Updated Policies and Procedures for Real Estate Transactions

Apr 2, 2020

To our valued customers:

Due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic, and in accordance with Governor DeWine’s orders and the guidelines of the Ohio Department of Health, Martin, Browne, Hull & Harper, PLL, and Bankers’ Title Agency are implementing the following policies and procedures for the real estate transactions and matters we handle on behalf of our clients:

Title Services:

Please be aware that many county offices are either closed or have limited hours. As a result, we anticipate that many title examinations will need additional time or, in some cases, cannot be completed. We will do our best to keep you informed of any known or anticipated delays or any limitations on the scope of the evidence of title we can issue.

Closing Procedures:

To safeguard the health of our clients and staff, we will be implementing the following procedures for real estate closings going forward:

• To the extent possible, all real estate closings will be held as escrow closings with executed documents delivered to our office on or before the designated closing date.
• All in-person, roundtable closings will be held in either our Springfield or Urbana offices.
• Our offices are closed to people who do not have scheduled appointments. All appointments and closings are to be scheduled in advance via telephone or e-mail with the attorney or paralegal responsible for the matter.
• Only the parties to the roundtable closing, that is, the Sellers and Buyers/Borrowers, are to attend. We ask that realtors be available during the closing via telephone. We will do our best to get to the parties and their realtors drafts of the closing documents prior to closing and ask that the realtors review those documents with their clients.
• We will practice social distancing during the roundtable closing. We will greet you without shaking hands and ask that everyone do the same. The parties will be placed in separate conference rooms to minimize interpersonal contact. The parties will also not share pens for executing documents.
• Our conference rooms will be disinfected before and after each meeting or closing. The time needed to accomplish this task may prevent us from scheduling closings too close together.
• We require notification by any party exhibiting symptoms such as coughing, fever, or shortness of breath – or who have been in close contact with others exhibiting the same. We will make reasonable accommodations for that party to execute the closing documents.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us implement these policies and procedures to keep us all healthy and safe. We will keep you advised of any changes to them or of any new ones that we adopt in accordance with governmental orders or the recommendations of the Ohio Department of Health.