Keys to Real Estate

What if the real estate industry has been approaching wire fraud from the wrong direction? In this episode of October Research’s Keys to Real Estate podcast, BLITSCO CEO Todd Hougaard shares an ambitious effort underway in Utah to bring competing industries together to collaborate and rethink how sensitive financial information is communicated and to pursue a solution no single company could accomplish alone. He told October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster they’ve taken their ideas to the state legislature and seen the benefits of facilitating collaboration from many different industry stakeholders.

Chapters:

0:00 - Why Utah is exploring a shared response to wire fraud

1:42 - Todd’s cross-industry experience and motivation

4:20 - Listening first to understand the collective-action problem

7:20 - Why every stakeholder and state’s requirements matter

9:19 - What historic bank robberies reveal about leaked communications

11:18 - From secure bank wires to shared real estate infrastructure

14:47 - Why adoption alone cannot solve a network problem

18:12 - Bringing competing stakeholders into the same room

22:03 - Using ACH and SWIFT to explain the network concept

24:01 - Why legislation and antitrust considerations entered the picture

27:18 - Making the issue real for legislators

31:44 - Patience, consumer harm, and the reasons to keep going

33:39 - Utah’s bill, proposed safe harbor, and next legislative steps

Get In Touch…

For More Information on BLITSCO: https://blits.io/

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

CryptEscrow Founder and CEO John Ioannou walks through how a transaction flows from contract through closing and highlights their newest business partnership. After undergoing a thorough vetting process conducted by First American, John proudly proclaimed that the process produced nothing to suggest any sort of title risk associated with his company’s business model. He and October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster went on to discuss a variety of practical considerations for real estate businesses considering whether to become open to transactions involving cryptocurrencies.

Chapters:

0:00 Welcoming John Ioannou Back for Part 2 of our Discussion

2:30 Step One: Begin the KYC Process

4:47 Step Two: Customer Agreement and Wallet Verification

5:46 A $4 Million Closing in 49 Seconds

7:05 Closing and Disbursements Work Like a Cash Transaction

7:47 Verification Letters and Proof of Funds

9:11 Why U.S.-Based Regulation Matters

10:06 Handling Canceled Deals and Returned Funds

11:08 When Sellers Want to Receive Cryptocurrency

12:10 Using Crypto for Other Real-World Assets

12:54 How Title Underwriters Evaluate Crypto Transactions

15:25 No Transaction Caps for Licensed Operations

16:37 How Title Companies Can Become Crypto-Friendly

17:23 Final Takeaways and Next Steps

Get In Touch…

CryptEscrow website: www.cryptescrow.com

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

The idea of involving cryptocurrency in a real estate transaction still gives many professionals pause. But that has not stopped companies like CryptEscrow from developing platforms agents can use to handle deals involving digital assets without needing to be a crypto expert. CryptEscrow Founder and CEO John Ioannou spoke with October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster about his company, which sits in the middle and creates what is, for all intents and purposes, a cash transaction from the perspective of the title/settlement agent. For those who want to service this market but are leery of the risks and/or compliance concerns, companies like CryptEscrow are looking to offer an effective solution. Think of them like a Sec. 1031 intermediary company, handling all the details that can trip up an agent.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction to CryptEscrow

1:54 The Opportunity for Legitimate Crypto Buyers

2:40 Why Crypto Is Difficult to Use in Real Estate

3:06 Regulatory Compliance, Wallet Checks and Proof of Funds

4:36 Why Title Agents Don’t Need Crypto Expertise

6:06 Reaching a Global Buyer Market

7:10 Money Transmitter Licensing and Compliance

8:53 Addressing Fraud, Anonymity and Volatility Concerns

11:19 Why the Seller Doesn’t Need to Know

12:37 Converting Cryptocurrency into Good Funds

13:32 Managing Volatility with Immediate Conversion

15:02 Where the Transaction Risk Resides

16:20 State and Federal Licensing Requirements

17:04 A New Way to Conduct Real Estate Business

18:01 Exchange Limits, Speed and Institutional Pricing

Get In Touch…

CryptEscrow website: www.cryptescrow.com

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

In Part 2 of our discussion with Arizona Department of Real Estate Commissioner Susan Nicolson, she explains how Arizona is using broader, more practical education to raise the quality of real estate agents and strengthen the marketplace as a whole. The conversation covers education around deed fraud, water, wildfire, insurability and fair housing, efforts to improve the quality of CE itself and the broader need for better cybersecurity and secure communications across the real estate transaction.

