Ordering real estate title in Illinois just became a lot easier for Smokeball clients. Thanks to an integration with Chicago Title and its online portal, Castle Connect, a title order that previously would have taken days to finish can now be completed in minutes.
Traditionally, an Attorney Agent (or Seller’s Attorney) orders title from a title company, waits for a manual search package, and performs core title services to provide a title commitment; this whole process can take 3-5 business days. Through Chicago Title’s online portal, Castle Connect, Attorney Agents can order title, receive their search package electronically, and perform core title services online in a matter of minutes.
And now, matter information can be transferred from Smokeball’s real estate law software directly into Castle Connect with the click of a button.
When selecting the new Chicago Title option from within a matter, users will be presented with three options:
- Gold – Order title and perform your core title services completely online instantly on property within the following counties: Cook, Dekalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will.
- Classic – Order title and receive a traditional search package for examination. This method works with all counties in Illinois.
- View order – This option will only become active once an order has been placed through the integration and allows users to check the status of an existing order.
Data already within Smokeball – including buyer, seller, attorneys, realtors, and transaction details – will transfer over to Castle Connect, avoiding tedious double entry. Smokeball will validate the information before sending it to Castle Connect, giving users a chance to fix any errors before proceeding. The order can then be completed through the Castle Connect platform.
Summer is the busiest time of the year for real estate attorneys, and real estate transactions have continued to boom despite the current COVID-19 pandemic. Lawyer apps and law firm software have ensured that attorneys are able to maintain their caseloads and productivity in a rapidly changing world. The ability to submit title requests through Smokeball allows firms to close transactions more quickly and take on more business – a huge advantage for real estate firms whose profitability is based on transactions rather than billable hours.
The current era of social distancing will pass, but the digital advances its necessitated are here to stay. Our Chicago Title integration joins our recent Zoom integration and our secure messaging and file sharing platform, Communicate, as Smokeball’s practice management software continues to help lawyers manage their firms, whether working remotely or from the office.
