From Co-op to CEO: Susan Biddle-Jewell’s Freedom Story

Summary

This podcast episode features hosts Danny and Flip interviewing their guest Sue Biddle Jewel, the owner of All Points Title company. Sue shares her story of working at All Points for over 40 years, eventually buying out the original owner. She discusses the importance of having a reliable title company for real estate transactions, especially as an investor. Sue explains what questions investors should ask title companies to vet them properly, noting that many aren't investor-friendly. The hosts highlight why they exclusively work with All Points for nearly all their deals thanks to Sue's expertise and responsive communication. Overall, Sue provides insightful advice for choosing a trustworthy title partner.

Takeaways

• 😊 Sue has worked at All Points Title for over 40 years and plans to pass the business down to her son
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 All Points Title has strong relationships with private lenders, investors, and realtors that span decades
• 🏡 All Points Title specializes in complicated real estate transactions like subject-to deals
• 💰 Having cash reserves allowed All Points Title to weather losing a big client and avoid layoffs
• 🔍 Ask title companies if they do full title searches without exceptions
• 🤝 Communication sets All Points Title apart - Sue is very responsive
• 😢 Losing a government contract forced All Points to suddenly lay off employees
• 👪 Passing a business to family maintains culture and quality service
• ⚖️ Get an attorney's opinion on complex real estate deals
• 👍🏻 Freedom Family Investments has used All Points Title successfully for years

Q & A

What is the name of Sue's title company?

Sue works at All Points Title.

How long has Sue worked at All Points Title?

Sue has worked at All Points Title for almost 41 years. She started there while she was still in high school.

Why does the podcast host value working with Sue?

The host values working with Sue because she is reliable, works with all of their private money lenders, and is experienced in handling different types of real estate investment transactions like subject-to deals.

What does Sue plan to do when she retires?

When Sue retires, she plans to retain ownership of the All Points Title building and rent it out to her son Scott and employee Angie, who will take over running the company.

What major business challenge did Sue face early in her career?

Early in her career at All Points Title, Sue had to lay off 16 employees overnight because they lost a big government contract that provided a lot of their business.

What advice does Sue have for getting through challenging times in business?

Sue's advice is to remember that every day is different with new challenges, but bad days and good days both pass. Having more good days makes the bad days worthwhile.

How can you assess if a title company will fully search title?

Ask the title company if they do a full title search on every property and if they will issue a policy without exceptions for issues found.

What resources set All Points Title apart from other title companies?

All Points Title has an in-house attorney available to help with flexible transactions, and they have a lot of experience with investor deals.

What is unique about Sue's communication availability?

Sue makes herself available for calls and texts outside of normal business hours. She strives to answer questions instantly whenever possible.

What new investment opportunity did the hosts announce?

The hosts announced an upcoming income fund with high returns, liquidity options as short as 90 days, and the ability to test with smaller investments first.