Agency owners
Selling your title and escrow business
Title underwriters and PE-backed platforms buy agencies with clean escrow records and steady order trends.
By Axia Growth
What is my title and escrow agency worth?
If you own a title and escrow agency with under $2M of earnings, buyers price it on SDE (seller's discretionary earnings: profit plus the owner's pay and perks). In Axia Growth's analysis of closed small-business sales, Professional Services businesses with under $500K of SDE sold for a median 4.4x SDE (middle half 2.7x to 13.7x, 198 sales). Title and escrow agencies are grouped in the Professional Services sector of that data; there is no figure for title and escrow agencies alone.
| Earnings size | Median | Middle half | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $500K SDE | 4.4x SDE | 2.7x to 13.7x | 198 |
| $500K-$1M SDE | 7.2x SDE | 3.9x to 13.6x | 94 |
| $1M-$2M SDE | 6.6x SDE | 4.0x to 13.2x | 67 |
| $2M-$3M EBITDA | 9.2x EBITDA | 5.8x to 14.8x | 26 |
| $3M-$5M EBITDA | 9.7x EBITDA | 5.4x to 14.2x | 35 |
| $5M-$10M EBITDA | 7.6x EBITDA | 4.9x to 17.2x | 27 |
| $10M+ EBITDA | 11.0x EBITDA | 5.7x to 16.2x | 36 |
Larger businesses, with $2M or more of EBITDA, are usually priced on an EBITDA multiple instead. For the Professional Services sector the median was 9.2x at $2M to $3M of EBITDA (26 sales), 9.7x at $3M to $5M of EBITDA (35 sales), 7.6x at $5M to $10M of EBITDA (27 sales) and 11.0x at $10M+ of EBITDA (36 sales).
Example
Take a title and escrow agency with $400,000 of SDE. $400,000 x 4.4x (the median for under $500K of SDE) = about $1,760,000. At the middle half of sales (2.7x to 13.7x), the same business lands between about $1,080,000 and $5,480,000. This is arithmetic on a published median, not a valuation of your business.
What moves the price of a title and escrow agency:
- A file mix weighted toward purchase and commercial orders, not a book that depends on refinance waves.
- Monthly escrow reconciliations, documented wire-fraud procedures and controls aligned with industry best practices, with no defalcation history.
- Steady opened and closed order trends with closing ratios tracked and reported.
- Referral relationships spread across many agents, lenders and attorneys, with affiliated business disclosures on file where they apply.
Source: Axia Growth analysis of 4,554 closed small-business sales over $500K, aggregated and de-identified. Sector-level medians; a size band is published only when it has at least 10 sales. Data as of October 28, 2026. How the data is built.
Get an instant range with the business value calculator · Read the Title & Escrow Services industry guide
Not an auction.
One acquirer, one direct conversation. Our buyers typically keep the team and have the capital to close.
How long it takes to sell a title and escrow agency
Axia Growth does not publish an average time to sell, because the honest answer depends on you more than on the market: a sale moves as fast as you can answer a buyer's questions. Every sale goes through the same five stages.
- Prepare. Separate personal and business expenses, pull two to three years of financials, and list what transfers with the business. The cleaner this is, the faster everything after it goes.
- First conversations. A buyer learns the business and your goals, and you learn what they plan to do with the title and escrow agency and your team.
- Letter of intent. The buyer puts price, structure (cash at close, seller note, earnout) and your role after the sale in writing. It is usually non-binding, with a period of exclusivity.
- Diligence. The buyer checks financials, customers, staff and contracts, and will review escrow bank reconciliations and a sample of closed files, test internal controls and wire-fraud procedures, look at order mix and closing ratios over time, and check affiliated business disclosures and title agent and escrow licenses in every state served. Most delays happen here, and most trace back to missing records.
- Close and transition. Final agreements are signed, money moves, and you help hand over customers and staff for an agreed period.
Who buys title and escrow agencies
- Title underwriters adding agencies to their networks. They want tuck-in agencies that expand their market share, and in some recent deals have reportedly kept local branches and staff.
- PE-backed title platforms. They want agencies with clean escrow records and steady order volume to build a larger group.
