Reply by Kelly Sullivan on 1/24/11 3:04pm
Msg #369906
Better safe than sorry ~ at the very least, I'd leave all of the contact info for your husband, text him at arrival and departure. That's what I do when I'm not sure about the borrower...if you really feel uncomfortable, have hubby meet you there. I would!
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Reply by LKT/CA on 1/24/11 6:56pm
Msg #369941
My husband has gone with me to signings and sat in the car. If your husband's available to ride with you, have him do so and sit in the car.....THEN when you first sit down with the signer, say something like, "This shouldn't take long, my husbands in the car waiting for me. We have errands to run (or a dinner date, or whatever....) after this signing. No sense in driving all the way home to get him so to save time and gas, he just came with me."
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Reply by barb/NH on 1/25/11 6:53am
Msg #369976
If he's been drinking then his signature would never hold up in a court of law, and you shouldn't proceed witht he closing to begin with because as a notary, anyone who is unable to comprehend what they're doing, is impaired in any way, should not have their documents notarized at all. I would take my husband and just show up at the closing. Have him wait in the car, and if you're not out in a reasonable amount of time, have him call your cell phone. Agree on a specific conversation ahead of time with a key word that tells him that you are in trouble. Or you can set it up so that you actually call him as soon as you have ensured yourself, either you're safe, or you need help. You excuse yourself to the borrower by saying something like, "I need to make a call and let the title company know I've arrived." Then call your husband and act out your call, "Hi, this is... I just wanted to let you know I've arrived at the...closing. I'll call you if we have any questions. Yes, I certainly will. Thank you." And then your husband can relax and know you're okay. If you don't make the call within a set or reasonable amount of time, then he can proceed with plan 2. You can't always tell from a phone conversation if a person is really impaired, so it's best to show up with added precautions for your safety, just in case your hunch was right. I had a borrower on the phone once who sounded totally intoxicated. I took my adult daughter with me to wait in the car, and used the scenario I mentioned above. Turns out that the borrower was handicapped and lived with a girl friend, who was present when I arrived. And over the last 6 years I've been doing this, that wasn't the first time, and probably won't be the last that I've experience similar circumstances. You have to make every reasonable attempt to sign the loan, but always go by your instinct and be vigilent. Remember that 99.9% of the time these people have no ill intentions. They know that the bank and title company have their personal information, and you are the last key to finalizing their loan. These people, some of which are just frustrated by the process because they've been through a lot to get to this point, know that no matter how frustrating it's been, they aren't going to get their loan, or their rate if they screw up. So under all that frustration is excitement that they are finally closing the loan, and will have their money in just a few short days. They're not thinking, "hey, when the notary gets here I think I'll attack her and ..." whatever. Most people realize that they cannot be impaired in front of a notary. They don't want to jeopardize that loan. Unlike foreclosures, which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, because you're now dealing with very depressed, angry clients, these people are anxious to get the job done. I hope this helps!
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Reply by Mary Ellen Elmore on 1/29/11 1:05am
Msg #370489
Barb I completely agree with you on a safety plan and that you can not tell via phone call if someone is impaired or not.
My 1st husband answered the phone one evening-he had not been drinking. He was just in a jovial mood and the phone had been ringing for like 2 straight hours--every member of the family had called and a few friends-back to back. We would hang up and the thing would instantly ring.
Well, on this particular call he answered, "Joe's Pool Hall at Grand Central Station" It was a joke! My Daddy used to do that all the time.
It was not family nor friend this time. It was a professional lady we had an appointment with the next week, NOT any of her staff.
She FREAKED!! He apologized profusely and explained it was a joke and why he had said it.
She had him put me on the phone and she ran me down the river and then drug me back up it about how lousy a person my "drunk" husband was. This person had never even met us. Just saw we had an appointment with her. She ranted for a good 10 minutes. Told us we had better not ever come to her office.
She then called the police! They knocked on the door and told us, "We just a call to come check on your children. Some lady said your husband is drunk." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had them do an on camera sobriety test and a breathalyser on him.
Always stay safe, but don't make conclusions either.
I am guilty of doing this at times also.
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