After two years of paralysis, 2026 marks a true reset for real estate, and title professionals are standing at the center of it. With the 30-year fixed rate stabilizing around 6%, inventory finally moving, and capital reentering the market, Crosby and Zina break down why this moment is less about celebration and more about readiness. From a residential rebound driven by life events, to aggressive M&A targeting tech-enabled firms, to office-to-residential conversions reshaping downtowns, this episode explains what's unlocking the market, and why rising fraud risk and compliance standards now define who survives the next cycle.

What you'll learn from this episode

• Factors that are breaking the lock-in effect and driving a residential rebound
• What valuation realism means for title agencies facing renewed M&A interest
• The reason commercial transactions are surging through office-to-residential conversions
• How deep–fake–enabled wire fraud is forcing a shift from resilience to true anti-fragility
• Why SOC 2 compliance and AI governance are becoming a license to operate in title

Resources mentioned in this episode

• NAR Forecast: Home Sales Expected to Jump 14% in 2026
• Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb | Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover

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