Blindsided by Seller

I have a confidence level in the team I’ve assembled for my real estate transactions. Rarely are we blindsided by the unforeseeable. My lender, my closer, my assistant, my inspector . . . all people I trust to do a good job for my clients. Together we make a transaction run as smoothly as possible on its way to a successful closing. But some things you just can’t anticipate.

The day before a scheduled closing many years ago, my closer called to tell me she wouldn’t be there the following day. She arranged for us to be in the very capable hands of another closer with whom she had worked for years.

I met my Buyers the next morning and we sat at the closing table going over figures. They had sold their house the previous day, and all their worldly possessions were in the U-Haul in the parking lot. The closer came in and was lovely. She told us we were just waiting on the Seller and it wouldn’t be too long.

A half hour later she came back into the room, more ruffled than the time before. She informed us it was going to be a while longer, and quickly left the room.

Unexpected Circumstances

Since the documents were finalized and the funds were there, I knew it wasn’t a money issue. After another half hour, with only so much chit-chat possible, I was frustrated with the closer not appearing. We were all getting restless. Excusing myself and going in search of the closer, there were several police officers talking to her in the lobby. There was no Seller in sight.

We were blindsided to find out he had been trying to sell his home for the third time that morning. He believed if he used different title companies and timed the closings closely, he could take all the money and get out of town in a hurry before anyone could find out what he’d done. What he hadn’t counted on was that the second title company was a sister title company to the one in which we were scheduled to close. An alert came up on their system after they pulled one of the title commitments.

Obviously my clients did not purchase a home that morning. They found a short-term rental while they licked their wounds and tried again a few months later. Every time I think about it, I wonder about the different ways people can conceive to be dishonest.

If you are looking for an honest Realtor in Colorado Springs, be sure to contact Mimi Foster.