The 3 People Who Decide If Your Connecticut Real Estate Deal Closes or Dies
A seller's attorney ignored explicit instructions — in writing and by phone — and it cost six months, two foreclosure filings, and almost killed a $400,000 deal.
The property was a 2-family in Torrington, Connecticut. Solid investment. Leased solar panels on the roof.
Lease transfer process: notify the solar company, get approval, close.
The seller's attorney told the sellers the buyer handles the transfer.
Wrong.
The buyer's agent and attorney told the seller's attorney—repeatedly, in writing and by phone—to file the solar lease transfer.
The seller's attorney didn't do it.
Thirty-five days into the transaction, the buyer's team discovered no transfer had been filed.
By then, the solar leasing company had entered bankruptcy.
All lease transfers were frozen.
For five months.
During that time, the seller's attorney and agent failed to stay in contact with their client. The seller stopped paying the mortgage and the solar lease.
The mortgage company filed for foreclosure.
So did the solar leasing company.
The buyer's attorney spent weeks negotiating with both companies to delay the foreclosure proceedings long enough for the purchase to go through.
The buyer's lender stayed engaged throughout the freeze, keeping the buyer qualified and feeding documentation to the attorney as conditions changed.
Six and a half months after going under contract, the deal finally closed.
Today, the property is fully rented. The buyer won. But it nearly didn't happen.
The Problem Wasn't Credentials
The seller's attorney and agent both probably have good reviews. Likely years of experience. On paper, they looked good.
But none of that mattered when they ignored repeated advice from the buyer's team, failed to manage their own client, and let the deal spiral into a double foreclosure.
This is what happens when you hire strangers to work together.
The Frankenstein Team
A Frankenstein Team is an agent, an attorney, and a lender (for buyers) who don't work well together.
They may know their jobs…
But if they don't coordinate and communicate; when something goes wrong — a title issue, a third-party delay, a lender condition that needs immediate attention — your deal can blow up.
Agent lets a deadline pass, putting your deposit at risk
Lender and attorney delay closing due to poor communication about the loan
Attorney is late getting title search to lender so loan approval (and closing) is delayed
The seller in Torrington had a Frankenstein Team. Their attorney ignored instructions. Their agent failed to manage the client. The result: two foreclosure filings and a deal that almost died.
If you're buying or selling, you need a team: an agent, an attorney and a lender (for buyers). If they don't work well together, you're gambling.
The Dream Team
Credentials and reviews get someone in the door. But that's just the start.
Now you pressure test the public image.
Do they actually pick up the phone when you call? Or are you stuck with a "gatekeeper" who takes a message and promises someone will get back to you?
When you leave a message, do you get a callback that day? Or are you waiting three days wondering if they even got it?
Can they walk you through their process in two minutes, clear and confident? Or do you get a lot of "um" and "well, it depends" followed by jargon that doesn't answer the question?
And here's the test that separates a real team from three strangers with business cards: have they worked together before?
You've worked with strangers under pressure before. You know how it goes — slower communication, more confusion, mistakes that shouldn't happen. Now compare that to working with someone you've worked with a dozen times. Faster. Cleaner. Better.
Your deal will be one or the other.
Your agent should be able to name lenders and attorneys they've closed deals with — not just "I know some people," but actual names and actual deal counts. If you're vetting a lender you like, they should be able to point you to agents and attorneys they work with regularly.
If they can't, you're assembling a Frankenstein Team.
Ask them. Watch how fast they answer. Watch whether they hedge or whether they're confident. That tells you everything.
What to Look For in Your Agent
Your agent is usually your first hire and can recommend other professionals.
If they can't name who they've worked with or explain how they get the best deal for their clients, keep looking.
The download shows you exactly what questions expose whether an agent has a real system or is winging it.
Download the Agent Vetting Guide for more questions and to see what strong answers look like.
What to Look For in Your Attorney
Your attorney runs the closing in Connecticut.
If they're slow to respond now or can't explain how they handle third-party issues like solar leases and condo docs, they'll be a disaster when your deal hits a problem.
The download shows you what separates attorneys who solve problems from ones who react to them.
Download the Attorney Vetting Guide for more questions and to see what strong answers look like.
What to Look For in Your Lender
Your lender controls the money.
If they can't walk you through their process clearly or go dark when you need an updated pre-approval, your offer dies in a competitive market.
The download shows you how to test whether a lender will keep you qualified and be responsive when it matters.
Download the Lender Vetting Guide for more questions and to see what strong answers look like.
Red Flags
Here's what disqualifies someone, no matter how good their reviews are.
Fit
These people are going to help you with one of the largest transactions of your life. Sometimes it’s just the wrong fit.
Every conversation feels like work. Their style — too formal, too casual, too much jargon — grates on you. If talking to them during vetting is exhausting, it'll be worse when your closing is two days out and something's gone sideways.
Communication
Slow, inaccurate or misleading communication can mean the end of the deal before it begins.
They promise to send you something and it shows up three days late with no explanation. Or worse — you have to follow up twice to get it. If they're unreliable now, they'll be unreliable when your deposit is on the line.
Impatience or reactiveness
You bring up a concern and they get defensive. 'That won't happen' or 'You're overthinking this.' Professionals don't dismiss questions — they answer them. If they can't handle a normal conversation without getting prickly, what happens when the title company finds a lien two days before closing?
If you see any of these, keep looking.
A Quick Note on Recommendations
You can work with whoever you want. Your agent should be able to recommend attorneys and lenders. That's normal, and it's helpful if those recommendations come from actual working relationships.
But even if someone is recommended, vet them. Use the criteria above. What matters is behavior and fit, not brand names or credentials.
What Happens Next
If you haven't already, download the vetting checklists. They'll walk you through the exact questions to ask and what to listen for.
Agent Vetting Checklist | Attorney Vetting Checklist | Lender Vetting Checklist
