You ever have a client you wanted to fire?  Of course, we all have.  But this one takes the cake for sure!  

This returning client hired me to do a rush job on an investment property he was purchasing.  He had convinced the seller to hold the note on the transaction and wanted me to push this entire transaction through within less than 10 business day!  In my opinion he was afraid the seller would wise up and realize that he was being shafted on the sales price and wanted the deal to close before the seller could back out.  But, that's my opinion, not a statement of fact.

To further complicate matters we are at the end of our fiscal tax year in Maryland and have very specific cut off dates relating to recording before the end of the tax year or paying the real esate taxes due on July 1.  So, as one might imagine, the court house is jammed with title agents and their representatives trying to get everything together within in the allowed time. And in addiiton, there is a document titled "lien certificate" that is required to be presented with deeds which document indicates whether or not the county, municipality or state have placed any liens against the property, including open taxes etc.  So, again, as one might imagine, there are HUNDREDS or more RUSH requests at the liens department to get this document in enough time to allow for recording before the end of the fiscal tax year.

Now as this transaction has progressed this is what has occured:

• Client called office to speak to me, was told I was in closing and would be at least another hour; client SCREAMED at my assistant stating "there is no way in hell a closing takes an hour, have her call me right now!" and then, immediatly following that call......
• client stopped by my office while I was in closing waited for me to come out of the conference room to make a copy and commenced to follow me around my office asking whether certain things had been done relating to his transaction; client was aware that I was in the middle of a closing transaction but kept me tied up for more than 10 minutes
• client called DAILY after having called the clerk of the court, the taxing authority and a "friend" who does title searches to see whether or not certain things relating to his transaction had been completed;  client claiming we were "dragging our feet"
• At closing- client continually interrupted me as I was trying to explain the Note and Mortgage to seller, remember, seller was holding the paper! Client repeatedly stating to seller "none of that matters, just sign and let's get this done, I'm in a hurry"
• At closing, client refused, despite the demand of the seller (Note Holder), to allow me to hold an escrow to pay taxes due July 1, stating if taxes aren't paid by June 30 he will pay them himself at that time.   Great but, after June 30 if we can't record because we don't have that RUSH lien certificate, we can't record until the buyer pays the taxes and the seller's 1st lien (Mortgage) on the property won't record until then either.

And then today he calls again to stated, in a very animated way "I don't care what you have to do, I don't care what your cost, I WANT THAT DEED ON RECORD TOMORROW!  Well, believe me, so do I, but guess what?  That RUSH LIEN we asked for is not here yet.  

I am about ready to choke this client for real. Who does he think he is?  

Why would you hire a professional to provide a professional service to you, ask for and receive preferential treatment as it relates to time lines and then behave in this manner?  If you hire me to do a job I will do the job to the very best of my abilities, I will use all of my available resources to meet your demands and I will treat you with respect and courtesy.  All I ask is for the same courtesy and for you to GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET ME DO MY JOB