{"id":2206,"date":"2026-09-04T06:11:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T11:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/?p=2206"},"modified":"2026-09-04T06:12:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T11:12:17","slug":"why-real-estate-agents-are-being-targeted-by-wire-fraud-more-than-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-real-estate-agents-are-being-targeted-by-wire-fraud-more-than-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Real Estate Agents Are Being Targeted by Wire Fraud More Than Ever"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Real estate has always involved large sums of money moving between buyers, sellers, title companies, and lenders. That combination of urgency, high dollar amounts, and multiple parties communicating over email has made the industry one of the most attractive targets for cybercriminals. Wire fraud in real estate is no longer a rare occurrence discussed in industry newsletters. It is a daily threat that closes on unsuspecting agents, brokers, buyers, and title professionals across the country, including here in Central Texas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CMIT Solutions of Austin Downtown West works with real estate professionals who have experienced firsthand how quickly a single compromised inbox can turn a closing day into a financial disaster. This article breaks down why real estate agents are being targeted more aggressively than ever, how these schemes actually work, and what practical steps agents, brokers, and title companies can take to protect their clients and their business.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Scope of the Problem in Real Estate Transactions<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wire fraud losses tied to real estate transactions have grown into the hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and the trend line keeps climbing. Unlike other forms of cybercrime that target large corporations with dedicated security teams, real estate fraud typically preys on small brokerages, independent agents, and busy title offices that may not have formal cybersecurity protocols in place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A few factors explain why this industry has become such fertile ground for criminals:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Transactions involve large, one-time wire transfers that are rarely reversible once sent<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Communication happens almost entirely over email, often across multiple parties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deadlines create urgency, which criminals exploit to rush victims into mistakes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many agents work independently or in small teams without IT departments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public records make it easy to identify who is buying, selling, and closing on a property<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agents also tend to be highly responsive by nature. Fast replies and accessibility are part of good customer service, but that same responsiveness can be weaponized by attackers who craft messages designed to look like routine closing instructions. A well-timed email referencing a real closing date can bypass an agent&#8217;s natural skepticism because it fits the expected pattern of the transaction. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For a closer look at how these transactions create unique exposure, agents can review<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/real-estate-moves-fast-your-it-communications-and-data-backup-need-to-move-faster\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">real estate IT needs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that go beyond a typical office setup.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Wire Fraud Schemes Target Real Estate Transactions<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most real estate wire fraud starts with business email compromise, commonly referred to as BEC. This is not a smash-and-grab attack. It is patient, researched, and often invisible until the money is already gone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here is a typical sequence:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A criminal gains access to an agent&#8217;s, title company&#8217;s, or lender&#8217;s email account through a phishing link, weak password, or credential leak from an unrelated breach<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The attacker sits quietly inside the mailbox, reading messages and learning the transaction timeline, the names involved, and the tone the agent typically uses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As closing approaches, the attacker sends a spoofed or hijacked email to the buyer with new wire instructions, often claiming a last-minute change from the title company or lender<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The buyer, trusting the familiar email thread, sends funds to the fraudulent account<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By the time anyone realizes something is wrong, the money has usually moved through several accounts and is nearly impossible to recover<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What makes this particularly dangerous is that the emails often come from a legitimate, compromised account rather than an obvious fake address. Buyers have no reason to question instructions that arrive in the middle of an existing conversation thread. This is a form of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-ai-powered-social-engineering-attacks-are-becoming-harder-for-businesses-to-detect\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">social engineering attacks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that relies on trust rather than technical exploitation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Attackers have also become more sophisticated in how they impersonate voices and writing styles. Some now use AI tools to mimic an agent&#8217;s typical phrasing after studying prior email exchanges, making the fraudulent messages even harder to distinguish from the real thing. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Strengthening account access with<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/the-end-of-passwords-how-austin-businesses-are-shifting-to-biometric-and-mfa-solutions\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">multi-factor authentication solutions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is one of the simplest ways to close the initial entry point criminals rely on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Why Agents and Brokers Are Especially Vulnerable<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Several characteristics of the real estate profession make it an easier target compared to industries with more centralized IT oversight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Independent contractor structure.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Many agents operate under a brokerage but manage their own technology, email accounts, and devices. This decentralization means security standards can vary wildly from one agent to the next, even within the same office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>High mobility.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Agents work from cars, coffee shops, open houses, and public Wi-Fi networks throughout the day. This mobile lifestyle increases exposure to unsecured networks and makes it easier for attackers to intercept unprotected communications.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Publicly available transaction details.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Property listings, MLS data, and county records often reveal enough information for a criminal to identify an active deal, the parties involved, and even an approximate closing date.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Limited technical oversight.