First fix and flip...what do you typically look for in a good title company?

Question

I recently started a real-estate business with two partners and friends. This being our first fix and flip we have a pretty good knowledge of all the nuances that goes into it. As we are in the midst of the rehab we are listing it on the market at the beginning of '26. My question is what are typical things you look for in a "good" title company? I've always just known to go with one that gets recommended by a realtor. However I never thought about what makes a good title company with a bad one. Any tips and suggestions would be helpful.

Also any other investors/flippers in my area. Would love to meet and just share some experiences and expand our network.

Thank you in advance.

Also any other investors/flippers in my area. Would love to meet and just share some experiences and expand our network.

Thank you in advance.

Jay Hinrichs · Answer

well in PDX you have very robust competition among title and escrow and keep in mind title and escrow are handled completely different in many states that what you get in OR and WA.

in OR the title insurer is also the escrow company.. so for instance  Fidelity insurance also has a stand alone office and the escrow officers are employees of Fidelity.. They also have their own title plants ( most off shore these days).

Compared to other states that are attoreny closing states.. The attornies are the escrow officers and they write insurance for insurance companies with some writing insurance for more than one  say FAtco  fidelity and many others..

In Oregon their is an attorney but usually only one or two and they are at corporate headquarters and only handle things at a different level never with vanilla closings like in other states.

The other prominent thing that is a big help in Or.. is the Customer service .. You wont find this in many other markets.. A dedicated Customer service agent in each company that will do development work for you run plats for you etc..Its incredible the amount of work they will do that comes along with the service .. Now to be fair not everyone is going to get the same level of service I get everything for free for all my subdivision work we do.. But the general public or one off investors starting out like yourself can call the customer service line and ask for a TRIO a Trio is a copy of the last recorded deed a copy of the assessors tax page and a plat map.. they will have it to you with in 2 to 3 minutes via e mail generally its just a couple of clicks for you..

But it really boils down to which escrow officer you want to work with I have worked with many and there are not any I would say I would not work with.. But I do have my go to EO and they are worth being loyal to same with customer service agent.. My Customer service agent will bring docs to my house if I cant get to the office . etc etc. Also when I travel if I need a notary they will contact a sister company and schedule a courtesy signing for me so I dont have to pay for mobile notary.

So bottom line find an escrow officer you like and be loyal. U can ping me for recommendations. Also keep in mind Seller 90% of the time chooses what title and escrow company to use.. And unlike other states that will have the buyer and seller each have their own attorney  one escrow officer handles both buyer and seller.

James Jones · Answer

A good title company can make or break your flip. Most new investors don’t realize how much of the timeline, paperwork, and headache lives behind the scenes with the title team, especially when you’re juggling lenders, contractors, draws, and your resale on the back end.

Here’s what I look for after doing this a long time:

1. Investor experience.
If they don’t handle assignments, double closes, hard money loans, or LLC transfers regularly, they’re not investor-friendly. Retail title companies slow you down.

2. Speed and communication.
You want same-day responses, fast title pulls, and a closer who actually picks up the phone. Delays kill margins on flips.

3. Comfort with creative/complex deals.
Subject-to, novations, LLC-to-LLC transfers, cross-collateralization, even if you’re not doing these yet, you want a title company that can. It saves you later.

4. They understand hard money requirements.
Draw schedules, lender endorsements, wiring instructions, a rookie title company will fumble this and push closings back.

5. They know your market.
Local comps matter for the HUD. Local quirks matter for clearing title. Out-of-area companies sometimes miss little issues that blow up later.

If you get these five pieces right, your closings become smooth and predictable, which is half the battle in a fix and flip.

Crystal Smith · Answer

We will only use Title Companies that are comfortable closing with mobile notaries. This use to be an oddity but most companies can now do this.

If closing in my market we use Investors Title company.  As the name suggests the company is friendly to Investors & we get better rates. They are linked to Old Republic.  Same contact person for every deal & they understand how we work.

