Page 258 – Safeguard Properties

MReport Celebrates Achievements of Women in Housing

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
August 17, 2016

MReport magazine has announced the 55 honorees who will be part of its September 2016 special issue celebrating the accomplishments of women in the mortgage industry.

This year’s honorees are broken down into three categories: “Power Players,” “Leading Ladies,” and “Emerging Leaders.” The 2016 “Power Players” are five mortgage and housing veterans with roles in both the government and private sector. Fifty additional women were selected for MReport’s 2016 “Leading Ladies” and “Emerging Leaders” list.

The honorees were selected from nominations from their peers in the industry, who nominated them based on leadership qualities such as intelligence, drive, and pursuit of innovation.

MReport’s Women in Housing honorees will also be acknowledged at the Women in Homeownership Leadership Forum at the Five Star Conference on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, in Dallas, Texas. The keynote speaker for the Women in Housing Leadership Forum will be Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States (2001-2009). Featured speakers will be Charmaine Brown, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Fannie Mae; Amy Bonitatibus, Chief Communications Officer, Mortgage Banking and Credit Card Business, JPMorgan Chase; and Dana Dillard, EVP and Chief Customer Officer, Nationstar Mortgage.

2016 “Power Players”

Amy Bonitatibus, Chief Communications Officer, Mortgage Banking and Credit Card Business, JPMorgan Chase
Dana Dillard, Chief Customer Officer, Nationstar Mortgage
Deborah L. Jenkins, SVP National Head of Multifamily Underwriting & Credit, Freddie Mac
Glenda Gabriel, Neighborhood Lending Executive, Bank of America
Kimberly Johnson, SVP & Chief Risk Officer, Fannie Mae

2016 “Leading Ladies”

Caroline Reaves, CEO, Mortgage Contracting Services
Carolyn Thompson, President and Owner, ASONS
Charmaine Brown, Director, Diversity and Inclusion, Fannie Mae
Cheryl Feltgen, EVP & Chief Risk Officer, Arch MI
Debbie Lastoria, VP Business Development, Nationwide Title Clearing
Donna DelMonte, SVP Operations, Assurant
Hilary B. Provinse, SVP Multifamily Customer Engagement, Fannie Mae
Jackie Oliver, SVP Nationstar Mortgage
Jill A. Showell, SVP Government and Community Relations, Ocwen Financial Corporation
Jill Kravig Burns, Executive Vice President, Mountain West Financial, Inc.
JK Huey, SVP Mortgage, Foreclosure and Asset Management, Wells Fargo
Jody Collup, VP Marketing, Global DMS
Julian Grey, Mortgage Market Leader Data & Analytics, Black Knight Financial Services
Katrina Jones, VP, Single Family Business Solutions, Fannie Mae
Kellie Chambers, AVP Investor Relations, Safeguard Properties
Kelly Chapman, SVP Client Management, Auction.com
Kristy Fercho, SVP Customer Delivery Executive, Fannie Mae
Laurie Maggiano, Manager for Servicing and Securitization Markets, CFPB
Lisa Sadaoui, President & CEO, First Allegiance
Maria V. Moskver, General Counsel & Enterprise Compliance Officer, LenderLive
Marianne Sullivan, SVP Single-Family Business Capabilities, Fannie Mae
Marion McDougall, EVP Operations, Caliber Home Loans
Marnie Ronda Lacue Applegate, SVP Credit Risk/Policy, Pacific Union Financial
Meg Burns, Managing Director, The Collingwood Group
Melanie Feliciano, Chief Legal Officer, DocMagic
Mercedes G. Henricksson, Director of Sales CPM Real Estate, Fannie Mae
Michelle DeLeon, Managing Partner, Default Legal Services, Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer
Min Lee Alexander, SVP Real Estate Services, Altisource
Nadine Bates, SVP & Treasurer, Fannie Mae
Pam Kosanke, Chief Marketing Officer, Renters Warehouse
Patricia Raymo, COO Retail, Loandepot
Phyllis L. Wright, Ph.D., SVP HR Strategies, VRM Mortgage Services
Ramie Word, SVP Performing Acquisitions & Borrower Communication, Nationstar Mortgage
Rebecca Smith, Director, Client Relations, Green River Capital
Renee Schultz, SVP Capital Markets, Fannie Mae
Rose Silverstein, AVP, Regional Director of New Business and Correspondent Sales Strategy, Radian Guaranty Inc.
Sally French Tyler, EVP, First American Title Insurance Company
Sally Taylor-Shoff, Scores Vice President, FICO
Sandra J. Troutman, Director, Corporate Communications, MERSCORP Holdings
Sarah Alexander Goldfrank, SVP & Deputy General Counsel, Fannie Mae
Serena Yang, VP, Marketing, Civic Financial Services
Sharron P.A. Levine, Director, Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, FHFA
Susheel Mantha, CFO, LRES Corporation
Tami Bonnell, CEO, EXIT Realty Corp International
Terri Hunter, SVP Asset Management and Portfolio Oversight, Chronos Solutions
Tujuanna Williams, VP, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Fannie Mae

2016 Emerging Leaders (35 years old and under)

Kelly Brooks, CEO, Property Masters
Tonia Conner, AVP, Acquisitions, Nationstar Mortgage
Erika Cheyney, AVP, Operations, ZVN Properties
Amy Sanchez, EVP, Prescient
Tiffany Williams, Director of Default Services, Guardian Asset Management

Source: MReport

Safeguard Properties Innovates New Technology Solutions

Posted on September 13, 2018October 29, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
February 1, 2016

Anticipating future challenges to mitigate risk

The COMPANY

As the largest field services company in the country, Safeguard continues to develop industry-leading technologies that improve the accuracy of property updates and provide best practices for the entire industry.

