Escrow

I read this fine book, that is so correctly titled. This book is "All About Escrow and Real Estate Closing." Every aspect of the closing from pro-ration of taxes, title insurance, holding title, and closing statement are included in this book. In addition there is an appendix which in 1 paragraph for each of the 50 states outlines the settlement procedures in each and every state. There is also 10 pages of blank forms in the back of the book, which are suitable for copying and using. The book is easy to read taking a complicated and foreign subject and breaking it down and explaining it. It comes as no surprise that this book is used by real estate schools and professionals. Every real estate professional should have a copy and read it as well as use it for reference. If you ever had questions about a real estate closing, those questions are probably answered by this book. If you are only ever going to buy one or two properties this book is going to be over kill, but if your plans include buying multiple properties and you are a real estate investor, then this book will be a helpful tool in your real estate toolbox.

The illustrator is Dave Patton, who also did fine work in Leigh Robinson's excellent book "Landlording".

My only reservation is that some aspects of settlement are handled differently in different states and locales, that everything could not be covered in this book. There is no standard for settlements in different states and some states use different documents. Also some states have a simultaneous closing whereas others have the buyer and seller go to settle at different times.

I ordered All About Escrow to explain a few questions I had on closing costs. I was surprised to find that this clearly written book explained to me everything from how to write a purchase agreement, what to look out for, and followed the purchase all the way through to the final closing day. I referred this book to a friend who wanted to purchase a house from a neighbor without using a real estate agent, and All About Escrow detailed exactly how to proceed.

All About Escrow outlines the Who, What, Why, When, and How of any real estate purchase better than most real estate books I have read. It gave me the information I needed. I appreciated the "The Way It Really Is" feature which tells real life stories of a closing and I liked the check lists and what to look for. The book is written in terms which any lay person can understand. The sample forms were very helpful and the State by State Procedures chart is unique. This is one real estate book which delivers more than the title suggests!

This book is fantastic. It really changed the escrow process for me. By simplifing the buying and selling network my escrow went allot easyer. Because of this book I knew which questions to ask and ended up saving allot of money. I would advise to anyone thinking about going through escrow to read this book. It will save you allot of time, energy and expenses.

I am a Swiss real estate promoter and I constantly look for good reference material. this book is so easy to read and understand. I love the sample forms, which have been very useful on numerous occasions. Many of my customers have purchased this book from me, so as to learn more about the American/Floridian rite of purchase. It's a wonderful book, well illustrated, that teaches you everything you have to know in real estate.

I can't tell you how much this book has helped me. I am new to the escrow business and just love it. Very few books are available for escrow officers or assistants (I have checked). It explains close to everything you will need to sound professional in the escrow business. I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could. Thank you Karen E. Koogler, you have made my life easier.

This is a good choice if you feel skittish about following thru with the largest transaction in your life. Much of this book didn't apply to me because I'm buying just land in NC with cash --a transaction that's much simplified from the stuff she covers here. Much is made of escrow, but in NC, as far as I can tell, escrow is not as central to the closing process. There is an appendix on the differences between the closing procedures between all of the US states, but it would be nice if this was beefed out a little more. Still worth it, comprehensive, and good links to web resources.

"This book has all the information anyone needs for all aspects of a closing. It tells you the right questions to ask, when to ask them, and includes helpful checklists, which are really user-friendly. I used this personally in my latest closing, and it was the best guide I could have had. The list of documents needed to be sure the closing goes smoothly was great. Sandy Gadow is the leading author and expert on closings and escrow and I appreciated the easy to read style of her book. Worth buying this book!"

I really enjoyed this book. The book is written very clearly, with great illustrations and examples. The easy to understand way in which closing was explained made sense and was easy to follow. I have read many real estate books, but never one written by a closing professional. Someone who really knows the subject matter from first hand experience. This book prepared me for what to expect at closing, what fees I was allowed to question and how to negotiate lower closing costs. I realized that settlement errors just don't happen at the mortgage level, they also happen at the title company. This book delivered on it's title. It really is a complete guide and a handy reference book. I went to closing with less worry and more confidence than ever before. I understood what I was doing and what to question. This is the only book I could find that really helps you with the final and most critical part of a real estate purchase (or sale).

I had to buy this book for a real estate class.
The total amount of useful information in this book
would take up about 20 pages. It is extremely repetitive
and seems to be written for the high school level;
lots of stupid drawings of money bags and dollar signs.