title order volume... Seller … Continue reading What’s New With ALTA – March 2025
On a beautiful sunny morning in March, the District of Columbia Land Title Association (“DCLTA”) and the Virginia Land Title Association (“VLTA”) jointly hosted the Cybersecurity Summit. This dynamic meeting provided an opportunity for title professionals to learn more about the latest fraud schemes, how to protect against fraud, what to do when a transaction … Continue reading DCLTA & VLTA Cybersecurity Summit Recap
The Virginia Court Clerks’ Association (VCCA) held its annual convention in September 2024 and installed its Officers for 2024-2025. This year’s President is Kelly Flannagan from the Bristol Circuit Court. Kelly was sworn in as the Virginia Court Clerks’ Association President in September 2024 and will serve in that capacity for the next year. Kelly was appointed … Continue reading Clerk’s Association Message
Welcome to the first Conversation with Clerks. This conversation is with the Fairfax County Circuit Court, Christopher J. Falcon. Christopher J. Falcon took office on January 3rd, 2024 as the Clerk of the Fairfax County Circuit Court. He previously served as Legal Counsel, Deputy Clerk and Civil Division Supervisor for the Arlington Circuit Court Clerk’s office. … Continue reading Conversation With Clerks
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. Ellen Donohoe, formerly Ellen … Continue reading VLTA Members in Motion – December 2024
Chevron is Overruled: How Does This Affect the CFPB and the Title Insurance Industry? The U.S. Supreme Court on June 28, issued a landmark 6-3 decision rejecting the judicial doctrine known as Chevron deference in two cases, Loper Bright and Relentless... ALTA Installs New President, Board of GovernorsRichard Welshons NTP was inducted as ALTA's 2024-25 … Continue reading What’s New With ALTA – December 2024
So, you have a conservation easement on your property. Now what? We turned to the Virginia Outdoor Foundation for a more in-depth explanation of what happens behind the scenes. How does VOF determine the suitability of a property for a conservation easement? VOF has a thorough review process for all proposed easements. It begins with … Continue reading Virginia Outdoor Foundation Stewardships: The Protectors of Our Conservation Easements
Provided by the Virginia State Bar Membership CommitteeThe Real Property Section of the Virginia State Bar has unveiled an innovative new video series titled the "Living Library" produced by the Section’s Membership Committee. The project is intended to demystify the complexities of real estate law. Its goals include providing Section and Bar members at large … Continue reading Virginia State Bar – Real Property Section’s “Living Library” Video Series to Educate on Real Estate Law Careers
Welcome to the final month of the 50th Anniversary for the Virginia Land Title Association! I am Becky Taylor and the President of the VLTA for the coming year. I would like to thank you all again for attending our Annual Convention this October. It is always a great opportunity to engage with others in our industry. … Continue reading VLTA 2024-2025 President’s Welcome Message
This two-part article is an expansion of the materials included in the VLTA seminar, The Sound and the Fury: Railroads, Rights-of-Way, and Revesting. Some sections have remained the same, others enlarged, and one downsized. The first part of the article covers a short economic and social history of railroads in Virginia, acquisition of a railroad’s right-of-way (ROW) … Continue reading Issues Involving Railroad Rights-of-Way in Virginia (Mostly)
A 19th century Black cemetery was (re)discovered by landowner Jeffrey Taylor near Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, in 2018 while he was walking around his property. Marked mostly by deep depressions and field stone markers, Jeffrey was determined to see this cemetery recognized and take its place in local history. He engaged local historian Jonathan Noyales of … Continue reading A Journey Through Time: A Burial Ground for the Enslaved
I was asked to submit a story about how the Claims Corner series began. For much of my career in the title insurance industry, first employed as a title examiner trainee at my father’s law firm in Alexandria, VA in 1971, to becoming a title insurance agent in 1976, and then an underwriter and employee … Continue reading The Origin of the “Claims Corner”
The Unknown Title Examiner That scraping noise you hear is TUTE moving a soapbox into position. The rant this month concerns these so-called “contracts for deed.” Really, they are nothing more than installment sales contracts (ISCs), and labeling them “contract for deed” is like calling bull testicles Rocky Mountain Oysters. It doesn’t make either one … Continue reading TUTE Fall 2024
The real estate industry has become an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals in recent years. With vast amounts of sensitive personal and financial data, high-value transactions, and often inadequate security measures, real estate companies face significant cyber risks. Key Cybersecurity Threats Business Email Compromise (BEC) and Wire Fraud BEC scams involve criminals impersonating executives or … Continue reading Cybersecurity Threats in the Real Estate Industry: Risks and Protective Measures