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Smaller brokerages frequently lack dedicated IT staff, leaving gaps in areas like email filtering, endpoint protection, and access controls. These gaps often show up as<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-endpoint-security-is-the-most-overlooked-threat-vector-in-smbs\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">endpoint security gaps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> across laptops, phones, and tablets used in the field.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Title companies and closing attorneys share similar exposure, since they also handle sensitive financial data and time-sensitive wire instructions. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A thorough look at how listings and client data can be exposed is covered in this discussion of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/digital-trust-in-real-estate-how-managed-it-services-secure-listings-leads-and-legalities\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">real estate data protection<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> practices for the industry.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Red Flags Every Agent Should Recognize<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Recognizing the warning signs of a wire fraud attempt can be the difference between a normal closing and a devastating loss. Agents and their clients should be trained to watch for:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last-minute changes to wire instructions, especially near closing day<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Requests to communicate only through email or text, avoiding phone verification<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Slight misspellings in a sender&#8217;s email domain that mimic a legitimate address<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unusual urgency or pressure to act immediately without questions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instructions that differ from the account details discussed earlier in the transaction<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Grammar or tone that feels slightly off compared to previous messages from the same sender<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Buyers in particular need to be told, in writing and early in the process, that wire instructions will never change over email without independent phone verification using a known, previously verified number. This single habit stops the vast majority of successful attacks. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ongoing awareness matters more than a one-time warning, which is why regular<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/cyber-awareness-in-2026-empowering-employees-to-spot-threats-early\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">employee cyber training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has become a standard practice for brokerages that take this risk seriously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Criminals are also increasingly relying on automated tools that scan for real estate transactions and generate convincing follow-up messages without direct human involvement, a trend explored further in this piece on<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/the-rise-of-autonomous-cyber-threats-when-attacks-no-longer-need-human-hackers\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">autonomous cyber threats<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> reshaping the fraud landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The True Cost of a Successful Attack<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The immediate financial loss from a wire fraud incident can be staggering, often representing a buyer&#8217;s entire down payment or life savings. But the damage extends far beyond the wire transfer itself.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Legal exposure.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Buyers who lose funds may pursue legal action against the agent, brokerage, or title company, arguing that reasonable safeguards were not in place.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Reputational harm.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Word travels quickly in local real estate markets, and a single publicized incident can damage referral relationships built over years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Operational disruption.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Investigating a breach, notifying affected parties, and working with law enforcement pulls time and attention away from active business.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Insurance complications.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Cyber liability claims can be denied if basic security practices, like multi-factor authentication, were not in place at the time of the incident.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because closings cannot simply pause indefinitely while a firm sorts out a security incident, having a plan in place before disaster strikes matters enormously. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is where<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/business-continuity-in-the-age-of-cyber-threats-are-you-truly-prepared\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">business continuity planning<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> becomes relevant even for small, transaction-driven businesses that might not think of themselves as needing one.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Protecting the financial data tied to each transaction is equally critical, and firms handling sensitive buyer information should review current<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/financial-data-security-best-practices-for-modern-businesses-handling-sensitive-information\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">financial data security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> standards relevant to real estate closings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Building Layered Defenses Against Wire Fraud<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No single tool or policy stops wire fraud on its own. Effective protection comes from layering multiple safeguards so that even if one fails, others catch the attempt before money changes hands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Email security and filtering.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Advanced filtering can catch spoofed domains, flag suspicious attachments, and quarantine messages that mimic trusted senders before they ever reach an inbox. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a core piece of<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/services-cybersecurity\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">advanced cybersecurity solutions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> built for transaction-heavy industries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Secure network infrastructure.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether working from a brokerage office or a home setup, a properly configured and monitored network reduces the chances of an attacker gaining a foothold in the first place through<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/network-management\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">network management services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cloud platforms with built-in safeguards.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Storing and sharing transaction documents through secured, access-controlled platforms rather than unprotected email attachments reduces exposure significantly, something well suited to properly configured<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/cloud-services\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">secure cloud services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Reliable backups.