Title Companies by City

Title insurance is like most other insurance – you hardly ever need to use it, but when you do it saves you money, and in this case – it can save your house and your financial investment.

The title insurance policy provides financial protection against title defects in the case that they show up later by defending against any attack on title. Depending on the problem the title insurance policy will either perfect the title or pay valid claims.

So now, how do you choose the right title company? First, you as the buyer or borrower have the right to choose your title insurance company. The decision is not up to the seller, real estate agent or bank.

Company: There are many “in house” or “joint venture” title companies that work exclusively with 1 real estate company, one lender or one home builder. While this obviously leads to higher efficiency within the parent company, it also creates the opportunity for charging higher prices. Often you will pay higher fees to such an entity.

Services: Closing on your home at a convenient time for you? E-Recording? The importance of these items is easy to explain. 1- Convenience to you; 2- Electronic Recording guarantees that your deed will be recorded right away as to avoid any potential discrepancies or potential fraud by past owners.

Fees: Title insurance fees in most states are regulated by the Department of Insurance. However, ancillary fees charged by title companies often can create a significant difference from one company to the next. In addition to title and endorsement fees, there are recording, reconveyance, release tracking, courier, overnight delivery fees, wire fees, electronic document fees, mobile notary fees, document prep fees, etc. Additional work fees are also not uncommon. Shopping around can save you anywhere from $200 to $1,000 in ancillary fees depending on the County the transaction is in.

Communication: One of the biggest issues in the industry is lack of communication. In a business that requires communication, many people are poor at communicating. How does your escrow officer or title agent communicate? Phone, email, face to face, text, fax, or all the above? It doesn’t really help to have an escrow officer that only communicates via phone if you prefer email or even text.