The closing attorney is the final piece of the puzzle in a real estate transaction — and the most important. If the closing attorney fails in that role, the transaction might not occur, even if both parties — buyer and seller alike — sign every document. Things can go horribly wrong there, and have in the Nashville market over the years.

The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors' May sales data show sales continuing to rise. Now there is a new threat to all this prosperity: Lenders are running behind.

Here is a scary Halloween tale: Many real estate transactions do not close on the actual date specified by the legally binding contract. This is not a recent phenomenon and has occurred since the time buyers required funding by third parties to purchase homes.