HOME BUYERS FAIR : All About Escrow : Shop Around to Find Best Escrow Office, Experts Say

While the principals in a real estate transaction have the right to choose an escrow company, as a matter of practice, real estate brokers usually pick the firm, according to Diana Stewart of Brentwood Escrow.

“The average person has one, two or maybe three real estate transactions in a lifetime, while real estate professionals do it for a living,” Stewart said. “It stands to reason that realtors can weed out the incompetents in escrow.”

Carmela Goldberg of Jon Douglas Co., Sherman Oaks, said that usually the real estate listing salesperson chooses the escrow company.

Occasionally, however, the seller has a preference for both the escrow company and the title company and insists that both are specified in the listing contract.

If you are selling a house yourself, or even if you deal with a broker as a buyer or seller and don’t choose the escrow company, the following hints will help you make informed choices about an escrow provider:

--Check to see how long the escrow company has been in business, advises Billie Sandlin of Integrity Escrow, Monrovia, president of the California Escrow Assn. A firm that has been around for several years has proved itself to be reliable, she said.

--If a friend or neighbor has bought or sold a house recently, ask them if they had good luck with the escrow firm.

--All things being equal, choose an escrow firm close to your house: It will make signing papers that much more convenient.

--Check costs with at least three different escrow companies, asking each escrow officer how much it will cost to perform the tasks required in your particular transaction. The savings probably won’t be more than $100 or so, but every dollar counts, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve struck the best bargain.