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On our first house we met the sellers when we walked through their house on a tour, but after that never saw them again - including at closing. They signed the papers in the morning, and we signed them in the afternoon.
With our current house, we actually became quite friendly with the sellers and continued to email with them for a couple years after we purchased. Not just about house stuff, but life stuff. For that closing we WERE in the same room signing the papers all at the same time, not in separate rooms.
When we sold some land a few years ago we were in the room with the buyers during closing.
If you want a separate closing time, there shouldn't be a problem doing that.
We (the buyers) closed in the same room, across the conference table from the sellers, our realtors in attendance. The sellers nicely answered our questions about the perennials in the yard, and identified the front yard trees for us. Everyone got along fine. Isn't this the norm?
I wonder why some think an adversarial relationship is standard operating procedure.
I wasn't even real happy about how things played out with the sale of our house.
BUT at closing the buyers went in, did their thing then we went and did our thing then we all sat in a room together waiting on copies and checks and we gave them information on utilities people/water co/the guy we've had cutting the grass since we moved/the neighbors we knew and gave them the extra keys we had still. it was very pleasant and cordial. We answered questions they had and wished them the best when we were all leaving.
Thanks for the responses . So it seems most likely we wouldn't be signing in the same room but they will possibly be there .
When I bought the home it was an empty foreclosure so there weren't any buyers to meet and I don't remember going to a closing in person even .
The house has been vacant while it's been on the market so I don't live there now anyways .
I guess one reason I might not be so eager to meet the buyers is for any liability reasons .
I know this sounds dumb but especially in my city people seem sue happy .
It's probably my own personal experience growing up see family go through frivolous lawsuits and stuff .
It wouldn't be the end of the world if I met them though .
I guess I'd also feel different if I had more of a emotional connection to the home .
I mostly lived there alone and didn't plan on living there too long really . I did live there about 7 years
I have had closings in New Hampshire and in West Virginia and both occasions the sellers were present and in the same room everyone signed various papers, Key was given out every one said goodbye and left.
Here are two examples of why I don't like buyers and sellers meeting.
I was at a closing with my buyer and they invited the seller in to sign as well. Awkward as there was no warning. The seller asked my buyer how much the house appraised for. My buyer responded that he didn't remember the actual number. To which the seller says, "I knew I listed too low, I should have listened to my sisters!" while glaring at her agent...
Another one, I showed up to meet my buyers, and they had already invited my buyers into the room with the sellers since they were early. All was going swimmingly for an hour and a half (when closings are usually 30-45 minutes) until the seller with the checkbook states, "So, how much am I writing this check for so I can live in MY house for the next 4 days?" Ummm, very awkward especially since it was no longer "their" house and my buyers should not have had to deal with that attitude since they were already accommodating the sellers not moving out right away.
If we pass in the lobby, that's ok, but never sign in the same room.
We bought our last house from a nasty-tempered elderly lady who threw every monkey wrench she could into the transaction, even though she was getting the better deal. I never figured out whether she didn't want to sell the house or whether she was just an evil old witch to begin with.
All through the closing, she glared and muttered at us and as she walked out the door with the check in her hand, she turned and spat "I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE A HAPPY MOMENT IN THE HOUSE!"
When I sold that house 14 years later, I sat across the table from the buyer and we chatted and laughed the whole time.
Never met the seller of the house I currently own. He signed the papers an hour before I arrived at the title company. Last house I sold we all sat around a table and drank coffee and BS'ed for about an hour.
Here are two examples of why I don't like buyers and sellers meeting.
I was at a closing with my buyer and they invited the seller in to sign as well. Awkward as there was no warning. The seller asked my buyer how much the house appraised for. My buyer responded that he didn't remember the actual number. To which the seller says, "I knew I listed too low, I should have listened to my sisters!" while glaring at her agent...
Another one, I showed up to meet my buyers, and they had already invited my buyers into the room with the sellers since they were early. All was going swimmingly for an hour and a half (when closings are usually 30-45 minutes) until the seller with the checkbook states, "So, how much am I writing this check for so I can live in MY house for the next 4 days?" Ummm, very awkward especially since it was no longer "their" house and my buyers should not have had to deal with that attitude since they were already accommodating the sellers not moving out right away.
If we pass in the lobby, that's ok, but never sign in the same room.
Something similar happened to me with different sellers. Once, the seller was curious during inspection if the house appraised to what we had offered while we were under contract. I had offered them 10k over asking price so he couldn't complain. And yes it appraised correctly.
Once, a seller wanted to stay couple of days extra after closing so the agent asked us if we could draft a mini lease agreement. I agreed and didn't want to charge the home owners. Its only when I asked them to fix certain minor fixes in the house to which they said no. I was then told they would be getting a hotel soon after...
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