PODCAST · business
Closing Market Weekly
by The Closing Market Weekly
Closing Market Weekly brings you up-to-date insights on the U.S. mortgage and real estate closing space. Hosted by Phillip Hogan, CEO of Signing Services of America, each episode breaks down trends, challenges, and expert tips from contract to close.
Episodes
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Episode 55: Everything in Mortgage Is Digital Except This One Thing
Going digital can leave a closing team managing two workflows, because paper doesn't fully disappear. Eddie Oddo, Director, Settlement/Closing Services at DocMagic, Inc., joins Phillip Hogan to examine why e-closing adoption depends on people, document preparation, and process design. For title,...
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Episode 54: Beyond Your Desk: What the Rest of the Mortgage Industry Can Teach You
The people keeping deals moving need time to learn, too. In this solo episode, Phillip Hogan pauses to thank the listeners, guests, and production team behind Closing Market Weekly. For leaders in title, mortgage, and escrow operations, it’s an invitation to help shape the conversations ahead....
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Episode 53: Why This Mortgage Loan Servicing Supervisor Wants Fewer Customer Calls
Every borrower call is an operations signal. When customers don't understand a payment change, escrow notice, or loan transfer, the question isn't just how to answer the call. It is what the call reveals about the process that created it. Ray Mueller joins Phillip Hogan to discuss borrower...
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Episode 52- Loan Officer’s secret to on-time closings
A clean closing is won before anyone reaches the signing table. The earliest document, fee, timeline, and communication gaps are the ones most likely to create downstream friction. Jeff Anderson joins Phillip Hogan to explain why every participant must be ready before the file reaches them. They...
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Episode 51: Fraud Finds the Gaps in Your Closing Process
Fraud does not need to defeat an entire closing operation. It only needs one gap between teams, systems, or handoffs. In Episode 51 of Closing Market Weekly, Chris Morton, Chief Executive Officer of the American Land Title Association, joins Phillip Hogan to discuss why fraud prevention has to be...
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Episode 50: Why This National Commercial Sales Executive Will Never Go Back to Residential
Commercial closings became more efficient when the industry learned to work without everyone at the same table. But Tom Baughman explains the trade-off: faster execution can also remove the relationship-building that used to happen naturally inside a closing room. The conversation moves from…
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Episode 49: One Wrong Country Can Kill an Apostille Request
One wrong destination country can invalidate an apostille before the document reaches its final stop. An apostille is not a bigger notarization, and confusing the two can send the entire request down the wrong path. John Nelson explains why you must confirm Hague status, receiving-party...
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Episode 48 What Breaks First When Title Operations Scale Too Fast
Most title operations do not break because of volume. They break because the process only exists in one person's head. Jamie Wunder co-founded OS National in 2013 and helped build it into a national title and settlement operation serving residential and commercial clients across multiple markets....
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Episode 47 Wire Fraud Hit $20.8B. Is Your Signing Vendor Ready?
In 2020, Americans lost about $4 billion to fraud in real estate transactions. In 2025, that number reached $20.8 billion. Same five years. Five times the loss. Rodney Anderson has spent 30 years in the title industry, and as an underwriter, he sees the claims after the process breaks. On this...
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Episode 46: Why This Commercial Escrow Officer Waits 18 Months to Close
A shopping center parking lot sat two feet inside its setback line for 30 years. Nobody flagged it until the survey hit the escrow officer's desk in the middle of a closing.That is the kind of thing that stalls a commercial file, and it is why this episode is worth 25 minutes for anyone who owns...
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Episode 45: Why This Title CEO Skip Traces Every Seller
Banks credit wire transfers to the account number. The name on the wire does not have to match. Kevin Tacher has spent 23 years running Independence Title in South Florida and has worked with the FBI, the Secret Service, and the state attorney's office on fraud cases. In this episode of Closing...
