Robert,
I know this isn't a solution to the problem however I started noticing this exact issue right around the same time the industry broke out with the direct underwriting... LP processing systems they are currently using.  It was great for the brokers/lenders in that it allowed them to receive a pre-approval in literally a 5 minute time frame.  Once it went on line the amount of time between taking an application, receiving the pre-approval increased tremendously, however...the amount of time to collect the necessary documents from the borrowers and not to mention the appraisers...did not increase...as they especially the borrowers...were not able to produce results in this time frame. 

Still we had brokers and lenders advertising closings in a week all just because THEY could get the jump start.  Then you had us... closing agents sitting in the back winds, still not up to speed with technology in the industry... I mean Standard Conveyancer is the dinosaur in the agents field and it isn't even that old.  So in advancing technologically no one ever thought about the fact that we still have people out there walking/driving info back and forth... am I making sense? 

As you were typing in your post on Friday I was going through the same thing.  It's crazy I know.  It's almost like everyone caught fever when they got on line...and forgot about RESPA and why it is there in the first place.  I too receive borrowers who know absolutely NOTHING about the loan they are signing for.  It's left up to the closing agent to explain to them before they get to the table (hopefully) and have even known attorneys to close loans outside rescission dates just to get it closed. 

Funding... I remember a day when I had seven purchases closing and no funding at 4:30pm because everyone was "slammed", "burnt" or just plain got up and "quit".  lol


Technology is great...when we are all on the same page.

adrienne