South Oak Auburn: The Loveliest Closing Company on the Plains

Exciting Changes at South Oak in Auburn

South Oak Title and Closing opened an office in Auburn a few years ago with the goals of establishing an office in the community and learning more about the needs of our Auburn clients. We’ve recently moved into a larger and more centrally located office and expanded our Auburn Area staff to grow our impact and better serve the Auburn, Opelika, Lee County, and Lake Martin communities.

New Location for South Oak Auburn

South Oak Auburn originally operated within a local brokerage, but recently moved to its own office. Brooke Bartol, Client Development Director at South Oak in Auburn says, “Although we could perform closings for anyone in the area, REALTORS® outside the brokerage where our office was located were reluctant to close in our in-brokerage office. Moving to our own free-standing office outside of a brokerage allows us to be more accessible and available to REALTORS® in any brokerage in the area.”

The Auburn office is located at The Vintage, a brand-new mixed-use development on East University Drive in the North Dean Road area. The Vintage development features upscale shops, restaurants, and commercial office space. Bartol says, “Our new office is beautiful and is convenient to just about everywhere in Auburn.” The Auburn office serves Auburn, Opelika, and the Lake Martin area.

Bartol is also excited about the opportunities that the new office will bring. “We’ve got a great conference space, and it’s the perfect place to host classes or training. We’re also looking forward to hosting after-hours social events.”

New Staff at South Oak Auburn

Christy Yearta, Closing Coordinator at South Oak Auburn, has been with our Auburn office since the beginning. But we’ve expanded our team to include our attorney, Pat Smith, as well as Brooke Bartol.

Pat Smith, our Closing Attorney, is an experienced title professional who has been in the business for decades. He’s also been a part of the South Oak family for a long time, serving as a closing attorney in our Gulf Shores office.

Dawn Braddock, COO of South Oak Title and Closing in Birmingham says, “REALTORS® in the Auburn area want to close with an attorney on-site, and Pat wanted to work in the Auburn area for personal reasons. It was a real win for all of us to have him come to Auburn. He elevates our service with his incredible expertise.”

Brooke Bartol joined Smith and Yearta in early 2024, bringing her unique brand of expertise to South Oak. Braddock says, “Brooke’s been a REALTOR® for years, and she knows the business better than anyone. She’s able to offer more to our clients because she’s been in their shoes and truly knows what they need.”

Bartol says, “It’s been really incredible to be able to serve my colleagues that I respect in this new way.”

The Best Place to Close on a Home in Auburn

South Oak has always been known for offering outstanding closing experiences, and the Auburn office is no exception. The team at South Oak Title and Closing in Auburn has decades of combined experience in the title industry, giving them the expertise needed to handle even the most complicated title issues.

The Auburn office is also completely focused on title insurance and closing real estate transactions. Bartol says, “Title and closing is our bread and butter. We aren’t worried about divorces, custody agreements, or anything else you might find at an attorney’s office. Our entire purpose is to make sure our clients have an outstanding experience throughout the title and closing process.”

A great closing experience starts with clear, open communication. “We want our clients to know that we’re here for them whenever they need us, even after normal business hours or on weekends,” Bartol explains. “If you’ve got questions or concerns, we want to be your go-to resource.”

The team at South Oak Auburn works hard to ensure that every client has a stress-free and easy closing experience. Bartol says, “We want our clients to have the confidence to know that they can send us their contract and we’ll handle the rest of the details for them.”

Clients can close in the beautiful Auburn office, or they can take advantage of the flexible closing options that are offered. “Our out-of-town buyers love to close remotely with our mail-away closing option. We can also travel to our local clients for a closing if needed,” Bartol explains.

The Loveliest Village on the Plains

Bartol, a self-proclaimed Alabama fan, admits that Auburn is an amazing place to live and work. If you’ve never been to Auburn, you might be surprised to learn that it really does live up to its nickname as, “the loveliest village on the plains”.

Although the Auburn campus is large, the area still has a small-town feel. Bartol says, “There are so many unique shops and restaurants within walking distance from one another. You could literally park your car for the day and get to everywhere you’d want to go on foot.” You might want to stop in Toomer’s Drugs for lemonade, the Auburn Popcorn Company for a gourmet popcorn snack, or visit South Oak favorite, Hamilton’s on Magnolia for a special lunch or dinner.

Auburn boasts one of the best school systems in the state and is a great place for families. It’s also the perfect place to live if you love the outdoors. Golfers will love the beautiful golf courses in the area, including Robert Trent Jones Grand National. Or check out nearby Chewacla State Park for camping, hiking, or mountain biking.

South Oak Title and Closing in Auburn is committed to giving REALTORS® and clients an outstanding title and closing experience for every real estate transaction and serving as a resource for the Auburn real estate community. Contact us today to learn how our title professionals can serve you and your clients.