Title Insurance Survey in Orange County Uncovers Realtors' Views on Their Title Companies' Service and Performance, Online Services and Selection Habits

July 17, 2002

RICHFIELD, Ohio, /PRNewswire/ -- As part of The Title Report's National Realtor Survey for title companies, the research team polled 100 top- selling real estate agents in Orange County. Other California markets now being surveyed include Los Angeles/Long Beach, Riverside/San Bernardino, San Diego and San Francisco/Oakland.

In Orange County, 36% of all Realtors surveyed said they transact business online with their primary title company. The research team was somewhat surprised at how many Realtors in Orange County take advantage of online services available through their title companies. In particular, the survey indicates, through other questioning, that Realtors are reluctant to give up personalized communication with their title companies and clients, however they are embracing electronic communication with their title provider.

"This possibly indicates that Realtors in Orange County are beginning to separate personalized, custom service with using technology to speed up the process," said Renee Becker, National Realtor Survey project manager. "Our study shows that Realtors in Orange County have less adversity with technology as opposed to other markets," she added.

However, only 25% of Realtors in Orange County said it is very important that their title company be able to handle most of the transaction online. Twenty-nine percent said it is somewhat important, 20% said it is not very important and 26% said it is not important at all. The answers are much different when the surveyors asked Realtors how important this would be in the next few years -- the majority said it would be very important.

The Orange County Edition of the National Realtor Survey contains over a dozen data points on Realtor satisfaction of the products and services offered by their primary title company. In Orange County, Realtors gave performance reviews for the following companies:

  • American
  • Bridgespan
  • California Counties
  • Chicago
  • Commonwealth
  • Fidelity National
  • First American
  • Gateway
  • Landwood
  • Lawyer's
  • North American
  • Old Republic
  • Orange Coast
  • South Coast
  • Southland
  • Stewart
  • United

Realtors rated their primary title companies on the following factors: Overall performance, turnaround time, responsiveness to requests, problem solving, error-free work, closing on time and pricing. In the large-share results of the error-free work category, Lawyer's and Fidelity National rated among the best, while customers of Southland and North American Title rated them near the bottom in this category.

Source: October Research Corporation


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