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If an account is compromised or systems are locked by ransomware following a phishing attempt, having<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/data-backup\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">reliable data backup<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in place ensures records and communications can be restored without paying a ransom or losing critical files.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Verification protocols.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Every wire instruction, without exception, should be confirmed by phone using a number obtained independently, not one provided in the email containing the instructions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A framework worth adopting industry-wide is<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/zero-trust-maximum-security-protecting-austin-workspaces-from-inside-out-threats\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">zero trust security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which assumes no user, device, or email should be automatically trusted, even if it appears to come from inside the organization or a known contact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2208\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/25-1-1024x535.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"825\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/25-1-1024x535.png 1024w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/25-1-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/25-1-768x401.png 768w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/25-1.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Role of Compliance and Regulatory Pressure<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Real estate is subject to a growing patchwork of regulations around data privacy, financial transactions, and consumer protection. Title companies and lenders are often held to specific compliance frameworks, and agents who partner closely with them need to understand how those obligations flow into their own practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regulators and industry associations have increasingly pushed for documented security procedures, not just good intentions. Brokerages that can demonstrate they had reasonable safeguards in place are in a far stronger position, both legally and reputationally, than those that cannot. Many firms are now adopting<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-compliance-first-it-strategies-are-becoming-essential-for-austin-businesses\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">compliance first strategies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> as a baseline expectation rather than an afterthought.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Working with a partner who understands<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/compliance\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">regulatory compliance support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> requirements specific to financial transactions can help brokerages build documented policies that hold up under scrutiny, whether from a regulator, an insurer, or a client&#8217;s attorney after an incident.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Practical Steps for Brokerages and Title Companies<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Beyond individual agent awareness, brokerages and title companies should formalize company-wide practices that reduce risk across every transaction handled by the office.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Require multi-factor authentication on every email account, without exception<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standardize a written policy requiring phone verification for any wire instruction change<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Centralize document sharing through a secured client portal rather than email attachments<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Conduct periodic phishing simulations to test staff readiness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Maintain an incident response plan that outlines exactly who to contact and what steps to take if fraud is suspected<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Review vendor and partner security practices, since a compromised title company or lender can expose your clients too<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clear, consistent communication tools also reduce the chances of confusion that criminals exploit. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Standardizing on<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/unified-communications\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">unified communication systems<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> across an office ensures every team member is working from the same secured platform rather than a mix of personal apps and unmonitored channels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Payment processing deserves particular attention as well, since many firms now collect earnest money and fees through digital channels in addition to traditional wires. Reviewing current<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/secure-payment-processing-in-2026-best-practices-for-protecting-customer-financial-data\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">secure payment processing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> practices helps ensure every payment method used by the office meets the same security bar. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Agents who use personal devices for work should also be covered under clearly defined<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-secure-byod-policies-matter-more-than-ever-for-hybrid-workforces\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">secure device policies<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that extend protection beyond office-owned equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What to Do If You Suspect Wire Fraud<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time is the single most important factor in recovering funds after a fraudulent wire transfer. Every hour that passes reduces the chances of stopping the transfer before it clears through intermediary accounts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If fraud is suspected, immediate action should include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contact the sending and receiving banks immediately to request a wire recall<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">File a complaint with the FBI&#8217;s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as soon as possible<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Notify local law enforcement and provide all relevant email headers and communication records<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Preserve all evidence, including the fraudulent email and any account access logs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Notify all parties to the transaction so they can also monitor their own accounts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Having monitoring tools already in place makes it far easier to identify how and when a compromise occurred. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Firms using<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/how-managed-detection-and-response-mdr-services-are-replacing-traditional-antivirus-solutions\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">managed detection response<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> capabilities are typically able to detect suspicious account activity well before a fraudulent wire request is even sent.