We had a home listed and we attracted an offer and got the home under contract.  And that's when it got difficult.  (See two previous blogs on the subject of closing posted in December 2006.)
The situation was that the original lender was from out of state and had insisted that the seller provide proof of insurance from the Home Owner's Association for the common grounds of the subdivision.  This presented me with two slight challenges: There was no Home Owner's Association and there were no common grounds in the subdivision anyway!
I eventually found the buyer another lender.  By then, the seller had moved out of state and my closing manager was made power of attorney.  More minor challenges came up before closing with the new lender which my closiing manager resolved, including, at the last minute, the revelation that there was a prepayment penalty.  But we finally closed it on December 21st 2006.
Two lessons that I have the opportunity to learn again and again, once more from the sale of this home, are that persistence pays off and to always be in problem-solving mode. 
On to the next one!