Safeguard delivers a full spectrum of inspection, maintenance, preservation, property registration, repairs and rehab services on vacant, defaulted and foreclosed properties.safeguard

“What distinguishes Safeguard is our commitment to delivering excellent customer service and performing at the highest levels of quality, timeliness and cost-effectiveness,” said Robert Klein, founder and chairman.

Mortgage field servicers continue to adapt to meet the changing housing climate where the number of distressed properties is declining and the time to foreclose is rising.

Safeguard has been testing the use of video in the field as one of the most promising new technologies for field services companies. Video gives the boots-on-the-ground inspectors and contractors the ability to report damages and receive bid approvals in real time, and provides more detailed evidence of any issues at a property.

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, the possibilities of video in this industry are endless,” said CEO Alan Jaffa.

Regulatory challenges are putting service providers under increased scrutiny and Safeguard stays on top of this by anticipating client needs, employing best practices to minimize risk, and creating comprehensive frameworks to ensure transparent communication from all organizational levels.

“From new technology and the expansion of in-house internal audit and compliance teams, we have been working to proactively and aggressively manage risk, and to ensure the frameworks are in place to maintain regulatory compliance and fully protect the consumer,” Jaffa said.

Now in its 25th year, Safeguard believes its biggest opportunities will come from technology.

By looking at industry problems or situations from a fresh perspective and investing heavily in new technology, Safeguard has been able to optimize mobile location, business intelligence and tracking. This technology means they can identify location accuracy, quality check the data, ensure the right people are at the right property at the right time doing the right work and support compliance requirements.

“By critically looking at the issues currently facing the industry, Safeguard has been able to provide solutions to minimize risks to clients and to properties,” Jaffa said. “Safeguard’s forward-thinking approach allows the company to anticipate industry challenges and changes and develop best practices to meet them head on.”

The EXECUTIVES

Robert Klein, Founder and Chairman

RobertRobert Klein is the founder and chairman of the board for Safeguard. Under Klein’s leadership, Safeguard grew from a handful of employees in 1990 into the largest field services company in the industry, with an extensive network of contractors throughout the United States. Klein assumed the role of chairman in May of 2010.

Klein serves as chair of the National Vacant Properties Registration Committee of the MBA
and he represents not only Safeguard, but the industry as a whole in national associations including MBA, USFN, CMBA and REOMAC. He also is the founder of the National Property Preservation Conference in Washington, D.C. In 2009, Klein received the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He won both in the northeast Ohio region in the category of professional services and asset management firms, and nationally in the servicing category.

Alan Jaffa, CEO

Alan JaffaAlan Jaffa assumed the role of CEO in May 2010. Previously he served as COO. 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 complementary markets. Since joining Safeguard in 1995, Jaffa has worked in nearly every department. Under his leadership, Safeguard has doubled in size and, in 2010 and 2011, was recognized as the fastest-growing large company in Northeast Ohio.

Gregory Robinson, CPA, CFO and EVP

GregGregory Robinson directs all financial management activities and also oversees human resources, quality assurance, internal audit and support services at Safeguard. Under his HR leadership, Safeguard has implemented strategies to support a 400% increase in Safeguard’s work force since 2006. Robinson also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners. Prior to joining Safeguard, Robinson led successful consulting practices at CGI Inc., NetGov Inc. and ORION Consulting. He is a CPA in the state of Ohio. In 2010, Robinson was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business as CFO of the Year in the category of large private companies.

Source: HousingWire

Safeguard Properties Receives Partnership Award from Code Enforcement Agency

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
January 6, 2016

Safeguard Properties, the largest mortgage field services company in the United States, received the inaugural public-private partnership award from the American Association of Code Enforcement (AACE) at the AACE’s conference in Florida late last year.

The public-private partnership award recognized Ohio-based Safeguard Properties for its collaboration and contributions, which include many years of providing education and session presentations. Safeguard’s contributions to education include a first-of-its-kind training webinar on the mortgage servicing industry. The company also collaborated with AACE to increase awareness about the industry by producing marketing materials and including leadership at state and national conferences.

“Safeguard is honored to be presented with this award,” said Michael Halpern, Director of Community Initiatives for Safeguard Properties. “We value our partnership and will continue to work with AACE as a commitment to eliminate blight in neighborhoods across the country.”

In addition to receiving the AACE’s first-ever public-private partnership award, Safeguard offered eight scholarships to attend the AACE conference for the fifth year.

“Decreasing municipal budgets impact the feasibility of code officials being able to participate,” said Sherri Johnston, ambassador-at-large. “The scholarship program has opened the doors to continue education and develop the skill sets needed to serve their communities.”

The eight scholarship recipients were Keelah Allen-Smith, College Park, Maryland; Nathan Buxton, Jefferson County, Colorado; John Christophe, Austin, Texas; Jamilla Dewitt, DeKalb County, Georgia; Barry Humphries, Hueytown, Alabama; Sadie Norton, Vernal City, Utah; Jeff Posival, Irving, Texas; and Amrinder Singh, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Source: DS News

Amitha Rao: Technology Adoption In Field Services Key To Client Satisfaction

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
November 5, 2015

PERSON OF THE WEEK: Amitha Rao is assistant vice president of client systems and data analytics for field services company Safeguard Properties. Specifically, Rao leads data architecture and governance for all systems, with the goal of creating a consistent and reliable information management platform. MortgageOrb recently interviewed Rao to learn more about how technology is helping Safeguard improve its operations and boost client satisfaction.

