Archives For: Industry Updates

Spokane Housing Crisis: Land Bank Forms to Open Up More Properties for Low-Income Housing

Spokane’s first land bank has launched with promises to free up more land for affordable housing across the city.

12 Aug 2022

Mortgage Delinquency Rate Falls to 43-Year Low

The delinquency rate for residential mortgage loans has fallen to it’s lowest level since 1979, falling even lower than the previous pre-pandemic numbers.

12 Aug 2022

Mortgage Delinquencies Decrease in the Second Quarter of 2022

MBA reports that the delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four unit residential properties has decreased in the second quarter.

11 Aug 2022

FHFA Announces Mortgage Servicer Requirements for Maintaining Fair Lending Data

FHFA announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require mortgage servicers to maintain certain elements of fair lending data throughout the loan term.

11 Aug 2022

Louisville Metro Government Says It’s Making Progress on City’s Vacant, Abandoned Properties

Louisville Metro Government said it’s making progress on vacant and abandoned properties across the city.

11 Aug 2022

New Program to Fix Dilapidated Properties Proposed

A new program to purchase dilapidated properties, fix them up, and then sell them to first-time homeowners is beginning in Jamestown, NY.

10 Aug 2022

New Leader of Blight Authority of Memphis Excited for Revitalization

The new executive director of the Blight Authority of Memphis has a new vision for tackling the decades old blight fight throughout the city.

10 Aug 2022

U.S. Foreclosure Activity Drops 4 Percent in July 2022

The latest ATTOM U.S. Foreclosure Market Report shows that foreclosure filings have dropped approximately 4 percent from a month ago.

9 Aug 2022

The Place with the Most Vacant Homes in America, According to Data

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 American Community Survey, these 50 metro areas have the most unoccupied homes.

7 Aug 2022

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest Weekly Survey

Data from the MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey reports an increase of 1.2% over the previous week for week ending July 29.

3 Aug 2022

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CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties