November 11, 2025 Giving Thanks for the Quiet Risk‑Takers: A Thanksgiving tribute to independent title agents, independent mortgage banks, and independent AMCs. As we approach Thanksgiving, I’ve been reflecting on title agencies, mortgage banks and AMCs that are truly independent. These firms carry risks, burdens, and responsibilities with little fanfare.......Continue reading
IMBs under Siege
September 23, 2025 Independent Mortgage Banks (IMBs) are the engine of the US mortgage market. They play an essential and critical role in ensuring that our housing finance system works smoothly. Unfortunately, a reality check does not paint a rosy picture for many IMBs. Here’s where things stand today: Volume......Continue reading
What’s Keeping AMCs Up at Night and Why Consolidation May Be the Smartest Move Yet
September 3, 2025 Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) are under pressure from every direction. At Turk & Co., we’ve advised on multiple AMC transactions over the past 12 months, and the themes are remarkably consistent. Owners are battling margin compression, regulatory uncertainty, and technological disruption, all while trying to keep their......Continue reading
The Great Compression: Why FNMA’s Title Waiver Accelerates M&A in the Title Industry
July 28, 2025 When Fannie Mae announced its title waiver program, most of the attention focused on what was being removed—namely, traditional title insurance on certain refinance transactions. While the current scope is limited, the implications are far reaching. But beneath the headlines lies a more profound shift: FNMA isn’t just......Continue reading
When Good Intentions Undermine Sound Markets: The FNMA Title Waiver
July 21, 2025 “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” — Proverb Fannie Mae’s decision to add Westcor to their title waiver program is making waves—and not in a good way. It’s being spun as modernization, but in practice, it may prove counterproductive. Let’s take a closer look.......Continue reading
Today’s M&A Market: Buyers Are Calling — Are You Ready to Answer?
May 12, 2025 There’s a particular kind of anticipation that comes with knowing something good is on the horizon—a blend of hope, excitement, and readiness. That’s exactly the mood among title agents right now, as transaction volumes continue to slowly return in a measured, sustainable way. With confidence building, the......Continue reading
Is a Slice of a Lawyer the Ideal Legal Strategy for Your Business?
March 17, 2025 Running a title company or AMC involves navigating all sorts of legal complexities – there’s no way around it. While there are many “one-off” scenarios where it’s easy to simply hire someone to deal with a specific issue, there are also numerous ongoing legal tasks that need......Continue reading
Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?
February 3, 2025 “Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble And if I stay it will be double So come on and let me know…” -The Clash (Mick Jones) The decision of whether to “sell now or later” is top of mind......Continue reading
“I own a profitable title company. Nothing can go wrong.”
November 18, 2024 “I own a profitable title company. Nothing can go wrong.” ― Delusional Title Company Owner The title industry is fraught with challenges. Some of these are ‘transactional’ (since every deal is a contingent liability) and some are ‘business’ (the wolf is always at the door). These obstacles......Continue reading
We’ve Always Done it This Way
October 14, 2024 Complacency is the enemy of innovation. Remember Blackberry? Blockbuster? Kodak? It’s so easy to maintain the status quo and just let things run on their own. Evolving your business model, while tough, is fundamental to staying competitive. The saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is......Continue reading

















