The Most Unusual Settlement Location To Date

The Most Unusual Settlement Location To Date

Yesterday, a listing of mine in the City of Fairfax went to settlement.  The Sellers were driving from out of state and wanted to settle near the property.  The Buyers were residents of the City of Fairfax and also preferred a local settlement.  The title company, RGS Title, that had been overseeing the trust prior to the home even being listed was located in Gainesville where I have most of my title contacts.  The title attorney had made mention that she had conducted remote settlements at our Long & Foster sister office in Fairfax.  Well, there are two. All of the Long & Foster offices were so busy they didn't have space for us.   So what's a gal to do?

I called the City Manager's office at Fairfax City Hall and requested a conference room for a residential property located two blocks from City Hall, that was being sold.  The buyers were also residents of the City.  It was a really nice gal by the name of Dottie Steele who booked us for the multipurpose room at City Hall.  She described it as a large room where different civic groups hold meetings.  It had enough table space for six to seven people, which was my criteria.

When we showed up to the multipurpose room and turned on the lights, I felt like Leslie Knope from Parks & Rec.  There was an semi-circle of tables with black, puffy swivel chairs on wheels in front of live microphones.  There was also a row of striaght tables, where we set up, equipped similarly.  Kind of like a mini version of where you'd see testimony before Congress.  Since the Sellers were childhood friends and we'd gone through school together, I noted the flags in the corner and asked if we should start with the Pledge of Allegiance.  We didn't, but it almsot felt as though we should. 

Somewhere along the line we read a placard in the room that warned that the conversations in the microphone were recorded.  It was shortly after that when one of the trustees, being given a primer on our new "congestion relief tax" that sellers get charged when tranmsferring property, grabbed the mic in front of her and announced, "Congestion relief tax sucks."

The great news about settling a residential property transaction at City Hall is when the title attorney was done, she could walk down the hall to the Clerk of the Court and record the deed.  

When asked by the agents on the Buyers' side of the transaction how I even thought to hold settlement at City Hall, I could only say, "I don't know.  Seems fair.  It's a public building that both sides have been paying taxes to for years AND it's right by the home."  I think what they meant to ask is why did I even bother to call.  Simple.  The worst they could say was no, but they didn't.  They said yes.

It was definitely the most unusual location for settlement to date.  Thanks for your hospitality Fairfax City Hall!