4 Things Every Realtor Should Look for in a Title Company

Written by Top Producing Real Estate Agent, Rob Hastings with Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners

As a real estate agent, I am highly dependent on supporting services to make my business successful.

From mortgage lenders to home inspectors to title companies, who I recommend is a reflection of me and my business. Moreover, the performance of those supporting services could determine if I get paid or not. 

So, it's safe to say, I want to work with the best.

In this article, I will discuss 4 things that every realtor should look for in a title company, especially when recommending that title company to clients.

1. Experience

When I first got into real estate, I worked with a title company that I will keep unnamed. After a few successful transactions, the unthinkable happened.

The title company forgot to pay off the mortgage

and...

they failed to record the deed with the county.

What a disaster for my sellers. The sellers were looking at me as if to say, "Why did you recommend them to close our house?"

I quickly looked for a new title company that had the experience I could trust. 

With Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow, all realtors, buyers, and sellers work directly with attorneys, not processors or other employees. As attorneys, Maria and Christina handle my transactions from contract to closing. Maria and Christina’s experience ensures that property transfer occurs with the highest level of attention to detail.

This experience matters most to my clients and me.

2. Professional & Timely Communication

When forced to work with other title companies (with buyers), I often don't hear from them until the closing date is imminent. It's like pulling teeth to get simple things like a binder verification receipt or the HOA estoppel letter.

Realtors want to work with a title company that communicates every step of the process - from the binder deposit to the title commitment to the survey to the checks. This gives real estate agents and their clients confidence that the process is going as expected.

With Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow, I get constant communication from contract to closing. Even more, my sellers have emailed Maria at 10pm, and she has responded. I have called Maria on the weekend, and she has happily answered my questions.

I don't view a title company as a "support service;" I look at it as part of my team. And teams have to communicate.

3. Flexible Closing Options

Let's face it; people are busy. Buyers and sellers can't always get off work to sign closing documents, or they might even be buying or selling property from across the country.

Realtors want a title company that can accommodate buyers and sellers outside of the normal workday or provide online signing platforms to make closing easy for clients. Remember, who I recommend is a reflection of me, so a good experience that accommodates different needs of my clients makes me look better too.

Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow offers these flexible closing options. They employ an online signing platform to make remote closings possible in certain cases. They also accommodate sellers pre-signing their documents so they don't have to wait while buyers sign. Maria has even met some of my elderly clients at their homes to sign their closing documents.

This is the high level of service for a title company that I expect, and my expectations are always exceeded with Atlantic Coast Title and Escrow.

4. Personable Approach

Buying or selling real estate is the largest financial purchase most people ever make. As a result, it's understandable that buyers and sellers are nervous when sitting down at the closing table.

With this in mind, real estate agents want a title company that puts their clients at ease. Nobody does this better than Maria and Christina.

Their calm demeanor, positive attitudes, and knowledgeable as well as simple explanations make real estate closings what they should be: fun! 

Bottom Line

Clients look to their real estate agents for title company recommendations. In selecting the right company for their clients, realtors should look for one with experience, professional and timely communication, flexible closing options, and a personable approach. 

For me, Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow is the only choice.

___________________

Rob Hastings is a top-producing real estate agent in Jacksonville and helps buyers and sellers of homes and property throughout all of Northeast Florida. He works with his wife Nancy as a husband and wife team with Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners. When not helping his clients navigate the real estate process, Rob enjoys working on old Corvettes and music (guitar and piano). A former Naval Officer, he also loves boating, fishing, and simply spending time on the water.