Real estate professionals face a lot of pressure on a daily basis. There are a lot of expectations coming from every angle — the buyer, the seller, the lender, the real estate agent are all counting on title agents and real estate attorneys to perform important searches and fix title issues.
Title work can sometimes be difficult and monotonous, but that doesn’t mean that title professionals are boring. We’ve put together some GIFs to prove it.
Here are 13 totally relatable GIFs that every settlement agent can understand and hopefully will make you laugh:
1. Dodging wire fraud attempts like a superhero
Wire fraud and cybersecurity are on the minds of all title agents and real estate agents. Cybercriminals are notoriously sneaky and some of those tricks can be difficult to detect.
It’s not enough for your company to follow the best practices to prevent and cope with cyber attacks, you’ll also want to be sure you’re working with other professionals who implement these measures.
2. Waiting on the lender’s audit
Trying to capture new business from a large lender is no small task. But there’s no need to fret. Follow these great tips on how to prepare for a lender audit and you and your company will have a clear roadmap for presenting a compelling proposal.
3. Trying to reach a human, any human, at a community association
We all know how difficult it can be to retrieve HOA and other community association information required for the closing. Getting in touch with some self-managed communities to gather those documents is like pulling teeth.
If you and your title company are sick of getting the runaround, check out our cheat sheet to help you decide if our association estoppel service is right for you.
4. When the Closing Contract doesn’t include a search for unrecorded municipal debt
When municipal debt related to utilities, special assessments, code violations and other issues like open permits aren’t written into the closing contract as a requirement for title insurance, that means that the new homeowner will be on the hook for any issues they inherit.
This search can be a vital part of real estate due diligence, so make sure that everyone involved in the transaction understands how it can impact the closing and the homebuyer.
5. That feeling you get when a homebuyer didn’t get a title search on a cash deal
You know lenders require title insurance for a closing, but many people aren’t aware of how title insurance helps the buyer. This video from ALTA is a great example of how the average person is oblivious to what title insurance exactly is.
Title insurance isn’t required for a cash deal, but buyers should be aware of how important it is. Educating buyers on the common types of title defects and how settlement agents work to resolve these issues is an ongoing battle. We write blogs to help in that fight.
6. When you hear a homebuyer didn’t get association information in writing
Another issue we see in this industry is homebuyers closing on a property at an HOA auction without performing proper real estate due diligence. In addition to not getting a title search, we hear about some buyers who don’t realize they need condo and homeowner’s association information in writing in order for it to be binding.
Fortunately in Florida, there are laws that regulate community association fees and time frame for delivering this information.
7. When a closing gets moved up and it’s the end of the month
There are lots of moving pieces to track during the title search. Moving up the closing date unexpectedly can make it difficult to get the buyer their title commitment in time. Here are some tips to help improve communications between realtors, lenders, and title companies.
8. Spotting an email phishing attempt like a pro
Earlier this summer, eight people were arrested for a real estate wire fraud scheme. The scheme involved hacking a Memphis-based real estate company’s servers and email systems. From there, they created bogus email accounts instructing buyers to wire money into their fake bank accounts.
Be sure that ongoing education of your staff, other real estate professionals, and homebuyers are also a part of your business plan to prevent and recover from digital scammers.
9. Finding an expired mechanic’s lien on a property
Nearly one in every three real estate transactions requires “extraordinary work” to address title issues according to title companies. Mechanic liens are a small problem that can require a lot of work.
A mechanic’s lien is one of the most common title defects found on properties. Even when this lien expires or is paid in full, the contractor may fail to file a satisfaction in the public record. Tracking down the right company or individual required to file this document properly can be time-consuming and cause a delay in the closing.
10. That feeling of desperation setting in while you’re trying to avoid quiet title
Title curative work can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be stress-inducing. Especially when you keep hitting a brick wall trying to find important documents like mortgage assignments and satisfactions missing from a property’s record. Sometimes quiet title is the only solution, but it’s expensive and you want to avoid it at all costs.
Our title curative specialists help to alleviate the stress when you’re facing some of the most stubborn cases.
11. When the contract cancels and the deal falls through
After all that work tracking down the public records, unrecorded municipal information, association estoppel and other requirements on the title commitment, there’s no worse feeling when the deal just doesn’t close.
All that hope and joy are dashed, and it’s on to the next title search.
12. When you get the clear to close
This is the best feeling for everyone involved in the real estate transaction. Being cleared to close means everyone is #winning, helping one more client achieve their goals and protect their property rights.
13. Remembering you have to follow up with post-closing duties
A settlement agent’s job isn’t done after the closing. In order to avoid issues like #10, title companies need to follow up. Confirming that all subsequent recordings of instruments listed in the title commitment is not only imperative to make sure the property’s title remains clear, it’s also a required part of the policy.
But we know how busy you are, 41% of settlement agents reported they use methods like setting a calendar reminder or simply follow up when they remember. That means this task can sneak up on title agents.
Payoff Tracking helps alleviate the stress of post-closing due diligence and gives agents the ability to focus on current closings.
Is there a GIF you would add to this list? Check out GIPHY for some inspiration. Share a link to your favorite in the comments below! 
