Category: Announcements

By T. Robert Finlay, Esq. and Jonathan D. Fink, Esq. California Court of Appeals Gives Industry a Big WinWhen it Comes to Unwinding a Foreclosure Sale For decades, lenders have battled third party purchasers in court over...

By Pam Strickland This article previously appeared in Pam Stickland’s newsletter, Stricktly Strickland. Be careful what you say and how you say it. Choose your words carefully! The most common way of interacting with clients in...

Ask Me Corner: When a property is vested in a trust, corporation, or LLC, verifying proper authority is essential for both loan enforceability and investor protection. We asked two CMA lenders to share what documents they prefer...

By Michelle R. Rodriguez, Esq. COMPLIANCE CORNER: Private lenders and mortgage brokers in California often ask whether to operate under a Department of Real Estate (DRE) broker’s license or a California Finance Lender (CFL)...

“Ask Me” Corner: Welcome to the new “Ask Me” Corner, where we ask CMA members about their experience with various industry practices and what best practices they use in their offices. This month, we’re asking, “how...

By Marcus Carter In the construction industry, financial stability and quality assurance are paramount. A critical component ensuring these elements is the construction draw inspection. This process is essential for managing...

By Pam Strickland For those of you who have read this column over the years, you know that I keep harping on trust accounts and for those of you who have been through DRE audits or special investigations, you know why. Brokers...

By Michelle Rodriguez, Esq. On August 29, 2025, Assembly Bill 493 was signed into law and took effect immediately. The new law requires certain financial institutions to pay 2% annual interest on hazard insurance funds held in...

By Jeremy Yohe Title insurance is unique among insurance products. Unlike other forms of coverage, where the risk arises after the policy is issued, most title insurance claims stem from events that occurred before the policy’s...

By Marcus Carter In the realm of construction, the pre-construction phase is crucial for setting the stage for a project’s success. One of the most vital components of this phase is the pre-construction budget review...

By Pam Strickland Warren Buffett was interviewed once and was asked for his advice on the best way to run a small business.  He listed several important and valuable hints, but the one that caught my eye was “Keep out of...

CMA is pleased to congratulate our legislative advocate, Mike Belote, who was recently honored by the Capitol Weekly as a member of the sophomore class of its Top 100 Hall of Fame. The Capitol Weekly Hall of Fame recognizes...