it dropped o ff the map. Until now. Suddenly, it seemed as though the whole bank corporation had dropped o ff the map. A closing process that should have taken 30 days or less turned into several months of waiting and a larger deposit of an additional $20,000. Eventually the seller of her dream condo told her agent that the deal was o ff if she couldn’t fin d another option. Th ankfully, the listing agent was able to refer her to an alternative lender who helped her obtain a loan, even though it was at a higher interest rate. Key Takeaway: Th e “best deal” might not always be “the best deal.” Be sure to fin d a well-known and reputable bank that deals with mortgages, or use a mortgage-lending company. Do your research. You don’t want to end up in a situation like Alex did, even though in the end, things worked out. But it was months of unnecessary stress and waiting, as well as additional costs, that all could have been avoided if she had taken the time to select a proper lender. Further, if she had had a buyer’s agent working on her side, a lot of this could have been avoided altogether. HOME INSPECTION HORROR Sometimes the nightmare begins a ft er fin ding the dream house at a great price and you’ve already moved in. Such was the case for Ron and Jenna, who, a ft er a lengthy search, fin ally found exactly what they were looking for in their second home: a bright, colorful kitchen; open-concept living and dining areas; three bathrooms; high ceilings; and even a fir eplace and covered porch. All at an absolute steal of a deal. Th e deal was done, but the nightmare was beginning. Jenna noticed tiny ants with wings while cleaning a bathroom several months later, and she and Ron then called an exterminator, who 68
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