“Everybody needs a title company, regardless of if you’re paying cash or you have a mortgage, and a segment of our buyers also need a mortgage, so it makes it very convenient for clients to be able to get all their questions answered at once place,” Shuffield Says, adding that as soon as clients reach out to EWM about a desired transaction, EWM informs them about what will be necessary to see that transaction through.

Realtors Benefit Too

Clients are always the focal point in real estate, but agents who work for one-stop brokerages also enjoy benefits, one of the most prominent being the ability to move on to future clients if a transaction is slowed by financing or title issues.

“Our associates are working with their customers from beginning to end, but if they get bogged down in the middle because the mortgage or title is not proceeding, then having professionals in those industries available to take over keeps agents from having time to work with new customers,” Shuffield says. “It gives them great comfort and peace of mind.”

Furthermore, by working along side mortgage and title professionals, Realtors simply become more familiar with the lending and title process. In turn, agents who work for one-stop brokerages are able to provide a higher level of service to their clients.

One-Stop Shops to Close?

The traditional one-stop brokerages, however, might be on the decline. Rather than offering complete, in-house services, some firms are transitioning to consultative, concierge services.

Fortune International Realty, for instance, hired George Fraguio six years ago as its director of real estate sales and financing. Fraguio does not write loans, but rather he consults with clients and helps direct them to the best loan product that fits their need. What started as a job to identify acceptable loans in the midst of the crisis has blossomed into full-fledged finance concierge services, Farguio says.