Fayetteville attorney Susan R. Benoit is the supervising partner with Hutchens Law Firm for the Real Estate and REO (Real Estate Owned property) Department. She started her real estate law career many years ago by working in many of the different roles involved in a real estate transaction: law office processing, title searcher, as a post closer at a mortgage origination firm, and finally as a title insurance underwriter with a local title agency before arriving at the firm.
Susan began in a busy real estate law office as a receptionist and quickly moved into the closing world as a transaction processor, working on refinances, purchases and constructions loans. To make sure she understood all aspects of her client’s needs she moved from processing to title examination within the firm, later transferring to another firm where she managed the Real Estate practice.
A military spouse, Susan followed her husband out of state where she found employment at a mortgage originating office. There she learned about originating mortgage loans - processing, underwriting, and preparing loans for purchase by larger lenders. When the military brought her family back to Fayetteville, Susan joined a title agency where, as a licensed title insurance underwriter, she learned the title insurance implications of real property transactions. Feeling she had a solid understanding of real estate transactions, Susan headed for law school. She has put all of her experience to work growing Hutchens Law Firm’s real estate transaction practice. Since joining the firm, she has overseen the tremendous growth in the real estate department in both the number of closings the firm handles each year and the number of local closing offices.
Susan is actively involved with the Mortgage Bankers Association of Fayetteville, Longleaf Pine REALTORS®, Inc. (formerly Fayetteville Regional Association of REALTORS®), and the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. She has been on the Planning Committee for the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s for several years and continues to work with the organization every year. She also serves on the Paralegal Advisory Board for Fayetteville Technical Community College. Susan still spends her free time with her high school sweetheart and their 7 grandchildren.
Awards and Recognitions:
Selected* by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© - Real Estate Law (2019-present)
Awarded the Past President’s Award by the Mortgage Banker’s Association of Fayetteville
Memberships and Affiliations:
Cumberland County Bar Association (present)
North Carolina Bar Association | Real Property Section (present)
Fayetteville Technical Community College - Paralegal Technology | Advisory Committee (2020)
Cumberland County Paralegal Association (1992-2001)
Mortgage Bankers Association of Fayetteville | Board of Directors (2010-2015)
North Carolina Electronic Mortgage Closing Advisory Committee | Appointed by NC Secretary of State (2020-present)
