An average day in the title industry can be busy and hectic, always solving problems and often racing the clock. But when it all comes together, that’s a beautiful thing, Senior Processor Robin Campbell said.
And though she’s traveled all around, visiting most of the U.S. states and two dozen countries, her favorite settlement story is all about a couple who decided to cancel their plans for retiring to Florida so they could stay right where they are.
You’ll have to read to the end of this fun Q&A to find out the amazing reason why.
If there was a reality TV show about our business, what do you think they’d call it?
“Nothing Ever Goes Right” … Or maybe “Keep Calm and Carry On.”
When they make the movie about your life, who’s going to play you?
She looks nothing like me, but I really like her. It’s gonna be Kate Beckinsale. I just like all her movies. I like the “Underworld” trilogy. She seems cool.
Now that pandemic restrictions are finally easing, what’s the one thing you want to do most?
Travel. I don’t know where, but somewhere I haven’t been yet. I have a good friend and we try to go somewhere for a long weekend every year.
I would like to go to the Pacific Northwest. I’ve never been there. I’ve done a lot of the states and I’ve also done a lot of countries.
How many countries have you been to?
Twenty-four. I’ve been to all of Europe, but also a lot of odd countries. I really loved Vietnam. I went to a beach town and it was really pretty. It was cheap and easy to get around.
What’s the best advice you were ever given?
To not listen to anybody else and do what I want. My mom told me that.
It goes back to when I started traveling in college. I studied abroad with a program called Semester at Sea. Everybody was like, “What is that? You’re not going to get full credit.” But my mom was like, “Do whatever you want.”
It was the travel bug for me. I wanted to travel and I got to see the world.
Have you ever met anyone famous?
Yes. I met Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. They did an exhibition probably five years ago at the Greenbrier in West Virginia. I was a huge Pete Sampras fan growing up. I got a picture with him and got Pete to sign his book for me.
What energizes you at work?
When I can finally clear a title. If there are a bunch of title issues. I can’t say I like tracking them down, but I think I do because especially at the end, when it’s clear, I’m so happy.
What’s your happiest settlement story?
This is a good one. I did a refinance for a couple who were refinancing because they had just decided to stay in their house. They had bought a place in Florida to go retire and they were going to sell. But they got reunited with their long lost son.
They dated when they were very young, and she got pregnant in high school. They ended up giving up their baby for adoption. And then the couple ended up getting back together later in life, after college. Their son, when he was grown, went to find them. They had all reunited, and since he lived in the area, they now wanted to stay to get to know him.
It was really touching. It was really the best reason to be doing it. This was such a good life thing for them.