Notary and/or Closer Tips in Florida

Notary and/or Closer Tips in Florida

1. Call the borrowers immediately upon receipt of the order to confirm and/or schedule the appointment. Remember the appointment is scheduled at the borrower’s convenience, not yours. Some appointments may be pre-set for you. Do not attempt to adjust the appointment by more than 30 minutes, unless given approval. Advise of any changes. Please arrive on time. Notify the borrower even if you estimate to be 10 minutes late.

2. Upon speaking with the borrower, inquire about the borrower’s marital status as well as ask the borrowers to prepare photocopies of their identification to go back to the title company with the signed package. If you cannot obtain a copy of the borrower’s identification at closing, PLEASE have them fax a copy to the title company prior to funding.

3. Determine where the closing will be held, especially on investment or non owner occupied property.

4. Be sure to sign the Mortgage as the 1st witness, as well as completing the Notarization. Only (1) witness is required unless otherwise requested. Should you have a “Deed” in your package, “2” witnesses are required and the Florida Notary can be (1) witness. Ask the customer to provide an unrelated 2nd witness.

5. If problems arise with scheduling regarding the borrower’s or any other interested parties availability, advise immediately so that the lender has the opportunity to clear up any issues with the borrowers.

6. If you do not receive the loan documents, please check your order form for document delivery information. You may call the borrower to see if the package may have been sent to them.

7. If you have any difficulty downloading your loan documents please call immediately. You may be able to receive them in a different format.

8. Always print documents on LEGAL SIZE paper or choose paper source by .pdf paper size. You may arrange the documents to suit your comfort level.

9. Inspect the documents for correct names, dates, address etc. Please advise should there be any discrepancies. If documents require you to attach your own notary acknowledgement please do so.

10. Please dress professionally. You may be the only person they meet face to face in the transaction.

11. If the borrowers have questions regarding their loan that are not clearly covered in the loan documents, contact the loan officer immediately. You are not there to sell the loan for them. As a Florida Signing Agent you must NEVER express any opinion about rates or settlement costs.

12. Make sure the borrowers sign their names exactly as they appear on the documents. Typos on the borrower’s names or address may be corrected with permission from the title company. Always draw a single line through the error, correct and have initialed by the borrower.

13. Always use “blue ink” pens. Do not use black ink, unless specified in the closing instructions. Never use highlighter or white out anywhere in the loan package!

14. Please make sure borrower and spouse (if applicable) initial and sign all pages of the Mortgage and All RIDERS. Borrowers should initial all pages that do not require a signature, unless otherwise instructed by the lender or the title company. If in doubt, ASK.

15. Please make sure spouse signs the Mortgage and all riders, Truth in Lending and Right to Cancel even if their name is not printed on those documents. If it is their Homestead property, it is a requirement by law in the State of Florida. All Florida Mobile Notaries should be aware of this. Any questions please call the title company.

16. If problems arise during the closing, do not leave without speaking to either the title company or the broker.

17. When the closing is completed, please take a few minutes and go over all of the documents in the presence of the borrowers to be sure all the documents were either signed or initialed, including witnessed and Notary stamped.

18. You are the custodian of the documents. As a mobile loan closer you are NEVER to leave the original documents with the borrower, broker, realtor etc. unless specified.

19. Be sure to pick up any documents requested in the instructions. If applicable, be sure to pick up the certified funds requested as per the settlement statement made payable to the correct party. Take whatever documentation with you that the borrower has to offer (i.e. survey, POA, death certificate etc.) and include it in the loan package back to the title company.

20. Remember, as a witness only signing agent, you are only responsible for making sure the documents are executed properly and that the borrower understands the terms of what they are signing. You are NEVER to give any advice regarding the loan or fees, nor give any opinion on other loan companies or title companies.

21. Contact the title company to confirm the loan is closed and has been placed in overnight delivery. If you are given instructions to contact the broker/loan officer after the closing is completed PLEASE do so.

22. Please return loan documents as soon as possible. Attached with the loan documents you will find a return label or return information. Always ship late Friday’s closings on Saturday for Monday delivery. Please keep a copy of the tracking number for your invoice. Suggestion: If the air bill does not have a shipper name, use the same name as the receiver. I suggest you do not enter your name as the shipper. Should the account number be incorrect, the vendor will bill you for the charges.

Become A Signing Agent

I became a notary public because I wanted something to work around my family. I wanted to be able to pick and choose when I worked, without the fear of never getting another call back. And I wanted guaranteed money–I didn't want to worry about commissions, home party sales, or
inventory.

When I learned mobile notaries could earn a good living signing loan documents, I hit the Internet to find out everything I could on the subject. I joined message boards and asked lots of questions and I went through pages and pages of search engines to find companies that would hire me once I received my license.

