DALLAS-GRS Group has expanded into Texas by opening its first office in Dallas. In conjunction with its Lone Star State launch, the Los Angeles company hired Suzette Switzer Hinds as escrow officer and business development director to oversee operations at GRS Title Services LLC.

GRS Title Services, located near Interstate 635 and the Dallas North Tollway, provides title insurance, escrow and real estate related search services in every geographic region of the country. The local office will also handle closings, environmental assessments, property condition assessments, construction loan advisory, valuation, survey and zoning.

According to Hinds, expansion to and within Texas makes sense, given that the state's commercial real estate market rebounded more quickly than in other areas of the nation. She tells GlobeSt.com, via email, that Dallas provides a good central location for the company's Texas operations. "Although GRS Group can currently serve the entire state of Texas through this Dallas office location, we will have expansion plans to add experienced personnel to the major markets such as Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, to insure we are meeting the demands of our CRE customers," she adds.

Hinds is a licensed attorney in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.  She began her legal career in private practice, and moved to the land title insurance business in 1993.  There, she worked for Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. as underwriting counsel, claims counsel and title education facilitator.  Her role then expanded to working with title agencies closing many types of commercial real estate transactions including office buildings, multifamily, hotels, retail, industrial, land development, sale/leaseback, ranch/farmland, parking facilities, construction and permanent loans, acquisition or liquidation of loan and real property portfolios and 1031 tax-deferred exchanges.