In my entire career I've only missed two closings. One, while recuperating from surgery, the other because it had been rescheduled last minute and I was already attending another closing. In both instances, I sent my husband to represent me as he has a broker's license as well.

I've either hired someone from my office to sit it as I did last fall when I was out of state for my brother's funeral, or today there's a unique circumstance.  FSBO seller and I have the buyers.  Mr. FSBO is furious at me and the final walkthrough last night was less than pleasant.  Among other things he's irked at is he realizes he's paid someone to negotiate AGAINST him and he can't stand it.  He's made it clear he'll never deal with an agent again and wishes he hadn't this time.  So in the interest of not poking the bear any further, my buyer and I have agreed I'll be in my car in the title company parking lot and if buyer needs me he'll text me.  The likelihood of a smoother closing go up significantly in this case without my physical presence.    And for what it's worth, I didn't do anything even remotely sketchy, but turns out he didn't know as much as he thought he did so he's paying for that lack of knowledge.

I don't recall ever not attending a closing.  Our title people were awesome. We always scheduled when everyone could be there.  I do recall one year when I was heading out on vacation and getting an offer on a listing the first day out. I managed the entire transaction remotely.   I got back into town one hour before closing.  Score!

In 16+ years I've never missed one.

Use a trusted title company to cover for you. 

Agents don't attend closings in our province.

Not an option, I always attend. It is what we work so hard to get to. My clients derserve me being there

I have requested another agent to attend it when  I was away.

Rare, but I send a Team member

My agent skips more of these than I would like him to, but we get by.

review settlement statement and make sure all repairs have been completed

I ask another trusted agent to stand in for me.

If I cannot attend, have to have someone there, but have to sign in advance.  

My trusty broker associate Kim Gaston attends for me if needed and vice versa.

If I can't go, I can't go. Try to attend as many as possible!

I will let you know if/when that ever happens!

Happened only once.  My wife was a licensed agent; she attended for me.

Frank Rubi - if I know it in advance, I let my clients know.

Actually, I need not attend the closings - I just prefer to attend.

I ask the attorney I always recommend get me my check and statement. We are a team.

I have a closing tomorrow with a seller and cannot attend. I got the closing disclosure yesterday and went over every detail with the seller. They know I will be at a meeting all day and won't be able to attend but I have prepared them for what to expect and where to go and that I would check in with them by phone around closing time. These sellers have bought and sold many times. If they were new to it, I would have an associate go to be with them.

I have my broker go. 

I have never missed a closing. Those events are scheduled. I control my schedule.  When out of state clients are signing ... I am on phone stand-by in case they have questions.  I always get a call asking a question ... the mobile notary does not know ... they only know sign here ... sign here ... sign here. 

Someone from my office attends.

The title company will attend to the closing. If I cannot be there I will have my buyer or seller prepared ahead of time and let them know that they can reach me by phone if necessary. 

I have only missed3 closings I 9 years...had someone there in my place

I have missed only two closings and one of them was today, I couldn't go for a important dr. app. but I was in communication with the title company and buyer by email, closing went smooth. 

I have a colleague go.  In NY we have attorneys ahndle closings so I have asked the attorney to hold my check and closing statement for later pick-up.  

I rarely attend, so there are no issues in that. No agent does in here, unless they want to. 

I don't attend many closings where my customers are doing it by mail.  If they attend I will try to as well, but I'm not needed for the closing.

Rarely occurs, but if it should ... I make sure my Borrowers know I'm only a phone call away.  Would have to be pretty unusual circumstances for me to not be there personally .. or unable to answer a phone call during Closing time ... during those rare occassions that I don't attend, Frank Rubi. 

Gene

I will always have one of my agents there to attend the closing.

I have one of my agents take my place.

Closing doesn't happen like that out here.  Escrow handles all the paperwork.  Often the seller's agent will give the keys to the buyer's agent (or buyers) when they remove the keysafe. No closing table involved in Cali.

It is not wise to attend the closing at the title company.  I tell my clients that I do not attend closings but if they want me there. I will be there.

Delegate.  I always make sure the attorney has everything before the closing; in case I am in accident or some other issue delaying my attendance.  You never know when you could be stuck in traffic, etc.. Attorneys always appreciate the preparedness.

It's a non-issue here. We don't have a closing where everyone sits around the table - recording is done at the records office, we are notified, and buyers get the keys. Buyers and sellers could be anywhere.

Back in New England where we DID have sit down closings I never missed one

It's rarer for me to attend a closing than not.  

If I can't attend, I send another agent from my office and pay them $50 to represent me.  For one problematic closing, I drove back from the mountains, 3 hrs. each way.  

Try to do as much as possible ahead of time. Hopefuly you have a title attorney/company that can be trusted. Other option would be to pay another agent in the office to cover for you, or possibly broker could attend.

I tell them, seller or buyer, the reasons. Then have the closer call me when the check is ready to be picked up with HUD.

That is when my husband and co Realtor step in. We never miss a closing between the two of us.

all of our sellers have an attorney who sits by theirs side.... I rarely went to a closing....all of mine were new construction for the last 10 years of being active.... all of the upgrades were paid in full at the final walk through.... everything was signed off....the punch list was acknowledged in writing by both the buyers and the builder.....there was nothing for me to do at any closing.

I recently had a closing I couldn't attend. My seller rescheduled, this was my first to miss. I kept in communication with the title company.  Stopped by and personally thanked them for working with my client that afternoon.  

There has only been two.  One I was at a conference and someone else from my office attended for me.  The other was the morning that my daughter and son totaled a car on the way to school and I apologized to my client by phone as I rushed to the hospital to be wtih my children and the listing agent explained where I was.  My daughter was in surgery and it was okay I missed the closing.

Typically there is nothing to attend.  Title and escrow handle doc signing - often using a mobile notary to go to clients preferred location for signing, and then recordation... 

Frank Rubi I've always made sure I will attend. I saved many a deals by being in attendance.

In our area I would say less than half of agents attend closings. Escrow officer handles it. I make to most of mine. When I can't, it's not a worry for me as I work with same escrow people for years and years and have 100% confidence in their abilities.

I do my best, but on the occasions I knew I was not going to make it I offered to send someone, otherwise told them I would be available via phone for any issues.

Set that up ahead of time....

I always attend, but if I can't in the future I have associates who would cover for me, as I would them.

I have never missed on if it was a local vs a mail out. 

I work with another agent, so one of us always attends, although if neither of us could, we would have another associate be there in our place.

I would have an associate be there.