Once I felt I had enough information to get started, I ordered my notary handbook from the state and studied for the test. In the state of California, you have to take a formal test before you are allowed to become a notary public, but each state is different. For instance, in Missouri, I was told that all you had to do was take home a test, open your notary book, find the answers, fill out the form and turn the test in. There are other states where all you have to do is fill out a request form and you are in.

Choosing To Be A Signing Agent
To become just a mobile notary public won't guarantee you any real money. In fact, some states mandate that you are only allowed to charge 10 cents for each notary act performed, while states like California allow you to charge $10 per notary act. That is why it is important to become a signing agent, and not just a mobile notary public.

As a mobile notary public, you are allowed to charge for the convenience of driving to your clients' homes or offices provided you tell them the fee up front, but even that fee has a few restrictions.
But as a signing agent, you charge companies a flat fee of $50 to drive to their clients, witness their signing of loan documents and complete any notary acts needed.

Your Role
Your role as a signing agent is to witness borrowers sign their mortgages and then notarize certain forms. Basically what happens is this: You receive a page from a signing company, in which you return the page, within five minutes. The company tells you the date and time of the signing and you will say accept or decline the job.

If you say yes, the signing company will send you a faxed confirmation sheet with the name and address of the client. You then call the client to set up an appointment or confirm an existing
appointment. Once you confirm the appointment, you call the signing company back with confirmation.

A few days later, a loan package arrives at your door. That is the package you will take with you when you meet your client. Your client signs appropriate forms and you overnight the package back to the company, via their code. It's that simple!

The Challenges
Working as a notary public can be stressful as you first build your clientele and wait for those calls to come in. But after a while, things will begin to feel more comfortable and the calls will be more regular.

The most important thing in this business is doing your job right the first time. When you are good at what you do, jobs will flock to you. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. You also must enjoy traveling and meeting new people.

The Benefits
The great thing about being a signing agent, versus a mobile notary, is that you know exactly what you are getting paid when you take the job and you know that you will receive a check for that job the following month.

And it can work around your children or current job. Most of the signings are done at night, because most people want to sign when they are at home, but then you will have those who want to take a day off from work and will meet with you during the day or on a weekend.

Getting Started
When I began, there weren't any classes, or books, on how to get started as a signing agent so I prepared a notary e-book to help others get started. (If you are interested in a career as a signing agent, visit my website at The Dabbling Mum Press

Alyice Edrich is the author of several work-from-home e-books, including Tid-Bits for New Signing Agents—where parents earn $25 an hour without party plans and MLM programs. She invites you to stop by http://thedabblingmumpress.com to order a copy today!

Information and Resources on How To Become a Notary

Becoming a notary public in the U.S., thereby serving as witness to the signing of documents and an administrator of oaths, does not require special training or experience. Many states offer notary public classes to help aspiring notaries gain their commission.

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Notary Publics first became prominent during the 1500’s, at the height of the Roman Empire. They were chosen either by the Pope, or the Archbishop of Canterbury to whom the Pope delegated authority. During those years notaries were well versed in foreign languages, as well as the principles and practices of law.

On the other hand, becoming a notary public in the U.S., thereby serving as witness to the signing of documents and an administrator of oaths, does not require special training or experience. It is a relatively easy position to secure, in most cases only requiring the candidate to pass a short test and undergo a background check. With this in mind, the rights and privileges accorded to a notary public do not extend beyond the basic duties of an impartial witness. More specifically, they are not permitted to give any form of legal counsel, prepare legal documents or otherwise practice law. download b.e.p.-my humps

For those interested in becoming a licensed notary, there are three basic steps to follow:

First, fill out an application, providing your name, address and other contact info. You will also answer questions regarding age, residency and any previous notary commissions held. (Application procedures vary from state to state. For more information regarding the application process, you can visit the National Notary Association website, http://www.nationalnotary.org.)

Second, applicants are next required to pay a fee to the commissioning authority.

Finally, applicants must take an oath of office, which may be incorporated into the application or filed with a county clerk.

There are other possible steps that may include taking an educational course, passing a test or obtaining a notary bond. These requirements vary from state to state, therefore applicants are encouraged to consult their local official or contact the National Notary Association for more info.

Many states offer notary public classes to help aspiring notaries gain their commission. Pat Meyer, an instructor at a Northern California Notary instruction course has helped thousands of notaries or future notaries obtain or renew their notary commission. The course offers same day classes and exams. For more information about this service, log onto http://www.notaryclasses.net.

For those residing in the state of New York, log onto http://www.notarytrainer.com, where one can purchase a New York Notary Application Kit, which includes sample notary test questions, as well as the official New York Notary Laws and Procedures handbook.

Author Information: Notary Public Info provides detailed information about how to become a notary public, plus notary public classes, supplies, services locations, and more. Notary Public Info is the sister site of Paralegals Web.