Just curious if there are any funny stories here - personal business you needed to take care of while on vacation. I am hoping I DON'T have this in my bag of stories this spring.

My house was tentatively scheduled to be done late May. "will never happen" said all my friends and family members. "we've yet to hear of a house being done on time" sez they. The builder even got a late start, and I was sure it wasn't going to happen on time.

I can't wait around for their possible schedule, so I went ahead with all my Italy plans. Who knows when they would finish for real, right?

Well, I got a call from the builder this morning. They are moving right along. They still think they are going to finish late May. argh! I'm back home at the very end of May. I told him it wasn't going to happen while I was on vacation and I'm keeping fingers crossed they can push it back a week without much fuss.

I purchased a house from a seller who was in India on the closing date. Her lawyer and the real estate person represented her and there was no problem.

You can easily designate a representative to act on your behalf at settlement if you really wish to do so.

Yes, summer of '98. But NOTHING messes with my planned vacations, especially to the south of France. We sold our condo, bought a house, and took our vacation. It's all in the organization and details. I made arrangements to lease back our condo, sign what could be signed before the trip, and close escrow on both properties two days after we returned. It was even more complicated, because the seller wanted to lease back our new home so they could repaint their new place, so upon our return, we had a month to pack, move everything into storage, and move to my parents for a month. At least our suitcases were already packed!

I'm a real estate paralegal. If you are mortgaging, I have serious doubts that your mortgage company would let a "representive" (by Power of Attorney) sign for you (1 time in 30 years a spouse carried the POA for her husband who was in China on business...but that was once in 30 years).
Therefore, its the "golden rule"...the bank has the gold, they make the rules. The builder won't get his money until you get your money.
The builder will just have to wait.
But get all your ducks in a row NOW so that you can close as soon as possible. (i.e., insurances, deposits, whatever is customary where you live...)

We all accumulate stories as we go along don't we!

Luckily this is a vacation house, I'm not moving and no one is moving in or anything so there isn't that added layer of stress too.

Right on surfergirl! I'm not messing with my vacation either.