Chapters:

0:00 Welcome back Susan Nicolson of Arizona’s Department of Real Estate

2:05 The importance of cybersecurity and secure transaction portals

6:12 Arizona’s educational initiatives and licensee training programs

10:05 Water rights, insurability, and regional water information

14:08 Fair housing education and fair housing disputes

18:05 Legislative efforts and the model of Arizona’s department

22:11 The future of real estate regulation and education

27:16 Final thoughts: serving the public with integrity and bravery

Get In Touch…

Arizona’s Early Real Estate Sales Alert System to help combat Deed Fraud: https://earlyalert.azre.gov/

Information on Arizona’s CE required courses on Firewise, Deed Fraud and Water https://azre.gov/divisions/education

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

Arizona Department of Real Estate Commissioner Susan Nicolson discusses what proactive regulation can look like – from breaking down agency silos to working across government and industry to solving problems before consumers are harmed. The conversation focuses particularly on Arizona’s multifaceted approach to deed fraud, including the state’s new Early Real Estate Sales Alert System and the role title and escrow professionals can play in prevention.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction to Susan Nicholson and Arizona’s real estate approach

2:08 Surprising insights from a former real estate practitioner turned regulator

3:57 Breaking down silos: a collaborative approach to consumer protection

8:01 The role of education in preventing real estate fraud

11:51 Innovative tools and systems for fraud detection and prevention

15:57 Deed fraud schemes and how Arizona is responding

20:01 Protecting property owners with early alert systems and new laws

23:52 The importance of cybersecurity and secure transaction portals

Get In Touch…

Arizona’s Early Real Estate Sales Alert System to help combat Deed Fraud:https://earlyalert.azre.gov/

Information on Arizona’s CE required courses on Firewise, Deed Fraud and Waterhttps://azre.gov/divisions/education

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

Mary and Nick shift to existing homeowners and move-up buyers, beginning with the continued lock-in effect created by pandemic-era mortgage rates. They discuss whether there is a rate that could bring more homeowners back into the market, the life circumstances that are already overcoming rate lock-in and the greater flexibility existing homeowners have because of accumulated equity. The conversation touches on why accessing that equity before selling has become more important, the difficulty of home-sale contingencies in the current market and “Buy Before You Sell” as one tool for addressing that problem. The discussion then moves to one of the more surprising findings in the HomeLight report: loan officers say property-related problems – including inspection, title, zoning and property-condition issues – are causing more active purchase loans to fail than financing issues such as debt-to-income surprises or appraisal gaps. They close with a broader discussion of economic uncertainty, consumer hesitation, AI/job anxiety and what Nick hopes lenders and the housing market will look like by next summer.

Chapters:

2:18 - Why homeowners are locked in by low rates

4:27 - Life changes that force homeowners to move anyway

6:52 - Accessing equity before the current home sells

8:36 - Property problems derailing more deals than financing

10:44 - Economic uncertainty as sentiment, not always a concrete barrier

12:23 - AI anxiety, adaptation and why human guidance still matters

14:39 - What will hopefully change by next summer

Get In Touch…

HomeLight’s website: https://www.homelight.com/

HomeLight’s Q3 Lender Insights and Predictions Report: https://active.homelight.com/q3-2026-lender-insights-report

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

To provide better context about what lenders are seeing in the early stages of the homebuying process among different cohorts, HomeLight President Nick Friedman and October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster discussed findings about how borrowers are trying to save a buck amid elevated home prices and rates, as described in HomeLight’s latest Lender Insights & Predictions report. Loan officers from 57 lending companies indicated what they view as the biggest obstacle facing first-time homebuyers – even greater than mortgage rates or down payment/closing costs. Nick and Mary discussed how buyer expectations are shifting, as well as practical and creative solutions for making the home purchase transaction more affordable.

