Greetings from Florida

[Steve Hillen]

Hello all. My name is Steve, and I am from Ocala, Florida. I have been a Title Examiner and Director for over 7 years now handling many of the title processes from the basic re-fi's, to purchases, short sales, HELOC's, and reverse mortgages, taking loans from what we like to call 'from soup to nuts'. This being from the abstract work, all the way to the closing, escrow, and disbursement, and all the fun stuff in between. A good deal of my work is involved in the preparation of title commitments, to finding and implementing the curative processes of any "hiccups" found on title, to inlcude liens, judgments, notice of commencements, and deed preparations, etc... I also have a good deal of experience in loan closings, most of which have typically occured in the borrower(s) home. I have also dabbled in being a property locator for investors for flips or second homes. I have to say that there isnt an acre of land in Florida that I can't find out everything there is to know about it. :D Abstracting work would have to be my strongest area of expertise.

Unfortunately with the way the market is right now and the big buy out of Countrywide from BOA (will it really happen or not??), I have been laid off and my last day of work with my current corporation will be next Friday. But, I recently came across this site, and decided to join in hopes of networking to meet other people in my field, and to get a birds eye perspective of the investing realm from those that do it everyday. This way I can make a solid choice in deciding if investing would really be the right thing for me. You cannot just wake up one day and say, " hey, I think i will become a real estate investor!". I know that many of you have done alot to be where you are, and I respect what each of you do, and, likewise, I will respect your input and knowledge.

Thanks for listening, and for allowing me to be a part.