While ALL real estate title companies work with commercial, land and home Buyers / Sellers, there are few that specialize in working with those who have chosen to sell as For Sale By Owner.“For sale by owner” (FSBO) is a can be a person, group or entity that is offering a property for sale directly by the owner rather than through the services of a Real Estate Agent, Real estate Broker or Realtor.
Gateway Title Agency located in Brecksville Ohio (Northeast Ohio) is a woman owned family business and an advocate for the For Sale By Owner clientele. They even offer a starter kit, Seller net sheet and educational classes to the For Sale by Owner free of charge! For those who are interested, their next class will be offered Saturday morning, February 4th, 2023 from 10:00am to 11:30am. A little background on the Owner – Rachel Torchia has been in the title industry since 1983. She opened Gateway Title Agency 30 years ago, in 1993, to service the growing need for a title company focused on those who prefer to sell as a For Sale By Owner. Her husband Michael is a highly respected, retired real estate Broker and assists with closings and more. Many of Gateway Title Agency’s clients opt to enhance their For Sale By Owner marketing exposure by utilizing an Ohio Flat Fee MLS Listing Option, offered by Ohio Broker Direct.
While many title companies have glossy, professionally embellished websites, form ABA’s and spend thousands of dollars on advertising in an effort to cultivate business via the Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Broker, Realtor – Gateway Title Agency prefers to focus on the For Sale By Owner Client, and the vast majority of their business consists of referrals from previous clients and customers. Gateway Title Agency takes the time to answer all questions throughout the entire process from the time the Seller puts their home on the market through closing, whereas most traditional real estate title companies have no communication with the Seller until the property is actually in contract.
Associates Title, Inc located in Canal Winchester Ohio (Central Ohio) is more of a hybrid real estate company per se’, a combination of services with a focus on both the For Sale By Owner clientele as well as Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Broker and Realtor driven business. Patrick Craycraft and Ryan Phillips founded this company in 2008 and is licensed in 22 states. Both Patrick and Ryan have extensive experience in the industry and personally answer questions from For Sale By Owner clients from the time they place their home on market through closing. While Associate Title, Inc is more than willing to prepare by hand and email the Seller a net sheet, their website features an online calculator. A Seller net sheet breaks down the Seller’s transaction costs. This is a valuable resource when determining a list price or negotiating a purchase contract with terms and conditions that have met the Sellers expectations. Many of Associate Title, Incs clients opt to enhance their For Sale By Owner marketing exposure by utilizing an Ohio Flat Fee MLS Listing Option offered by Ohio Broker Direct.
Most real estate title companies offer closings in their office as well as mobile closing services or virtual closings as permissible by lender regulations, local and state law. I will revisit these options in greater detail in another bog.
Many of the For Sale By Owner Sellers that have utilized one of the Ohio Broker Direct’s Flat Fee MLS Listing options have selected Gateway Title Agency, Associates Title, inc and others to facilitate all aspects of escrow, title and settlement. In the interest of full disclosure, the author of this blog has an affiliated business arrangement with Ohio Real Title, which offers an array of services and primarily caters to Real Estate Agents, Real Estate Brokers and Realtors and their clientele. Ohio Broker Direct, its Brokers and associates advocate for consumer choice; the choice of a real estate title company must be agreed to by both the Seller and Buyer.
ALL real estate title companies must operate in compliance with the RESPA (Real Estate Sales and Procedures Act) which was created in 1974. It is a federal law that provides home Buyers and Sellers with important protections. While the law itself is in an extensive read, it has two primary purposes: (1) to mandate certain disclosures in connection with the real estate settlement process so Buyers and Sellers can make informed decisions regarding their real estate transactions; and (2) to prohibit certain unlawful practices by real estate settlement providers, such as kickbacks and referral fees, that can drive up settlement costs for Buyers and Sellers. RESPA will be discussed in greater detail in another blog.
Respectfully,
Joan Elflein, Broker / Ohio Broker Direct
Ohio Broker Direct & its Brokers or Associates assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in this blog, we advise all participants in buying or selling real estate to enlist the services of a Real Estate Attorney.
