The document discusses title insurance and its role in providing stability to the New Jersey real estate industry. It notes that up to half of real estate transactions have some problem with the chain of title. Title insurance guarantees peace of mind and financial continuity. The founder of Counsellors Title Agency sees client retention as important in today's economic climate, and says title insurance can play an important role, especially with foreclosures putting pressure on the market. Real estate professionals are demanding to work with proven players in the title insurance business.

1. TITLE WISE
COUNSELLORS TITLE AGENCY October- December 2011
Counsellorstitle.com Volume 11, Issue 3
Title Insurance Providing Stability
to New Jersey Real Estate Industry
Welcome to
Half of all real estate transactions
have a problem somewhere in the
What
Successful
Title Wise chain of title
People Do
I would like to welcome you to Counsellors Title Agency, Inc. principal Ralph Aponte sees title
Title Wise, Counsellors Title insurance providing a stabilizing force within the New Jersey real
Agency’s quarterly newsletter. estate industry through its function of insuring property title.
Consequently, with greater scrutiny being given to each and every
When it comes to New Jersey aspect of the real estate transaction, increased attention is coming
title insurance, find out why so upon the role of title agent in New Jersey and the fiscal position of
many New Jersey real estate the insurance carrier. Counsellors Title Agency is seeing measurable Get specific
professionals are coming to growth and demand for its title insurance services, which it has
Counsellors Title. provided to hundreds of real estate attorneys, loan officers and real
estate professionals throughout the state of New Jersey since 1996. Act on your goals
Counsellors Title has been
delivering title solutions with According to some information, up to half of all real estate
fast, dependable service since transactions have a problem somewhere in the chain of title. Many of Focus on what you can
1996. It takes a proactive and these title issues are easily corrected before closing, but there do
personal approach to every remains a significant number of cases when there is a defective title.
transaction with a careful eye, Be a realistic optimist
anticipating and resolving “It’s in times like these, when national and state economies seek
stability, we discover the bedrock of our communities to be our
issues BEFORE closing. homes and the land that they are built upon. Title insurance
Additionally, Counsellors also guarantees the peace of mind and fiscal continuity necessary for the Focus on getting better
offers: online secure title financial viability of any region or state,” stated Ralph Aponte,
processing, on- and off-site president and founder of Counsellors Title Agency in Toms River,
Have grit
New Jersey.
closings and escrow services.
Call Ralph Aponte with any of
your title questions: 732-914- Build your willpower
1400 or email him With the tighter real estate muscle
ralph@counsellorstitle.com or markets, real estate
go to the website: professionals must go above
www.counsellorstitle.com. and beyond to make their FAST Title
Rate Quotes
product and service available
to buyers and sellers.
Ralph Aponte LinkedIn is a great tool for
Founder & President business because it keeps
732-914-1400 you in touch with the people
whom you want. Facebook
is another way to get the
word out, but its protocol is
more informal.

2. Title Insurance and Client Retention:
Rediscovering the Reason and Value for
the Real Estate Professional
Housing Market Spikes
Is It Smart to
15% in September
Counsellors Title Agency, Inc. or real estate office.
Refinance Now? founder Ralph Aponte sees
client retention as a must-
As foreclosures represent “a
larger percentage of the pie,”
With many mortgage rates The U.S. Department of
have quality in today’s lenders, purchasers and Commerce announced that
hovering in the area of 4.3%, economic climate. “Title investors are revisiting the
when should you pull the its data indicates that
insurance can play an process and the choice of title
trigger on a refinance? housing starts shot up 15%
important role, especially insurance for each real estate
in September from the
According to a Fortune within foreclosures putting transaction.
such pressure on the overall
previous month to the
Magazine article, “many
real estate market,” explained Three aspects for the new highest rate since April
homeowners hoping to save on
monthly home loan payments Ralph Aponte. For industries guidelines are the longevity of 2010, reaching a seasonally
have been scurrying to such as the real estate market the provider, the financial adjusted annual rate of
refinance.” that have been impacted by durability of the insurer, and the 658,000 units.
The concerns over debt pressures of the recent expertise of the title producer
economic trend, success can working with the title insurance On Wednesday, October 19,
problems in Europe drove
come in doing the right things agency. Real estate 2011, the Census Bureau and
investors into government
right all the time. professionals now demand to the Department of Housing
bonds, helping send mortgage
rates, which follow Treasuries,
work with “proven players” in and Urban Development
Real estate professionals such the business. stated that housing starts
to new all-time lows, with 30-
year-fixed rate mortgages as attorneys, loan officers and were up 10.2% above 2010's
averaging 4.32%. The low rates real estate sales persons are In the event of a title dispute, rate of 597,000 units over
working harder than ever real estate professionals must the 572,000 starts reported in
haven’t created a spike in
within this tempestuous rely upon the title work August.
applications for new home
market, making client provided at the time of the
loans; but refinancing app’s
surged more than 30% on retention a necessity for the purchase and the stability of the HUD reported that single-
average. sustainability of any practice insurance carrier. family housing starts in
The mini-boom may be September reached a rate of
signaling a positive sign in an 425,000 units, up 1.7% from
otherwise moribund housing August when the rate hit
market. The problem is that 418,000 units. Also it stated
many homeowners' finances are that home completions last
still not good enough to lock in month grew 2.1% from the
record low mortgage rates. year-ago rate of 634,000
Answer these questions: units.
■ Will I qualify to refinance?
■ Is there enough home equity?
■ Am I reducing my debt?
Counsellors Title provides title insurance, property title searches, on-
and off-site closings and escrow services for all 21 counties in the state Counsellors Title Agency, Inc.
of New Jersey. Counsellors Title Agency also features its own Attorney Mr. Ralph Aponte
Settlement Assistance Program™ (ASAP), which is an individual President
resource customized to fit the needs specifically of real estate attorneys, Counsellors Title Agency, Inc.
504 Hooper Ave.
including documentation, preparation, disbursement of funds,
Toms River, NJ 08753
attendance at closing, HUD preparation or post-closing matters. Phone: 732-914-1400
Counsellors Title maintains an impeccable customer relations standard Fax: 732-914-8898
with hundreds of attorneys, loan officers and Realtors statewide and is Ralph@counsellorstitle.com
an exclusive agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company,
www.counsellorstitle.com
one of the nation’s highest rated title insurance companies.