☕ Coffee with Michelle

Coffee & Closings – Episode 1

The Missing Signature

"Sometimes the biggest lessons in real estate come from the smallest details."

Grab your favorite cup of coffee, because today I'm taking you back to one of the most stressful moments of my career as a brand-new Transaction Coordinator.

Like many new TCs, I understood the job in theory. I knew the paperwork, the timelines, and the general process. But what I didn't yet understand was that one tiny oversight could impact an entire transaction.

This was only my first or second file with the company.

I was excited. I was organized—or at least I thought I was. The contract was complete, addendums had been signed, the title company had everything they needed, and we were moving toward closing without any major issues.

Closing day arrived.

I printed the closing package, met with the authorized signer, notarized the documents, and delivered everything to the title company. I left that office feeling proud. My first closings were going exactly as planned.

Or so I thought.

A couple of days later, I noticed something wasn't right.

The transaction hadn't funded.

The seller was calling, asking when they would receive their proceeds. My company wanted to know what was causing the delay.

When I contacted the title company, my heart sank.

One of the most important documents in the entire closing package had NEVER been signed.

One.

Missing.

Signature.

Because of that single oversight, the title company couldn't record the documents.

Everything had to be signed again before funding could occur.

Then came the worst part.

The authorized signer had already left the country for a two-week vacation.

There was no backup signer.

No one else had the authority to execute the documents.

At that moment, I honestly thought my career was over.

The seller couldn't receive their money.

My company couldn't complete the sale.

Everyone was waiting on one signature that wasn't available.

Thankfully, once the signer returned, we were able to execute the documents correctly record the transaction, and close the file successfully.

But I never forgot that feeling.

That experience changed the way I handled every transaction from that day forward.

What That Experience Taught Me

Never assume anything.

Just because a document is in the file doesn't mean it's complete.

Every signature

Every initial

Every date

Every notary acknowledgment

Every page

Verify them all.

Check the closing package before it leaves your hands.

Don't rely on someone else to catch missing signatures. Your final review should be exactly that - a final review.

Communicate honestly.

One of the hardest conversations I ever had was explaining the delay. I could have blamed someone else. I could have made excuses.

Instead, I told the truth. I have learned that buyers, sellers, agents, lenders, etc can usually work through a mistake. What they can't work through is silence, excuses, or misinformation. Honesty builds trust.

Build systems before you need them.

That single transaction inspired one of the very first closing checklists I ever created. Today, I never send a closing package without verifying every required signature against a checklist. It's simple habit that has saved countless transactions over the years.

Looking Back

When I first started, I thought being a great Transaction Coordinator meant knowing every answer. Now I know something much more important.

Being a great TC means building systems that protect your clients - even when you're tired, busy, or juggling multiple files. Mistakes don't define your career. What you learn from them does.

Today, after helping manage more than 1,000 real estate transactions, I still remember that missing signature because it taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my career.

and yes.....

Whenever I'm reviewing a closing package, I still hear that little voice saying,

"Check it one more time."

Because somethings one signature really can make all the different.

Michelle~~

☕ Michelle's Coffee Takeaway

Every experienced TC has a story about a mistake that changed the way they work.

Mine was a missing signature. It taught me that checklists aren't about paperwork - they're about protecting people.

That's why I always say:

Systems create confidence, and confidence creates successful closings.