Posted by MonicaFL on 4/10/10 9:07am
Msg #331117

Don't call the borrowers

Have a closing today at 3:00 p.m. and one of my instructions is: Do NOT call the borrowers - they know you are coming! Well, where I am supposed to go is kind of a screwy area so I called the SS and they referred me to the lender. Called the lender and told them if I couldn't call the borrower to get directions then I couldn't accept the assignment. He told me that they didn't want to borrower notified until they got the final figures and were okay with them and now that they have them, sure, I will give you the phone number. Strange huh! But maybe that might answer the question of why don't they want us to call the borrower? At least it answered that question for this particular closing. Just thought I would pass this along. Might shed some light on things.

Reply by Yowheelz on 4/10/10 9:14am
Msg #331118

This has been discussed before, use the search button. I refuse to go without calling the borrower no matter what this particular company wants. The only time I did go without calling I couldn't find the address (address was on main road but house was on a unmarked side road ) then waited 45 minutes for the spouse to get home because they did not know they were closing. I now call just before I leave my house to make sure they are there.

Reply by MonicaFL on 4/10/10 9:17am
Msg #331119

I know it has been discussed. I was just offering a possible "explanation" as to why they sometimes don't want us to call the borrower. That's all. Sorry if I offended you.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/10/10 9:33am
Msg #331122

If this is the same company I'm thinking of, I think another one of their reasons to justify this is, from what I've gathered from my conversations with them about this, they don't want the notary killing the deal on the phone....apparently there are notaries out there who've reviewed the loan terms on the phone and killed some deals...

I'm not saying I agree with this practice - and non-contact isn't something I can comply with in my service area (very rural and a lot unmapped) - in my past experience with this, lender has always been good about allowing me to contact ahead of time.

Reply by A S Johnson on 4/10/10 9:42am
Msg #331123

Linda,
Them there Fl gators are worse than bullets flying at you. LOL!!!!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/10/10 10:04am
Msg #331124

LOL Sid!! n/m

Reply by A S Johnson on 4/10/10 9:30am
Msg #331120

This goes back to "sub, sub,sub-prime loans of CountryWide" where the brs did not really understand the loan. When a SA called the br started asking questions which the SA's answers confused the br.
An SAs calls and gets into discussions of the terms of the loan which causes confusion and the LO has trouble re-explaining.
The last one I did was for National Vendor Solutions for Mortgage Investors Corp in Jan. I was able to call the br after I got the docs.
I do not "just" show up at someone house after dark, without calling first. I consider it very unprofessional and maybe dangerous.

Reply by Shoshana/AZ on 4/10/10 9:32am
Msg #331121

I totally agree with you. They don't want some notary with a big mouth screwing up their deal. I can just picture some newby with a big mouth saying "$8000 is a lot of money to bring to the table on a refi. You sure you want to do this?"
I am sure it has happened. Once they have the final figures, it's ok to call. The companies I have worked with will happily pay my print fee if the signing gets cancelled. (I let them know in advance that I have to print by a specific time.)

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/10/10 10:56am
Msg #331126

Re: O K, Don't call the borrowers

...On another note about 1/5 of my signings are, Do not disturb/call borrower..just show up. In each case the transaction involved wealthy borrowers (salary like $200,000 per month. Signings often occur late like after nine PM. I did one recently for a lady who had a limo waiting outside while we completed the signing to take her to her private jet. Access, gated community, private roads, guards. Everyone knew I was coming. Pay, Verrry good.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/10/10 11:21am
Msg #331127

Demographics, James...

Late night...after 8....dark....around here all the more reason to call first....

On a side note..the least that lady could have done was come to you in her limo!!....LOL....or invited you to sign on her private jet!..hehe

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/10/10 11:33am
Msg #331128

Re: Demographics, James...

THAT Linda would be necessary where I live.....LOL.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 4/11/10 12:27am
Msg #331203

Never a dull moment

You always have such exciting signings, James! While you're signing in luxurious splendor amid idling limos, private estates and verrry good pay, I was "greeted" today by a woman who squeezed out sideways from her front door so I couldn't see inside and slammed the door shut. (I did get a glimpse of the interior, and it looked like she could be on the next episode of "Hoarders." As it was, I could barely find her house, it was so overgrown with vines, grass and weeds. Anyway, she immediately announced we would be signing in my car! No, we won't be signing in my car. So then she suggested the front porch where we were standing. That clearly wasn't going to work; it was too tiny, nowhere to sit or put anything. I didn't even bother asking her why she hadn't suggest meeting somewhere else. We ended up signing on the trunk of an abandonded old car in her driveway. The car was at least 13 feet long (I measured it with my footsteps). At least, the trunk lid was twice as big as the porch. Then she got writer's cramp; then she got ... oh, never mind. Just think of us toiling away in the trenches while you're out high-falutin' with the caviar set, James!

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/11/10 10:53am
Msg #331215

Re: Never a dull moment

Now, now..I have done signings in a living room with four couches and " Early American Orange-crate" furniture also.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/11/10 10:58am
Msg #331217

Re: Never a dull moment

Try doing one at a crematorium! Borrower said " you can always be sure of a cold one here" as he offered me a soda!
That guy was a laugh a minute!

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/11/10 10:58am
Msg #331216

Re: PS Never a dull moment

The couches were being used a beds, and smelled like it too!

Reply by ADD/NYCT on 4/13/10 12:06pm
Msg #331496

Re: Never a dull moment

ahahahaha....you measured the car length with footsteps!

