What is reQuire™?
reQuire™ is an Internet-based lien release tracking and
reporting service available at no cost to entities disbursing
payoff funds satisfying lien requirements.
What sparked the idea for reQuire™?
The epidemic problem in the real estate closing
transaction industry related to unreleased mortgages results
from the nationalization of mortgage origination coupled with the
diversity of statutes, regulations, and local customs unique to
individual counties wherein the secured real property lies. This
leads to challenges for payoff lenders seeking statutory compliance
in releasing secured real properties when the mortgage note is paid
or satisfied. The broad incongruency in lien release/reconveyance
methods from state to state results in significant failure of the
release instrument to appear in the proper land record index. As a
result as many as 30% of paid mortgages may not appear of
record.
A communication link between the payoff lender and the
settlement/escrow agent was missing. It was this need to bridge the
communication gap that sparked the idea for reQuire™ release
tracking.
The result is a no-cost solution for settlement agents
burdened with the task of release follow-up many months after a
transaction has been closed. reQuire™ release tracking relieves
this burden and ensures that lenders comply with statutory
requirements.
When did reQuire™ start operating?
reQuire™ began in Virginia Beach, VA as a standalone system for
a few settlement agencies looking to outsource their release
follow-up tasks in early 2000. By 2002, reQuire™ built and
implemented a web-based system incorporating new security and
integrity measures to ensure accuracy and speed in tracking and
reporting methods.
What states does reQuire™ operate in?
reQuire™ tracks and reports releases, cancellations and
reconveyances in all 50 states.
What are the benefits of using reQuire™ to the settlement agency or attorney performing real estate closings?
Title agents will immediately enjoy quicker remittance on
policies in addition to quicker file closure. Over time,
agents will be free from calls from former customers, title
companies or attorneys seeking a release for a case that was closed
in the past. The benefits are: (1) the time saved by
outsourcing follow-up work on closed files; (2) the relief of
knowing that reQuire™ will track and report the status of every
file entered into the system; and (3) the ability to defer any
calls to reQuire™ that are related to releases. Settlement agents
may also utilize our title curative services, a complementary
service, to track down the proper signatory for old liens that
appear on their title reports from prior closings.
What are the benefits of using reQuire™ for a title underwriter?
Title underwriters will see a reduction in claims arising from
unreleased deeds of trusts and mortgages, a reduction in
defalcation, and some measurable reduction in mortgage fraud. These
benefits will be a result of reQuire's™ efforts to verify that
each and every paid note is: (1) fully paid or
satisfied by the obligor; and (2) a proper lien release or
cancellation instrument is recorded in a timely manner.
What are the benefits of using reQuire™ for a borrower or home seller?
Sellers have the added assurance that the conveyance of their
real property is truly free of the lien and encumbrance
represented by the paid mortgages on their property. Borrowers
(usually in a refinance) benefit by knowing the former lien will be
properly released, or in the case of open lines of credit, that the
credit line will be properly closed and the related mortgage
lien is released. Home buyers can be assured that all
mortgage liens paid off at the closing of the property they
are purchasing will be released 100% of the time.
What is the most important feature of reQuire™ and why?
The extensive activity reporting systems are the most
important feature of reQuire™. This feature allows the settlement
agent to close pending files and then send them to storage. Our
Disbursement History Report shows, in real time, each and every
action performed by the reQuire™ staff from file creation
to final indexing and/or receipt of the release.
What about tracking Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs)?
reQuire™ tracks the releases associated with home equity lines.
Because we search and contact the lender a short period after the
closing, as an added benefit, reQuire™ will notify you if there is
an open loan that you thought was closed.
What does reQuire™ cost?
reQuire's fee is $35.00 per paid lien.
Who pays for reQuire™?
reQuire's™ release tracking fee is typically paid by the
seller in a sale or the borrower in a refinance.
What about cases that I've already settled?
reQuire™ works with potential and existing customers on a case
by case basis to ensure they have no issues related to unreleased
liens. reQuire™ can clean up old files that a settlement agent has
personally closed (archives), as well as assist with title curative
issues (title defect files) that he or she is trying to clear-up
to close the transaction.
Does reQuire’s™ service assist in cleaning up old unreleased mortgage liens?
Yes. Please visit the Title Curative Services page of
this reQuire™ website. Upon clicking this link, website users
interested in this service are encouraged to contact us and provide
as much information as possible on the file they are trying to
close. In every case, reQuire™ can identify the authorized person
to sign a release within three hours. All reQuire™ customers
receive no-cost title curative services (TCS).
Does reQuire™ sync with any settlement software? If so, which ones and is there an additional cost for this service feature?
reQuire™ currently utilizes an activeX mail merge interface
that syncs the data in TSS, Landtech, Softpro, Ramqest,
Closer's Choice, Snap Close, Iclose and AIM for Windows with its
system. Several other settlement software interfaces (Double Time,
Display Soft and Title Soft) are in line for future development.
There is no charge for this feature.
How will reQuire™ continue evolving?
reQuire's™ goal is to become the industry standard "Trusted
Source" for release tracking and reporting supported by the desire
to be the conduit of communication between the settlement agent and
the payoff lender. reQuire™ is committed to developing innovative
technology delivered with superior customer service to
help with efficiencies that benefit all parties in a real estate
transaction. reQuire™ will continue to find ways to reduce the
amount of time from loan payoff to lien release recording.
What are the risks of using reQuire™?
There are no risks nor are there contracts to sign or long term
obligations to fulfill. reQuire™ is a pay-as-you-go service that
agents can start and stop at any time.
Why should I use reQuire™?
reQuire™ is an efficient, cost effective alternative to the old
laborious, inefficient, costly and stressful practice of lien
release management. reQuire's™ Team does the job that nobody wants
to do and does it at no cost to you.