WOW, what a year! Certainly one for the History and Record Books. I was asked to write this "Year In Review" by Jennifer Fivelsdal as a combined effort along with a few of our other Active Rain Members. A reflection of a year now past! Jennifer asked that I cover three areas: Title and Escrow, Technology, and my pick for the Top 12 Member Posts in 2007. I'll give it my best shot, but 2007 was one "INCREDIBLE" and life changing year! This will be a challenging task to try and cover in a single post!
Here are ALL THE POSTS on Active Rain Tagged with the Keywords Title & Escrow, Title, Escrow, Commitments, Title Insurance, Title Policy, Title Company, and Preliminary Reports. These "Titles" are not typically the hotter topics here on Active Rain, so you won't find many comments on most of these posts. To some, I guess this is major boring stuff, but for others, you might find title issues and escrow procedures and practices fascinating! I hope this post will inspire and motivate you to add your comments to those who spent the time, and worked so hard to create these. :-)
The Title and Escrow Industry has experienced many unforeseen changes in 2007. Most of this you already know this, but I'll recap anyway. 2007 was not without surprises for those of us who have been in the Industry for as long as I have. (1986) We have witnessed many consolidations and cut-backs all across the Nation, both internally and with the competition. Some Title and Escrow Companies have had to layoff tenured employees and even close their doors and operations.
There has been a shift in the amount of transactions being handled in many of our geographic locations. We are seeing more diversification in the types of transactions being closed. The volume of Short sales, Pre-Foreclosures, Foreclosures, and Auctions are way up. The REO transactions in our area are being opened and closed in record setting numbers. Regarding standard resale transactions, we are still seeing the upper end Homes in certain areas closing more regularly. However, there are still fewer transactions than expected with the shifted market conditions.
Looking back on 2007, here are some other items and topics that were "In The News" and I feel are worthy of sharing:
Title Company offers assistance to Homeowner Fire Victims in Southern California
Microsoft & Title Company, saving money and delivering Power and Excellence through technology
Title Company creates a user friendly Website and Platform for Agents, Brokers, Buyers and Sellers
NEW Portal to Access Blank Forms and Documents in both .PDF and Word .DOC Formats
CREDCO’S Anthem Compliant With Freddie Mac’s Updated Guidelines For Non-Traditional Credit
Title and Escrow Company goes International: China, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and Latin America
Title Company "S-Crows" Perform Live at the Contra Costa Realtors "In Motion" 2007 Christmas Party
I am confident that the Title and Escrow Industry, (especially our company :-)) will be better prepared to deal with many of the issues, challenges, and changes that have hit us all so hard this past year. We've assessed the market and conditions, made changes and adjusted to them, and we have incorporated new plans, strategies, and tools, to assist and help our clients be more successful. I'm excited and looking forward to a great 2008!
Now, how can I summarize ALL the technology that we've discovered in 2007? This seems a bit overwhelming and almost impossible. I'll start by sharing some of the technology and sites I have discovered as a benefit from being a member here on Active Rain. There are sooo many Sites, Products, Tools, Services, and Networks that we have all been exposed to. Many of them have been written about, but let me try to summarize the best I can. Here's just a few that come to mind:
Active Rain, Real Estate 411, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yedda, MySpace, Cre8Buzz, TechKnowBabble, Agent Assist, The Blog Builder, Widget World, MyBlogLog, Yahoo Blog, Youtube, Trulia Voices, The Eagle Eye, VREO, iMusicScene, FotoBiz, MuzakBlog, The Widget Showcase, Squidoo, Naymz, Utterz, Viddler, Flickr, Technorati, BlogRush, Digg, Spock, Konnects and The Escrow Guy! These are all New Sites, Blogs, Memberships etc. that I had no knowledge of prior to my start here in March of 2007. What an incredible year of technology it has been! Makes my head spin when I look back at the year! I will be adding some other 2007 technology discoveries in the comments of this post just to try and save some room here! LOL!
Most of the Products, Tools, and Services that were discovered this past year are right here in Active Rain! They are scattered all throughout these Sites and Blogs. Many of them you will find on my Blog and Profile page here on Active Rain. These are products and tools that can be very useful and valuable to you and your business. There are just way too many to list in the "Year In Review!" MY LINKS
As for me personally on AR, 2007 has been a lot of work, but more importantly, it's been so much fun. I have witnessed our membership grow from 26,000 to well over 62,000 in just 9 months, I have inched my way into the Top 5 members in CA. where there are almost 10,000, I've somehow accrued 150,000 points from 178 posts, received nearly 10,000 comments, and made 6200. I have invited 113 new members, been added by 335 Associates and lastly, have finally joined the Ranks of some of the Most Subscribed and Finest Bloggers on Active Rain. What an honor! Yep! I'm exhausted!! LOL! But what a memorable year 2007 has been for me here personally.
Here are 12 of some of my favorite posts that I have bookmarked on Active Rain for 2007. I currently have hundreds saved, so this portion will take me the longest and be the hardest part of my "Year In Review." There are so many great posts and Blogs, I think we should have an Active Rain Bookmark Share Week or Club! LOL! For this post, I'm going to select the ones that might be most helpful to you and your Blogging experiences. I know they were for me. I think I may have even slipped one or two of mine in here as well! :-O
There are literally thousands of posts that qualify and deserve to be here in this "Year In Review" post. Hopefully, these will be useful and keep you busy for awhile! For a link to the most active posts of all time on AR, just click here to see many of the others I wish I could include. In Wrapping up, this is the end of a fantastic yet challenging year for many of us. I can hardly wait to see what 2008 brings to our Industry, our Lives, and to this Fabulous Network of people.
In Closing, one major thing I will say that I have learned in 2007 is that the true value from Active Rain is not in the Blogs, the Comments, or even the points. It's all about the friendships and relationships that are born and created here. AR is such an awesome group of members, I'm so thankful for all the friends and clients I have made here. I wish everyone the VERY BEST this next year!! Have a safe and .....
Content Copyright Protected © 2007 - Brad Andersohn 
Posted by 
Tracy
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Wow, Brad, I thought you had been here long before me. I started joined March also. You have really been a major contributor to Activerain. This place would not be the same without you and your wonderful spirit!
Happy New Year!