Have no problems with double closings. While this may not be an issue for most fix and flips we have worked on a few where we purchased subject to or with owner financing, renovated, then sold the property, which required a double closing.  There are some title companies that will not do back to back closings.

Erik Estrada · Answer

On the lending side, a good title company picks up the phone! I find that the best ones are usually family owned, smaller scale... There are larger ones such as Chicago and Fidelity, but it is a hit or miss depending on your title rep...

They are also very timely and set the bar straight when it comes to turn times on orders and new requests.. Some of them accept the order, ghost, don't pick up the phone, and send you an encrypted email weeks later.. These ones suck and I refuse to do business with them. If I have no other choice, I let the client know about my previous dealings and set the expectation..

Michael Nguyen · Answer

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and thorough response! This community is truly unmatched.

Scott Chilton · Answer

Great question, Michael. Picking the right title company can make or break a flip, so it’s worth thinking about beyond just a realtor recommendation. I look for a few key things:

First, communication. You want a company that keeps you updated, flags any liens or title issues early, and explains the process clearly. Delays or surprises can cost you money fast.

Second, speed and efficiency. Some companies are slow with searches or paperwork, which can push your closing back. A title team that moves quickly keeps your project on track.

Third, experience with investor deals. Companies familiar with LLCs, hard money, and short timelines are much easier to work with than ones used only to traditional home sales.

Finding a reliable title company now saves stress and helps as you scale. Once you have a good team, you can lean on them for future flips and build local connections that make the whole process smoother.

Jeff S. · Answer

@Crystal Smith wrote:

“We will only use Title Companies that are comfortable closing with mobile notaries. This use to be an oddity but most companies can now do this.”

Respectfully, I disagree with this advice.  Especially when you can use an employee of a title company to notarize the buyer/borrower’s signatures.  Most mobile notaries have few assets and only a minimal bond.  With the all-too-common borrower fraud and lien fraud now, it’s difficult to go after any independent notary for “unintentional” errors.  The same is true for the independent escrow companies that often have a notary on staff, which is common here in Southern California.  We’ve had issues with fake notaries and lien fraud.

All the title attorneys we know recommend that lender’s instructions require all signatures be notarized by an employee of the title company.  This should automatically happen if your escrow company is owned by the title company or if you use a closing attorney.  In those areas where these are separate entities, such as Southern California, you must be careful.

Don’t give title a reason to deny a claim.

In either case, using an independent mobile notary can be dangerous but is easily avoided (if you can get your buyer/borrower to drive to the office).

There is a great, downloadable article on this entitled, “Lender Beware, The Traps and Tricks of “Borrower” Fraud, Forgery, and Identity Theft in Real Property Lending,” in the Fall 2024 issue of Points of Interest Magazine, published by the California Mortgage Association.  Here is a link: https://www.californiamortgageassociation.org/points-of-interest/

Peter Mckernan · Answer

Some things that make a title company good are ones that have the ability to clear issues on the title and are going to insure the issues that might come up down the road are taken care of without you having to be on the hook. There are issues that you never really think of that title companies will take on down the road that could cost you thousand and hundred of thousand of dollars. The next thing is making sure you are working with a good rep too. Making sure the rep from that title company is responsive, has experience looking through the property profile to catch anything you might not see and giving you the right advice on what is going on with that property.

Wendy Patton · Answer

@James Jones well said - I own a title company in MI and totally agree with you on these points. I will also add there are some title companies who handle investors but they are sloppy and quick to close a deal.  They often miss things and end up with lots of title claims and issues.  So, getting the balance between fast and thorough is so important also.  You don't want title issues down the road.  To find a good title company ask some seasoned and successful investors...not the sloppy investors who are cool with the sloppy title companies.

Michael Nguyen · Answer

Thank you!

First fix and flip...what do you typically look for in a good title company?

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