by Jaymi Naciri photography byMELROSEHEADSHOTS.COM

Buyers concern themselves with finding the perfect place and qualifying for a loan.Sellers want to make top dollar while hopinginspections will go off without a hitch. Escrow,a neutral third party, plays a crucial and valuablerole in the transaction, and is often taken forgranted by both buyers and sellers. Which iswhy Southern California’s most discerningclients and most respected and in-demand real

estate professionals swear by Escrow of the West, an independentescrow company licensed and regulated by the Department ofCorporations, insured by the Escrow Agents Fidelity Corporation,and members of the California Escr ow Association, EscrowInstitute of California, American Escrow Association, and theBeverly Hills Chamber of Commerce.

The company’s areas of expertise includes residential resales,commercial real estate, new home sales, short sales, REOs, landacquisitions, refinances, and hard money transactions. Yet no matterwhat type of transaction Escrow of the West is handling, theyconcentrate on meeting the needs of their clients f irst and foremost.

“The combined knowledge and professionalism of our team allows us to offer the highest level of professional service in the industry, and the key to our success is experience and customer service,” says Galit Ofengart, a 17-year veteran of the escrow business and owner of Escrow of the West. “I havealways believed that great customer service should come f irst.”

Their clients would attest that Galit and her team are more thanmeeting those objectives. “She’s a lot like the post office motto,”says Rosalie Klein. “Neither rain, nor sleet, or dark of night willkeep her from her duties.”

Added Tom O’Rourke, “Galit is truly a delight to work with,and each transaction is handled with the outmost prof essionalismand personal care. We thank her so much for being so great!”

Located in Beverly Hills, Escrow of the West offers its clients the benefit of the most advanced, state-of-the-art technology,which provides all parties involved in a transaction with animportant added benefit that complements their outstandingpersonal service.

“We personally care for each and every one of our clients equally,and we strive to achieve their complete satisfaction,” said Galit.

Said Gil Priel: “I want to express my satisfaction with ourrelationship in dealing with Escrow of the West. They exemplify the level of customer service and car e that is difficult to find today.Everyone in our company appreciates the close communication andresponse time on our numerous transactions and loan files withtheir company. As a managing director of a high-net-worth fund,I cannot compromise on service and security. Having knowntheir capabilities for many years, I highly recommend Escrowof the West to anyone demanding the best escrow services money can buy.”

Added Dafna and Eli Tene: “We want to thank Escrow of the Westfor the exceptional service they provided in closing our real estatetransactions. Due to our hectic lif estyle, our transactions thatinvolved either short sales, REO, commercial, or the handling ofvery high-priced homes, we needed a company that would beproactive in communication, efficiency, and diligence; Escrow ofthe West far exceeded our expectations.

“Through years of investing, we have learned that superior servicerequires a level of professionalism not many people or companiescan attain,” they continued. “Because they clearly explained theprocess, consistently provided periodic updates, and returned all e-

mail and telephone calls promptly, their professionalism spoke foritself. We will never use another escrow company again.”

Galit began her career in the escr ow business as a receptionist,working her way up to processor, escrow assistant, escrow officer,escrow manager, and now an owner of Escrow of the West. Overthe years, she has gained recognition for her ability to smoothlyprocess standard, as well as uniquely complex, transactions whileproviding her clients with very detailed and personalized service .Her professionalism, knowledge and dedication are the cor nerstoneof the success of Escrow of the West and the main source for client loyalty.

“I have always believed that great customer service is critical in thisbusiness, and I now have the opportunity to create that environmentfor my existing and future clients,” she said. Her business is also agreat source of happiness and pride, and Galit is fortunate to have apersonal life that is equally satisfying. She has been happilymarried to her husband, Zahi Ofengart, owner of two Super SalKosher Markets. She is also a mother to her 14-year -old daughter,Danielle, and her 11-year-old son, Alon.

“My family has always been very supportive of me, which hascontributed to my success,” she said. “I enjoy spending time andtraveling with them and am grateful for their love and theopportunity to balance success at home and at work.”

Her success at work is evident in every aspect of Escrow of theWest, which has established itself as one of the industry’ s premierescrow companies because of their staunch commitment to thepursuit of excellence.

“We care about each transaction as if it w as our own, and weaccurately maintain and ensure that all escr ow requirements areexecuted and delivered, with escrows closed in a timely andefficient manner,” said Galit.

Galit credits her talented and dedicated staff of professionals for thehigh level of customer satisfaction Escrow of the West is known for.

“I have a great team of professionals, and our principals bring withthem over 70 years of combined real estate understanding andexperience in the industry,” she said. “They are all extremelydevoted, dedicated, loyal and hard workers.”

Added Remo Packer: “We have found the team of professionals tobe totally on top of their g ame in every escrow we have had withEscrow of the West. As a real estate professional, I have hugedemands for my clients and they have always been complimentaryof our recommendation to use them. Communication, expedience,and the utmost in professionalism—what more can one ask for?”

The newest member of that team is Gail Hersho witz, formerly themanager of Mara Escrow and First California Escrow. Gailspecializes in high-end, complex transactions and has closedescrows for many celebrity clients.

“Gail joined us to become Escrow of the West’s co-manager andsenior escrow officer, and added another element of experience andexpertise,” said Galit. “We work very closely together to meet theneeds of our clients.”

Escrow companies are the unsung heroes—the behind-the-scenesmavens who allow the transaction to run smoothly and get donecorrectly within the proper timing. Grea t escrow companies do soconsistently, allowing buyers to fulfill their dreams and sellers tomake a great deal without having to burden themselves with detailsthat are much better handled by the professionals. They also givereal estate agents an ace in the hole that helps set them apart andfulfill their clients’ needs.

“We thank Escrow of the West for working with us. They arealways a pleasure to work with, and are always on top of all issuesand deadlines,” said Joyce Essex.

Added Linda Zimmerman: “I always look forward to being inescrow with Escrow of the West. I know my clients will be treatedlike royalty and the process will be as stress-free as possible .”

Because of the exceptional level of care they provide, nearly all ofEscrow of the West’s clients are derived from referrals or are repeatclients, a fact Galit considers the best reward for hard work. “Thereis simply no better compliment than that,” she said with a smile .

Added Melissa Zee: “I want to thank Escrow of the West for beingso professional and taking care of my c lients’ escrow transactions. Iam so pleased with the way their office handles the most difficultdeals and makes sure that they close on time. Escrow of the West isrecommended very highly from me and my team because of the

wonderful experiences and professionalism that their companybrings to the table.”

Magda Faerstain has had similar positive experiences with theteam at Escrow of the West.

“After so many years working together with Galit, I have foundEscrow of the West to be the number one of fice with a greatteam of professionals and with grea t energy to work with. Galitis the best!”

Galit has been striving to be the best since her introduction intothe business. Her first impression was that the work was “verydemanding and strenuous,” she said, but acknowledges that she“enjoyed it immediately.”

That appreciation translates to today, and in her post at Escrowof the West, Galit finds herself with many more opportunities tospread the joy around.

“I like the entire escrow process, but the most fulfilling part iswhen the transaction is closed, and all the parties are extremelysatisfied with my services,” she said.

“It is very special to be able to witness my clients’accomplishments, to be a part of helping them achie ve theirgoals, and to turn our vision of ‘surpassing their e xpectations,this time, next time, every time’ into a reality.” ★

Galit Ofengart andGail Hershowitz

To reach ESCROW OF THE WESTcall 310-402-5555

e-mail info@escrowofthewest.comor visit www.escrowofthewest.com