Archives For: Industry Updates

U.S. Foreclosure Activity Shows Continued Rise in Third Quarter

ATTOM released its Q3 2023 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, showing foreclosure filings up 28% from the previous month and 34% from a year ago.

12 Oct 2023

Sale of Abandoned Affordable Housing Welcomed by Wichita Neighborhood

The city of Wichita held another round of open houses for 13 city-owned properties that will hopefully be sold as affordable housing options.

9 Oct 2023

Prince George’s Co. is Ready to Crack Down on Owners of Abandoned Properties

Prince George’s County. MD looks to create a vacant property registry to help keep track of blighted, abandoned and vacant properties throughout the county.

6 Oct 2023

Highland County Land Bank Board Selects More Properties for Demolition, Clean-up

The Highland County Land Reutilization Corporation is continuing to make headway in their fight against blight in the county.

6 Oct 2023

Cleaning Up Blight on Wilton Properties: How Underlying Issues, Foreclosure Threats and Changing Laws Impact Wilton’s Blight Conditions

First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice works to address blighted properties in the town of Wilton as her term comes to an end.

3 Oct 2023

Cities Losing Blight Battle Look Toward New Solutions

Birmingham leaders are looking to new solutions to deal with blighted, overgrown lots and vacant properties that have become a nuisance.

2 Oct 2023

OCC Reports Mortgage Performance for Second Quarter of 2023

The OCC reported on the performance of first-lien mortgages in the federal banking system during the second quarter of 2023.

27 Sep 2023

Mortgage Delinquency Rates May be Bottoming Out – Black Knight

Black Knight’s latest report suggests that delinquency rates may be nearing cycle lows as early-stage delinquencies continue to increase.

25 Sep 2023

FHFA Releases 2nd Quarter 2023 Foreclosure Prevention and Refinance Report

FHFA released its 2nd quarter 2023 Foreclosure Prevention and Refinance Report, showing the Enterprises completed 47K prevention actions during the quarter.

21 Sep 2023

HUD Earns Smart Energy Decisions’ 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award

HUD’s Office of Public Housing, Energy Branch has received the Smart Energy Decisions’ 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.

20 Sep 2023

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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