Q: What is an example of big data being leveraged at Safeguard?

Rao: At our company, we have been using big data and the latest technologies to inform mortgage servicing clients on the status of their properties across the country. For some time now, we have been leveraging that data to be more proactive at properties. Utilizing big data analysis, we can identify patterns, predict behavior, and mitigate potential risks.

Investing in mobile technologies has also helped us gather salient data points. For example, the location of a contractor can now be extracted as a part of the geographic information systems (GIS) built into his or her device. Safeguard’s mobile application team continues to upgrade to newer technologies, enabling us to collect salient data without burdening our contractors with extra steps.

Mobile devices in conjunction with our in-house developed mobile applications have also increased the quality of the data collected by our contractors. For instance, Safeguard’s mobile apps will not allow duplicate or out-of-date photos to be uploaded into our systems. The apps will also flag any data being uploaded from an incorrect property location based on longitude and latitude or through prior geo-location markers.

Q: How do you use data to drive performance to meet client service level agreements (SLAs)?

Rao: Every mortgage servicing client and investor has its own unique set of regulations and guidelines on how to service properties. Our company’s established processes and data collection experience makes it easier to adapt to this multitude of variances in work orders. We collect data, no doubt, but our data collection is very detail oriented and tailored to a very specific need. An example our CEO often uses is, “If it is Tuesday and raining and if the door of the property is blue, the contractor needs to do X, Y and Z.” We have the flexibility to extract those specific client parameters and relay those details to the contractor. Safeguard is able to customize and perform next actions based on various client parameters.

We also track our SLAs closely and take pride in making sure we are on target and above client and investor expectations. The SLA around various processes is tracked and communicated to the folks running the business. If a client’s expectations are not met, then, the issues in question are thoroughly analyzed to understand the deficiencies or roadblocks in both data and processes, and mitigating controls are put in place to minimize them. This would not be possible if we were not capturing data at the lowest granularity.

Q: What new initiatives have been implemented to provide timeliness and quality of property preservation?

Rao: In the mortgage field services industry, timeliness and quality go hand in hand. Our contractors are not only ranked on how soon they send us the results from the field, but also by their quality of work. Contractors are evaluated using scorecards that are calculated either bimonthly or weekly. The scorecards are trended to identify issues and patterns and correct any discrepancies.

The contractors are made part of this process through their vendor account managers (VAMs), who review the scorecards with the contractors so that they understand the issues and, if a pattern is identified, modify their practices, as well. For example, a particular contractor might be great at submitting and completing work, but if its work is not up to the standards required by Safeguard and our client, then adjustments are necessary and critical. Utilizing the readily available data from our systems and identifying the issues and solutions, the VAMs can coach and help the contractors to deliver both timely and quality results.

Q: How has information foraging been applied in the industry?

Rao: Information foraging is how people (i.e., data consumers) search for information. A better understanding of search behavior can improve the usability of desktop and mobile applications or other interfaces. This has been a big initiative for us. Because contractors and inspectors are the eyes and ears of the clients and investors, close to 10,000 attributes are collected on a work order. It would be impossible to manually review all of this data and identify risks and patterns. However, we are able accomplish this by utilizing home grown, custom developed, intricate business algorithms.

Having access to a million data points means property risks can be identified and communicated to the client with little or no delay. For instance, we can identify if a property with a sump pump has had its electricity turned off. If so, this is a potential “actionable condition,” and as a result, we can immediately have the electricity reinstated to ensure that the property is no longer at risk.

Q: How has geospatial analysis impacted property preservation industry?

Rao: We have expanded our GIS analysis in the last several years. What began as a solution for clients in managing weather and disaster-impacted properties has led to quality assurance and better service offerings.

Map Alert was our first experience with geo-location technology. Clients log onto the system, and by using interactive U.S. maps, they can view their current properties being serviced by Safeguard, properties that need repairs, bids on properties, grass cuts in progress, properties that are affected by severe weather or properties that could potentially be impacted by severe weather and natural disasters.

Very early, our IT team identified the huge potential for geo-location services in the mortgage field services industry. We expanded its use beyond work orders and disasters into ensuring that the inspectors were at the correct property address and assigning rush or urgent work orders to contractors based on real-time location data, to name a few. These initiatives save both time and costs and also mitigate risks.

Additionally, we began utilizing data visualization. By visualizing order volume, on-time and late percentages geospatially on a U.S. map rather than in an Excel file, we can make more informative decisions on order reallocation, contractor portfolios, timeliness of orders, and cost and volume distribution.

Q: What optimization techniques have been applied to collect data from fields?

Rao: Newer mobile technologies have made it easier for Safeguard and its contractors and inspectors to collect property data in the field. With more than 90% of the network utilizing these technologies, unique metadata is captured after each visit to a property. Coupled with geo-location technology and data analytics, we have continued to deliver the highest-quality results in a timely manner.

Additionally, all of the data collected by our contractors is stored on a faster and reliable network in multi-data centers with flash recovery and backups through a more reliable data storage infrastructure.

For the future, Safeguard is testing the use of video in the field to paint a better picture of property status, the extent of damages and overall property conditions.

Source: MortgageOrb

More Consistency and Better Alignment Are Needed in Property Management

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
September 17, 2015

The housing industry has reported many positive metrics for 2015, leading many to proclaim its recovery from the devastation of 2008. Vacancy levels remain high in many parts of the country, however, as so-called “zombie properties”—abandoned homes for which foreclosure has begun but not been completed—are breeding blight in communities.

