Is it crickets out there or is it just me? Wondering if the “tariffs” have affected the industry due to them utilizing out of the country third party companies.
It’s not just you I was wondering what was up as well. They have work on the West Side of WA state but not so much in the East. Not sure what the reason is. Not sure what out of the country service you’re speaking of.
@sacsjourney Great question! A business within this business sector is similar to others . . .
===>>> There will ALWAYS be Peaks & Valleys regarding the volume of Signing Orders [SOs] throughout each year.
There are myriad Market Conditions that impact this business sector.
Also, the volume can very S.L.O.W. during some seasonal periods & uber-SPEEDY in other seasons.
When your volume of SOs slows down, make time to organize things within your business & Research potential new clients & if worthy, market, Market, MARKET to them.
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Sometimes they use these companies from India, etc for calling and/or confirming appts. Having worked in the title and settlement industry the underwriter would use out of the country to prepare title commitments and policies sometimes also title searches.
Not sure if tariffs are being applied to service industries or just manufacturing. When I get confirmation phone calls they’re coming from the state where the hiring company is so I have no idea. signing order has dropped way off. That’s for sure. Maybe it’s a sign that some title companies and lenders are going direct to notaries of record who are reliable. That would be an okay thing.
Sure the tariffs are having an impact upon our economy, along with a significant number of government workers being displaced from employment. Companies are making changes, which are leading to changes in how people are making their financial decisions. As @cNsa5 stated, all business have peaks and valleys, our industry is no different. I am seeing more mortgage modification and refinance orders in my geographical area.
;I don’t even think about tariffs when it comes to mortgages. Cost of living fluctuations don’t really stop transactions in these parts. There are areas where real estate moves more than in other places. I’m seeing a ton of HELOC. Location is everything. I also believe these are the valleys that weed out notaries that don’t stick. So - I’ll just plug away. April was a good month. Hope it keeps going.
@sacsjourney Interesting . . . while adding a whole new layer of complexity to the mix.
I’ve had nothing but loan modifications with a few HELOC’s. First quarter was packed with business up until this month (May 2025). I know how the business has peaks and valleys since I’ve worked in this industry since 1993. Since 2020 that’s 5 years so we are at the valley now which makes more sense now that I look at the latest cycle. Not sure if tariffs are a link but it sure seem coincidental. Just making an observation.
It is feast or famine lately.
Crickets here too! Good time for spring cleaning!
Our area in Central California has kept an even clip. There are still a number of Buyer and Seller packages and also HELOC. There has been no difference in Commercial Loans, they tend to be rare, Rev Mor is also steady. There has been a very slight increase in misc work such as Deed correction, assumptions and POAs.