Real estate deals can look clean on the surface and still have problems buried in the paperwork.
That is where Brian Alper of Corinthian Title comes in.
Brian has spent more than two decades in title, and one of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was simple:
30–40% of real estate titles have errors on them.
Those errors can range from something relatively small, like a misspelled name, to something much more serious involving the wrong property or an issue in the chain of title.
The key point is that not every error means the deal is dead.
A lot of problems can be corrected.
Title Work Is More Than Paperwork
Before talking with Brian, it is easy to think of title as one of those background pieces of a real estate transaction that just quietly happens.
But Brian describes the work almost like detective work.
He spends time examining the chain of title and understanding how a property got to its current situation.
That means looking at documents, ownership history, inconsistencies, and anything that might need to be cleaned up before the transaction moves forward.
A good title professional is not just processing paperwork.
They are trying to understand the story behind the property.
And sometimes that story has problems.
Sometimes You Just Need a Second Set of Eyes
One of the strongest ideas from Brian’s interview is:
Sometimes you just need a second set of eyes.
Real estate transactions involve a lot of moving pieces.
Agents.
Lenders.
Escrow.
Buyers.
Sellers.
Documents.
Deadlines.
And even experienced people can miss something.
That is why a knowledgeable title professional can be so valuable.
Brian is willing to look at complicated issues and help people understand what they are dealing with, even when the transaction did not originally come through him.
That kind of help builds trust quickly.
When someone is in the middle of a stressful deal, they remember the person who helped them figure it out.
Not Every Error Is a Defect
Brian made an important distinction during the interview.
An error is not always the same thing as a defect that makes a property uninsurable.
Some problems can be fixed.
The goal is to identify what is actually wrong and determine whether there is a path forward.
That requires judgment.
It also requires experience.
The real value is not just noticing that something looks off.
It is knowing what the issue means and what might need to happen next.
What Should You Look for in a Title Rep?
Brian’s answer comes down to three things:
Knowledge. Availability. Collaboration.
Can your title rep actually talk through a complicated real estate issue with you?
Can they help you understand the problem?
Can you reach them when something comes up?
Transactions do not always go wrong between 9 and 5.
Problems can surface at night.
On weekends.
Right before closing.
That makes responsiveness a real part of the job.
As Brian put it:
“You make a phone call and they’re lifting you up.”
That is a very different standard from simply asking which title company has the nicest marketing materials.
Fix the Problem So the Next Person Does Not Inherit It
Brian also talked about the importance of cleaning up the record.
If an issue can be corrected, fixing it now can prevent the same problem from resurfacing in the next transaction.
That is good business.
You are not just trying to get one deal closed.
You are helping leave the property record in better shape than you found it.
That can save someone else a major headache later.
AI Still Needs Human Judgment
Naturally, we also talked about AI.
Brian sees ways AI can help with parts of title production, but he is cautious about relying too heavily on it for complicated research and corrections.
His concern is accountability.
If an AI-generated answer is wrong, especially in a transaction involving significant money, somebody still has to catch it.
That is where expertise matters.
Technology can make people faster.
It can organize information.
It can assist with research.
But it does not automatically replace the person who knows enough to question the result.
In title work, confidence is not the same thing as accuracy.
The Real Value Is Being Useful When the Deal Gets Hard
Brian’s legacy is not really about title insurance.
It is about being useful.
Helping someone in a pinch.
Working through a tough transaction.
Being the person a client or colleague can call when they are stuck.
That is what creates long-term professional relationships.
Real estate is full of people who can help when everything is going smoothly.
The people you remember are the ones who help when it is not.
Sometimes the difference between a stressful transaction and a solvable one is simply having the right person take another look.
Sometimes you just need a second set of eyes.
Leave a Reply