Chapters:

0:45 - Why loan officers see affordability differently than the headlines

2:59 - Starter home shortage overtakes rates as the main barrier

4:58 - What the modern starter home really looks like

8:26 - Starting with monthly payment and building backward

10:21 - Seller concessions and closing cost strategy

12:49 - Auto loans and credit card debt as qualification obstacles

15:57 - Why lenders are moving from rate advertising to solution selling

17:01 - Move-up buyers and using equity before the sale

Get In Touch…

HomeLight’s website: https://www.homelight.com/

HomeLight’s Q3 Lender Insights and Predictions Report: https://active.homelight.com/q3-2026-lender-insights-report

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

Next, we turn from industry disruption to what title professionals can actually control. Listen as industry veterans Chuck Cain and Mary Schuster talk about the importance of knowing your numbers, finding overlooked sources of business, managing costs and marketing more intelligently, while also preparing now for the fully digital mortgage before lenders begin expecting capabilities your operation may not be ready to deliver.

Chapters:

0:43 – Introduction

2:54 - Why the residential market may stay flat for months

3:51 - Commercial business as the stronger lane for 2026 and 2027

6:13 - How to use KPIs to know your business by the second week of the month

8:12 - Blue Ocean Strategy and finding business outside crowded pools

9:59 - Calculating daily overhead and shaving cost from the business

13:21 - Why the old market is not coming back anytime soon

15:20 - Rising E&O, cyber, and AI costs, and how to think about them

18:18 - The fully digital mortgage and why 2027 matters

24:16 - How to ask lenders what you can do to lower their cost

28:44 - Hope is not a plan: why now is the time to build one

Get In Touch…

The Chuck Cain Show: https://fnfunplugged.buzzsprout.com/

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

In this episode, industry veterans Chuck Cain and Mary Schuster examine the growing use of title waivers and attorney opinion letters and the bigger question behind them: where does the risk go when traditional title insurance goes away? We also discuss lender adoption, what could happen when defaults begin testing these models and what title agents need to consider before participating in waiver transactions.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

3:00 - Federal signals and policy shifts toward reduced insurance reliance

4:09 - The rise of title waiver programs and their expansion potential

5:29 - How lenders and title companies are responding to new costs

7:00 - The economic outlook and the long-term risk of title waiver overuse

10:10 - Downturn scenarios: Title problems and the risk of default

14:44 - The looming impact of reduced insurance and market disruptions

16:04 - The importance of embracing technology and digital closing processes

18:00 - The critical role of insurance as a foundation of real estate value

20:05 - The emerging storm: risks from underinsured loans and legal issues

22:22 - AOLs, title insurance and legal standards

27:00 - Navigating state and federal regulatory complexities

29:00 - The role of cybersecurity, fraud prevention and process efficiencies

Get In Touch…

The Chuck Cain Show: https://fnfunplugged.buzzsprout.com/

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

Women have long made up a significant part of the title and settlement industry, but building a career takes more than being good at the work. Increasingly, women across the industry are creating intentional communities to help one another build relationships, develop as leaders and take greater ownership of where their careers go next.

In this episode of Keys to Real Estate, Mary Schuster talks with Susan Stewart Magaña, the Founder of Her. the Title Collective and Agency Rep for AmTrust Title Insurance Co, about why Her. was created and what happens when women have opportunities to learn from, mentor and champion one another.

Their conversation explores the difference between networking and meaningful professional development, the confidence that can come from discovering other women have navigated many of the same career challenges, and why outside professional communities can complement – not compete with – the development employees receive within their own organizations.

Susan also shares why employers have something to gain when they encourage women to participate in these communities, including stronger leadership skills, broader industry relationships and employees who return to their organizations with new ideas, energy and perspective.

The conversation is part of a broader look at the growing opportunities for women in title and settlement to connect and develop professionally, and leads naturally into the upcoming Women's Leadership Summit, where Susan will join women from across the industry for continued learning, connection and conversation.

Chapters:

0:00 – Why women’s leadership communities are growing in title and settlement

3:35 – Why Susan created Her after years of feeling disconnected early in her career

6:10 – Why Her. focuses on high-achieving women who want mastery, not fluff

8:32 – How members participate through chapters, virtual meetings and local meetups

12:15 – Why women often wait to be asked instead of volunteering first

15:31 – The employer case for supporting women’s leadership development

20:43 – Retreats, magazine plans and the 100th spotlight milestone

27:04 – Susan’s advice: be more confident in who you are

Get In Touch…

Her. the Title Collective’s website: https://www.hertitlecollective.com/

Women’s Leadership Conference website: https://octoberresearchwls.com/

Guest email: [email protected]

Host email: [email protected]

To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com.

Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com

Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com