Safeguard Properties

Archives For: Industry Updates

Mortgage Rates Approach 5% as Fed Tightens and Inflation Rattles Bond Markets

U.S. mortgage rates approached 5% on Friday, the highest daily average in more than four years, as war-worsened inflation fears spooked financial markets and the Federal Reserve ended a two-year emergency program that boosted demand for bonds containing home loans.

29 Mar 2022

Freddie Mac: Mortgage Serious Delinquency Rates Decreased in February

Freddie Mac reported that the Single-Family serious delinquency rate in February was 0.99%, down from 1.06% in January.

25 Mar 2022

Top 10 U.S. Housing Markets with Greatest Number of Foreclosure Starts in February 2022

ATTOM’s February 2022 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report revealed that lenders started the foreclosure process on 16,545 U.S. properties in February 2022.

25 Mar 2022

Louisiana Sends National Guard to Tornado Disaster Area

A tornado that menaced the New Orleans area flipped a school bus, ripped off rooftops and deposited a house with a family inside it onto the middle of their street.

23 Mar 2022

Tornado Outbreak in Texas, Oklahoma Kills 1, Injures at Least 10

At least three southern states were under a tornado watch Tuesday following an outbreak of twisters Monday night in Texas and Oklahoma that cut a path of destruction, killed one person and injured at least 10 others.

22 Mar 2022

Fintech Firm Seeks to Modernize Appraisal Process

Fintech firm CubiCasa is working with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to modernize the appraisal process by digitizing it.

22 Mar 2022

Share of Mortgage Loans in Forbearance Decreases by 1.18% in February

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s monthly Loan Monitoring Survey revealed that the total number of loans now in forbearance decreased by 12 basis points from 1.30% of servicers’ portfolio volume in the prior month to 1.18% as of February 28, 2022.

21 Mar 2022

CFPB Encourages Mortgage Servicer Participation in HAF Programs

Last week, the CFPB published a blog post, stating that it “strongly encourages” mortgage servicers to participate in Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) programs.

21 Mar 2022

Baltimore City Council Introduces Legislation to Combat Vacant Properties

Baltimore City Council introduced five bills aimed at combating the city’s problem with vacant properties.

21 Mar 2022

Freddie Mac Names Wendell Chambliss as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

Freddie Mac announced that Wendell Chambliss has been appointed senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer.

21 Mar 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties