Who Pays for Title Insurance in Illinois?
In Illinois the seller buys the owner's policy that protects the buyer. Here is who pays what at closing, and why it decides who picks the title company.
Earnest Money in Castle Connect: Now a Checkbox
You are already opening the title order. Now you can hand off the earnest money in the same breath, and the buyer gets four ways to send it.
Cook County Property Fraud Alert: How to Sign Up
Cook County tells you free when a document is recorded against your property. So does every Chicagoland county. How to enroll, and what it cannot do.
Chicago Transfer Tax: What It Costs and Who Pays
What a Chicago closing costs in transfer tax at the state, county and city level, who pays each part, and the two city documents that hold up closings.
CLEAR Identity Verification for Vacant Land Sellers: How Chicago Title Protects the Real Owner
Vacant land is the top target for seller impersonation fraud. Here's how Chicago Title is using CLEAR biometric identity verification to confirm the real owner before closing, why sellers who sign with our remote online notarization are already covered, and the warning signs worth watching.
Quit Claim Deeds in Illinois: What They Do and Don't Do
What an Illinois quit claim deed transfers, what it costs to record in Cook County, what it does to your title insurance and mortgage, and why forgers use it.
Property Monitoring: How Free Title Fraud Alerts Catch Deed Theft After Closing in 2026
Title insurance protects your ownership against problems that existed before closing. It was never built to watch the record afterward. Here's how free property monitoring closes that blind spot and catches seller impersonation fraud early.
Real Estate Wire Fraud 2025: FBI IC3 Report Shows $275 Million in Losses, Up 58% Year Over Year
The FBI's 2025 IC3 Annual Report shows real estate fraud losses jumped 58% in one year to $275 million, with 86% of related BEC losses moving by wire transfer. Here's what the data says, what it means at the closing table, and what actually stops it.
Seller Impersonation Fraud: How Fake Power of Attorney and Vacant Land Scams Are Hitting Chicagoland Closings in 2026
Title fraud on vacant land and absentee property is now the dominant form of seller impersonation. Here is how the scheme works, why a forged Power of Attorney is the fraudster's favorite cover, and what actually stops it at the closing table.
The Video Call That Wasn't Real: Inside the Fraud Crisis Hitting Real Estate in 2026
A scam hunter caught a deepfake on a live video call. But that trick is already outdated. Here's what you actually need to know about fraud in real estate right now.
Real Estate Wire Fraud: How to Protect Your Closing in 2026
Real estate wire fraud cost an estimated $500 million in 2024. Now AI voice cloning and deepfakes are making scams even harder to catch. Here's how to protect your next closing.
What to Expect at a Real Estate Closing in Illinois: A Step by Step Guide
A real estate closing in Illinois can feel like a mystery if you've never been through one. Here's what actually happens before, during, and after closing day.