🚨 Agent Did WHAT?!
“The Agent Told the Buyer to Withhold Funds at Closing”

🚀 The Scenario
Closing day arrives.

Everyone is at the table.
Documents are ready. Funds are about to be disbursed.

During the final walk-through, the buyer noticed a few minor issues:

Nothing major. No safety issues.

But the buyer was frustrated.

They looked at their agent and asked:
“What do we do?”

The agent responded:
“Don’t sign. Or tell them you’re not releasing funds until it’s fixed.”

The buyer followed that advice.

The closing attorney immediately stepped in and stopped the process.

Now the deal was delayed…
tensions escalated…
and the entire closing was at risk over minor items.

🧠 Broker Guidance
This is a major line agents cannot cross.

At closing, the attorney controls the funds and the process.

Agents do not have the authority to:

Under the NEW SCR 310 (03/2026) contract structure:

👉 Closing is a legal process
👉 Funds are handled under attorney supervision
👉 Disbursement follows signed agreements and closing instructions

If there is a dispute, it must be handled through:

Not agent direction at the table.

✅ What Agents Should Do
When issues come up at closing:

✔ stay calm and professional
✔ identify whether the issue is material or minor
✔ communicate with the closing attorney immediately
✔ work toward a reasonable solution (escrow holdback, agreement, etc.)

Guide the conversation…don’t control the funds.

A better response would have been:

👉 “Let’s pause and involve the attorney so we handle this correctly.”

⚠️ Broker Tip
The closing table is not the place to “take control” of the deal.

It’s where agents can accidentally create serious liability in seconds.

Telling a client to withhold funds can:

In this business:
You guide the deal…you don’t control the money.