Many mortgagees or servicers are refusing to perform consistent upkeep on zombie properties because the foreclosure process is not yet complete, and the homeowner has abandoned the property; the result is the spreading of blight, which often deters investment, depresses market values, and attracts violent crime, having a negative impact the health of entire communities.

The issue of stabilizing such communities was a major point of discussion at the Property Management Lab as part of the 2015 Five Star Conference and Expo on Thursday in Dallas. Panels discussed such topics as communications strategies between vendors and servicers, best practices for registering vacant properties, partnerships between stake holders for maintaining vacant properties, the challenge of managing properties to code compliance, and ensuring consistency between properties.

The former plan to engage code enforcement in order to avoid citations from the city was for servicers and field services providers to make a pitch to the city officials in which the property was located. But the cities are in a different position because revenues are down due to lower property values.

“What we’re seeing is more aggressive citations and more vacant property registration fees, because that’s making up the city’s revenue, right?” said Kelllie Chambers, Assistant VP, Investor Relations, Safeguard Properties. “What we’ve been successful in doing in working with the cities is employing an actual employee in the city and having them go and meet with code enforcement and make more of a personal connection, so that if the code officer has a problem at 123 Main Street, instead of issuing a citation, they call up their personal representative from Safeguard, or Wells Fargo, or Chase, and says, ‘Hey Kellie, I talk to you all the time. I’ve got this problem at 123 Main Street. You think you can get somebody out here today to resolve it?'”

Chambers said the property preservation process needs to be better aligned from pre-foreclosure sale all the way to REO, because now servicers generally have a minimalist approach to property maintenance in pre-foreclosure sale so as not to interfere with the borrower’s homeownership. Once the property goes into the servicer’s REO inventory, however, they are typically much more proactive about maintaining the properties, which can send a mixed message to the other homeowners on the block.

“On one side of them, they could have a property in pre-foreclosure sale with the bare minimum being done, gutters hanging, with the grass being cut every two weeks,” she said. “On the other side of them, they could have a vacant abandoned property that’s REO with the grass being cut every six or seven days, and there’s fresh mulch, and they’re pressure washing the house. It doesn’t bode well for the community. It doesn’t send a good, consistent message to the neighbors. The future of property preservation is to align that property preservation list of tasks that need to be done to the property to be consistent from start to end and not just up the ante or do more just because you have the property in your own inventory.”

Source: DS News

Additional Resources

More consistency and Better Alignment is Needed in Property Management [pdf] (To access article, please turn to page 22.)

Field Services Evolution

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
August 4, 2015

IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FORECLOSURE FILINGS IN THE U.S DROPPED TO THE LOWEST NUMBER SINCE 2007, ACCORDING TO REALTYTRAC. BUT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS IT TOOK TO COMPLETE A FORECLOSURE ROSE TO A WHOPPING 620 DAYS NATIONALLY, AND IN SOME STATES FORECLOSURES TOOK LONGER — MUCH LONGER.

In New York, the dubious winner of the nation’s longest average time to foreclose, it took an astounding 1,475 days to complete foreclosure. That’s more than four years. Which is why proper-ty preservation companies, despite a lower number of foreclosures overall, are still vital in managing risk for lenders. A lot of things can happen to a property in 1,475 days.

And as the field services industry continues to ride the REO boom and bust cycle, it’s under increasing scrutiny from in-vestors, communities and regulators to deliver top-tier service within strict guidelines. Companies have adapted to this new REO environment by finding innovative ways to do the import-ant work of protecting and maintaining assets.

THE RISE OF MOBILE
Investors today crave certainty, the kind that results from lots and lots of data points. To provide that degree of assurance, field service providers have taken data collection to a whole new level. Forget the stereotype of a field servicer walking around with a clipboard and a camera. Just in the last 12 months, the explosion of available real-time data is driving a new model of field servicing that would have been unrecognizable in the past.

For example, last year Safeguard Properties received about 100,000 photos from the field every day — an impressive num-ber. Today, with 94% of its vendor base using mobile to submit information, that number has climbed to more than 1 million photos a day, a 900% increase.

“Mobile has been an unbelievable factor in delivering richer and more timely data,” said Alan Jaffa, CEO of Safeguard Properties. “A lot of our clients get hourly or even more frequent data feeds from us.”

The speed at which servicers can get information from their vendors is a key factor in quality control, Jaffa said.

“Investors today are reviewing property information with a fine-tooth comb. The entire review process has been extended, and investors are not looking to wait for weeks to get that information,” Jaffa said. “Our vendors are under scrutiny to get that information back quickly.”

With mobile apps, Safeguard vendors are able to share data almost instantly, and pictures and property specifics are reviewed during the same day.

“There’s so much detail we now provide to our clients. Years ago, having photos of every single bedroom wasn’t as critical, but today it’s not just photos, but smart scripts that ask all the right questions to get the most up-to-date position on the property,” Jaffa said.

That kind of information is an essential ingredient as lenders manage third-party vendors. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made it clear that financial institutions carry all the risk when it comes to what they outsource, and field service providers are keenly aware of their role in compliance.

For Ron Briggs, senior vice president of business development at Aspen Grove Solutions, the only way to comply is by lever-aging technology to deliver what investors and regulators are looking for. “Technology is the great enabler when it comes to introducing predictable, repeatable and auditable processes that satisfy business and regulatory needs,” Briggs said. “We provide our clients with the ability to know who was at a property, when they were at a property, and through the use of a standardized criminal background check, the person’s pattern of past behavior.

“Through the use of our technology, our clients can measure the quality of the vendor’s work, which can lead to additional training so vendors are equipped to do the best possible job. As such, technology, the business, and regulatory needs are aligning to provide line of sight from work assignment to service delivery at the property.”

