As a long time local Realtor, I have seen many closings get postponed or never closed due to the fault of a lender or an attorney. Many times a purchaser will get to the day of closing and the lender will then start asking for additional documentation. These documents should have been requested 2 to 3 weeks prior to closing. I have often put these buyers in touch with a reputable lender that could get the loan documented and closed in a matter of days. Remember, a good buyer’s agent will put you in contact with lenders that can usually get the job done quickly.

And, the same goes for attorneys. Realtors normally work closely with real estate attorneys on a daily basis. I recently had a situation where the buyer wanted to use a mutual friend for the loan closing. That particular attorney did loan closings among court cases and so on. On the day of the closing, we were advised that the attorney had to go out of town and there was no one at the office to record the documents. That meant that the closing would not take place until Monday….after a long weekend. If only the buyer had chosen a Real Estate Attorney, we would not have had this issue.

Remember, real estate transactions require the work of many people to make the transaction go smoothly. A good Realtor will guide you through the process and many times save the day.

Kay Baker may be contacted at kay@cbbaker.com or www.cbbaker.com.