Bright helps title company during market slowdown

Mark Bright, business relations and sales and marketing director for Advantage Title & Escrow, is helping to bring in business for the company.

The Gainesville, Fla., native also helped to create his position during an interview for the job. He previously spent nine years in a corporate role for Walmart and was a Realtor from 2019 until establishing a real estate investment firm in 2021. He and his wife, Sherolyn Avon Bright, co-own Bentonville-based firm Bright AF Realty LLC.

In September, he joined Advantage Title & Escrow after the real estate firm closed on a deal with the help of the title company. He noted the quality work that Brandi Hoskins, branch manager for Advantage Title & Escrow in Fayetteville, provided for his firm.

“We’ve done two fix-and-flip properties and a little bit of acquisition management for some other investors,” he said.

Asked why real estate deals aren’t as prevalent as they were two years ago, he cited rising interest rates and low home inventories that have contributed to higher prices. Also, recession fears led people to the sidelines.

Amid the market slowdown and economic uncertainty, he said Advantage Title & Escrow looked to be proactive and seek transactions.

“That’s where I come in,” he said. “I’m able to bring in business. I’m able to be a concierge … to Realtors, investors, developers and be that go-between between the closer, the title department, our legal department and this company and the client.”

He highlighted the uniqueness of his role within the title industry and that he’s African American. Since he started, he’s brought in nearly $9 million in transaction orders.

“I’m sort of like the unicorn where not too many people look like me, and not too many people are in a role to market for a title company,” he said.

He’s responsible for marketing across the company’s statewide footprint. It has offices in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Hot Springs Village and Springdale.