The rapid transformation into a tech-centric model has shifted the role of the front-line workers in field services. As more people review the files, there is more emphasis on accountability. But the new model benefits these workers as well.

“Our subcontractors used to spend 12 hours in the field, and then spend another four hours rekeying that information,” he said. “Technology has enhanced the way they do business and they love it.”

The evolution of the way properties are secured and maintained comes at the right time for communities that are demanding greater transparency into the process.“

Just to protect and preserve a property may not be enough anymore. How we did that five or 10 years ago looks very different than what we need to do today,” Jaffa said.“

Cities across the country are not interested in hearing who owns the property — the fact that the bank owns it isn’t the issue. The issue is that this property has to be maintained like any other property on the block.”

By maintaining properties to community standards, communities are improved while assets are protected and preserved. It’s a win-win for all parties. “Technology is the great enabler when it comes to introducing predictable, repeatable and auditable processes that satisfy business and regulatory needs.”

Meeting the Biggest Challenges in Field Servicing

Alan Jaffa, CEO of Safeguard Properties

What is the biggest challenge in field servicing right now?

The biggest challenge in field services is the ever-changing regulatory environment and scrutiny the mortgage servicing industry is under. This scrutiny not only affects mortgage companies, but cascades down to field services companies and our vendors and employees.

Although these new regulations and laws create a challenge for us, they also provide opportunities to partner with clients and continuously improve processes and procedures. We must take additional measures to ensure our mortgage servicing clients remain in compliance.

We are committed to investing in new technologies, and new regulations encourage further innovation in that regard. It also includes additional controls for our vendors in the field by using geo location technology and smart scripts in Safeguard’s proprietary mobile applications. Soon this may include video, as we begin testing its use in the field. The results are improved quality and efficiencies for us, our vendors and clients.

Additionally, Safeguard is increasingly participating in both annual and periodic audits with clients, largely as a result of regulations now requiring increased monitoring of service providers. These audits are beneficial, and Safeguard uses them as a way to partner with our clients to identify areas for improvement. We also conduct our own internal audits to ensure we are meeting our clients’ expectations prior to their requests for information, in addition to conducting audits on our vendors to ensure quality and efficiency.

Safeguard just celebrated 25 years in business. What has been key to thriving for so long?

Our success and reputation in the mortgage field services industry are built on a fundamental commitment to customer service, a sense of responsibility for the work performed, and a clear and comprehensive understanding of the investor and insurer compliance issues that affect the mortgage industry.

Founder Robert Klein’s vision was to create a company focused on client satisfaction through business partnership. He created “Customer Service = Resolution,” which is more than a motto. It is a promise to our clients that we will deliver services at the highest levels of quality in the industry.

We are committed to building and sharing industry best practices to protect the integrity and value of our nation’s housing stock, to deliver the most efficient and cost-effective services in the industry, and to work on behalf of our clients to comply with all regulatory requirements.

Safeguard also is committed to providing innovative solutions through our investment in new technology. Through mobile adoption by our vendors, investing in data centers and piloting new technology like video in the field, we continue to ensure quality and innovation for the mortgage servicing industry.

What are the consequences of fast-track legislation for our industry and why was it important to create a Fast-Tracking Legislation Resource Center?

Robert Klein has been a leading proponent of the concept of fast-tracking vacant and abandoned properties, bringing the topic to the forefront by fostering meaningful industry dialogue. The Safeguard Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center is a tool to further assist servicers and communities in finding a solution to the vacant and abandoned property issue.

The interactive map features states that have enacted, are contemplating enacting, or have expired/inactive fast-track legislation for vacant and abandoned properties. Information includes a link to the final bill’s text, legislation history, and links to any media coverage of the legislation (if applicable).

An important component to fast-tracking vacant and abandoned properties is the ability to determine if a property is a candidate for the expedited process. To help with this determination, the center also highlights definitions of “vacancy” or “abandoned” within each piece of legislation.

Most importantly, the fast track legislation initiatives around the country are designed to ensure that vacant and abandoned housing stock can be brought back to useful life, thereby minimizing blight in the communities where they exist. Obviously the ability to make that asset available to a family that will care and love that home is so important to eliminating blight, assuming that all steps have been properly taken to ensure that the foreclosure was handled properly within the legislation.

We felt it was important for Safeguard to take the lead and invest the time and resources in researching and consolidating fast-track legislation so that it can be easily shared. Lawmakers and business leaders are searching for ways to rebuild communities and our hope is that this tool will be a useful resource to help stabilize at-risk neighborhoods and stem blight.

One of Safeguard’s community initiatives is to educate municipal leaders about property preservation best practices. What kind of results have you seen with this outreach?

Our intent is to provide an overview of the servicing industry’s best practices in preserving vacant properties.

Creating channels of open communication continues to be the biggest challenge for code officers, yet it is attainable. We created Compliance Connection, an innovative technology solution that connects code officials to the servicing industry. By becoming familiar with banking and servicing procedures, local code enforcement and building officials have been able to identify and communicate directly with the proper loan servicer through this technology. This eases the frustration of not receiving a response to their warnings and violation notices that may have been unintentionally sent to the wrong parties.

Please click here to view Field Services Evolution [pdf].

Linda Erkkila Weighs in on Ohio Putting Foreclosure to the “Fast-Track”

Posted on September 13, 2018January 25, 2019 by Safeguard

Safeguard in the News
June 15, 2015

Source: Source: DS News

Counsel’s Corner: Fast-Track Foreclosure Bill Will Put Ohio Housing and Economy On the Right Track

As General Counsel for nationwide property preservation and field services company Safeguard Properties, Linda Erkkila’s broad scope of management covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, pro-active risk mitigation, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures. Her practice spans more than 15 years, and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory mandated public disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, and merger and acquisition activity. Linda recently spoke with DS News about proposed fast-track foreclosure legislation in Safeguard’s home state of Ohio. The bill, known as Ohio HB 134, has passed unanimously in the Ohio House and is awaiting vote in the state Senate.

