Best Kept Secret Closing Services

05/29/2023

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸

04/24/2023

Are you a new agent trying to navigate the market, build your business, and manage your home life? Don’t let a title question get you off balance! I am happy to be a resource to answer title questions or find the answer if I don’t have it already. I have worked on hundreds of transactions and seen plenty of strange curatives. In my career, there has only ever been one☝🏻 curative I wasn’t able to clear, and it wasn’t because I couldn’t but because the seller chose not to take on the cost.

When you’re still learning, don’t let title scare you. Contact me and I’ll make sure title is the least of your worries.

04/20/2023

You read that right! Always get title insurance. I’ve cleared contractor’s liens, municipal liens, nuisance liens, ghost mortgages, probate requirements, and the list goes on. There is a long list of clouds, as we call them, that can affect property title. Don’t be surprised, especially without title insurance. I’d love to work with you!

Ramsey offers some important advice.

04/17/2023

Closing Disclosure (CD), ALTA, HUD. It’s a lot of acronyms with often little explanation. I will go line by line through the pre-disclosures before your clients are at the signing table. I want everyone to feel confident and comfortable by the time they’re putting what feels like 100 signatures on 500 pages of documents (okay it’s more like 50 signatures on 100 pages but that stack looks huge!).

Call or email me today for a quote that I will also go over line by line.

04/13/2023

Did you know that in Florida, all resales are eligible for a reissue rate discount if the sale is within 3 years of the purchase date and the borrower can provide their original Owner’s Policy? I’m finding out that a lot of agents don’t! Your seller can’t find their policy? I’ll do everything I can to contact the previous title company to get a copy; their information should be on the recorded deed.

What is a reissue rate? It’s a discount on the title insurance premium. Standard rates in Florida are $5.75 per $1k up to $100k; $5.00 per $1k from $100k - $1 million. Reissue rates are $3.30 and $3.00 respectively. That usually equates to a big discount on title insurance!

Since title companies make most of our revenue from a percent of the title insurance, many companies are hesitant to share this or make it seem like a special discount they’re offering your client for using them again. It’s not! It’s a statutory discount that any title company can offer. If I see your clients’ deed was recorded within 3 years of their sale date, I always ask!

04/04/2023

As the Gulf warms up, so does the market! As a real estate agent, you understand that buying or selling property comes with unique challenges. From complex legal processes to the intricacies of title insurance, every detail matters when it comes to a successful transaction. That’s where Best Kept Secret Closing Services can help.

I offer expert title services that are tailored to meet the needs of real estate agents and their clients. With access to a network of agents in 20 locations, there is no need too small or too big for Best Kept Secret Closing Services. I have a deep understanding of the complexities of closings, and I work hard to ensure that every transaction I handle is completed seamlessly and efficiently.

I know that you have a choice when it comes to selecting a title agency. That’s why I’m committed to providing you with exceptional service and support every step of the way, including weekly check ins on all your transactions even if there are no changes. When you partner with me, you can rest assured that your clients’ transactions are in the hands of someone that understands.

My range of services includes title searches, title insurance, document preparation, closing services, remote online notary signings where allowed, and personalized white glove service. I use the latest technology and tools to ensure that every transaction I handle is completed accurately and efficiently. I pride myself on attention to detail and my commitment to providing clients with the highest level of service and support.

Partnering with Best Kept Secret Closing Services means gaining a trusted partner who can help you navigate the complexities of each transaction. I’m dedicated to making the buying and selling process as smooth and stress-free as possible for you and your clients. Let me help you take your business to the next level!

Contact me today to learn more about title services and how I can help you reach your business goals.

01/17/2023

I’ve got another anecdote for you. A family friend purchased a home. Not long after moving in, they were served with an eviction notice! In a rightful panic, they discovered that the previous owner had not been paying the property taxes and the property had gone to tax auction. The person who purchased it at auction started the eviction process.

My first reaction is how did title not catch this? Property taxes are the one requirement that every property in the country has. Well, they did catch it. They had collected the taxes, mailed them to the county…but the county never cashed the check. Personally, that’s unacceptable. I would have contacted the tax collector’s office during the pre-closing process to let them know the property is selling and the taxes will be paid as a condition of sale. That may not stop their clock from ticking, but in my experience they will notate the property and be on alert for the payment. Then, I would have hand delivered that check after closing and confirmed there that the auction process would be stopped. I’ve actually done exactly that before.

The good news is that my family friends weren’t on the hook for anything, the title insurance company was. I don’t know the details of the resolution, other than they continued to live in the home until they relocated again. The auction buyer would have had to be reimbursed somehow; probably by the county, maybe by the title insurance underwriter.

I would love the opportunity to treat your clients’ closing like a family friend, with personal service, a minimum of weekly communication and a convenient signing location of their choice.

[email protected]
(813) 521-7848

Take a look at how examples of how title insurance protects your largest financial investment. For over a century title professionals have worked to ensure t...

01/01/2023

Make 2023 a year to step your business up to the next level. I would love to help you by providing your clients with regular updates on their closing, more signing options for busy families, and my personal touch on every file!

12/25/2022

Merry Christmas to all! Once all the holiday craze is over, I would love to help you with your title needs. Make 2023 a year of improving service! 🎄🎄

12/06/2022

I’ve been asked many times in my career what the point of title insurance is. A lot of people get to the closing table with little understanding of what these line items mean and what their closing costs are paying for. It’s my goal to change that. I strive to be the title agent that answers all your clients’ questions and makes them feel comfortable with every document they sign.

Title insurance is one of those things that seems silly until you need it. The work we do to provide clear title is important in making sure that you take the keys to your new home with confidence. My favorite example is the ghost mortgage: a couple considered refinancing at one point but changed their mind during the three-day recision period. However, the mortgage had somehow been recorded in the public records making it appear that there were TWO mortgages on the property! I spent several months post-closing making sure the mortgage company recorded a release on that second ghost mortgage (I say ghost because I first had to fight with the lender for weeks for them to even acknowledge the error, as far as they were concerned, this mortgage didn’t exist). If I had not done my due diligence, the next title company would have had to clear that mortgage if/when the property was sold again. Can you imagine how hard that would of been without knowing anything about the previous owners? And if the lender had come collecting on that mortgage, the title insurance policy would have covered the new owners.

You never know what might pop up on a title search! In Florida, the most common thing we see is paid contractors that forgot or failed to release their notice of commencement, which is a lien contractors record against your property to ensure full payment.

With a minimum of weekly status check ins, I strive to not only clear your title but keep you informed on what I’m doing.

In an update to its Selling Guide, Fannie Mae aligned its policy with Freddie Mac and now will accept written attorney opinion letters in lieu of a title insurance policy “in limited circumstances.” ALTA continues to engage with the Government Sponsored Entities and lending partners on the vi...