Lauren Beyersdorf didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in title and escrow. In fact, when she walked into her first job interview at Black Hills Title in 2012, she had no idea what title insurance even was.
“I remember Googling ‘What does a title insurance company do?’ and looking up the definition of an easement so I’d have something intelligent to say,” she laughs. “I just wanted to sound prepared.”
That quick search led to a career she never expected—but one she can’t imagine leaving.
She started at Black Hills Title as a title assistant, learning the ropes by pulling records, examining ownership history, and assembling reports. She loved the research side of it—piecing together property puzzles and uncovering the stories buried in decades-old documents. But as much as she enjoyed the details, she kept gravitating toward the people side of the business.
“Most title folks prefer to stay behind the scenes, but I was always the one who wanted to answer the phone, explain things to customers, or go upstairs to talk through a file with a real estate agent.”
That natural pull toward relationships eventually led her to closings and client services, a shift that came just in time for the chaos of 2020. While some might have been overwhelmed by the sudden surge in transactions, Lauren thrived. Instead of getting burnt out, she felt energized—solving problems, guiding agents and lenders through hurdles, and helping buyers and sellers navigate an industry most of them didn’t understand.
The Growing Threat of Fraud
Of all the challenges facing the title industry, the one that keeps Lauren up at night is vacant land fraud and seller impersonation fraud. The scams are getting more sophisticated, and the consequences are devastating.
“We’re talking about people losing everything—down payments gone, properties transferred to buyers by fake sellers, entire deals crumbling,” she says. “And by the time they realize what’s happened, it’s too late.”
She’s made it a personal mission to educate real estate agents, lenders, and county officials on how to recognize and prevent fraud. She’s conducted countless training sessions, spoken at brokerage meetings, and even called her local county offices to ask how easy it would be to change a mailing address on a property.
“The answer was terrifying. They told me, ‘Just let us know where you want it sent.’ No verification. No safeguards. That’s the kind of thing that needs to change.”
Where the Industry Must Go
After more than a decade in title, Lauren has seen firsthand how the industry has evolved—and where it still struggles to keep up. Technology has changed how transactions are processed, how customers communicate, and how data is managed, but there are still massive inefficiencies.
The biggest challenge, she believes, is training the next generation of title professionals. The industry is aging, and without strong mentorship, decades of institutional knowledge could be lost.
“I was lucky. I came up through the title side before moving into closings, so I understand why things work the way they do. But if we don’t invest in training, we’re going to end up with a workforce that knows how to check boxes but doesn’t know why those boxes exist.”
Beyond training, the industry also needs to adapt to modern communication styles. The days of agents walking into an office with a paper purchase agreement are over. Today, everything is digital, and title companies need to meet their customers where they are—whether that’s through seamless email systems, integrated dashboards, or tools that allow real-time updates without endless back-and-forth phone calls.
The homebuying experience itself remains a relic of the past. While technology has transformed many industries, purchasing a home is still a slow, paper-heavy process riddled with delays and uncertainty. You can buy a car online in minutes, yet real estate transactions remain clunky and opaque, leaving buyers and sellers frustrated by the lack of transparency. Lauren sees this as a challenge the industry must take on. She believes closing on a home should be seamless, efficient, and easy to understand—and that it’s time for real estate to catch up.
One Conversation
For Lauren, one of the most defining moments in her career came at a ALTA One in Colorado when Diana Hoffman, a rep for Fidelity out of Arizona, pulled her aside.
“She told me, ‘You have a way of explaining title that actually makes sense to people. You should lean into that.’” That conversation flipped a switch. Since then, Lauren has made it her mission to be the person agents and lenders turn to for guidance. She travels to real estate offices, speaks at training events, and ensures that Black Hills Title isn’t just processing transactions—it’s educating and empowering its customers.
The Future of Title and Escrow
Ask anyone in the industry, and they’ll tell you the same thing: once you get into title, you never leave. Lauren has come to believe that’s true—not because people are stuck, but because the work matters.
“The role of title is to provide certainty in an uncertain world,” she says. “No matter how much technology changes, people will always need someone to protect their investment, verify their transaction, and guide them through the process.”
She hopes that by the time her 16- and 14-year-old daughters buy their first homes, the experience will be simpler, faster, and more transparent. But no matter how the industry evolves, one thing will stay the same: the need for trust.
“People want to know their home is theirs, free and clear. They want to know their money is safe. And they want to know that if something goes wrong, someone has their back,” she says. “That’s what title is really about.”
And as for that joke about never leaving the industry?
Well, she Googled her way into this industry, and she’s still here. So yeah, I’d say that’s probably true.
The Growth & Scale Report is published by CloseSimple, and explores strategies for growth and tools for scaling your title or escrow company. The report emphasizes the art of balancing growth and scale, with a focus on personal and organizational success stories. It aims to share insights from industry leaders who have navigated these challenges, providing a platform for broader conversations in the business landscape.