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Episode 44: The S Corp Tax Break Has a Catch Nobody Tells You
Most business owners are told to "just switch to an S corp." Almost nobody is told about the payroll obligation that comes attached to it. In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, attorney Roxanne Smithers of Smithers Law Group joins host Phillip Hogan, CEO of Signing Services of America, to…
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Episode 43: How One Fake Email Made a Buyer's Closing Funds Vanish | Elena Gallo, Fulcrum Title
After 25 years in real estate, Elena Gallo did what most people only talk about: she walked away from a national title company to build her own. In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Director of Operations and COO of Fulcrum Title Elena Gallo joins host Phillip Hogan, CEO of Signing Services…
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Episode 42: He Managed $150M in Real Estate. Now He's Reading the Atlanta Market.
Most agents move from residential real estate to commercial real estate. Bryce Grandison did the opposite, and it changed everything. On this episode of Closing Market Weekly, host Phillip Hogan sits down with Bryce Grandison of SERHANT. Atlanta. After earning a master's degree in real estate and...
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Episode 41: Title fraud is now a nation-state operation. Is your closing process built for it?
On this episode of Closing Market Weekly, host Phillip Hogan sits down with Rodney Anderson, Executive Vice President and National Agency Manager at Alliant National Title Insurance Company. With more than 30 years in the title industry on both the agent and underwriter side, and three terms as a...
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Episode 40: What 100 Closings Taught Me: What Top Title Companies Do Differently
Top title companies don't close clean by accident. They build systems. After 100 closings with Signing Services of America, Phillip Hogan breaks down the seven operational habits that separate reliable title operations from those lenders who stop calling.Book a call with Phillip:...
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Episode 39: The 2 Biggest Closing Table Mistakes
What do supplemental tax bills, 50-year-old surveys, and employees who do not know what the person across the hall does have in common? They are all symptoms of the same problem in title operations.In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, host Phillip Hogan sits down with Brandi Abercrombie,...
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Episode 38: From Master Sergeant to Closing Tables: How a 25-Year Army Veteran Built a Notary Business in 8 Months | BT Robinson
After 25 years in the U.S. Army — including a tour in Iraq — Master Sergeant BT Robinson retired in 2025 and made a deliberate choice. Instead of taking the steady contractor job on base, he became a certified notary signing agent in Georgia. Eight months later, he's running Palindrome Services...
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Episode 37: Signing Agent vs. Title Agent vs. Escrow Officer: Who Does What at Your Real Estate Closing
Wondering who is involved in a real estate closing and who actually does what? In Episode 37 of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan breaks down the three key players in every settlement: the signing agent, the title agent, and the escrow officer. If you're a new homeowner staring at a stack of...
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Episode 36: Why Fast Closings Lead to More Errors (And Lost Opportunities)
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan breaks down a hard truth most signing agents don’t want to face—chasing speed can quietly destroy your reputation, your relationships, and your long-term income. As demand for faster closings increases, many agents are stacking more...
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Episode 35: Real Estate Law vs Entertainment Law: Same or Different?
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with entertainment attorney Omara Harris to break down what really happens behind contracts, deals, and business relationships that most people never see. Omara shares her journey from having zero connections in entertainment law…
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Episode 34: A New Notary Scheduling Platform
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with Noel Serrato, CEO and co-founder of Notary Every Day Inc., to talk about how technology, automation, and family-driven vision helped shape a platform built to solve real problems in the notary industry. Noel shares how his...
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Episode 33: How to Build a Notary Brand
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with notary entrepreneur, educator, and content creator Tanisha Baptiste to talk about what it really takes to build a thriving notary business in today’s market. Tanisha shares how a challenge from her husband pushed her into the...
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Episode 32: Why Waiting Costs Wealth
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with mortgage broker and real estate investor Mike Ryan to break down one of the biggest questions buyers and investors keep asking: should you wait for rates to drop, or move now? Drawing from decades of experience across…
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Episode 31: How to Avoid Probate Chaos
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with two Atlanta-based professionals who meet at the intersection of real estate and estate planning: Ashley Edwards of AAA Probate Resources and Whitney Knox Lee, Esq., founder of Wills for the People. Together, they unpack the...
