Title Company Should Not Cause “Closing Stress”

Real estate transactions rarely close by accident.

Title Company Closing Stress is a Real Thing.

There are many ways for a real estate transaction to get off track, and the title company is usually not the problem. When that happens, it’s title company closing stress – and it’s a real thing.

I recently had a bad experience with a large title company and can’t get past it. I don’t understand it and do not plan to repeat it.

This was an easy deal—cash, no survey, no title issues. But the closing was sad—mishandled with careless disregard. My client was suspicious and unhappy, and I was angry and frustrated. The agent who “preferred” this title company could say nothing to defend them.

The last time I was this mad at a title company was 15 years ago, and I have not closed or encouraged any of my agents to close with that title company since. Conservatively, they have missed out on at least 200 closings because of the way they treated my client and me years ago!

Just Do Your Job!

There are so many ways for a real estate transaction to get off track. Usually, the title company is not the problem. But lately, I’ve had a rash of lazy, careless, unconcerned, and incompetent title company interactions—and even more shocking—most would rather get rid of me than do the right thing! I don’t know why, and frankly, I don’t care.

All we ask of our title companies is that they do their job in a timely fashion and keep all parties informed. They have a duty to follow the instructions of the contract and the lender and to collect and disburse funds.

Lately, however, this little-big thing called customer service seems to have vanished from their “checklist” of things to do.

Yes, staffing cutbacks hit all phases of our business, and the title companies are not exempt. Many couldn’t survive the downturn and have vanished or joined in various mergers or purchases.

But who hasn’t? All residential real estate-related businesses have had to pull back. At least the ones who wanted to survive!

“Back in the day,” real estate companies hired assistants by the dozens; lenders were plentiful and staffed to the limit; appraisers, inspectors, warranty companies, and even professional stagers were all flush with business and employed support staff as needed.

And commercial landlords across North Texas did the happy dance!

Today, it’s different. We all do more work with fewer people, less space, and more stress. I get it.

But don’t forget who brought you to the dance. No, not the big banks with their foreclosures and short sales. That’s a business unto itself — they needed our talent for a short time. We are expendable.

Please pay attention to people who want to buy or sell a home and those of us who represent and serve them.

If we fail to treat our customers, clients, and fellow industry survivors with the respect and customer service they deserve, we, too, are doomed to scratch for every financial scrap. It’s not a pretty sight.

My job is to represent my client and put their interests first. That includes tapping into my history with various service providers. My responsibility and privilege is to help my client have the best possible drama-free transaction. This can’t happen when the title company doesn’t care.

Title companies, please re-visit your customer service policy.

• Keep the real estate agent informed. We don’t want to be the last to know.
• Don’t give us ANOTHER website to maneuver — quick email updates are great.
• Focus on your file before you repeatedly ask us to send the same information.
• Have your front desk person extract information from the contract and fill in the blanks on those annoying forms you send us to complete (even though we’ve already delivered that information to you!) Seriously, we hate duplicating tasks.
• Contact the Seller for Social Security information when we ask you to—we don’t need and don’t want that information for our files.
• Take or return our calls or at least acknowledge us by email. The more you avoid us, the more we will call you!

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