I realized that I've been taking smooth closings for granted because this week I had a closing that changed that.  At first glance it wasn't obvious that there would be any challanges.  Title called on Tuesday to set up an appointment for my clients to sign docs on Wednesday.  They mentioned that the seller/agent would be signing the documents and returning them to Title on Tuesday and everything was ready on the mortgage side.  I called the seller/agent to confirm that he would indeed have the docs signed and at Title on Tuesday and asked him to drop off the keys and garage door openers at the same time. Everything was a GO!

Halfway through document signing with my buyers on Wednesday the Title agent casually mentioned the seller/agent brought in the documents on Tuesday only his co-borrower wife had not signed any of them and he had forgotten to notarize the deed that he signed.  They had a 'tentative' appointment with Title to come in late Wednesday to sign the documents. My clients would have to wait until Thursday to get the keys.

I called the seller/agent to confirm that they would indeed be signing on Wednesday only to be told that they would do their best to get there but 'couldn't promise anything' and that actually Thursday might work better because of his wife's busy schedule. Mentioning that Friday was the contractual close date didn't seem to create any urgency.  I called Title to see if they could send a runner to expedite the process but they had already attempted that and the seller/agent had declined the offer.  

Fast forward to Friday (today). Title called to tell me that the docs were signed late Thursday and my buyers could pick up their keys late Friday. Ah, yes the keys!! The seller/agent left me a voice mail this morning stating that he was keeping one of the  garage door openers so he could show the ping pong table that is still in the garage to a potential buyer and would give them to me once the table was sold.  I just sent him an email, voicemail AND text stating that ALL keys and openers were to be at Title TODAY and that my buyers would take care of the ping-pong table as they saw fit.  I copied my Broker.  

Lesson's learned? Never take a smooth closing for granted and always THANK EVERYONE involved in a smooth closing, ALWAYS.