Update on closing on for the new house...

Okay..so when the saga last left off..I was in the middle of trying to figure out how the HELL I was gonna close on the new house.

My realtor called the title company and then called me back almost right away last night. They asked if we could get the check from HSBC overnighted straight to the Title company. I shared that I made that request, but 1) the dude on the phone made it sound like no way in hell would that happen, and 2) I was skeptical they'd get a check mailed out at ALL on time since I got a "well respond to your request within 48 hours" notice. We hang up for her to call the title company back. Meanwhile, I made a desperate plea....

Now..most of you don't really know much about my parents.but basically..dad is well off, but we don't have a good relationship..and I take nothing from him. Mom on the other hand...got the shaft when the split, no college degree, and struggles to make it thru. I was prepping to call dad...out of sheer desperation...but thought I'd call mom first.

Me: I know you are still at work but I have a crisis and I don't know what else to do right now.
Mom: Actually, not at work, whats going on.
Me: I think I know the answer to this, but I have to ask anyway. Any chance you can pull together $XXXX in a cashiers check by Sunday, to take with you when you go to meet the realtor for my walk thru, and I can pay you back by midweek next week.
Mom: (pauses). Actually, yeah I think so..let me check my bank balance. Whats going on?

I proceed to start telling mom about the HSBC nightmare...while I'm in process..she says yes, she'll have to shift stuff out of a couple of accounts but she has the money.

HALLELUAH!

How on earth my mom has that much in savings..I don't know. Well I do..after the last time she lost her job she finally started working on her emergency account that I'd been hounding her about. And unlike my stupid emergency account, which is where my cash to close was also sitting, its at her regular bank and she can go get it!

While I'm on the phone with mom, realtor calls back..they spoke to the sellers, they don't need the money right away, so they're okay with us doing a "dry run" closing on Monday where all the papers get signed but no money, nor possession of the house, goes right away..they can wait until I can get the money moved. I tell her thats great, but that miracle of miracle..mom has the cash and is it okay for mom to bring her the check on Sunday when they meet and she can take it to closing. My sweet realtor "Bless your mothers heart". My sentiments EXACTLY!

So I call mom back and tell her to get in the car (its nearing 5pm) and go to the bank. Give her the needed info. She goes. I start thinking about...what happens if HSBC DOES get my stupid bankmail, and now initiates this check..and does do what I don't think they could..which is make it out to the title company and send it directly...the title company doesn't need that money anymore..and if its not made out to me its not like I can cash it. But again...I can't CALL anyone about my account..bankmail is my only option. So I send another one, saying

"please disgregard my note of 1 hour ago. I've made alternative arrangements. Also, please let me know what steps I need to take to close out this account. Its become clear that this account at this bank is not meeting my needs". Still waiting for a response to either of those.

Mom calls back..she's at the bank, its 4:57pm. They close at 5pm. Except...they have locked the doors and won't let her in, nor even confirm she can get the check! Now..we don't expect there to be a problem..but given how this is gone..well..you can understand my concerns. Mom's going to call today to try and talk to someone, and won't be able to get to the bank again until Friday when they are open a little later...but again..we don't expect that to be an issue.

Meanwhile..I keep stressing about what happens if HSBC tries to send this check now..which I don't want them to do. It occurs to me..start transfering the money..enough so that they CANNOT issue the check because there's not enough money in the account to issue it. Then..if they don't see both bankmails - including the one to cancel it - they'll see there is insufficent funds..and then maybe call or look at my bankmails. So...I started that last night..and the funds are already on the way to my WF account...for which they'll arrive Monday..same day mom should get a check from me..so she's only out the money 2 days.

Mom points out... "you've had a lot of bank related problems since you first moved from IL to CA"...I realize she's right. And I still have my credit union account in IL tho its not been used in years. So....once everything else gets settled down..I'll move the rest of the money from HSBC to my credit union account..then eventually when the PA home is sold, get all my other money out of WF and into my credit union account...and go back to banking with the credit union for my company that I've never had an issue with!!!!!

HSBC Sucks

Okay..Monday I call HSBC to find out how to do the wire transfer. I'm told there's an automated system and to allow 24-48 hours for the wire to go through.

This morning, I call HSBC to do the wire transfer, told to use the automated system, I need the telephone access code. If I can't find that, my only option is to go directly to a branch. (and I have NO idea what this telephone access code is).

Get home, FIND the access code. Call in, actually FIND the automated system, it tells me wire transfers are not permitted with internet banking accounts. Transfers me to the third dude.

He apologizes for all the misinformation, says my ONLY option is to log onto my account and use "bankmail" ask them to overnight me a check which I'd have by Friday morning assuming they receive my mail and process it by tomorrow morning at 11am. I ask him how I know my bankmail will be received right away so that I can actually GET the check by Friday AM, and not get a "we'll reply within 48 hours type message" and he tells me there is no delay and they reply right away. I ask is there anyway I can get someone on the phone to help me and he said no. I ask if there's a customer relations number I can call, since I'm frustrated at being told 3 different things, by 3 different people and now I'm stuck not being able to access my money in time. He tells me there's only the main number, he can forward my complaint on, but that what he's telling me is correct.

So I go online to do the "bankmail" he said, requesting a check be issued to the Title Company, and sent to me to arrive here by Friday AM, or better yet, send directly to the Title Company (which dude 3 said they won't do). Guess what message I get "we'll respond in 48 hours, if you need immediate assistance call us at..." the main fucking number!

At this point, there's not enough time to get the cash back into my Wells Fargo account so that I can do the wire transfer from there... so I think I'm totally screwed.... waiting to hear back from my realtor on what we do now...but I don't know how I'm going to be able to get the money to closing on time now...

And I'm TOTALLY closing this HSBC account when this mess is over!