Title Officer at Zillow

Job description

About the team Zillow Closing helps make real estate closings faster, simpler, and more secure. Since 2016, our team has supported more than $20 billion in transactions nationwide by combining deep title and real estate expertise with product, technology, and operational innovation. Our Title Solutions team is a small, high-impact group at the center of that work. We partner across Closing, search vendors, attorneys, underwriters, and other transaction stakeholders to solve complex title matters and create a more seamless experience for customers. We believe the future of real estate is powered by automation, efficiency, and digital experiences. Our mission is to deliver the products and services that make those experiences possible—and to build a better closing journey for everyone involved. About the role Zillow Closing is looking for an experienced Title Officer to bring deep search, examination, and curative expertise to our Title Solutions team. You will independently manage title-only files through examination and curative, resolve complex title matters, and help deliver a world-class closing experience. You will work closely with search vendors to obtain complete search packages, keep Closing Associates informed of file status, and maintain momentum across a fast-moving pipeline. Success in this role means combining technical judgment, urgency, clear communication, and meticulous attention to detail to meet our service-level commitments. In this role, you will: Review county records, search packages, tax certificates, tax assessor reports, attorney title opinions, surveys, and other property records to identify requirements and exceptions for title commitments. Conduct and evaluate county, DataTrace, PACER, Patriot/OFAC, LexisNexis, and related searches. Examine title commitments and attorney title opinions to identify matters that must be resolved before or at closing, including loans, liens, judgments, taxes, municipal liens, UCC terminations, and affidavit requirements. Coordinate with consumers, creditors, attorneys, underwriters, and vendors to cure title issues efficiently and accurately. Update title commitments as new information becomes available during clearance, including revising requirements and exceptions when a matter has been resolved. Interpret buyer and lender waiver requests and prepare pro forma title policies or marked-up title commitments. Draft or coordinate deeds, affidavits, escrow agreements, and other legal documents where permitted; review recorded instruments such as releases. Review county GIS overlays and satellite imagery to identify potential survey needs. Review and approve complex supporting documentation, including surveys, divorce decrees, trust agreements, probate records, bankruptcies, death certificates, entity formation documents, and court dockets. Generate and revise Insured Closing Protection Letters and calculate title insurance premiums and invoices for title-only transactions. Accurately enter clearance-related charges, such as survey invoices, into settlement statements. Communicate clearly and proactively with all transaction parties by phone and email, including supporting the general phone line as needed. Confirm all outstanding matters are cleared before or at close of escrow while effectively prioritizing a fast-moving queue of urgent work. Meet established turnaround times, service standards, and quality metrics that are monitored and reported weekly. This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions. In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $30.20 - $45.20 hourly. This base pay range is specific to thes