"John at AquaRK Title is professional, organized, and communicates clearly every step of the way. He's straight-forward and gets things done!"
Russell Hale· Google
ALTA Best Practices
ALTA Best Practices, Built Into Every AquaRK Closing.
ALTA Best Practices are the industry's seven-pillar standard for how a Florida title and settlement firm should operate. AquaRK Title Services aligns its policies, procedures, and controls with all seven — and our president, Bryan Kiefer, Esq., reviews compliance personally.
The American Land Title Association (ALTA) developed Best Practices to give lenders, regulators, and consumers a consistent benchmark for title and settlement quality. Major lenders increasingly require that the title companies they work with demonstrate Best Practices alignment — and consumers benefit either way: tighter escrow controls, real wire-fraud prevention, written privacy protections, and documented complaint handling.
AquaRK Title Services has built our day-to-day operations around ALTA's seven pillars since well before they became table stakes. Below is how we apply each one in a Florida title and settlement context.
Pillar 1 — Licensing.
AquaRK maintains all required Florida title agency, individual title agent, and underwriter appointments. Our president, Bryan Kiefer, Esq., has been a member of the Florida Bar in good standing since 1992. Every individual handling a closing is properly licensed, bonded, and supervised.
Pillar 2 — Escrow trust accounting.
AquaRK maintains segregated Florida trust accounts that are reconciled daily and reviewed by a separate attorney supervisor monthly. Operating funds are never commingled with consumer escrow. Every disbursement is supported by a signed settlement statement and documented wire-verification record.
Pillar 3 — Protection of non-public personal information (NPI).
Buyer and seller NPI — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, dates of birth — is encrypted in transit and at rest, accessed only on a need-to-know basis, and securely destroyed at the end of the documented retention period. Physical files are stored in locked, access-controlled space.
Pillar 4 — Settlement processes and pricing.
AquaRK follows written settlement procedures designed to ensure accuracy of the closing disclosure, timely recording of documents, and immediate communication with the lender and parties when curative work is identified. Pricing is transparent and aligned with Florida promulgated title insurance rates — see our closing cost calculator for a real-time line-item breakdown.
Pillar 5 — Title insurance policy production and reporting.
Title commitments and final policies are issued promptly and reported to the underwriter within required timelines. Premiums collected at closing are remitted on schedule under written underwriter agreements.
Pillar 6 — Professional liability and fidelity insurance.
AquaRK maintains professional liability (errors and omissions) coverage and surety/fidelity coverage at amounts that meet or exceed ALTA Best Practices recommendations and lender requirements. Certificates of insurance are available on request to lender clients.
Pillar 7 — Consumer complaint procedure.
AquaRK maintains a written consumer complaint policy. Complaints are logged, acknowledged in writing, escalated to attorney review, and resolved with a documented response. Florida consumers can also escalate to the Florida Bar and the Florida Department of Financial Services — and we provide that information on request.
Why this matters to you.
Whether you're a lender vetting a settlement partner, an agent recommending a closer to a luxury client, or a buyer wiring six or seven figures into escrow, you should expect documented controls — not promises. AquaRK is the attorney-led title company on 30A built for that level of accountability. Talk to us about a specific closing or pipeline anytime via our contact page.
What's included.
Florida-licensed agency under attorney supervision since 2006.
Segregated trust accounts, daily reconciliation, monthly attorney review.
Documented wire-fraud prevention on every disbursement.
Encrypted NPI handling and written privacy controls.
Professional liability and fidelity coverage maintained at-or-above ALTA recommendations.
Written consumer complaint procedure with attorney escalation.
What clients say.
"Wendy Lewis is a superstar and has closed close to a billion dollars in sales for me. She is hands down, the best."
Jonathan Spears· Google
"The only title company I would use. Prompt, courteous, accurate. I've closed with Wendy and AquaRK many times and she is the best!"
Alissa Clifton· Facebook
"Our experience with AquaRK was wonderful! Wendy was absolutely great to work with. Knowledgeable, professional and very efficient with her job!"
Susie Gossett· Google
Frequently asked questions.
Is AquaRK Title Services ALTA Best Practices compliant?+
AquaRK aligns its operations with all seven ALTA Best Practices pillars: licensing, escrow controls, NPI protection, settlement procedures, policy production, insurance coverage, and consumer complaints. Documentation is available to lender clients on request.
What is ALTA and why do Best Practices matter?+
The American Land Title Association developed Best Practices as the industry standard for title and settlement operations. Many lenders require their title partners to align with them. For consumers, Best Practices alignment means tighter controls on the funds and personal information you trust to the title company.
Can lenders see AquaRK's compliance documentation?+
Yes. Lender clients can request copies of our licensing certificates, certificates of insurance, escrow control documentation, and written policies through our contact page.
Where do I file a complaint about a Florida title company?+
Start with the title company itself — every Florida title agency should maintain a written complaint procedure. If unresolved, you can escalate to the Florida Department of Financial Services or, where attorney conduct is involved, the Florida Bar.
Does AquaRK carry errors and omissions insurance?+
Yes. AquaRK maintains professional liability (E&O) and surety/fidelity coverage at levels meeting or exceeding ALTA Best Practices recommendations and lender requirements.
Talk to AquaRK Title Services.
Attorney-led Florida title and escrow since 2006. Get a transparent quote in minutes.