Finding Your Niche In a Commodity World . . .
Posted December 21, 2019 in Real Estate Trends
2020 will no doubt see a continuation of the trend where local businesses sell out to bigger competitors. “Mom and Pop” local businesses, where you can talk to the owner and let them know if you are happy or unhappy about their service, or ask for assistance when needed, are harder and harder to find. On the eve of a new decade, I hope you’ll consider whether the “bigger is better” trend is a good one, and how your choices can determine whether local businesses thrive or go away.
I’m not an unbiased commentator. Clark County Title is a locally-owned, independent title company. What does that mean? We’re not a branch office of a Fortune 500 corporation with our eye on the next quarterly earnings estimate, and with directives coming down through multiple levels of executives and regional managers. We’re family-owned, with the authority to make decisions for the benefit of our customers, right here in Vancouver. And don’t conclude from that local ownership that we don’t have the resources to make it right or pay claims if something goes wrong in a transaction: we’re backed by the largest title insurance companies in the country. You’re protected by our underwriters’ strong financial backing.
To me, that’s the best of both worlds. You get the personal attention you need to make sure you’re not just a number in someone’s computer, and get the help you need when something is a little bit tricky in your real estate sale, purchase or refinance. But, you still get the protection you need from an insurance policy backed by a big company.
The best Realtors and lenders recognize that title insurance and escrow are not commodities, in the sense that “all title companies are the same.” Instead, they realize that experience, expertise, and effort combine to create a better real estate transaction—and that’s our niche: serving customers who know that, among title companies, “Service is the Difference.”
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Scott Hogan
Clark County Title
Scott@ClarkCountyTitle.com360-694-4722
1400 Washington St, Ste. 100
Vancouver, WA360-787-9197
3200 SE 164th Avenue, Ste. 219
Vancouver, WA 98683