Today we’d like to introduce you to Doyla Burrell.
Hi Doyla, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Directly after high school, I joined the US Army, I served on active duty from 1988 to 1992. I worked not only as a soldier but also as a Bio-Medical Maintenance Repairman. I met my husband overseas while I was stationed in Germany. He was also a servicemember from Texas. Following my military service, my spouse and I relocated to Austin where he was from. As a Texan to live in Austin was always something I wanted to do.
In 1993, I transitioned into the real estate industry, starting as a receptionist at a local office. I was soon promoted to administrative assistant for the Executive Vice President.
After obtaining my real estate license, I expanded my industry knowledge by working with an attorney specializing in real estate transactions, where I discovered my interest in the closing process. Seeking further experience, I transitioned to another attorney handling both residential and commercial transactions.
This experience led me to an opportunity at Fidelity National Title, where I assisted two high-producing escrow officers. I enjoyed working with them and was soon promoted to manage the Attorney Title Services department, which I found to be my niche. I worked with the Commercial Closing branch in downtown Austin working closely with the national title departments of Fidelity. I ended up with business relationships with all the Attorney firms and Title companies locally and nationally. I was recruited to work with Austin Title Company to build their Fee attorney department. I worked with them for 3 years when the president of Austin Title joined with the president of First American Title to purchase Towne and Country Title and renamed it to a dba Independence Title Company. I was part of the founding group of people who helped to build and mold it. In 2011 I decided to obtain my Certified Escrow Settlement Associate certification now know as the Certified Escrow Settlement Professional. It is a test that covers 28 Core knowledge areas: Title, General, Regulatory, Escrow & Closing. I received my passing score and have kept up my CE to keep the certification.
Then in 2015 Independence Title Company was sold to the Realogy Group, taking the locally ran company to a national company.
In July 2020, I rejoined the world of closings with T. Alan Ceshker at the Ceshker Group and currently manage the Buda office. I truly value the chance to collaborate with Alan, our agents, and clients throughout the Austin and Buda area.
I’ve built a reputation for my persistence in resolving complex title issues, enabling people to sell their properties when they might not otherwise be able to. I’m dedicated to handling each case with the same level of attention and care I would give to my own.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The most valuable things in life often come from overcoming challenges. As a working mother, I dedicated over 60 hours a week to providing for my family. This meant countless hours commuting, ensuring my children were cared for, fed, and rested. My husband, as an Austin Police Officer, also made significant sacrifices to protect our community, often working long hours.
I devoted considerable time to mastering the complexities of the Texas Insurance Department Basic Manual for Title Insurance, a task that required immense dedication and effort.
As a manager, I sometimes had to make difficult decisions that might have made me appear uncaring. However, my priority was always to support my team, a principle instilled in me by the Army’s “Not for self but Others” ethos. I established, trained, and audited numerous offices to ensure compliance with TDI policies and procedures. Real estate closings are intricate processes far removed from the simplified portrayals in media.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are a locally owned attorney firm specializing in real estate law and transactions. Currently, we operate as a fee office under both Capital Title and Patten Title. Our staff has a combined escrow experience of 30+ years and ready to assist in all real estate transactions.
An attorney closing office functions similarly to a title company branch. However, as a law office, we can offer a broader range of services and maintain independence from title companies. By using in-house counsel, our title office provides additional flexibility and services, including:
Competitive pricing: Title premiums are set by the State and are the same for all title closing offices. Our offices are comparable in all other fees and even provide a money back guarantee of the settlement fees if the client is unhappy with the services provided.
Attorneys are available to assist with closings: While seldom needed, attorneys are immediately available to resolve title, loan or other issues that may arise during the closing of real estate transactions. Traditional obstructions to a real estate closing (i.e. judgment liens, mechanic’s liens, lis pendens) are capable of being immediately resolved to allow more transactions to close than in a corporate title office.
Flexibility: With the ultimate decision maker for the company available on any and all transactions, a client’s special needs can be attended to and addressed on a timely basis.
Convenient closings: In exceptional circumstances we are able to provide closings outside the office at the convenience of the clients.
Professional Services: Clients are generally more impressed with important real estate transactions closing in a law office.
Guaranteed Closings: If your clients aren’t happy with our professional services, we will refund the settlement fee.
Turn-key services: Clients are able to utilize the resources of the law office’s relationships to assist with any and all aspects of their real estate transaction from start to well after finish.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Spending the summers in east Texas with my grandparents on their ranch.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doylaburrell
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/doyla.burrell
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/doyla-burrell-70a270241
Image Credits
Doyla A. Burrell, Doyla A. Burrell, Doyla A. Burrell & T. Alan Ceshker , Dawson (dog), Doyla & Melissa
