CFG & Crib Title

You never have to guess who to email. We use one single email address for all communications to ensure nothing falls through the cracks:

Email: closings@cribtitletx.com

Phone: 817-687-3457

The Advantage: This inbox is constantly monitored by our core team—including our Lead Escrow Officer, Angie Newkirk (25+ years experience), Escrow Assistant, Casey (7+ years experience), and Texas State Manager, Allison Strope. You are guaranteed an immediate response. 

When writing your contracts, please use the following information for the Settlement Agent:

• Company Name: Crib Title and Escrow, LLC

• Address: 3401 Olympus Boulevard, Suite 540, Coppell, TX 75019

• Why a Coppell address? This is our officially licensed address with TDI, but we operate statewide using mobile notaries to make closings as convenient as possible for your clients.

Because this is a joint venture, compliance is critical to protect everyone. It is now mandatory for all agents on the team to include the ABA Disclosure on every listing agreement and buyer representation agreement. 

• Timing is Everything: The ABA Disclosure must be signed at the time of your Listing Agreement or Buyer Representation Agreement.

• Late Additions: If you are past that phase, get it signed at the time of the contract. Relying on signatures at the closing table is a red flag for auditors.

Opening a pre-escrow is one of the best ways to clear title hurdles before a buyer is ever in the picture, preventing 11th-hour delays. Because Crib Title bears the $250 upfront cost to pull this information, we ask that you use this tool strategically. It is essentially an insurance policy against a blown closing, but it is not necessary for every standard listing.

Here is your guide on when to request a pre-escrow and when to wait for a signed contract:

🚨 High-Priority: Always Open a Pre-Escrow If your seller's situation involves any of the following "trigger words," open title immediately. These scenarios are breeding grounds for title clouds:

• Death & Inheritances: Probate, trusts, or multiple heirs. Tracking down heirs and clearing affidavits of heirship takes time.

• Divorce or Separation: Ensuring the title legally reflects the divorce decree is critical before transferring ownership.

• Financial Distress: Pre-foreclosures, short sales, tax liens, mechanic's liens, or bankruptcies.

• Long-Term Ownership: If the seller has owned the home for decades, there is a much higher risk of old, unreleased liens or boundary disputes.
  
  
  

🟡 Situational: Consider a Pre-Escrow While not strictly mandatory, these scenarios often warrant a pre-escrow to protect the deal:

• Luxury & High-Value Listings: Protect massive commissions and high client expectations by ensuring the title is pristine from day one.

• The "Need for Speed" Seller: If your seller is targeting cash buyers for a 10-day close, a pre-escrow ensures you won't be derailed by surprises.

• Flipped Properties: Quick flips often come with baggage from previous distressed owners or unrecorded contractor liens.
  
  
  

🟢 Skip It: Wait for an Executed Contract For standard, clean transactions, save the team's capital and wait until the property is under contract to open title.

• Recent Purchases: If the seller bought the house 2 to 5 years ago, the title was recently cleared and insured. Unless there has been a major life event since then, it is likely clean.

• Standard Subdivisions: Newer builds or homes in established, master-planned communities typically have straightforward title histories.
  
  
  

How to Open a Pre-Escrow: There is no complicated paperwork required! Simply email the property address to closings@cribtitletx.com and tell the team you need to open a pre-escrow.

We utilize top-tier industry software and do not nickel and dime your clients. There are absolutely no hidden fees or charges for wires, Zoccam, or FedEx labels.

• Qualia Connect: Download the Qualia App for real-time tracking, secure document sharing, and mobile updates on your files. You'll be invited to use the app once you submit your first deal to Crib Title.

• Zoccam: Our preferred method for secure, mobile earnest money deposits.

• Wire Transfers: Required if closing within 10 days to ensure funds clear.

Most title companies are notorious for sneaking in "junk fees"—charging extra for every wire, courier, and document download. We believe in doing business with total clarity. With Crib Title, you and your clients can expect straightforward, transparent fees with absolutely no hidden costs.

Here is what we cover to keep your client's closing costs down:

• Free Local Mobile Notary: We cover the cost of one mobile notary per side (buyer/seller), guaranteed to be local to your client. (Note: If a couple is separated and requires two different signing locations, we cover the first one and the client simply covers the excess).

• Zero Transfer Fees: We do not charge for wire transfers, Zoccam earnest money deposits, or FedEx labels. It's all included.

• Covered Pre-Escrow Costs: When a listing requires a pre-escrow to clear potential title clouds, Crib Title completely absorbs the $250 upfront cost to pull the file.

(For a full breakdown to share with your clients, click the transparent Fee Sheet below!)

(Click the links below to access our team documents)

For more information about our title partner, visit cribtitletx.com.