ABOUT SOUTHERN TITLE SERVICES
Southern Title Services distinguishes itself through responsiveness, convenience, and superior service delivery. We continuously focus on eliminating last-minute delays and saving you money by leveraging our extensive network and comprehensive offering of settlement services. Through a commitment to a set of processes, values, and operational innovations, we focus on building trust with our customer base.
Our efficient processing, express delivery, and experienced associates ensure an on-time, successful closing every time.
Why Southern Title Services
Traditionally, settlement service providers focus on the product they issue and overlook the importance of closing the transaction.
At Southern Title Services, we continuously strive to simplify your closing process by focusing on the people involved, including the needs of Buyers, Sellers, Brokers, Lenders, and Asset Managers. And by committing ourselves to the fundamental goal of closing the transaction.
Schedule An Appointment
Contact our title company in Lutz, FL, to schedule an appointment. Call us at (813) 963-3988.
Meet Our Team
Grace Payne President
Grace has owned and operated Southern Title Services of Tampa Bay since 2003. Grace Payne has over 15 years of banking and lending experience in addition to the 20+ years in the title insurance industry. Grace is a licensed title insurance agent for the State of Florida. Grace has been providing superior customer service for over 35 years and enjoys working with clients to assist them in the home buying and selling process. Her expertise and dedication are second to none. Grace handles every transaction with the utmost of efficiency and professionalism. Grace holds herself and her company to the highest legal and ethical behavior necessary in the title insurance industry while providing premier service to her clients.
Brittany Collins Senior Processor/Closer
Brittany is a highly experienced and dedicated member of our team, bringing over 17 years of valuable lending, banking, and Title experience to the table. Her passion for exceptional customer service is evident in every interaction she has with clients. Her commitment to professionalism is unwavering, and she takes great pleasure in connecting with the communities she serves. Brittany is always eager to attend and lead events, donate to local charities, and volunteer her time to help those in need. Her infectious enthusiasm and passion for her work make her the perfect ally for all our Real Estate Partners and Client’s needs.
Lauren Roberts Receptionist/Processor
Lauren is receptionist/processor at Southern Title Services. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the customer service industry. Her skills and attention to detail make her a real asset to the office and our clients. Lauren greets everyone with a smile on her face and eagerness to assist them in whatever they need. Lauren lives and breathes the sense of urgency necessary in the title business. Her work demonstrates that she understands the proper legal and ethical requirements of the title insurance industry. She does all of this while providing superior service to our clients.
FAQ
Southern Title Services provides you with the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Title Insurance, Home Buying, and Home Selling.
After you make the decision to buy a home, you'll want to plan a budget and contact a real estate agent to guide you through the entire process. You'll also need to research and compare available lenders to finance your home beyond your down payment. Your real estate professional will likely be able to suggest prospective lenders if you need assistance in choosing one. A lender will pre-qualify you for a loan in the amount it determines you to be able to afford so that sellers will consider you a serious and capable buyer. Once you're pre-qualified, your real estate agent will begin showing you possible homes. When you decide on a particular home, your real estate agent will make an offer on your behalf to the home's seller. Once both parties agree on an amount, your real estate agent will work with a title insurance agent and/or escrow officer to draft all the necessary paperwork. They will then schedule a date for closing, where the transaction is completed, and ownership is officially transferred from seller to buyer.
The steps involved in the home-selling process are very similar to those involved in the home-buying process. Once you have made the decision to sell your home, you will need to establish an asking price for it. While some sellers successfully sell their homes on their own, a for-sale-by-owner arrangement can be complicated and will require a great deal more of your personal time throughout the process, such as showing your home, pre-screening buyers, and preparing the real estate contract. For this reason, most people consider the commission paid to a real estate agent well worth the investment for the convenience, time savings, and overall guidance provided. Real estate agents will also be able to tell you if your asking price is appropriate for your property or home. In addition, they will manage the marketing of your home – from front-yard signs to MLS listing – while guiding you in preparing the home to be shown to potential buyers. Once a prospect makes you an offer, you can either accept the proposed purchase price or make a counteroffer. When both parties agree on a price, your real estate agent will work with a title insurance agent and/or escrow officer to draft all necessary paperwork. They will then schedule a date for closing, where the transaction is completed, and ownership is officially transferred from seller to buyer.
Title insurance is an insurance policy that protects you against loss that could result from defects in the title of the property you are buying. The premium is paid only once and is good until the property's ownership changes. Unlike most types of insurance, which protect policyholders from future events, title insurance protects you against defects that could already exist.
There are a variety of home warranty options to cover a home's appliances and major systems, such as air conditioning, heating, electrical, and plumbing. Choose the one that best fits your needs.
A single-family home refers to a freestanding property that does not share walls with other nearby homes or structures, and that is built from the ground up at the site of its foundation on its own piece of land. A townhouse is a home that is attached to one or more other houses, located on a specific property that the townhouse owner also owns. A condominium, or condo, is very similar to an apartment in terms of structure and multi-unit design. A manufactured home, once typically referred to as a mobile home, is a single-family home that is built at a location other than the land on which it sits.
Insurance, such as car, life, health, etc., protects against potential future events and is paid for with monthly or annual premiums. A title insurance policy insures against events that occurred in the past of the real estate property and the people who owned it for a one-time premium paid at the close of the escrow.
Title insurance protects against claims from defects. Defects are things such as another person claiming an ownership interest, improperly recorded documents, fraud, forgery, liens, encroachments, easements, and other items that are specified in the insurance policy.
Escrow refers to the process in which the funds of a transaction (such as the sale of a house) are held by a third party, often the title company or an attorney in the case of real estate, pending the fulfillment of the transaction.