Watson Title Services of St. Augustine, Inc. is located at 3175-3 A1A South in St. Augustine.
HOW LONG HAS COMPANY BEEN OPEN?
Since November.
WHAT DOES THE COMPANY DO?
Title insurance and closings.
WHO RUNS THE OFFICE?
Deb Brunner is the president. She runs the office, does closings and make sure everyone in the office does what they are supposed to do. Brunner ran Associated Land Title for four years before leaving to help open Watson Title.
WHO OWNS THE OFFICE?
Keith Watson, owner and president of Watson & Osborne, and Bill Watson, owner and president of Watson Realty, own Watson Title Services of St. Augustine, Inc. “We are part of Watson & Osborne out of Jacksonville. “
SEPARATE BUT TOGETHER?
Even though the company is affiliated with Watson Realty, they want to draw other business from other companies. “We are waiting to get a 75 percent capture rate of all of the Watson Realty business in St. Augustine. We get some outside business from banks and stuff. We are in the Watson family, but we are trying to stay a separate entity.” Brunner said since they are located next to the Watson Realty office, many Realtors in other companies feel uncomfortable bringing their clients into the office. She said that for those who still want to close with them, they would gladly do remote closings. “I feel like our professional services and the way we handle things makes everything as easy as possible.”
WHO’S IN THE OFFICE?
Erika Motes is the receptionist/post-closer, Jessica Lacaze is the escrow officer and Cory Hannan is the director of marketing.
DO YOU WANT TO GROW THE OFFICE?
Brunner said she would like to add three more people in the next year and a half.
INTERESTING FACTS
“There is something that a lot of people don’t know is that with title insurance if the person who buys the home holds onto their title policy and they sell the house within three years of the date on the policy, they can a reissue rate for their insurance when they sell the house. Anything over three years, we can’t give a reissue credit to them.”
WHERE DID SHE GET MOST OF HER STAFF?
When she left Associated Land Title, she had a couple of people who wanted to come with her and help her staff the new office.
HOW DOES EVERYONE GET ALONG?
“Great. We are just like one happy little family.”
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE CLOSING PROCESS?
“I would say the most difficult part of the closing is the wait. Just the anxiety of waiting to get those properties closed.”
WHAT CAN THE REALTORS DO TO MAKE IT EASIER ON THEM?
“Work with the client and make sure they stay informed. Make sure everyone knows what’s going on in the whole loop.”
HOW ARE REALTORS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
“Extremely, 100 percent. Most of all, what I have found in my time in the title insurance business is that a lot of them becomes friends. To me that means a lot. Everyone that I have come in contact with, I make a relationship with and actually become friends first.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
The people in the office are involved in the St. Augustine/St. Johns County Board of Realtors, the St. Augustine Women’s Council of Realtors, and the Betty Griffin House.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR OFFICE?
“We are such a close knit group. We get along so well. We have the right mix, which helps.”
HOW DO YOU SPEED UP THE MOUND OF PAPERWORK PROCESS AT THE CLOSING?
“You talk fast. I’ve found that you need to stay in control over what is going on between the buyers, sellers, real estate agents and whoever else is sitting here. If you lose control in your closing, you are doomed. You need to make sure you are in control so you know what is going where and what is being signed. At the end you give the seller their check, the buyer gets their keys, the Realtor gets their commission check and everyone is happy.”
- by Michele Newbern Gillis