If you are closing on a refinance or home purchase in King County, you need to be aware of an issue going on with the recorders office. It’s my understanding that on Tuesday, title companies received this message:

“Hello Everyone,

I wanted to update you and keep you aware of a technical issue we are experiencing in the King County Recorder’s Office. We are having substantial problems with our recording system which is causing slow downs and interruptions to service in all aspects of the recording process. Our software vendor and our IT department are working together to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. While the problem persists we may not be able to meet our commitment to providing same day service even for those packages received before cutoff. We will work hard to ensure that all items are recorded either after hours or first thing the next day.

My apologies for the inconvenience on this. I know that this is a busy time for everyone and we are doing all we can to resolve it quickly.

Today, I’m told that King County’s recorders office closed at 5pm stranding hundreds of transactions from recording.”

If your transaction, refinance or purchase, does not “record” then it’s not of public record. Hopefully people can be flexible and nobody is seriously financially damaged by what’s going on with King County.

Hat tip to Lorie Cantu Wiest of Fidelity National Title Insurance Company.