BNUMBER:  B-265933
DATE:  February 23, 1996
TITLE:  [Letter]

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B-265933

February 23, 1996

Ronald D. Larsen
Acting Director of Administration
Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, DC  20090

Dear Mr. Larsen:

This is in response to your request (reference 6540) concerning the 
entitlement of Mr. Philip J. Janik, to reimbursement for certain 
residence transaction expenses in connection with his transfer from 
Washington, D.C., to Juneau, Alaska, in June 1994.  For the reasons 
discussed below, Mr. Janik may not be reimbursed for the fee of a 
facilitator incurred in purchasing a residence at his new duty 
station.

Mr. Philip J. Janik, an employee of the Forest Service, was issued 
travel orders on May 18, 1994, authorizing his transfer from 
Washington, D.C., to Juneau, Alaska.  Incident to that transfer, Mr. 
Janik purchased a residence at his new station and sought 
reimbursement for the expenses of the purchase.  The following expense 
items were allowed:  fees for appraisal ($624.00), loan origination 
($2,671.22), document preparation ($150.00), closing ($457.60), title 
insurance ($326.70), credit report ($95.00), recording ($60.00), and 
inspection ($297.44). 

The agency did not allow his claim for $750.00, paid to a realtor, for 
the services of a facilitator in assisting the seller and buyer in 
handling the numerous procedural aspects of the transaction.

 A letter from the realtor described the services covered by the fee 
as follows:

     "Services of a Facilitator in assisting seller and buyer with 
     industry standard earnest money agreement forms, inspection forms 
     and procedures, and standard mortgage loan required 
     documentation.  Provided State required Disclosure Form and 
     assisted in transferring to buyer in compliance with State 
     Statute.  Provided general information to seller and buyer 
     regarding customary market and mortgage conditions, options and 
     practices.  Assisted seller and buyer in coordinating the many 
     aspects of a real estate transaction:  closing dates, moving 
     dates, insurance, loan pay off, settlement statement review, 
     closing details, and sale of personal property being transferred 
     in this transaction.  Assisted mortgage company as necessary with 
     transaction related matters.  Assisted appraiser and engineer as 
     necessary with inspections and reinspections."

The total fee charged for the professional services rendered was 
$1,500.00 which was split equally between buyer and seller.  None of 
the services described in the realtor's letter appears to be 
reimbursable as one of the specific expenses allowable under the 
Federal Travel Regulation 41 C.F.R.  sec.  302-6.2.  While the services may 
have been necessitated by the employee's need to return to his old 
duty station, there is no provision under 41 C.F.R.  sec.  302-6.2, for 
reimbursement for the fees of a facilitator in residence transactions.  
Consequently, Mr. Janik's claim may not be paid.

/s/Seymour Efros
for Robert P. Murphy
General Counsel
B-265933
February 23, 1996
DIGEST

There is no provision in the Federal Travel Regulation, 41 C.F.R.  sec.  
302-6.2, to allow reimbursement of the fees of a facilitator in a 
residence transaction, where the facilitator merely assists the 
parties in coordinating the many aspects of their transaction.