Professionalism: Own up to it!

TSI Appraisal team members have become regular contributing authors to LiveValuation magazine. Recently, Jordan Petkovski, Director of Staff Appraisal Operations for TSI Appraisal Services, researched and wrote an article for the September 2011 issue of LiveValuation magazine.

This months article, entitled 

 “Professionalism: Own up to it,” which examines lending institutions, as well as consumers, perception of the appraisal industries level of professionalism and value add to the process. To read the article in its entirety, please visit: http://www.livevalmag.com/articles/september-2011/567-professionalism-own-up-to-it

Get in the Game! Play Title Source’s 3-Day Golf Challenge

Can you hit the longest drive? How about closest to the pin? Come and check us out in Chicago! Title Source will host an interactive golf challenge throughout the MBA's 98th Annual Convention & Expo. Stop by booth #1231 to register and play.

We'll have a new golf challenge each day. Sign up once and you are eligible to play all three days of the convention. That’s three chances to win one of these amazing prizes:

1. Titleist Vokey custom-made wedge
2. Titleist Scotty Cameron putter
3. $750 Golfsmith gift card

The convention will take place in Chicago, Illinois from October 9-12, 2011.

Keep checking back for more details as the Convention gets closer. We'll see you in Chicago!

We are hiring!

Are you the type of person who strives to make a difference?  Are you looking for an exciting new career? Title Source will be holding a career fair this Saturday, September 17th.  The open positions range from technology to sales and client relations. You can find a list of available positions on the Title Source careers website.

The career fair runs from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Quicken Loans Headquarters inside the Compuware building. Parking is available in the Compuware garage on Farmer Street. Parking stubs will need to be validated.  Join us and see why
Title Source was named as one of the "Top Ten Companies to Work For" in Metro Detroit by the Michigan Business and Professional Association!

Some metropolitan areas improving significantly

In contrast to many recent dire housing studies, a recent report from the National Association of Home Builders showed some metropolitan areas are improving economically, with increases in not only employment, but also residential housing prices and permits.

A total of 12 areas were included in the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index, including Midland, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Anchorage, Alaska; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Bangor, Maine; and Casper, Wyoming. All of these places had experienced improvements in each category over the course of six months.

The information could be quite positive to the housing market in general, as some of these cities are very influential on the national housing situation.

"By examining key indicators of home prices, employment and housing permits data, we are using a comprehensive, but conservative method in determining which markets are improving," said NAHB chief economist David Crowe. "Last year at this time, there was not a single market that showed improvement using these criteria, and now we can point to 12 examples of growth."

However, there is still a long way to go. At this point, the information may give lenders hope that the market will continue to improve.