Recent LandAmerica Deals Designed to Boost Bundling Potential.(Info1 Holding Co.)(Lereta Corp.)

LandAmerica Financial Group Inc. here, preparing for the new face of the mortgage banking industry, has made separate deals to acquire INFO1 Holding Co. Inc., an Atlanta-based mortgage credit report provider, and Lereta Corp., a national tax service and flood hazard certification provider, headquartered in Covina, Calif.

In a teleconference to discuss the transactions, LandAmerica executives said part of the motivation for the deals was the ability to offer bundling of loan origination services.

The chairman and chief executive of LandAmerica, Charles Foster, said there has been "increased discussions about bundling," which is considered to be one of the cornerstones of the proposed Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act regulation currently on the table.

Until now, while LandAmerica has made these services available to its clients, it was getting them through other vendors.

This deal, he said, "provides us some flexibility in regard to pricing and packaging bundles."

Chief operating officer Theodore Chandler said the company sees these transactions in three pieces. These two companies can help LandAmerica make money. Secondly, it gives access to originators that are not currently LandAmerica customers as well as providing cross-selling opportunities.

Finally, it leaves LandAmerica "well positioned" no matter how bundling ...