A long-standing title & settlement company established solely for the benefit of you!

Leading You To Your New Front Door

D.D. Hamilton is licensed in Missouri ready to take care of any residential

or commercial title and closing needs in the Southwest region.

We want to put our experience and resources to work for you.

Who We Are

D.D. Hamilton is ready to take care of any residential or commercial title and closing needs in Southwest Missouri.

This is the final meeting between the buyer and seller so the real estate sale can become official. The necessary documents are signed, funds are paid, and the property is transferred successfully. This is often a joyous time for the parties involved, and we are committed to make sure everything goes smoothly.

This is an examination of public records to determine if there are defects or encumbrances in the chain of title of a property. It’s what ensures that the seller actually is the rightful owner of a property at the time so the sale can be valid. Our knowledgeable staff is searching for any loans, back taxes, liens, judgments or disputes on the property that could put this ownership in question.

This is an insurance policy that protects your property rights. There are two different kinds of title insurance policies – a lender’s policy and an owner’s policy. If you take out a mortgage, your lender will take out a lender’s policy on your property. However, that does not protect your stake in the home. Title insurance, which is a one-time, affordable fee, is not the same as homeowner’s insurance, as the latter only protects your home and the contents in it.

This is a process where we verify the work performed, at certain intervals and throughout the construction process, monitor the process for mechanic’s liens and disburse funds.

We do both 1031 and Reverse 1031 Exchanges. These are part of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, which allows one to defer any capital gains taxes due on the exchange of certain types of property.

Home Buyers & Sellers

You deserve a title and closing company that is as excited about your transaction as you are. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned investor, D.D. Hamilton is committed to making sure your deal goes smoothly and that you understand what is happening along the way. We have been part of Missouri milestones for more than 125 years, and we can’t wait to be a part of your next one.

When you trust the D.D. Hamilton team with your transactions, you are ensuring that your property rights are protected now and in the future. We do the title search and related work to ensure your sale is good to go, prepare your closing documents, keep your funds secure and set you up with the title insurance policy you need for peace of mind for years to come.

Meet The Team

Experience is important to us. Not only has D.D. Hamilton been around for more than 125 years, but our team is full of the knowledge and caring expertise you need to help close your Missouri residential and commercial real estate transactions quickly and accurately. Primarily serving Webster, Douglas, and Wright counties, but licensed to handle deals all over the Show Me State – the D.D. Hamilton team is ready to show you what a friendly, modern, real estate closing should look like from any of our three offices.

We’re committed to the security and integrity of your transaction and are backed by the underwriting strength and tech tools that are needed to deliver on that promise. We know how important your transaction is to you so it’s important to us. Reach out to one of three locations today (Marshfield, Mountain Grove, and Ava), and let’s get to work.

Realtors & Lenders

 

When you recommend a title company, D.D. Hamilton knows it’s not a suggestion you take lightly. Our team has the experience, knowledge and resources your clients need to ensure their transactions are completed quickly and efficiently. Whether we have a longtime relationship or you’re looking to add a new title provider, we’d love the opportunity to show you – and your buyers and sellers – everything D.D. Hamilton’s experience, knowledge and technology can do. 

Lenders need a title and closing provider that is dedicated to the security and integrity of the transaction. When you rely on D.D. Hamilton to handle your closings, you know you’re getting an ALTA Best-Practices-certified company that is committed to protecting the customers’ transaction, as well as their property rights. We have the experience, underwriter strength and innovative tools you can trust.

What’s in a name?

Our History

The more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s certainly evident in our company’s name. D.D. Hamilton was founded in 1893 by Doug Hamilton. In fact, our 125+ years in business make us the oldest business here in Webster County.

While our name has never changed, there have been many chapters in our company history. Each of these has included an evolution to help serve our valued Missouri customers better. Hamilton would eventually sell the business to Robert W. Fyan and, in the 1920s, Robert was joined by partners Ellis Jackson and Paulene Dyche. In 1973, it was taken over by John and Martha Foglesong who shifted the business from an abstract-writing operation into the modern title insurance and closing world. 

