How has your experience been with conducting buyers and sellers closings at the real estate office?
Based on my experiences, it is never smooth and akward. I dont know if its just bad luck but my typical issue is:
The real estate agents want to take control of the signing
Miscommunication from title co. about the role of the signing agent or notary’s
The real estate agents expect thier commission check at the closing table
No parking lot or on the street parking
Yep…that’s pretty much how it goes. I try to arrive before the buyers/sellers and let the agents know: A-I don’t have your check. B-I have another appt. so let’s keep it short. C-Ask them if they want to ‘present’ papers or let me do what I’m being paid for. Even so, they always take longer because the agent just can’t get out of their ‘build rapport’ selling mode. Grin & bear it. 
The worst case is a sale in a table funding state, but an out-of-state title company that is used to funding through escrow a few days after the paper is signed. The title company is expecting to get all the payments over the course of the day, and to send out wire payments or checks later. The buyer would move in several days from the signing.
But in a table funding, the expectation is all the wired funds will be done while the signing is in progress. The lender and buyer will receive an original signed and notarized deed and mortgage. The seller will go away from the table with money in her bank account. The buyer will leave the table with keys to the house in hand, drive directly to the house, and start moving in.
I’ve had no difficulties closing with the Realtor present. When I sit down I explain that I will be presenting the documents, witnessing signings, and will review the package in front of the signers as a quality control step. I ask everyone, who’s not the signers, to hold their questions and comments until the end.
All these are typical of a sale closing. I always tell the realtor that I will hold the docs, not the realtor. That by itself eliminates a lot of problems.
If any other party is going to be there for the closing I always make sure I set expectations before the appointment, while I understand their desire to help there are things that they can do or say that can make it very difficult to sign with momentum and accuracy.
It’s important that they understand while they may have a closing every few weeks I have had several that day and every day for over a decade and a half. I have found that if I explain and set expectations beforehand they close without issue. No offense to the realtor or broker but I close more loans a month then they will probably do in their careers.
On a side note… If you ever want to hear horror stories about this situation ask your favorite escrow officer for stories.
Well I might as well put my 2 cents in. As many of you know we both have been Brokers for many years.
We do not act as notaries for our office closings as it would be a conflict of interest. Many agents are NOT that familiar with many of the forms used. We tell them that there are some questions, that as notaries, we cannot answer and will refer the client to them. Otherwise, we will get itr closed ASAP. They like that because they can’t collect their check until then. Yep
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