Man, I totally get where you’re coming from. That “personal touch” is awesome—right up until your one point of contact vanishes and you’re left hanging. I had a similar thing happen with a credit repair company (not escrow, but same vibe). The guy was super responsive… until he went on vacation. Suddenly, nobody else could answer my questions, and my file just sat there. It’s wild how fast “personalized” can turn into “personally stressful.”
I hear people rave about independent services, but honestly, sometimes the bureaucracy of a big bank is a blessing in disguise. At least there’s always someone who can pull up your info and keep things moving, even if they don’t know your dog’s name or whatever. And yeah, the hold music is brutal, but at least you’re not just talking to a voicemail for days.
That said, I wouldn’t say independents are always a bad call. If you get someone reliable (and maybe ask what their backup plan is before you sign anything), it can be smooth sailing. But for folks who stress about deadlines or just want to know someone’s got their back if things get weird, the bigger teams definitely have an edge.
Anyway, props for surviving that mess. Home buying is stressful enough without surprise cruises.
I get the appeal of big banks having backup, but honestly, I’ve seen plenty of files get lost in the shuffle there too. Sometimes you’re just a number and it’s way harder to get someone to actually care about your deal. At least with independents, if you find a good one, they’ll hustle for you—sometimes even after hours. I guess it really depends on how much risk you’re willing to take with that “personal touch.”
Honestly, I’ve had a big bank “misplace” my paperwork once—took three weeks to find it. Meanwhile, my friend’s independent escrow lady called him on a Sunday to fix a typo. Is it just me, or do the little guys sometimes care more when it counts?