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Equally important is confirming that clean, unaltered records exist to compare against, which is where solid<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/the-backup-mistakes-businesses-only-discover-during-a-crisis\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">backup and recovery<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> practices prove their value during an investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Partnering with a Managed IT Provider<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most real estate professionals did not enter the industry to become cybersecurity experts, and they should not have to. This is exactly why more brokerages and title companies are turning to dedicated technology partners rather than trying to manage risk with a patchwork of consumer-grade tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A qualified partner brings together<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/managed-it-services\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">managed IT solutions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> designed around the specific risks of transaction-heavy industries, paired with<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/it-support\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">responsive IT support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> available when an agent notices something suspicious in the middle of a closing.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Integrating the everyday software agents already rely on through proper<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/productivity-applications\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">productivity tool integration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> also reduces the temptation to use unsecured personal apps for sensitive document sharing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Larger technology decisions, from new hardware rollouts to software licensing, benefit from<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/services-it-procurement\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">strategic IT procurement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that ensures every tool added to the office actually strengthens security rather than creating new gaps.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For brokerages unsure where to start,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/it-guidance\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">expert IT guidance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help prioritize the changes that matter most given a firm&#8217;s size, budget, and transaction volume.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Broader identity protections are also gaining ground across the industry, with more firms shifting toward<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/the-quiet-shift-toward-identity-first-security-in-everyday-business-operations\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">identity first security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> models that verify every user and device rather than assuming trust based on network location alone.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the same time, ransomware remains a parallel threat that often travels alongside wire fraud campaigns, making<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/ransomware-as-a-service-why-smbs-are-the-new-prime-targets\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ransomware threat prevention<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> an equally important piece of a complete defense strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">CMIT Solutions of Austin Downtown West works directly with agents, brokers, and title professionals throughout the area to close these gaps before criminals can exploit them, combining local, responsive support with the kind of layered protection larger firms take for granted. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Businesses across the region looking for a broader overview of available protections can also explore general<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Austin IT services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> built for growing companies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2026\/09\/26-1024x535.png\" width=\"844\" height=\"441\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><b>Protecting Every Closing Starts with the Right Foundation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wire fraud is not going away, and the tactics used by criminals will only continue to evolve alongside the technology real estate professionals rely on every day. Agents, brokers, and title companies who take proactive steps now, rather than after an incident occurs, put themselves and their clients in a far stronger position.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your brokerage or title office is ready to close the gaps that criminals are actively looking for,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/contact-us\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">schedule a consultation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to review your current setup and build a security plan suited to the pace and pressure of real estate transactions.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%;background: #f4f8fa;padding: 60px 20px;font-family: Segoe UI,Arial,sans-serif\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;color: #000;font-size: 40px;line-height: 1.2;font-weight: 800;margin: 0 0 45px\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 100%;max-width: 1100px;margin: 0 auto\">\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">1. What exactly is wire fraud in a real estate transaction?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Wire fraud in real estate occurs when a criminal tricks a buyer, seller, or agent into sending funds, often a down payment or closing cost, to a fraudulent account by impersonating a trusted party in the transaction, usually through a compromised or spoofed email.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">2. Why has real estate become such a common target for this type of fraud?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Large, one-time wire transfers, public transaction records, tight deadlines, and a heavy reliance on email communication all combine to make real estate deals easier to exploit than many other types of business transactions.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">3. How do criminals gain access to an agent&#8217;s or title company&#8217;s email account?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Access is usually gained through phishing emails, weak or reused passwords, or credentials leaked from an unrelated data breach that are then tested against real estate email accounts.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">4. Can a wire transfer be recovered once it has been sent to a fraudulent account?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Recovery is possible in some cases if the bank is notified within hours of the transfer, but once funds move through multiple accounts, recovery becomes extremely unlikely.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">5. What is the single most effective way to prevent this type of fraud?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Verifying any wire instructions or changes by phone, using a number obtained independently rather than one listed in the email, stops the vast majority of successful attacks.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">6. Are buyers or agents usually held liable when wire fraud occurs?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Liability varies by case and jurisdiction, but agents and brokerages that failed to implement reasonable safeguards have faced lawsuits from affected buyers in numerous documented cases.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">7. Is multi-factor authentication really necessary for a small brokerage?