Challenge

Based in South Carolina, Forward Law opened its doors for business in April of 2019. Charlie Carpenter has worked in real estate transactions, both commercial and residential, and had decided to open his own firm. When Carpenter began the process of opening his firm, one of the first decisions he had to make was which software to use for his real estate transactions. He wanted software that would keep his files organized, minimize human error, heighten security, and increase efficiency. He wanted to ensure that client information would remain organized and secure while taking on a high volume of transactions.

There has to be a more efficient way to streamline the entire closing process for all parties involved with the transaction. I was looking for ways to eliminate most of the pointless back and forth emails and phone calls that occupy a lot of time. Also, I wanted a software that was location independent so we could work from anywhere. So I asked… is there a way to run title searches through the software rather than emailing? Sometimes you’re going outside counties where you didn’t know anyone. (I needed) some way that there would be vetted vendors or trusted local abstractors.

Charlie Carpenter, Founder, Attorney

Carpenter reached out to his network of colleagues for advice. The first friend he spoke to recommended Qualia, but had yet to make the switch because his paralegals were versed in an older software. Another contact shared that he used the Qualia Platform to streamline his workflow, but had not yet used the additional products. The third colleague shared that she used most of the Qualia products, and had great success in doing so.

Solution

Carpenter scheduled a demo with Qualia and learned about the Platform, Marketplace, Connect, and Reconciliation services. With the full suite of Qualia products, Carpenter was able to make his ideal software a reality. He was able to outsource his reconciliations to the in-house reconciliation team at Qualia. Marketplace allowed him to expand his business into new counties without worrying about searching for and vetting local vendors. Connect allowed him to securely message his clients, without any message or document getting lost in the shuffle. As a result, Carpenter no longer has to search through his email inbox. Communication with clients is more efficient, secure, and organized by order number.

His real estate agent clients have praised the scheduling tool that comes with Connect and are awestruck by the simplicity of scheduling their closings. Closing updates and statuses are automatic and well-communicated through the app. Rather than filling out tedious buyer and seller information sheets, real estate agents can access the app from anywhere and confirm client information, access homeowners association information, and view commission amounts. Any documents needed can be uploaded to the file with the touch of a button. With Connect, real estate agents experience streamlined closings and seamless access to information.

Results

Without the efficiency of Qualia, Carpenter states that they would have to work much longer hours, potentially jeopardizing the quality of customer service. With Qualia, Carpenter and his team have more time to dedicate towards providing quality customer service and marketing their business. Due to the efficiency and time saved, Carpenter shares that Qualia “allows everyone here to be much more accessible. It allows me to answer my phone. It allows for quicker updates.” They are able to expand their business to new counties and focus on being a member of their community.