First American Financial Corp.

Rising interest rates are holding back existing homeowners from listing their properties, driving the gap between existing and potential sales even as that disparity narrows, First American Financial said.

There was a 1.3% uptick in mortgage application defects in September from the previous month, with states affected by Hurricane Florence showing preliminary spikes in activity following the storm, according to First American.

All four national title insurance underwriters saw an increase in third-quarter net earnings compared with one year prior even as new orders declined because mortgage origination volume fell this year.

Property values have grown enough for households to establish equity and make a profit, but homeowners continue staying put, causing sales to underperform their potential.

First American Mortgage Solutions is stepping up its digital mortgage game by offering electronic closing capabilities.

Mortgage application defect risk is down from a year ago, but Hurricane Florence will likely tear through results in affected areas in the coming months.

Future reductions in loan application defect risk are likely because of mortgage lenders' fintech investments, even as the purchase origination share grows, said First American Financial.

Tech-focused startups are knocking on the door of a $15 billion industry that's dominated by just four companies: Title insurance.

From Washington to Baltimore, here's a look at the 12 best housing markets for homebuyer purchasing power, where median house values and mortgage rates are more favorable.

Loan defect risk rose in only three states and a handful of metropolitan regions in June thanks to the continuing spread of digital mortgage initiatives that improve data quality.