In the spirit of March Madness, Notarize’s GM for Real Estate was challenged to describe the current state of the market, the only caveat being that his response needed to be in the form of a sports quote. Without hesitation, Grant Brittain responded:
“Everyone has a plan ‘till they get hit in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson
The quote not only reflects the current state of the market, but the reason Brittain joined Notarize — bringing with him his expertise at the intersection of business and real estate.
While no amount of planning could have predicted the current real estate climate — a daily dance primarily between inventory and interest rates — Notarize remains positioned to succeed thanks to an unshakable foundation as the industry leader in online closings.
We asked Brittain to share his thoughts on Notarize and the things that place us in the Real Estate’s Winner’s Circle.
A: Let’s look at the facts: Notarization in real estate is essential. When we’re talking about officializing any transfer of property — no matter the market and no matter the situation — a notarization has always been and will always be required. You have to have it.
Notarize’s success is an acknowledgement of that, but in the most efficient and cost-effective capacity. We’re optimizing a process that people don’t give much thought to until they’re buying their first home or piece of property.
In the same breath, the past few years have created expectations and even dependency on having digital alternatives to archaic practices. There’s a quickness to Notarize — not to mention trustworthiness — that has created not just an opportunity, but an importance, for it to be a continued investment of ours, now more than ever before. So, no matter the state of the market, Notarize will always be a critical partner.
A: An obvious frontrunner for me is that in 2017, Notarize made history by facilitating the first fully digital, online mortgage closing ever.
We’ve also been at the helm of advancing online notarization legislation in 42 states and counting and also expanding the acceptance of RON-closed eNotes by Fannie Mae in 46 states and Freddie Mac in 47 states, including D.C. Not to mention, the influence and leadership we’ve held in industry associations and committees, especially the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO) RON standards.
A: It’s our success with home equity loans, no question about it.
Homeowners are able to leverage HELOCS to tap into the pre-existing value of their property to combat skyrocketing interest rates. Having this as an in-product feature means we’re able to help Title Agents and Lenders reach the finish line faster, and without having to navigate elsewhere — essentially equipping them with the ability to create an unmatched customer experience, every time.
Not to mention our competitive advantage in guaranteeing completely error-free and compliant transactions. HELOCS are our biggest play in that there’s significant growth potential in three key areas: product, partnership, and market opportunity.
A: There are the obvious housing publications I have eyes on daily — the Inmans and HousingWires of the industry. But I also keep a close eye on what industry leaders and influencers are sharing, as well as chief economists.
A: For starters, the limitless potential we have for use-case expansion — especially given the conversations we’re having about HELOCS with the biggest and best players in the game.
But also, the fact that we’ve been able to and will continue to bust the myths in real estate about Remote Online Notarization. We aren’t just saying that it’s more efficient, cost-effective, and safe from a digital identity standpoint. We’re proving it, and people are running out of excuses not to get on board with Notarize for Real Estate.
