Click through to learn more about announcements of crucial hires, the launch of new functionalities well as rewards and recognition for servicers in this weekly update.
Black Knight, Inc. [1], a provider of integrated software, data, and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries based in Jacksonville, Florida, has entered into a strategic relationship with LERETA, LLC [2], a national provider of real estate tax and flood services for mortgage servicers based in Covina, California, to enhance tax reporting services to Black Knight’s MSP servicing system customers.
The relationship will allow servicers on MSP to experience enhanced integration to improve data exchanges, a reduction in payment timeframes, the elimination of manual report entry errors, improved processing with unique functionality, greater accuracy, enhanced tax-specific processing, and an improved customer experience.
“This alliance demonstrates our continuing commitment to driving innovation in property tax servicing,” said John Walsh, CEO of LERETA. “It also shows how the respective leaders in tax service and servicing systems can work together to improve this critical servicing function. Servicers using LERETA for tax on the MSP system will now have more automation and decrease in risk.”
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Michigan-based Schneiderman & Sherman, PC [3], a regional law firm with over 35 years of experience, announced the hiring of Krystal Kirby in the role of Marketing Director. Kirby will work under Neil Sherman, Managing Attorney.
Prior to accepting the position, Kirby served as Director of Marketing for Michigan’s second largest real estate brokerage, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate. She will spearhead the firm’s marketing functions across all practices and business lines.
Competitive landscape analysis, traditional and digital marketing, promotions, public relations, social media and event management will be some of Kirby’s key priorities for the firm. She will also be supporting philanthropic initiatives—a core value to both Schneiderman & Sherman and their new Marketing Director. Kirby is currently serving her first term on the Junior Board of Directors for the Bissell Pet Foundation. Her other affiliations include the American Marketing Association, Events Industry Council (the accrediting body for her CMP certification), and the Grand Valley State University Alumni Association.
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California-based Quandis Inc. [4], a default management mortgage technology provider has incorporated a new functionality into its Military Search service that empowers clients with the ability to easily customize real-time monitoring data analysis that is more explicitly and inclusive in nature. The new functionality returns the most granular searches in the industry for active military personnel along with detailed reporting.
Called the Quandis Military Search (QMS), the solution verifies up-to-the-second information on active duty military status to help organizations comply with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) of 2003, which has stringent rules and processes that must be followed before starting mortgage foreclosure proceedings on borrowers that hold active duty status in the United States military. Stiff fines, penalties, and lawsuits can result from active military personnel that is improperly pursued in the default process.
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Seattle-based Zillow Group, Inc., [5] which houses a portfolio of the real estate and home-related brands on mobile and web, announced Rich Barton, who co-founded Zillow in 2005 and served as the company’s CEO until 2010, has been named the new CEO.
Barton has been Executive Chairman since stepping down as CEO. Co-founder of Zillow Group Lloyd Frink will now become executive chairman. Co-founder Spencer Rascoff will remain on Zillow Group’s board of directors. Rascoff has led Zillow Group as CEO from 2010 through its IPO, overseeing 15 acquisitions and growing the company from 200 employees to more than 4,000. Under his leadership, Zillow Group has consistently been recognized as among the best companies to work for, and its annual revenue has grown from $30 million to $1.3 billion.