Buying a home is a chore. First comes scraping together the downpayment. Then there's qualifying for a loan large enough to get something close to what you had envisioned. And finally there are all the other details, headaches and hoops to jump through.

A visit to a title company concludes most deals.

Timothy Dwyer, president and CEO of Entitle Direct Group, pitched this: Consumers should have the opportunity to shop around. He represents entitledirect.com, which recently launched in California. Dwyer says: "It can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars less on your closing costs."

Intriguing.

Still, it's different. Nothing beats face-to-face personal service. On the other hand, much of what we do now is over the Web. My last couple of go-rounds with title companies were almost exclusively over the phone (one good, one awful).

Dwyer says the process is fairly simple. Here's how she laid it out.

STEP ONE - Get an Instant Quote
Tour the ENTITLE DIRECT website at www.ENTITLEDIRECT.com, and get your instant quote for title insurance and closing services.

STEP TWO - Obtain a Closing Specialist
An ENTITLE DIRECT Closing Specialist will work with you to ensure the smooth and on-time completion of your closing.

STEP THREE - Monitor and Control Your Closing
Monitor your closing through the Control Panel, an industry-first, which has a patent pending. The Control Panel provides dynamic, interactive tools such as the ability to upload and store closing documents, as well as download a HUD-1 in real-time.

STEP FOUR - Review Copies of the Closing Documents Prior to the Closing
Review all of your closing documents online prior to their closing. This will eliminate surprises at the closing table and enable them to go into the closing relaxed and in control, free of closing anxiety.

STEP FIVE - Schedule and Perform Your Closing
The ENTITLE DIRECT Closing Specialist will schedule the closing with all necessary parties, including the consumer's lender.