• A single, centralized source, giving you easy access to a full range of settlement and escrow services. No need to rely on multiple companies or resources.
• Experience and professionalism. Our company is built on expertise. We know what we're doing, so you can count on completing your transaction quickly and accurately every time.
• True security. We are fully bonded and insured and operate with strong financial backing.
• Nationwide convenience. We have the experience and know-how to offer a full spectrum of escrow services in every state. The company you trust locally is your ideal resource anywhere in the U.S. - even in Spanish-speaking markets.
• Unsurpassed integrity and service. It's the foundation of our business. You're going to love how we take care of you!

Escrow is a means of protecting funds and documents during a transaction. Escrow enables the buyer and the seller to conduct business with each other through a neutral party, thereby minimizing their risk. All parties involved give their instructions to this neutral intermediary, whose duty it is to ensure that no funds or property will change hands until all instructions have been carried to completion.

Most contracts that involve transferring, leasing, or financing real or personal property can be placed in escrow. You may use escrow not only when you buy or sell a home, but also when you sell a business or transfer stock in a closely held business.

As a buyer or seller, you want assurance that no funds or property will change hands until all of your instructions are followed. With the increasing complexity of business, law, and tax structures, it takes a trained professional to supervise the transaction.

The escrow officer is a trained and experienced professional who can help you close your transaction quickly and effectively. This professional person may, under the terms of the instructions, make the decision that the conditions of escrow have been met, and then order the transfer of the affected real or personal property to the interested parties.

If the transaction is contingent upon a new loan, it is the buyer's responsibility to arrange this loan. The buyer's real estate agent can find the right lender and financial terms.

To be fully prepared when entering a transaction, the seller should have sufficient ownership information available. This would include data on loans, taxes, insurance, and, if appropriate, rental information. Much of this information is on such documents as your original deed or title policy, fire insurance policy, and year-end statement from your existing lender. A copy of the most recent structural pest control report may be helpful, or in some cases even required, in a real estate transaction.

When the escrow instructions are finished, read them carefully to make sure they are complete and properly reflect your agreement. If you have any questions or corrections, discuss them with the escrow holder before signing. Once the instructions have been signed, they become the roadmap for proceeding with escrow.

An escrow officer is not a legal counselor and cannot give you advice. The purpose of escrow is to take and comply with instructions that reflect the mutual agreement between the principals. In the event of a disagreement between the parties, the escrow officer must remain neutral until agreement is reached. Negotiation should not take place in the escrow office, nor should an escrow officer become involved in the negotiation.

If you have conducted negotiations through a real estate agent, that person, or his/her broker, should be your primary consultant. The role as an independent agent prohibits the escrow officer from answering many of your questions. However, a knowledgeable escrow officer, whose responsibility is giving impartial service to all the parties, will refer you to the proper source for your answers. An escrow officer will often suggest that the customer seek the advice of legal counsel or a tax consultant.

When instructions from all parties are complete, it's time for closing. All outstanding funds are collected and all costs paid. Title to the property, whether real or personal, will then be transferred. All specified documents are recorded or filed at this time.

Many factors dictate the fees and charges due at closing, such as type of transaction and the terms of your agreement. However, there are certain charges which are considered standard with every type of transaction. These include fees charged by a lender in connection with obtaining a new loan or in paying off the old one. They may also include recording fees, title insurance policy premium, documentary transfer taxes, prepaid taxes, and insurance and escrow fees. Your escrow officer will provide you with an itemized statement. Your closing funds should be in the form of a wire transfer or a cashier's check made payable to the escrow holder in the amount requested. Do not bring a personal check to close a transaction.

Upon closing, review the closing statement to determine that the costs were allocated in accordance with your instructions. It normally takes a period of time after closing before you receive by mail any final documents to which you are entitled. Frequently, these documents will come to you directly from the office of the recorder or the Secretary of State in the case of personal property filing.

Is my deposit refundable? Who pays the fees? When a transaction fails to close, the parties must reach a cancellation agreement. This must be in written form, just as your contract was. Since the deposit is part of the escrow contract, both the buyer and the seller must mutually agree to its disposition. Instructions for the disposition of this deposit should include, among other things, provisions for paying charges incurred during the escrow. This would include fees and costs incurred by the escrow holder, as well as loan processing and title insurance fees as specified in the escrow instructions.