Stewart Title Ahead of RESPA Schedule

Stewart Title released the new HUD-1 for its Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM) title and escrow production system a full six months before the deadline set by the Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA). The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) drafted RESPA to create transparency at the closing table between lenders and borrowers by disclosing forms that list and estimate the costs of taking a mortgage. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, buyers must receive the HUD-1 and Good Faith Estimate (GFE) forms before a deal is completed. Stewart Title, a title management and real estate information company owned by Stewart Information Services (STC), is ahead of schedule. “Having our systems ready now gives our offices the advantage of having the tools and training needed to serve our customers as we get closer to January 1, 2010,” said Stewart Morris Jr., president of Stewart Title and chairman of PropertyInfo Corp. in a media statement. Stewart Title and other firms lean on AIM for automated HUD-1 processing. Lenders can begin using the new GFE at anytime, but RESPA demands full disclosure by Jan. 1. While some in the industry criticize the disclosure of mortgage loan costs, supporters believe that a borrower who is well informed about the mortgage process is good for the industry. Write to Jon Prior.