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Do You Know the Numbers BEFORE Settlement?

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Real Estate Broker/Owner with got agent? MD 636504
I believe I've already written a post on this, but it bears repeating- over and over again.
I was with my buyer clients at the settlement table the other day and the attorney conducting the settlement asked to review the final numbers with my buyers on the final settlement statement.
 
My buyers declined the attorney's offer to review the numbers because they were already well-acquainted with them BEFORE we went to settlement. I review those numbers with my sellers and buyers days and some times a week or so before settlement so there are no unhappy surprises and it gives us time to make sure any errors are corrected before the settlement day. Additionally, when we first start working together I provide an estimate to them so that they're already acquainted with closing costs.
 
The attorney then turned to the seller side to review the numbers and I could clearly see that the poor seller had never seen them before that day. He was very closely analyzing the line items and had a perplexed look on his face. Can you blame him? That was the FIRST time that he actually found out how much money he was going to net from the sale!!! Sadly, I see this same phenomenon all of the time.
 
 
I think it's probably safe to say that the seller was not a happy camper. My advice is to make sure that whether you're buying or selling, you should be completely aware of the numbers before you go to settlement.
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