First Rate Escrow

08/18/2026

You're not "in escrow" the moment you make an offer.

You're in escrow once that offer is accepted and a neutral third party (that's us) is holding the money, the documents, and the instructions until everyone's obligations are met.

It sounds like a small distinction. It's not. Knowing where you actually stand in the process helps you know what to expect next — and when.

Buyers and sellers: where in the process did you first hear the term "escrow" explained to you? Curious how many different answers we get.

07/20/2026

47 escrows opened this month by our sales
team — and July isn't over yet.

We don't take for granted what it takes to
build relationships, earn trust, and bring
in new business consistently. This team
does it every single day.

Raleigh Miller — 11 opened
Andrew Moore — 8 opened
Luana Luna — 8 opened
Spencer McFadyen — 6 opened
Bobby Espino — 4 opened
Bruce Pitts — 4 opened
Sarah Vaughn — 3 opened
Jason Aziz — 1 opened
Kinte Kellogg — 1 opened
Nilo Sembrano — 1 opened

First Rate Escrow currently has 50 escrows
open this month across Southern California.
That number starts with this team.

Keep going. We're proud of every one of you.

📞 858-766-3566
📧 [email protected]
🌐 firstrateescrow.com

07/10/2026

25 escrows funded & closed — June 29 through
July 9, 2026.

It was a big two weeks and none of it happens
without the agents who trust us and the officers
who execute.

Escrow Officer breakdown:

Kandie Miller — 8 closings
Mercedes Valderrama — 6 closings
Reid Mochizuki — 4 closings
Alondra Razo — 4 closings
Cindy Gunter — 3 closings

Thank you to our agent partners:

- Jorge Badillo
- Cole Borgerding
- Nancy Bush
- Laurie Cappadocia (2 closings)
- Darin Chafee
- Maya Cima
- Gregory C. Cocca
- Sharon Corcoran
- Kathleen Dobson
- Stormalee Evans
- Tracey Guillen
- Natalie Levi
- Jose Luiz Miranda
- Maria Miranda
- Sean O'Donnell
- Gary Pena
- Michael Plecki
- Jorge Salas
- Maksymilian Stachowski
- Stephen Santoro
- Behdad Taslim
- Elizabeth Welchman
- Mei Shi Xie
- Rebecca Zhao

We appreciate every one of you and look forward
to many more closings together.

Ready to open your next escrow? We'd love to
be your trusted partner.

📞 858-766-3566
📧 [email protected]
🌐 firstrateescrow.com

Serving Buyers, Sellers, Agents & Lenders
Throughout Southern California.

07/08/2026

Quick poll for San Diego agents & homebuyers 👇

When it comes to escrow, what stresses you out MOST?

A) Not knowing where things stand day-to-day
B) Last-minute document requests
C) Delays from lenders or HOAs
D) Wire transfer and closing day nerves

Drop your answer in the comments — we read every
single one, and your answers actually shape how we
serve our clients.

(And if you've had a great escrow experience with us,
we'd love to hear that too 😊)

— First Rate Escrow | San Diego
📞 858-766-3566 | firstrateescrow.com

07/04/2026

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Independence Day! 🎆🇺🇸

At First Rate Escrow, we think a lot about the
American dream — and for many of the families we
work with, that dream includes owning a home of
their own.

It's a privilege to be part of that journey every
single week.

From our team to yours — enjoy the holiday, stay
safe, and we'll see you back at the closing table! 🔑

— The First Rate Escrow Team

07/02/2026

Breaking news: 2 people climb the Empire State Building to show everyone we're the best brokerage in the world 👀

06/29/2026

06/29/2026

🎉 11 Escrows Successfully Funded & Closed!
Week of June 22–26, 2026

Another great week at First Rate Escrow! We're
proud to have helped 11 families close on their
homes across Southern California.

📍 This week's closings:

- Chula Vista, CA — Maria Olea
(Realty One Group Pacific)
- Wi******er, CA — Marina Morse
(eXp Realty of California)
- Carlsbad, CA — Kim Camaratta
(eXp Realty of Southern California)
- San Diego, CA — Hong Lin
(Home Smart Realty West)
- Encinitas, CA — Drew Oesterle
(eXp Realty of Southern California)
- San Diego, CA — Byram Frost (LPT Realty)
- San Diego, CA — Elizabeth C. Bachmann
(Berkshire Hathaway Home Services)
- San Diego, CA — Adam Loew
(Keller Williams Realty)
- Joshua Gibson
- Siamak Rahmani
- San Diego, CA — Nathan Jones
(TXR Homes)

To every agent on this list — we appreciate your
partnership and look forward to helping many more
of your clients reach the closing table.

Behind every transaction is a team that keeps
things moving. That's what we're here for. 💪

Ready to open your next escrow? We'd love to
be your trusted partner.

📞 858-766-3566
📧 [email protected]
🌐 firstrateescrow.com

Delivering Smooth Closings Across Southern California.

06/25/2026

3 things that delay closing (and how to avoid them):

1. Missing or incorrect documents — get your checklist early and verify names match exactly.

2. Last-minute loan changes — remind buyers: no new credit, no big purchases before closing.

3. Slow responses — every day of delay costs someone money. Stay on top of your inbox.

We've seen all three. We help you avoid all three.

Agents — save this for your next buyer consultation.

06/23/2026

First-time buyer? Here's what to expect from escrow.

✅ Escrow opens when your offer is accepted
✅ You'll deposit your earnest money (we hold it safely)
✅ We coordinate with your lender, agent & the seller
✅ You sign documents — we verify everything is correct
✅ Funds are released and title transfers to you

The whole process typically takes 30–45 days. We're here every step of the way.

Questions? Comment below or send us a message.