I decided early on to only close at a law firm (Florida is not an attorney state, you can close at a title insurance company). 

    My two favorites are (the late) Joe Boyd, and STS Law of Tallahassee (Crit Smith, Susan Thompson, and other partners).  Very professional, top notch lawyers.   Upscale offices with comfortable lobbies, courteous staff, etc.

From experience of closing with them in the past. There is also some that I will not recommend using too.

Title companies manage our transactions and take care of the closing. When I moved to my area, the first title company I used was recommended by another agent. They were fine - but also of note, our title companies all have "business development" people who are responsible for making relationships with agents. Other companies have asked if I wanted to do coffee, which I did, so I've met with several others. I'm trying them all to see which I like best and then I'll stick with that one. For me, they have got to communicate, respond, and know their stuff.

By the way, my company provides disbursement instructions to title that include my check being cut separately from my company's at closing. So far all the title companies I have used will deposit my check in the bank for me if I'm not at the closing myself (typically my clients have signed remotely so far with few exceptions). That's a great extra service!

Interestingly, a buyer client insisted on a title company branch a little bit out of our area, but the same company. He had done 60 transactions with them and it was a deal breaker. I understood why. Branch manager rocked our world, so on everything, great personality and our sellers were so impressed that we used them for many deals going forward. The most important thing is communication. Let us know when the steps have been taken. And get it done on time. It's not hard to please me! Sadly, not everybody gets that.

Our real estate Team has been around for more than 20 years. We have worked with numerous title/escrow companies. In our area, one company can perform both functions and handles the closing, also. We have found a escrow officer whom we determined to be the best fit for us and have worked with here for quite some time.

I live and work in an area where that is handled by real estate attorneys.  So while we close at a title company office, we hire our own attorneys to represent both the buyer and seller separately.

And we are not an escrow state.

I befriended a title rep 22 years ago and the loyalty has run both ways.  I get excellent customer service because of this long standing relationship.

When active I had a list of 3 title companies. If number one failed me, I went to number two, then number three. Got to number two and never looked again. The party who paid the fees got to choose, I just recommended.

We're an attorney state and there are a few that I consistently recommend based on their professionalism & communication.  If someone doesn't already have their own attorney (who IS well versed in real estate!), I'll give them a few suggestions w/ notes about who I think they'd work well with based upon the nature of the transaction and personalities.  While we do have a choice in title company, 9.9x out of 10, the attorney handles it. 

I was an investor for 25 years before I became an agent, we worked with some good ones and some that I warn my clients to stay away from.

This is a good question. Usually someone recommends & off we go. I have often wondered how principals choose a Real Estate agent as well. How would they know who does or does not do a good job? Usually that is learned after the fact however the good ones get referred.

One attorney I've worked with for almost 25 years... can't remember how I got to him. Over the past 25 years I've "fired" more of them than hired. I have another attorney with whom I worked some years ago... and wasn't happy with the firm, but when he moved on to start his own firm I started using him again. 

John, when I first got my license there was a title company in my building on the floor above my office. I would just walk my paperwork upstairs and they took care of everything. I would get my address lists etc., from them as well.

Then I moved brokerages, and my TC took care of that piece, until she left to start her own title company, well she was my right arm, so I took my business to her title company. After a few years her company was "absorbed" by a large national title company and she invited me to lunch to meet my "title rep", when i asked what a title rep was, he told me, I am the guy that's going to take you golfing (this was back in the day when this was allowed) - I had no further questions, and have been using that title company for over 20 years.

I will say though that I give other title companies a trial, as a broker, my job is to grow the brokerage and retain great agents, and so many people in the title industry have great connections that I want to meet, so I do try to spread the love - There are title companies I will stay away from though.

I am blessed with the best title and escrow team I could dream to have. 

It has been so long, I do not remember how I found the EO that is AMAZING! 

They are 100% focused on customer service. They treat the buyer side with dignity and respect, not like 💩 as other EOs do.  

a long time ago, when I first started in Real Estate, I interviewed several companies and chose one that I thought would be the best fit, since then, I added others that I have had closings with that gave outstanding service with the closings I had done with them.

I had a few closings from the buyer side.  The closer was very professional, the location was ideal and they offer many classes worthwhile going to.

We're an attorney state (near Chicago) & sellers attorney does that.

You recommend a title company & you'll get your head bit off.

my broker's recommendation.  (She's also my wife) She has 30 years experience and two lists... the go to and the whatever you do, don't, lists.

Their marketing efforts to provide value to our brokerage.  And that is true of our agents - do they bring value to their clients?  That is how you win clients and referrals.

Attorneys do this work in the state of Connecticut.

I first started with the company's escrow and stuck with the escrow officer as long as they did a good job and made me look good to my clients.

All sales here go through attorney's - and typically the attorney selects the title company. That said, an agent can request that the title go through a specific title company or representative. I met my go to title person when he was invited to speak at our weekly sales team meeting. 

Well... the first one I used to use all the time and recommend (now retired) was recommended to me by the former broker.  The one I use now.... well his mama used to be an agent for me (now retired) and he's married to my niece.  He's also an excellent attorney.

Good or bad, thanks to social media, it doesn't take long for someone's reputation for services provided to become public knowledge. Also, other agents in our offices report pros and cons in private office facebook group.

We're a title state, I represented the buyers on my very first transaction, I met the EO I absolutely LOVE that way. She's the BEST!

We're an attorney state. I started with attorneys who were recommended. After years in practice you settle on ones that give great service to the client. 

I recommend those I have a long trusted relationship with that I know are reputable.