How do you think the fast-track foreclosure law will impact the housing market?

First and foremost, lenders have to avail themselves of the statute for there to be any impact. That may sound like stating the obvious, but there are multiple states that enacted fast-track foreclosure statutes that are not used by lenders, and those tend to be cases where the statutes are not well crafted and provide little or no benefit to the lender, or where the procedures are overly cumbersome.

Ohio’s bill is well-drafted and, assuming lenders take advantage of and use the statute if enacted, the housing market should slowly start to improve as properties start to turnover and values slowly creep up. The inventory of abandoned and blighted houses that sell at a discount will go down, and a more traditional housing market can be restored.

How do you think it will impact the industry in Ohio?

A traditional housing market, and by that I mean normally functioning housing market, is a keystone to any state’s general economic health. Ohio has had its share of struggles, but Ohio also has a great deal to offer in critical and sophisticated industries, such as healthcare, education, aerospace, and bioscience. Getting Ohio’s housing market on an upward, positive trend coupled with continued growth in those industries can only bring positive overall economic impact in Ohio.

Do you think there is any downside to this law?

I see no apparent downside. When you reach a point where someone stops paying the mortgage, has abandoned the home and is not responding to any of the lender’s outreach efforts, there is no benefit to prolonging the inevitable. At that point, the communities in which the abandoned properties are located suffer, as do the local governments and court systems due to the overall strain that these properties put on communities, governments and court systems. To be clear, lenders want to keep borrowers in their homes, and they take many steps prior to foreclosure to make that possible. When those efforts fail and the property is abandoned, efforts have to shift to protecting the property and the surrounding neighborhoods and communities.

How do you find the balance between not dragging out the foreclosure process but at the same time making sure borrowers have been given all the loss mitigation options?

If you set timelines and milestones for responsiveness by borrowers, absolutely deference should be given to providing the borrowers the opportunities they need to modify their loans. A decent indicator of a borrower’s desire to work through a loan modification is whether the borrower continues to occupy the property. Once a borrower stops paying the mortgage and vacates the property, and is not responding to outreach, foreclosure is likely the inevitable outcome. Again, to be clear, the best outcome for a lender is to work out a loan modification with the borrower to keep the borrower in the property. To the extent there are foreclosure statutes that set forth timelines for outreach to give the borrower the opportunity to stay in the property, those opportunities take precedence. That is the better outcome. But when you get to the point where all that fails, efforts need to be redirected to protecting the community.

How do think this will affect foreclosure laws in other states?

Eight states already have fast-track foreclosure statutes. As I mentioned, some work well and some do not. Over time, I expect states that have yet to propose fast-track foreclosure statutes to look at those states which have successfully enacted statutes and for which lenders have taken advantage of and states have benefited from, and model bills after those successful states. I think Ohio will be among those states that are viewed as having a model statute if it is enacted and if lenders take advantage of it.

A critical component of a good fast-track foreclosure bill is establishing a practical and responsible definition for determining whether a property is “vacant or abandoned” to properly identify properties eligible for fast-tracking foreclosure. The Ohio bill sets forth logical and relevant factors for making that determination. Some statutes only target severely deteriorated properties, and that falls short of the goal of early intervention. Ohio’s basis for determining abandoned properties is solid, and that sturdy foundation enhances the bill’s suitability and purpose.

Do you think more similar legislation will follow?

If other states see positive economic impact, then yes and, again, those states will look to model their bills after those that have been successfully implemented and have yielded clear positive economic results. Again, these statues are aimed at rebuilding and reenergizing neighborhoods, communities and economies, and there still many states across the country suffering from the mortgage crisis, even seven years later. If fast-track foreclosures prove to be a viable part of multiple states’ recuperation, then I expect other states to follow suit and stick with this trend. Then, if over time, the fast-track legislation is not yielding results, there may be alternative types of companion or different legislation.

If you could add anything to this fast tracking bill in Ohio, what would it be?

Compared to other fast-track state legislation, I think Ohio got it right. The bill takes a very logical and straightforward approach to fast-tracking foreclosure on abandoned properties. Again, the Ohio bill provides clear and concise direction for identifying vacant and abandoned homes, which is a critically important first step in the process. The downfall of these statutes are usually timelines that cannot be reasonably met and forms and documents that cannot be reasonably obtained, so we will have to see how implementation eventually plays out, but, again, Ohio appears to at least have gotten the first step correct by crafting a bill with a practical process for fast-track foreclosures.

Safeguard’s Power Players

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

In the February issue of HousingWire, Safeguard Properties Founder and Chairman of the Board Robert Klein, Chief Executive Officer Alan Jaffa and Chief Financial Officer Gregory Robinson were profiled in a section titled Power Players: Service Providers.

Power Players: Service Providers

Safeguard Properties Management, LLC.

The COMPANY
SAFEGUARD DELIVERS a full spectrum of inspection, maintenance, preservation, property registration, repairs and rehab services on vacant, defaulted and foreclosed properties.

But the company is not just a property preservation company — it’s also a technology company that provides timely and accurate information and innovative solutions to its clients.

“Our investment in technology supports our commitment to our clients, with faster and more accurate property updates and data-gathering capabilities that are informative to both our clients’ and our own decision-making processes,” Jaffa said.

