Lessons: Part I

In my march toward closing, I have learned that:

• An unmarried woman is not the same thing as a single woman, and the difference is vitally important and could delay closing.
• First Name Last Name is not the same as First Name Middle Initial Last Name is not the same as First Name Middle Name Last Name, and using the wrong one could delay closing.
• Having FedEx delivery confirmation and the signature of a person working for the title company does not mean that anyone who needs the papers in the envelope has received them, or is looking for them.
  
• Even though I have never bought a house before, a great many people will assume that I know exactly what I'm doing, and will therefore not tell me what I need to do until after I needed to have done it. It is therefore an excellent idea to ask every single person I talk to what my next step is, and when it has to be done. If they give a date range, have it done by the first day in the range.