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Yes. Multi-factor authentication is one of the most effective and lowest-cost protections available, and its absence is frequently cited in cyber insurance claim denials following a breach.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">8. How can agents tell if an email requesting wire changes is fraudulent?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Look closely at the sender&#8217;s domain for subtle misspellings, note any unusual urgency, and treat any last-minute change to payment instructions as an automatic red flag requiring phone verification.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">9. Do title companies face the same wire fraud risks as agents?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Yes, title companies and closing attorneys are frequently targeted since they handle the actual disbursement of funds and communicate directly with buyers about wire instructions.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">10. What role does cyber insurance play in wire fraud incidents?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Cyber insurance can help offset some losses, but many policies require proof of basic security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and documented policies, before a claim will be honored.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">11. Should brokerages conduct regular training on wire fraud awareness?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Yes, ongoing training is far more effective than a single onboarding session, since fraud tactics evolve constantly and staff need refreshers to stay alert to new patterns.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">12. Can personal devices used by agents increase the risk of wire fraud?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Personal devices without proper security controls, such as encryption or remote wipe capability, increase risk significantly, especially when agents access transaction documents from public Wi-Fi networks.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">13. What immediate steps should be taken if a fraudulent wire is discovered?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Contact the sending bank immediately to request a recall, file a report with the FBI&#8217;s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and notify all parties to the transaction without delay.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">14. How quickly do banks need to be notified to have a chance at recovery?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Ideally within the first 24 hours, since funds often move through several intermediary accounts and become far harder to trace after that window closes.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">15. Are AI tools making wire fraud harder to detect?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Yes, criminals increasingly use AI to mimic writing styles and generate more convincing, personalized messages, making traditional red flags like poor grammar less reliable than before.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">16. What is business email compromise, and how does it relate to wire fraud?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Business email compromise refers to an attacker gaining control of, or convincingly spoofing, a legitimate email account to manipulate victims into taking harmful actions, and it is the most common method behind real estate wire fraud.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">17. Can a managed IT provider actually prevent wire fraud from happening?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">While no provider can guarantee zero risk, layered protections such as email filtering, monitoring, and access controls dramatically reduce the likelihood of a successful attack and speed up detection when something does go wrong.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">18. Should clients be warned about wire fraud before closing day?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Yes, warning clients in writing early in the transaction, ideally at the very first meeting, sets clear expectations and makes them far less likely to fall for last-minute instruction changes.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">19. What documentation should be kept in case of a fraud investigation?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Preserve the original and fraudulent emails, full email headers, account access logs, and a timeline of communications, as this documentation is critical for both law enforcement and insurance claims.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"width: 100%;background: #fff;border-radius: 14px;margin: 0 0 18px;padding: 0 28px;overflow: hidden\">\n<summary style=\"cursor: pointer;position: relative;padding: 24px 48px 24px 0;font-size: 19px;line-height: 1.5;font-weight: 600;color: #111\">20. How can a small brokerage get started improving its security posture?<span style=\"position: absolute;right: 0;color: #f46048;font-size: 28px;line-height: 1;font-weight: bold\">+<\/span><\/summary>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 24px;color: #444;font-size: 16px;line-height: 1.7\">Start with a review of current email security, enable multi-factor authentication across all accounts, and consult with a technology partner who understands the specific risks facing real estate transactions.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/contact-us\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-608\" src=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-1024x256.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"840\" height=\"210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-1024x256.png 1024w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px-768x192.png 768w, https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/129\/2025\/07\/Copy-of-Blue-and-White-Bold-Call-To-Action-LinkedIn-Banner-1200-x-300-px.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Real estate has always involved large sums of money moving between buyers,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":2207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-it"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 5.0.1.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover common wire fraud risks in real estate and how CMIT Solutions Austin helps agents strengthen cybersecurity and protect client funds.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"mzambrano\"\/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-real-estate-agents-are-being-targeted-by-wire-fraud-more-than-ever\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO Pro (AIOSEO) 5.0.1.1\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Austin TX 1128 | CMIT Solutions\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wire Fraud Risks for Real Estate Agents | CMIT Solutions Austin\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover common wire fraud risks in real estate and how CMIT Solutions Austin helps agents strengthen cybersecurity and protect client funds.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/austin-tx-1128\/blog\/why-real-estate-agents-are-being-targeted-by-wire-fraud-more-than-ever\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-04T11:11:45+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-04T11:12:17+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Wire Fraud Risks for Real Estate Agents | CMIT Solutions Austin\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Discover common wire fraud risks in real estate and how CMIT Solutions Austin helps agents strengthen cybersecurity and protect client funds.\" \/>\n\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"aioseo-schema\">\n\t\t\t{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Why Real Estate Agents Are Being Targeted by Wire Fraud More Than Ever\",\"description\":\"Why Real Estate Agents Are Being Targeted by Wire Fraud More Than EverReal estate has always involved large sums of money moving between buyers, sellers, title companies, and lenders. 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