🎙️ The Broker Podcast — Episode 10: Risk Reduction at the Closing Table with Monica Saldana

In this episode of The Broker Podcast, Jack Stapleton sits down with Monica Saldana, an experienced escrow officer with thousands of closings under her belt, for a grounded, inside look at what really happens at the closing table — and how strong title teams quietly reduce risk long before buyers and sellers ever sign a document.

This conversation pulls back the curtain on the title and escrow process, exposing the unseen layers of communication, verification, and coordination that determine whether a transaction closes smoothly or starts to unravel. Monica explains where deals most often go sideways, why poor communication is the earliest warning sign of trouble, and how experienced title professionals protect clients, agents, and lenders from costly mistakes.

The episode also tackles one of the fastest-growing threats in real estate: wire fraud and seller impersonation. Monica breaks down how fraud actually occurs, how title companies verify identity behind the scenes, why wiring instructions should only come directly from title, and what buyers and sellers can do to protect their life savings. Jack and Monica discuss best practices around secure portals, phone verification, test wires, and why “helpful” intermediaries often increase risk instead of reducing it.

You’ll also hear practical insight on:

• Why communication at the beginning of a transaction matters more than speed

• How title teams coordinate examinations, surveys, HOAs, lenders, and funding

• The real differences between table-funded and non-table-funded loans

• Why effective dates and timely earnest money are risk issues, not paperwork details

• What agents should — and should not — be doing at the closing table

• How remote online notarization (RON) is changing closings and when it makes sense

• Why experienced professionals focus on prevention, not cleanup

Whether you’re a buyer, seller, real estate agent, lender, or broker, this episode delivers practical, experience-based insight into one of the most misunderstood parts of a real estate transaction — and why true risk reduction happens long before the final signatures.

Subscribe to The Broker Podcast for unscripted conversations with the professionals who actually do the work — built on experience, accountability, and real-world results.