Anyone know what we can send to an escrow officer who went lightyears above & beyond the call to get a tough transaction closed? Can we send flowers/candy something along those lines without problems?

Yes you can give small thank you gifts. Some people do not like candy though, and flowers can send the wrong message (and soon wilt and die anyway) so I would think of something else. Perhaps a gift card to Starbucks, or Peet's Coffee, or Jamba Juice or a gift certificate to a restaurant or movie theater.

Is there a maximum dollar limit?

None that I know of. I'd go with $25 or $50. Since your gift is not given with any expectation of receiving business and it is after your transaction closed, I don't think RESPA is an issue.

if you want to write it off it should be no more than $25 in value

Perfect! Thanks guys. I will be splitting the cost with BA. The escrow officer really I mean really went way out of her way to salvage a half million dollar deal that had really tanked through not fault of anyone really (first escrow co went under the day we were set to fund & buyers ran out of patience). That kind of service really deserves recognition. She had established an excellent rapport with buyers & was able to smooth things over when they were dead set on cancelling.

I found that one of the best things I did for an escrow officer was send her a hand written thankyou card and emailed her Manager thanking her for the great service she provided. The only draw back was, she was up for a promotion and that helped seal the deal so now I rarely get to talk to her.

I've also worked with her manager to help coordinate for me to deliver a pizza party for the entire team (about 10 people) to recognize the officer and the service she and the team provide. I relized the other team members had to cover her, so she could keep my deals together.

By the time of the pizza party I had 2 bankers wanting to help pay for it, my brokerage wanting a piece of the action, and the Company wanting to help pay for it. It turned into a impromptu Title Company appeciation party for the employees. I got to speak and recognize her, and present her with a cheap framed award, and we had a small party in the office.

All told I was out of pocket 25 bucks, that provided pizza, pop, beer, wine and a lot of entertainment in the office. Title Co's are used to entertaining Realtors and loan officers, when the role is reversed, they love it!