Last Minute Escrow Moments

We had a date at the Title Company to sign our papers last Thursday. We thought, “OK, this is it, finally it’s done.” But no. Come to find out that signing is not the last thing. After we signed, the papers had to be sent out to the lending institutions for the mortgages to be blessed or some such. OK. Papers went out overnight. Friday? Would Friday be the big day? But no. Apparently the lending institutions needed another day to do whatever it is they do. Dance on the papers? Take the papers for a medical exam? Put them in the oven at 200 degrees to look for any invisible writing? Cindy the Realtor assured us we would close on Monday. Then, oops, the buyers for our house discovered that their loan approval expired on Thursday. Not to worry. They worked out an extension. It’s going to be OK. Now Monday rolls around. The sale of our house is complete. It closed. But the purchase did not go through. Our lending institution, out of the blue, decided that the deck, which (according to the pest report) is rotten, needs to be replaced before we can complete the sale! Hold on. Did anyone think to mention this to my loan agent? My realtor? Me? I don’t think so. Ron told Cindy to tell them we intend to replace that deck the minute we have the key to the house. Then, like in The Threepenny Opera, we got our Nth hour reprieve. The lender agreed to make the loan if all buyers and sellers sign an Addendum stating that the sale of the house is “As-Is.” Go figure. Supposedly, the house will finally, finally close tomorrow morning. Ron thought he would have the key last Thursday. He is showing patience and fortitude above and beyond. In his sleep he mutters, “just give me the key.” Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps in at this petty pace from day to day – that’s Willie Shakespeare. Macbeth. Although I don’t remember the sale or purchase of a house in the plot of Macbeth.