Safeguard’s technology innovation is evident in its Inspections Quality Control suite, which includes INSPI Mobile, INSPI QC and MapAlert. INSPI Mobile provides inspectors with the ability to collect property condition data and corresponding photo evidence, and submit results in real-time from the field. It also ensures inspections conform to client and regulatory requirements by systematically enforcing photo count, labeling and survey rules.

INSPI QC helps to verify the accuracy of field in-spections prior to submission to clients and GSEs. As part of the process, photos are evaluated to identify reused, cropped, altered or fraudulent photos.

The information captured from the field can then be analyzed using MapAlert, Safeguard’s proprietary geo-spatial mapping and data analytics application. MapAlert provides the ability to visually analyze data including loan and property level attributes and condition, further ensuring the accuracy of results at the neighborhood, city, state and national level. In addition, MapAlert integrates weather and other data services to proactively identify the impact of severe weather, economic and other geographical events on property portfolios, allowing clients to make better informed property preservation decisions.

“Safeguard’s unique viewpoint of our industry has assisted us in optimizing mobile location, business intelligence and tracking to help support compliance requirements and ensure the right people are at the right property at the right time doing the right work,” Jaffa said.

From new technology and the expansion of in-house internal audit and compliance teams, Safeguard has been working to proactively and aggressively manage risk, and to ensure the frameworks are in place to maintain regulatory compliance.

Safeguard believes the next technological evolution in field services will use real-time video to address the field services industry’s No. 1 risk — determining if a property is occupied or vacant. With video, the inspector can share the live video stream right from the property and another set of eyes can help with the property status determination.

“Safeguard’s forward-thinking approach allows the company to anticipate industry challenges and develop best practices to meet them head on,” Jaffa said.

But although technology is important to Safeguard’s future, the company’s foundation of providing quality customer service is still central.

“We will continue to achieve success, because, as a company, we approach our daily interactions with clients, communities, vendors and employees with respect and the strong commitment to provide a quality service,” Jaffa said.The

The EXECUTIVES
Robert Klein is the founder and chairman of the board for Safeguard Properties. Klein assumed the role of chairman in May 2010.

Klein also currently serves as the founder and chairman at SecureView. He remains active in many national industry associations.

In 2009, Klein received the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Alan Jaffa is the CEO for Safeguard Properties, a role he assumed in May of 2010. Previously he served as chief operating officer. Since joining Safeguard in 1995, Jaffa has worked through virtually every department of the company.

Under Jaffa’s leadership, Safeguard has enjoyed extraordinary growth that has catapulted the company to its current position as the largest mortgage field services company in the nation.

Gregory Robinson, CPA, is Safeguard’s chief financial officer and executive vice president. He directs all financial management activities, including financial reporting, planning, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, lender relationships, internal control processes and oversight and analysis of financial results.

As a key member of the leadership team, Robinson’s experience in finance, operations, IT and business development help to position Safeguard for continued growth.

FAST FACTS:

Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and based in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.
The largest mortgage field services company in the industry.
“Safeguard provides its clients with excellence in the industry through leadership on key issues, ongoing training for employees and contractors, the development of industry-leading technologies, and providing outstanding client service.”

Please click here to view Power Players: Service Providers [pdf].

About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the mortgage field services industry leader, preserving vacant and foreclosed properties across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Safeguard provides the highest quality service to our clients by leveraging innovative technologies and proactively developing industry best practices and quality control procedures. Consistent with Safeguard’s values and mission, we are an active supporter of hundreds of charitable efforts across the country. Annually, Safeguard gives back to communities in partnership with our employees, vendors and clients. We also are dedicated to working with community leaders and officials to eliminate blight and stabilize neighborhoods. Safeguard is dedicated to preserving today and protecting tomorrow. Website: www.safeguardproperties.com.

Industry Leaders Take on Housing Challenges at National Property Preservation Conference

Posted on September 13, 2018October 9, 2018 by Safeguard

On November 6, DS News released an article discussing the 2014 National Property Preservation Conference (NPPC), hosted by Safeguard Properties. The article features comments by Safeguard CEO Alan Jaffa and Founder and Chairman Robert Klein discussing the role of the conference to be a platform for open communication within the housing industry.

Industry Leaders Take On Housing Challenges at National Property Preservation Conference

Housing industry leaders gathered Thursday at the 11th annual National Property Preservation Conference (NPPC) to discuss some of the greatest challenges facing housing today and collaborate on how to tackle them head-on.

Hosted by Safeguard Properties in Washington, D.C., this year’s conference featured pannel discussions boasting a host of policy experts offering insights on what’s happening inside the beltway, including Laurie Maggiano, program manager for servicing and secondary markets at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Ivery Himes, director of HUD’s Office of Single Family Asset Management; and Meg Burns, former senior associate director at the Federal Housing Finance Agency and current managing director at the Collingwood Group, among others.

Some of the housing industry’s leading minds—including representatives from Freddie Mac, Safeguard, SolutionStar, and TSI Appraisal—were also in attendance to discuss the current state of housing and property preservation and expectations for the future.

Together, the panels, led by Five Star Institute President and CEO Ed Delgado, fielded questions on topics ranging from compliance challenges to the government’s growing oversight of the housing industry, including what’s on the agenda for 2015.

“It’s clear that property preservation companies are increasingly playing a larger role in the stabilization of homeownership and communities” said Caroline Reaves, CEO of MCS, one of the nations leading property preservation companies and a key sponsor of NPPC. “The dialog from this event will go a long way in establishing best practices and compliance as an industry for 2015 and beyond.”