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Episode 30: Mortgage Loan Closing Complexities
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with real estate attorney Will Phalen who is a partner with Sherman & Phalen, LLC to break down what really happens behind the scenes to get difficult real estate deals across the finish line. Early in the conversation, Will shares...
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Episode 29: How to Lead a Growing Business Without Losing Your Values
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan shares the leadership lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial journey and explains how to lead a growing business without losing your values. Drawing from Relentless Excellence: A Story of Family Business Building and Value-Driven...
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Episode 28: Scaling My Business
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan reflects on the formative entrepreneurial lessons he absorbed long before he officially became a business owner. Drawing from his book, Relentless Excellence: A Story of Family Business Building and Value-Driven Leadership, Phillip…
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Episode 27: Hard Decisions
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Philip Hogan shares a pivotal moment from early in his entrepreneurial journey that forced him to make an uncomfortable but defining choice. As he continues exploring themes from his book, Relentless Excellence: A Story of Family Business Building…
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Episode 26: Strategic Disruption
Don’t forget to pre-order my book, Relentless Excellence. Learn more at philliphogan.com In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan continues sharing the inspiration behind his upcoming book, Relentless Excellence, focusing on one powerful chapter: disruption. Phillip explains…
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Episode 25: This Is Why I Wrote My Book
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan shares the deeper inspirations behind his first book, Relentless Excellence, and the people and experiences that shaped the values he lives and leads by today. From his parents and extended family to mentors and early supporters…
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Episode 24: Proactive Leadership
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan shares the inspiration behind his upcoming book, Relentless Excellence, and the real experiences that shaped his approach to business long before he ever became a CEO. Growing up in a household where both parents were entrepreneurs,...
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Episode 23: Legacy Lessons
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan shares the inspiration behind his upcoming book, Relentless Excellence. Long before titles, companies, or career plans, Phillip was learning excellence through family, teamwork, and example. Drawing from his upbringing in an...
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Episode 22: Relentless Excellence — From a Podcast Conversation to a Life’s Work
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan continues the story behind his journey as a creator, entrepreneur, and emerging author. Building on the previous episode, Phillip shares how an unexpected podcast invitation sparked the idea that ultimately became his first book,...
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Episode 21: Reverse Mortgages Demystified: Retirement Planning, Equity, and Real-Life Impact with Genie McGee
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Philip Hogan sits down with Genie McGee, a retirement mortgage specialist with over 23 years of experience in the reverse mortgage industry. Currently with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, Genie has dedicated her career to helping homeowners aged...
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Episode 20: From Guest to Host — The Journey Behind Closing Market Weekly
In this solo episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan steps away from the interview format to share the story behind the podcast itself. Phillip reflects on how the show began, what it took to get comfortable behind the microphone, and how an unexpected journey as a podcast guest…
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Episode 19: Notary of the Month Spotlight: A Conversation with Elizabeth Turcotte
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with November 2025’s Notary of the Month, Elizabeth Turcotte. After spending over 20 years in the restaurant industry, Elizabeth transitioned into notary work and quickly became known for her professionalism, attention to detail…
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Episode 18: Conversation on Remote Online Notarization (RON) with Shane Palladino
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with technology sales leader Shane Palladino, Enterprise Account Executive at Secured Signing. With years of experience supporting digital transformation across legal, title, and financial organizations, Shane explains how remote...
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Episode 17: Social Media Marketing: It’s an Investment, Not an Expense with Marilyn Jenkins
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with digital growth strategist Marilyn Jenkins, founder of MJ Media Group and Law Marketing Zone. With a career spanning back to the 1990s, Marilyn has helped law firms and service-based businesses scale to multi-seven-figure…
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Episode 16: Understanding Mortgage Servicing, VA Loans, and the Secondary Market with Mo Phanor
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes mortgage professional Mo Phanor, an experienced portfolio and servicing expert and Georgia-licensed mortgage loan originator. Drawing on his post–Great Recession experience, Mo explains how he “accidentally” entered the mortgage...