Reply by Grammyzoom on 4/10/10 11:45am
Msg #331130

I have had a few assignments where I was instructed not to call the borrowers. I took the assignments and waited until the night before or the same day as the signing and called to confirm the time, the place (making sure I had the correct address) and to confirm that everyone would be at the signing who needed to.

If the borrowers phone number is not provided on the confirmation I call my client and l them I need directions to the address or I will not be completing the assignment, and I absolutely will not go to the signing.

Never had a problem getting the informtion I needed. I do believe that it is because the lender is afraid the notary will say something to kill the deal if they speak with the borrowers too soon.

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/10/10 11:50am
Msg #331131

I think if the client had a knowledgeable relationship with the notary instead of a name, number on a list of notaries, they would know their signing was going to be successful. That's the reason you hire a professional and also the reason you pay them well. IMO

Reply by Grammyzoom on 4/10/10 12:27pm
Msg #331135

Shootin Fish!

James, you are so right, but unfortunately there are many times when a company has a need for a notary just once in a while and for them it is like shootin fish in a barrel, they never know what they are going to get.

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/10/10 12:33pm
Msg #331136

Re: Shootin Fish!

Yes, that is why it is important to be well trained so you don't have to get in the barrel

Reply by LKT/CA on 4/10/10 12:51pm
Msg #331137

5 Star Post, James!!

I so agree with you but there are additional practical reasons to make contact with the borrower. I want to make that personal connection by introducing myself and giving borrowers my cell # so they can call me if an emergency happens. Once a borrower called me the day before the signing to say not to come....his wife was hospitalized the night before and was having blood transfusions.

For the borrowing, trying to call the LO, so he can call the lender who'd call the TC who'd call SS to get that message to me would have been a hassle and more likely than not, I would not have received the message. Since the borrower had my #, calling me directly worked best. Then I could make one call to the hiring party to notify them of the borrower's call.

Also, calling ahead confirms the signing location, time, ID, funds required, witnesses needed (if applicable), any special driving directions, gated communities, etc. Several times, I've driven to new PUDs (planned unit developments) that aren't really that new anymore (5+ years) are still not mapped by Google, Yahoo or Mapquest and the GPS can't find it either. Contacting the borrower is a necessity.

As far as the big mouth, deal killing notaries.....I cannot fathom why anyone *wants* to say more than they have to?

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/10/10 1:12pm
Msg #331140

Re: 5 Star Post, James!!

And I also agree with you on what you said also.

In my old age I just do what I'm asked to do. As long as I'll be paid regardless of the outcome, I comply. I know where I'm going, who I'm seeing and so does the hiring party not to mention my wife.....

Scenario,...I receive call from CFO of a Financial institution to meet him 80 mile for my house in the parking lot of an AM/PM IN THE BOONIES at 11 P.M.. He is meeting me 1/2 way from where ever he's coming from. Reason, about to lose rate lock major client due to notary screw-up. Okay, understandable.

Our vehicles are parked side by side, sheriff pulls up, aah what are you guys doing? signing loan Docs...yea right! Paid $450.00 for that one, everything legal no questions asked, ......This could not have been done in advance.

Reply by Grammyzoom on 4/10/10 2:15pm
Msg #331148

Re: 5 Star Post, James!!

Let me be clear, I totally agree with both of you and in 95% of my signings I spend time with the borrowers on the phone going over everything, setting up my schedule etc etc.

However, every once in a while, if they pay what I ask, I will happily jump into the barrel! If I am not able to touch base with the borrowers prior to the appointment, I am out of that barrel!

Reply by parkerc/ME on 4/10/10 7:25pm
Msg #331189

Totally agree Lisa

I refuse to do a signing that I can't contact the BO, since I'm in a rural area also. The only time I call the BO anyway is right after I receive my confirmation from SS/Title, so I don't have any documents at that time to even allow me to be a Big Mouth (which I'd never be). Like you, I confirm our appointment, leave my contact info in case they have a change to appointment, ID requirements, and get any particular driving directions.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 4/11/10 4:21pm
Msg #331248

I had one of these "Don't call the borrowers" recently for a Sat evening close. I informed the SS that without a contact number I would be turning it down. It was originally scheduled for Friday early afternoon. I told the SS company that I do not accept ANY closings for after hours or weekends without contact numbers as the SS, TC offices are not always available for contact after hours or on weekends. They gave me TC number for me to get BO number (glad I changed the fee to my weekend fee for the run-a-round alone).

Once I spoke with TC I was informed that I could not contact BO until after they contacted them because "we don't want you to go over any of the loan numbers and interest rate with them. That's why we don't give out the numbers. We have had some notaries do that." After I finished laughing I informed him that I was a professional and that, more than likely, the reason they have had that issue was that the SS companies they use were offering lower than professional pay for the jobs. I also asked him just how was I supposed to go over the numbers when I did not have the paperwork? No answer to both. I told them I would give them 30 min to contact them and that I would be calling to confirm the apt after that time and that in order for me to go to the closing I would also require a good contact number for the LO.

I will take the no call assignments, but they have to meet my fees and my requirements. Because of my fees I do get calls for them, but not that often.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 4/11/10 4:28pm
Msg #331249

An easy fix for that

"I do believe that it is because the lender is afraid the notary will say something to kill the deal if they speak with the borrowers too soon."

Probably right. If a company does not have good LOs and low balls for SAs then the a result similar to what you stated could be true.

FIX: Hire/train better LOs and pay a professional fee to professionals. JMO