We invite you to browse the second quarter 2016 First American Real Estate Sentiment Index, which measures title agent sentiment on a variety of key market metrics and industry issues. In 2016, the survey has also tracked title agent sentiment regarding the implementation of the Know-Before-You-Owe rule, also referred to as the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule. It’s based on a quarterly survey of independent title agents.

“Overall, title agents are significantly more optimistic than last quarter about the volume of both purchase and refinance transactions in the year ahead,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American.

Highlights from the Q2 2016 RESI include:

Expectations for transaction volume growth increase: Title agent expectations for growth in purchase and refinance transactions across all property types in the year ahead are 17.3 percent more positive than they were during the first quarter of 2016

Increased optimism for residential price growth: Title agents feel more confident about residential property price growth than they did in the first quarter, with that confidence increasing 18.1 percent

Signs marketplace is adapting to Know-Before-You-Owe: Title agents still believe that Know-Before-You-Owe will cause delays, but that feeling has decreased by nearly 20 percent since the first quarter

For more information and analysis, including title agent sentiment on price and transaction volume growth by property type nationally and at the state level, please visit the Real Estate Sentiment Index.