The event kicked off Thursday morning with remarks from Delgado, who described the outlook for housing as one of “reserved confidence.” That was followed by a keynote address delivered by Leonard Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac.

Alan Jaffa, CEO of Safeguard Properties, said the conference serves as a jumping-off point for a dialogue that will hopefully continue.

“I’m hearing a lot of great conversations taking place around the roles we all play in maintaining properties and communities,” Jaffa said. “We all come from a different perspective, but property preservation is a team effort.”

Safeguard’s founder and chairman, Robert Klein, echoed Jaffa’s sentiment.

“When I initiated the conference 10 years ago, my goal was to create a platform for open communication—an opportunity for truly honest dialogue about the issues we face as an industry,” he said. “In these discussions, everyone’s perspective is important, and everyone, from lenders to policy makers, GSEs and community groups, has a seat at the table. A decade later, the conversation continues to evolve and produce real solutions.”

Please click here to view the article online.

About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the largest mortgage field services company in the U.S. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and based in Valley View, Ohio, the company inspects and maintains defaulted and foreclosed properties for mortgage servicers, lenders, and other financial institutions. Safeguard employs approximately 1,700 people, in addition to a network of thousands of contractors nationally.
Website: www.safeguardproperties.com.

Five Minutes with Alan Jaffa

Posted on September 13, 2018October 3, 2018 by Safeguard

The November issue of DS News focused on Safeguard Properties CEO Alan Jaffa as the subject of its feature FIVE MINUTES WITH.

FIVE MINUTES WITH
Get to Know Industry Executives Beyond the Boardroom

Alan Jaffa
CEO, Safeguard Properties

Alan Jaffa has served as CEO of Safeguard Properties since 2010. Prior to becoming Safeguard’s CEO, Mr. Jaffa served as the company’s COO and SVP of Operations. He joined Safeguard in 1995 and has been at the forefront of the company’s growth from a small startup to the nation’s largest privately held mortgage field services company.

Has the enhanced regulatory landscape changed the way Safeguard does business?
The heightened regulatory landscape has helped us identify and remediate any gaps in our robust quality assurance processes. We also have been able to build stronger relationships with our clients through onsite audits. Each one serves as an opportunity to enhance and strengthen our processes.

Additionally, Safeguard’s national vendor network works to ensure operational controls, adequate personnel screening, training and quality assurance. While we conduct business and compliance audits and background checks on our primary vendors, we also require that they perform audits and background checks on their employees and subcontractors.

Safeguard is committed to building and sharing industry best practices to protect the integrity and value of our nation’s housing stock, to deliver the most efficient services, and to work on behalf of our clients to comply with all regulatory requirements.

As one of the largest field services organizations in the country, Safeguard maintains properties in communities across the United States. What are the processes and procedures that you have developed to serve such a varied geographic area?
With the millions of points of data our vendor network collects every day, Safeguard analyzes that information to ensure the appropriate number of vendors is assigned in each geographic location, and we monitor performance indicators to effectively complete work in communities across the country.

We use data to create heat maps to visually identify servicing needs in a particular location so work orders are funneled appropriately. This is coupled with vendor quality results and performance indicators to ensure that vendors can handle the capacity and complete the work effectively.

How is Safeguard maintaining those relationships with communities around the country? What processes has Safeguard put in place to protect neighborhoods?
A large part of Safeguard’s ability to maintain positive relationships with city and code officials is through our Community Initiatives Department and its extensive outreach and education. Our team attends conferences and meets face-to-face with city officials across the country to help cultivate good relationships.

Safeguard continues to maintain and build relationships with municipalities and code enforcement groups in cities across the country through our Code Compliance Department, by providing tools to foster open communication, and ongoing outreach to city and code enforcement officials.

Our code compliance team helps prevent and mitigate compliance issues and advises our nationwide vendor network of all compliance issues or hazards.
We also developed a tool called Compliance Connections that is designed to connect city officials with mortgage servicers to preserve the value of communities and real estate portfolios. This online portal provides instant notification of property issues and fosters communication, which helps expedite resolution.

It seems that today, the expectations placed on field services organizations are higher than ever before. How does Safeguard balance providing quality performance with the speed demanded by the industry today?
Safeguard has made a significant investment in technology to help balance quality and timeliness of work. We have provided our vendor network with a suite of online and mobile tools that have decreased timelines and built-in “smart” scripts and controls that ensure accuracy.

Our mobile applications give our vendors the ability to deliver results while still at a property rather than having to wait until they return to their offices at the end of the day. This allows us to relay those results to our clients in significantly less time than before, helping remediate property issues in a timely manner.

The smart scripts vendors follow on our mobile platform to guide them through the reporting process, including the tracking, labeling, and time-stamping of all corresponding photos. Because the photos are time-stamped within the app, there are fewer opportunities for errors.

You are someone who started early on with the company and worked his way up to the position that you hold today. What advice would you give to industry professionals looking to work their way up the corporate ladder?
The best piece of advice I could give to is to surround yourself with the best and brightest people and trust them to do their jobs. Nobody knows everything, and the more you can rely on smart and talented people, the more successful you’ll be. Safeguard wouldn’t be the industry leader it is today without its dedicated and reliable staff of about 1,700 employees in Ohio, Texas, and Kentucky, and its nationwide network of more than 10,000 vendors across the country.

I also would recommend something Safeguard’s Founder and Chairman Robert Klein instilled in me, and that’s to anticipate the client’s needs. Do not wait for them to tell you exactly what they need, because we are already analyzing the data we collect for them to identify trends and create processes or tools based on those results.

Please click here to view Five Minutes with Alan Jaffa [PDF].