Now, the company is headed by Mark Foglesong. The Foglesong family knows that Doug Hamilton would be proud to see his name still on a respected land title business here in Southwest Missouri. Mark and the rest of the D.D. Hamilton team are committed to continuing the legacy of this respected business. But we know we must also forge ahead using technology and innovation to provide the best service possible to you for years to come.

Our Underwriters

What To Expect at Closing

While we’ve been doing this for more than 125 years, D.D. Hamilton knows that the title and closing process can get confusing. We take immense pride in helping our Missouri customers through the journey every day and do everything we can to make the process easier. Please read through the following FAQs, and feel free to reach out to us if you have any further questions.

What to expect at closing?

When you choose D.D. Hamilton for your closing, you are trusting us to make sure you get into your new home. It’s a role we love. As your closing appointment nears, our team ensures that we have all the updated information we need to complete your transaction so you’re ready to sign the papers and get the keys.

What is a title search?

As part of the closing process, we conduct a title search. This task includes searching public and private records to ensure that the seller has the right to sell the home. What exactly are we looking for? Everything from previously undisclosed liens, unpaid child support, tax issues, ownership disputes, fraud and more. We’re the ones you want sweating the small stuff.

What is owner’s title insurance?

Title insurance protects you against possible issues that haven’t come up yet – future problems that couldn’t be found in our search. Such down-the-road issues could arise due to forgery, fraud and human error. If you have a mortgage, your lender will take out a title insurance policy, too. However, their policy doesn’t protect your ownership rights.

How much is owner’s title insurance?

The cost of title insurance is only one single payment at your closing, and it protects your property as long as you or your heirs own it. That means there are no yearly premiums for your policy. Your specific cost could vary, but typically in Missouri, it is about 0.5 percent of your purchase price for a residential policy.

Protecting Our Customers

As part of our commitment to security and integrity, D.D. Hamilton is proud to say that it is third-party certified as a follower of the American Land Title’s (ALTA) Best Practices. We obtained our certification after a review from the respected firm Aprio, LLP. These Best Practices ensure that we, as your title company, are doing our best when it comes to protecting you and your customers. We believe it’s a designation our Realtors, lenders, and buyers/sellers appreciate.

The seven Best Practices cover the following areas:

 

  • Licensure, Continuing Education, & Training
  • Control of Escrow Trust Accounts & Escrow Funds
  • Privacy & Information Security
  • Real Estate Settlement Procedures
  • Policy Production, Delivery, Reporting, & Premium Remittance
  • Levels & Forms of Professional Liability, Fidelity, & Cyber Liability Coverage
  • Resolution of Consumer Complaints

Many of the ALTA Best Practices address what most consumers would consider good business procedures, and D.D. Hamilton has certainly been committed to that for years – way before these pillars were established. However, we believe that publicly committing to these standards gives our customers the extra peace of mind they deserve. Here are just a few ways D.D. Hamilton exceeds these Best Practices while delivering the kind of service Southwest Missouri real estate customers deserve from their title and escrow provider.

  • We write for the two largest title insurance companies in the country: Chicago/Fidelity Title and First American. Having strong underwriters gives us – and you – access to the most innovative tools and updated information in the title industry.
  • We maintain the most stringent controls over escrow funds in our possession, including: Positive Pay, in-house daily reconciliation and RynohLive account monitoring and reconciliation services.
  • As part of our Best Practices certification, we retained Superior Consulting, LLC, a company that audits banks’ IT security and provides assistance with regulatory compliance.
  • We maintain a terminal server in the Bluebird Network’s colocation data center located 85 feet below ground in the Springfield Underground. Our IT systems are continually monitored by its IT service provider to protect our customers’ sensitive and private information.
  • We maintain E&O, Fidelity, and Cyber Liability coverage in excess of state and underwriter requirements.

Marshfield Office

Mountain Grove Office

Ava Office

Contact Us

Address

Marshfield Office

301 W Washington Street

P.O. Box 11 Marshfield, MO 65706

New customers, orders and questions:

info@ddhamilton.com

All closing matters:

closings@ddhamilton.com

Main phone number: 417-859-2078

Fax: 417-859-2020

Ava Office

916 Springfield Road Suite D,

P.O. Box 1029 Ava, MO 65608

Phone: 417-683-3758 Fax: 417-859-2020