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Episode 15: Building Together – Jeffrey and Ashley Hunter on Real Estate, Teamwork, and Trust
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Jeffrey and Ashley Hunter, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Hunters Group. Known for transforming underperforming properties into profitable investments, the Hunters share their journey from a chance meeting on Hinge to building…
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Episode 14: How I completed 10,000 notary signings, with Seben Griffin
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes S. Griffin, Owner of Griffin Notary Services in Virginia Beach, VA, and Signing Services of America’s Notary of the Month. With more than 10,000 appointments completed since 2018, Griffin shares how accountability, structure, and...
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Episode 13: From Podcasting to Profitable National Short-Term Rental Empire, with Ruben Kanya of Invested Escapes
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Ruben Kanya, temporary housing specialist, author, investor, and co-founder of Invested Escapes. Ruben helps real estate investors and Airbnb hosts triple their rental income with fewer turnovers and less stress by securing midterm...
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Episode 12: Leadership, Longevity, and Lessons in the Title Industry with Jim O’Donnell
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Jim O’Donnell, President of Equity National Title, who has been at the helm of the company for over 35 years. Jim shares his journey from law school graduate to industry leader, revealing how he stumbled into the title business and...
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Episode 11: Service, Organization, and Real-World Impact with Notary of the Month, Barbara Forster
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Barbara Foster, Signing Services of America’s Notary of the Month for August. Barbara, a commissioned notary in Illinois, shares how she transitioned from being a stay-at-home mom to a trusted signing agent during one of the busiest...
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Episode 10: Pivoting with Purpose – Craig Robinson on Real Estate, Boards, and Career Seasons
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Craig Robinson, a seasoned chief executive, board director, and advisor with over 25 years in global real estate, business services, and technology. From leading divisions through IPOs and transformations to advising growth…
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Episode 9: Email Phishing Defenses with Tammy Ringeisen
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Tammy Ringeisen, Vice President of Compliance & Client Audit at Mortgage Connect. With 32+ years across title, closing, and appraisal, Tammy oversees regulatory compliance, client audits, and vendor risk management—and she breaks…
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Episode 8: Service, Resilience, and Title Industry Insights with Liz Olivar
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan welcomes Liz Olivar, President of Prosperous Title and Escrow LLC. With over 31 years of experience in financial services and title, Liz has built a career around people helping people, blending operational expertise with a service-first...
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Episode 7: Operational Challenges & Creative Solutions with Trina Miller
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan highlights Trina Miller—our Notary of the Month from Southwest Virginia. With a career that began in social work and transitioned into notary signing, Trina has completed over 1,700 signings since 2017 while building a reputation for...
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Episode 6: Tech, Compliance & Lead Follow-Up with Jamar Bates
In this episode of Closing Market Weekly, Phillip Hogan sits down with Jamar Bates—Marine Corps veteran, broker-owner, and mortgage founder—to unpack how vertical integration, technology, and disciplined follow-up drive closing success. From launching Bates Realty Group to expanding into Bates...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Closing Market Weekly brings you up-to-date insights on the U.S. mortgage and real estate closing space. Hosted by Phillip Hogan, CEO of Signing Services of America, each episode breaks down trends, challenges, and expert tips from contract to close.
HOSTED BY
The Closing Market Weekly
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Closing Market Weekly have?
Closing Market Weekly currently has 54 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Closing Market Weekly about?
Closing Market Weekly brings you up-to-date insights on the U.S. mortgage and real estate closing space. Hosted by Phillip Hogan, CEO of Signing Services of America, each episode breaks down trends, challenges, and expert tips from contract to close.
How often does Closing Market Weekly release new episodes?
Closing Market Weekly has 54 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Closing Market Weekly?
You can listen to Closing Market Weekly on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Closing Market Weekly?
Closing Market Weekly is created and hosted by The Closing Market Weekly.
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