I don't mind travelling for clients when there is a good reason to do so, but when the service…read morerendered at the distant location does not measure up to what can be done closer to home, it is at the least, annoying.
I drove down to Morrestown, NJ this morning to represent a client who was the executrix of her uncle's estate and was selling his home to a very nice couple. Upon arrival at the suburban office complex, I found the office of Collegiate Title Corp, and introduced myself to the staff. They seemed somehow surprised that I was there, but we figured it out, and I went into the conference room to await for my client to arrive. The buyers were already there and waiting for the closing agent to show up and take them through the blizzard of documents they had to review and sign.
The agent was the last one there, and it was obvious she had not looked at her file. She was apparently not employed by Collegiate, but an independent closer hired to handle this transaction. Most closings are arranged for the buyer to meet with this person an hour before the seller arrives, so all the papers can be shuffled and inked. Not this deal. We had to wait while she familiarized herself with the docs, and then slowly went through them with her clients. Tick tock.
This was a first purchase for these nice people, and they had questions they wanted answered before signing their lives away. This "professional" either could not answer them, nor explain the mortgage, note, affidavits, disclosures, etc., or did not want to bother. It was obvious these folks did not fully understand what was going on. That English was their second language did not make it easier. Anyone ever hear of interpreters? Didn't think so.
I ended up explaining a few things for them, but ultimately realized that we would never get done if I jumped in to do it. They weren't my clients, but this was not right.
Two and a half hours later, we were handed our checks, and said, "goodbye." We should have been and gone in 30 minutes. What I expected would be a short morning meeting with a local Yelp breakfast afterwards, became an ordeal, and lunch.
Friends, don't let this happen to you. If you are spending several hundred thousand dollars, hire a lawyer to take you through it. Believe me; it is worth the money to know someone is protecting you, and explaining things completely. Don't let anyone talk you out of it.
And, don't find yourself in Moorestown at a strange title company, where no one is really in charge, nor cares about helping you.
The buyers asked for my card, so maybe I'll be seeing them again.