- Homebuilders and real estate brokerages. They buy title operations to bring closings in-house alongside their own sales.
- Proptech and title software companies. They want closing and escrow operations or technology that fits their platform.
What buyers pay for
- Purchase and commercial orders, not a refinance-driven book.
- Clean escrow controls and no defalcation history.
- Steady opened and closed order trends, with closing ratios tracked.
- Referrals spread across many agents, lenders and attorneys.
What hurts value
- A book that depends on refinance waves. Refinance files carry lower premiums than purchase files, and buyers prefer purchase and commercial work.
- Weak escrow controls or any history of defalcation. Buyers treat escrow handling as the largest diligence risk.
- Uneven order trends, or opened and closed orders that are not tracked. Buyers want a clear, consistent trend before they pay more.
- Referrals concentrated in a few agents or affiliated sources, especially without ownership disclosures on file where they apply.
- Missing title agent or escrow licenses in a state you serve, or a team that cannot close files without the owner.
How to prepare
- Get 2 to 3 years of books clean and separate.
- Document escrow reconciliations and wire-fraud procedures.
- Confirm title agent and escrow licenses in every state you serve.
For deal activity, buyer types and every published size band, see title and escrow valuation multiples→ Or see every Real Estate & Property Servicesguide →
Common questions
What is my title and escrow agency worth?
If you own a title and escrow agency with under $2M of earnings, buyers price it on SDE (seller's discretionary earnings: profit plus the owner's pay and perks). In Axia Growth's analysis of closed small-business sales, Professional Services businesses with under $500K of SDE sold for a median 4.4x SDE (middle half 2.7x to 13.7x, 198 sales). Title and escrow agencies are grouped in the Professional Services sector of that data; there is no figure for title and escrow agencies alone. Larger businesses, with $2M or more of EBITDA, are usually priced on an EBITDA multiple instead. For the Professional Services sector the median was 9.2x at $2M to $3M of EBITDA (26 sales), 9.7x at $3M to $5M of EBITDA (35 sales), 7.6x at $5M to $10M of EBITDA (27 sales) and 11.0x at $10M+ of EBITDA (36 sales). Example: Take a title and escrow agency with $400,000 of SDE. $400,000 x 4.4x (the median for under $500K of SDE) = about $1,760,000. At the middle half of sales (2.7x to 13.7x), the same business lands between about $1,080,000 and $5,480,000. This is arithmetic on a published median, not a valuation of your business. Source: Axia Growth analysis of 4,554 closed small-business sales over $500K, aggregated and de-identified. Sector-level medians; a size band is published only when it has at least 10 sales. Data as of October 28, 2026.
How long does it take to sell a title and escrow agency?
Axia Growth does not publish an average time to sell, because the honest answer depends on you more than on the market: a sale moves as fast as you can answer a buyer's questions. Every sale goes through the same five stages. Prepare, first conversations, letter of intent, diligence, then close and transition. For title and escrow agencies, the longest stage is usually diligence, where buyers review escrow bank reconciliations and a sample of closed files, test internal controls and wire-fraud procedures, look at order mix and closing ratios over time, and check affiliated business disclosures and title agent and escrow licenses in every state served.
What will buyers check in my escrow accounts?
Escrow control is the first thing buyers test. Expect them to review bank reconciliations, pull a sample of closed transactions and check whether your internal controls follow industry best practices. A clean record with no defalcation history makes a deal much easier.
Does my mix of purchase, refinance and commercial orders matter?
Yes. Commercial files bring far more revenue per file, and refinance premiums are lower on average than purchase premiums. Buyers favor a book weighted toward purchase and commercial work over one that rises and falls with refinance waves.
Will a buyer keep my offices and staff?
Sometimes. Underwriters buying agencies have reportedly kept existing branch locations and staff in some tuck-ins. Buyers want a team that closes files without you in the room, so show who handles each part of the work.
How do I get a number for my own business?
Enter your industry and annual earnings (SDE or EBITDA) in Axia Growth's free business value calculator for an instant range from the same closed-sales data. For a detailed valuation, continue from the calculator; it is free and confidential. The Title & Escrow Services industry guide shows every published size band for the sector.
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