The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in May launched a public inquiry into why mortgage closing costs are increasing, opining that “the escalating fees are draining down payments and pushing homeownership out of reach.” What is actually putting homeownership out of reach is a complicated stew of low housing inventory that is driving up prices, […]

You may not have aspired to being a teacher when you were growing up, but as a title, escrow or closing agent, you may find that the ability to teach is a must-have skill in your toolbox. Most first-time homebuyers focus first on choosing a home they love and second on acquiring a mortgage. These

It’s difficult to imagine another industry that works with and is paid for by a client – the homebuyer – but has to create a marketing strategy that completely bypasses the buyer of their service to sell instead to the referrer, in this case, the real estate agent or lender. For consumer products, advertising and

Most title agents send thank you notes to their real estate and lender clients, but there are many more ways to show your appreciation to your clients to ensure that you stay top of mind when that next transaction comes through. In the days and weeks following the successful conclusion of a transaction, your agency

Title agents who enjoy long-term stability and success do so not because they are any more skilled than the agency down the road, but because they see the big picture and believe wholeheartedly that they have a vital role to play in the transfer of real estate. Because they hold this belief, they act on

Reaching out to a previous customer who you have not heard from in a while may feel a little daunting. “What do I say? How can I convince them? What do I have to offer that is unique?” Let’s just state the obvious. You are unique. There is no agency quite like yours. Mining that

One of the many famous sales aphorisms is that it is cheaper to keep an existing customer than to get a new one. And statistics weigh heavily in favor of how much easier it is to get orders from existing or former customers than to try to develop new sources of business. That is not

It has been noted before that title agents serve a lot of masters, including real estate agents, lenders, homebuyers and sellers, as well as the underwriters they represent. You may find it ineffective to craft a single customer service approach, since each vertical has its own specific needs and requirements. Today, we will take a

There are few industries that require as much information sharing as the title insurance industry. The communication web between buyer, real estate agent, seller, lender, title company, escrow officer is a superhighway of exchanges from the time a buyer makes an offer until the deal is closed. Title agents often hold the key to successfully