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Closing Attorney Warriors: Battling Terrorism One Closing at a Time!

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None of us focus on fighting terrorism through our closing procedures, but we do, in a small way, fight terrorism every day. Real estate practitioners should comply with updated (as of 8/8/2014) OFAC policies and procedures. Specifically, the names of the buyers, sellers and borrowers involved in real estate closings should be run through the Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) list and the Foreign Sanctions Evaders (“FSE”) List. The link to these lists is: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx.

If the search reveals a match, consult with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s website and review the FAQs. Keep in mind that it is a criminal violation to reveal to any party to the transaction the results of an OFAC search or that an OFAC search has been completed.

OFAC implements economic sanctions against countries, entities and individuals determined to be threats to national security. OFAC prohibits “U.S. persons”, including organizations, from, in general, dealing with property in which these named individuals or groups have a direct or indirect interest.

Compliance will avoid Federal civil and criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for OFAC violations can include fines of $50,000 to $10,000,000 and imprisonment of 10 to 30 years, and civil penalties of $50,000 – $250,000, or twice the value of the transaction, per violation.

Title insurance company underwriters should be able to assist with questions.

A Life Well Lived …

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Hugh Dave WhitenerHugh Dave Whitener, Jr.
September 14, 1944 – September 14, 2014

It is with great sadness, but with immense respect and admiration that South Carolina real estate lawyers, in conjunction with a host others, prepare to say farewell to Dave Whitener, who died this week after a long battle with cancer.

Dave was the consummate lawyer-educator who taught, mentored, nurtured and molded many of us in the practice of transactional law. He was a University of South Carolina School of Law Platinum Compleat Lawyer as well as an Adjunct Professor at that treasured school for 24 years. He was the ideal professor in that his love for the law was only exceeded by his love for students. He never taught from a theoretical ivory tower, but from a concrete point of view, grounded in decades of practical experience. As a result, he was awarded the school’s Excellence in Teaching and Distinguished Service Award.

Dave was an entertaining and engaging seminar speaker. A group of real estate lawyers can recite many of his best stories that were told well and often and always with a sense of humor.

He was a protector of our practice. Many of us remember the seminar several years ago when he first began speaking about “The Palmetto Logs”, a list of authorities beginning with the South Carolina Constitution and meandering through State v. Buyers Service Co., Inc., and its progeny. He encouraged us to use The Palmetto Logs to protect our practice from those who participate in the unauthorized practice of law, those who demean our practice, and those who seek to take it away from us.

We extend our condolences to our friend and Dave’s wife and law partner, Trisha Wharton Whitener, and to all of Dave’s family. And we send to them a word of appreciation for sharing him with us.

Tell it to Grandma!

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DSC_1879aWhen my friend and mentor Chris Abbinante was President of American Land Title Association, he encouraged real estate professionals to explain what we do in terms our grandmothers can understand. He said when we can explain the value of our profession to our grandmothers; we will be able to be to enlighten our clients. Knowledgeable clients who recognize our value are more satisfied, more willing to pay our fees and more likely to return for future transactions.

  Our jobs are important and honorable! We assist consumers in realizing the American dream. We hold their hands during their most significant purchases. We examine the titles to identify and eliminate risks. We draft documents to protect their interests. We explain documents to confirm clients understand their obligations.

We are entrusted with and carefully handle closing funds. We vigilantly maintain our trust accounts so client funds will be safe. We protect our clients’ private, sensitive information. We are mortgage fraud watch dogs. We provide clients with the best title insurance products available so that the title to their investment will be protected from third parties by reputable and solvent companies. When they leave our offices, they hold keys to the home where their family will live. There is a reason we call the scheduled event a “closing”. It is the end, the culmination of the process of dreaming about, finding, and obtaining a home.

Commercial practitioners assist clients in procuring properties for their business activities or for investment purposes using the skills that no other professional can provide. We form their business entities. We assist with accumulating multiple properties for a single endeavor. We assist clients in satisfying the requirements of their lenders. We know when to call on other professionals…surveyors, inspectors, appraisers, environmental engineers, attorneys and bankruptcy attorneys. We protect clients’ equity and assist in their business pursuits. After their closings, they can begin to build their office buildings, shopping centers and residential subdivisions. Commercial practitioners also assist clients in achieving the American dream.

Learn to articulate your story. Own your story! Tell your story, like you would tell Grandma, to real estate agents, builders, lenders, developers, service organizations and others. This is Marketing for Dirt Lawyers 101. You will see results!