From a chance conversation to owning the table: How Carina Tom built Nu World Connect Title

Carina Tom was 18 years old, working at Glamour Shots in a Long Island mall, when someone walked in and mentioned an entry-level opening at a title insurance company nearby. There was no long-term plan, no background in the industry, no reason to believe it would turn into anything lasting. She said yes anyway. More than three decades later, that decision has shaped an entire career. Today, Tom is the president and owner of Nu World Connect Title, a full-service settlement and title insurance company with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, and Texas. Her company handles everything from first-time home buyers in Franklin Square to complex, multimillion dollar commercial transactions. None of it was handed to her. Every part of it was learned.

LEARNING THE BUSINESS FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Tom began her career at Chicago Title, one of the largest underwriters in the country. She did not stay confined to a single role. Instead, she learned how the entire process worked. She learned how to construct a title report, manage client relationships, handle clearances, oversee recordings, and run closings. "I learned every part of the business," she says. That foundation shaped everything that followed. When she later moved into business development, it was not just about sales. It was about relationships built on a deep understanding of the work itself. Over time, she became a known and trusted presence across New York's real estate community. When she eventually launched her own company, those relationships came with her. "It was a long time coming," she says. "I built credibility and proved myself in the industry to all the clients a title insurance company could have." Today, that experience defines how she leads. She knows what her team does because she has done it herself.

WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING AT THE CLOSING TABLE

For many people, a real estate closing is a stack of documents and signatures. But underneath that process is something much larger. It is the transfer of ownership of what is often the most significant investment of their lives. That is where title insurance plays its role. Before any closing, Nu World Connect Title conducts a full title search. This includes reviewing the complete history of a property, including past mortgages, liens, judgments, bankruptcies, and building department records such as open permits or violations. The goal is simple. Ensure that the buyer is receiving clear and legal ownership. "We gather all the information regarding the property," Tom says. "From the county clerk records and deed history all the way to the building department." My recommendation is the third option. It keeps her opening line exactly as she said it, which feels authentic, and just tightens the back half by cutting the repetition of "pull all the information" and cleaning up the run-on. If issues arise, her team works through them. Once the transaction is complete and the title insurance policy is issued, the buyer is protected for as long as they own the property. "At that point, we're telling the buyer you're taking the property free and clear," she says. "It protects the legality of your own ership for the entire time the deed stays in your name."

BUILDING A COMPANY AROUND EXPERIENCE

Tom built Nu World Connect Title with a clear focus. Experience matters. Her team includes clearance officers, in-house counsel, and title professionals with decades in the field. No one on her team has fewer than 20 years of experience. The company offers same-day title searches, secured escrow services, remote and after-hours closings, 1031 exchange support, and refinances in all 50 states. Together with her partner Rudy Hernandez, who oversees Florida operations, Tom has also developed a proprietary app that allows real estate professionals to generate closing cost estimates and seller net sheets instantly. "We're always looking for ways to make the process easier," she says. But for Tom, efficiency is only part of the equation.

HOW PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE PROCESS

Tom is also a certified instructor who teaches continuing education courses for real estate professionals. Helping people understand what title insurance is and why it matters is something she sees as part of her role. But what stays with her most is not just the process. It is the people. She often returns to a quote by Maya Angelou: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." "I live by those words," Tom says. "Making people feel seen, making them feel understood. That is how I approach everything." At a closing table, where the stakes are high and the details matter, that approach changes the experience. It turns a transaction into something more than paperwork. It becomes a moment where someone understands what they are signing, what they own, and what it means. That perspective has guided Tom for more than 30 years, from her first day in the industry to the company she leads today. It all started with a conversation in a mall and a decision to say yes. What followed was built step by step, learning every part of the process and never losing sight of the people sitting across the table. Visit Nu World Connect at 925 Hempstead Turnpike, Suite 340, Franklin Square, call them at (516) 340-1015 or visit their website, www.nuworldtitle.com.