Ancona Title & Escrow is thrilled to join the growing ranks of businesses determined to drive the progress of a clean energy economy.

Ancona Title and Escrow Clean Energy Initiative

Spring 2019 brings an exciting transformation to Ancona’s operations and its role in the community.

We are launching a series of CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVES that will reduce our company’s impact on the climate and further differentiate Ancona as the title company with a new and fresh approach.


Buying, selling, and owning a home affects energy and the environment in countless subtle ways. Our goal is to find areas in the real estate process that we can influence for the better of the environment. We want to make business decisions that advance our planet towards a sustainable future.

That’s why we are taking a close look at our operations and reducing our ecological footprint any way we can.

CHECK OUT WHAT WE'RE UP TO!


Solar Pannels

Ancona Title and Escrow Solar Panel Installation

Solar panel installation was completed in June 2019.


This solar stuff really works! The White Bear office will generate an estimated 70% of its electricity needs from solar energy. Any surplus during sunny days can be sold back to the utility company. The panels are predicted to pay for themselves in 5-7 years.

Heating & Cooling Upgrades

Flashy solar panels are great, but it’s the boring practical stuff that really enhances the benefits of going solar. We’ve invested heavily into improving our heating and cooling systems to get more out of the solar energy we produce.

LED Lighting

We're replacing our old florescent office bulbs with new LED lighting for more efficient energy use and less waste. LED lights are up to 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDs is converted into light and only 5% is wasted as heat.

Electric company car

We do a lot of driving. Closings, county courthouse runs, interoffice travel and construction site inspections will put the miles on quick. So we’ve decided to add an electric vehicle as a company car. The EV will be charged by an electric vehicle charging station installed at our White Bear Lake location.

Clean Energy Closings

We want to support homebuyers who make energy efficiency part of their new home. Schedule a home energy audit with the Minnesota Home Energy Squad prior to your closing, and Ancona will cover the fee. The Home Energy Squad will visit your new home and perform applicable installations at no extra cost. Here are some of the benefits:

  • LED lightbulb replacements
  • Programmable thermostat
  • Insulation inspection
  • Water heater and pipe insulation
  • Air leak detection
Visit our Clean Energy Closings page to find out how to schedule.

Steward Title Circle of Excellence Award

Ancona Title & Escrow Earns Stewart Title Circle of Excellence Award for 5th Consecutive Year.

By Mike Elwell • October 12, 2021
Ancona Title & Escrow earns Stewart Title Circle of Excellence Award for 5th consecutive year.

Freddie Mac Set to Offer New Single-Close Renovation Loan

By Mike Elwell • September 29, 2021
Freddie Mac recently announced that a new single-close mortgage product will become available after November 2021. Dubbed the CHOICEReno eXPressSM , it is set to address certain types of renovations like interior/exterior painting, roof repairs, minor remodeling, window and door replacement and other like items. This will become part of the CHOICE suite of mortgage solutions and is an expansion of the CHOICERenovation® that is designed to provide flexible financing for lenders and borrowers. Per Freddie Mac, “this new mortgage solution enables Sellers to deliver CHOICEReno eXPress mortgages to Freddie Mac prior to completion of the renovations without recourse, provided certain requirements are met”. The eXPress option is designed to aid in addressing the growing supply of older homes, creating more affordable housing, and accommodate the heightening demand for aging-in-place housing options. For many people this loan option will be an improvement over the use of unsecured financing options or credit cards. At Ancona Title and Escrow we view this news as a welcomed opportunity for our important business partners. We support the home buying and selling market on all levels. Critical to that involvement is a keen understanding of the elements that influence the marketplace. At Ancona we’re more than just title and escrow providers… we’re industry experts. We know this news will be a welcomed option for our realtor connections, mortgage partners, lenders and consumers. It is an interesting time to be a homeowner. Home renovation and restoration is being done at all levels from DIY’ers to professional restoration experts. The CHOICERenovation and Reno eXPress options are incredible options. The requirements for these programs have also been improved to make it easier for all parties involved. We will continue to monitor influential areas in and around our industry. Should our friends and associates wish to find more details on these programs we welcome them to visit https://sf.freddiemac.com/faqs/choicereno-express-faq to learn more.

30 Year Fixed Rates Forecasting

By Mike Elwell • September 16, 2021
Today we are taking a look at 30 year fixed rates forecasting. The rates below are provided by the Financial Forecast Center's website. I have been watching this site since 2002 and they have been extremely accurate and helpful in the growth and direction of my business. Now, here is the disclaimer, I am only passing along this information because in my opinion I think it's valuable. This is not an endorsement of the product nor do I sell it. Again, this is something that I utilize to plan future business around. Use at your own risk.
Value of Title Insurance

Value of Title Insurance

By Mike Elwell • August 8, 2019
Many people are unfamiliar with what title insurance is, what it does for them and the benefits of having a healthy title industry. So we’d like to offer a quick glimpse into what we do for our customers day in and day out at Ancona and the benefits all Americans receive from the work done by the title industry.
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