Posted by Northern Virginia Loan Signing NVLS on 7/5/12 3:33am
Msg #425589

Freddie's "Authorized Changes for Notes"

View the link: www.freddiemac.com/uniform/doc/unifnotesauth.doc

VA: This is to certify that this is the Note described in and secured by a Deed of Trust dated . . .

NO CAN DO! In VA, this was part of our Notary Signing 101. Yet, lenders sneak this line in regularly (to see if we're awake). I sent a comment to FHLMC a few weeks ago about this persistent (nagging) addition that causes me to have to use a separate acknowledgment all the time. I CAN certify that this is the signer that personally appeared before me to sign this Note!

The link above is for document dated 2 yrs ago; and does say lenders "may" add the (spurious) text. So, maybe if enough of us bombarded FHLMC with the concern? . . .

(p.s. Did a nice closing for Premier Title Group yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that I was NOT asked to notarize the note - instead, the form had some "weird" language I had never seen, like "make payable to . . ." Don't know what it meant, but clearly it was for some other party -- and I was SO GLAD)

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/5/12 7:36am
Msg #425591

If you search here for "ne varietur" or "paraph"

You'll see this subject has been chewed up and spit out many many times over that past 12 months and there are various schools of thought on it.

Happy reading!!..

Reply by Barb25 on 7/5/12 11:28am
Msg #425606

Re: If you search here for "ne varietur" or "paraph"

But I don't think there has ever been this response from a Virginia notary before, has there?

In any event, for one, am happy to see this post.

Reply by FlaNotary2 on 7/5/12 12:58pm
Msg #425623

Been discussed many times, by notaries in VA and elsewhere n/m

Reply by Barb25 on 7/5/12 4:20pm
Msg #425667

FlaNotary2: The operative word was THIS response from a VA

notary. This VA notary had the SAME problem that many of the NON-VA notaries had with the "blurb" at the bottom of the note. Most if not all that responded in past that I know of DID NOT have a problem.

Sorry that your found my post so confusing.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 7/5/12 1:09pm
Msg #425624

<<< ... was pleasantly surprised that I was NOT asked to notarize the note.>>>

Just to be clear, you weren't being asked to notarize the note, because we only notarize signatures.... you were being asked to certify the contents of something or another and then use your stamp.

I think I did the same thing you did the first time I saw this - sent an ack notarizing the borrower's sig, which, of course, is what they didn't want! LOL.

Reply by Northern Virginia Loan Signing NVLS on 7/5/12 2:11pm
Msg #425644

More Note trouble

**we only notarize signatures.... **
Yes, that's right (I stand corrected)

Then, I find out just now, there's a another problem: This seems like such an "idiotic" user-error; but my print settings caused the pages of the Note and DOT to get "grazed" a little at the end - so even though "VIRGINIA FIXED RATE NOTE . . . Fannie Mae, blah, blah is there, the form # and # of pages got cut off. The Title company called in a "panic." I went back to my printer and reprinted those docs to see what happened (worked fine this time, so orig error was mine).

However, my question for you "seasoned" folks is: Shouldn't the Title company have verified with the approving party before assuming the forms would be rejected (and throwing me into a tail spin)? This was my 1st signing for this company and I accepted on short notice, got docs back asap and quadruple checked everything! I almost refused to let the package go!!

But it gets "better": I was also told that because the borrower initialed the pages of the Note, it would likely get rejected because it wasn't needed. Huh?? When is More, Less? Generally, I tend to treat the Note as the DOT and have borrower initial every page. Even if it's "overkill," does it invalidate the signing, as I'm being told??

Reply by Northern Virginia Loan Signing NVLS on 7/5/12 2:33pm
Msg #425652

Re: More Note trouble (Highlights need to avoid Print & Run)

Interestingly, while using the Search feature to look at the issue with pages, I found a Jan thread a couple of years ago where the signing company discredited a notary for refusing an assignment due to last minute docs. I was SO glad the notaries here backed up their colleague. It makes no sense to print and run with documents simply because a file is "swooshed" into a notary's inbox and the laser printer "swooshes" out the pages; and the NSA is expected to "swoosh" out the door breaking all the traffic rules trying to arrive on time at borrower's home.

A true professional takes time to review the documents, note inconsistencies, wrong dates, or whatever beforehand. Do signing companies know (or care) how embarrassing it is to go before a borrower never having had time to look closely at at least the HUD-1?

Two weeks ago, a company contacted me (said they found me on "notary rotary", Yes!). I accepted the same-day signing & waited and waited for docs. As they didn't arrive, I had to contact the borrower and inform me I would not be there one time. The company told me they were still waiting and that the lender's site was down. "Did they say when it would be back?, " I asked. Since they wanted me to be able to retrieve from their special download center, I didn't think to ask WHY NOT JUST EMAIL THEM TO ME!

Needless to say, they couldn't give me a time when all tech issues would be resolved; and I firmly told the company that I would only agree to follow the borrower to his next destination (which was at the golf course) IF they could guarantee the docs well before the 2nd scheduled signing (because I wasn't about to call the borrower again with a Late story). When no confirmation could be given of when docs would arrive, I kindly said "no thanks" because it was clear that they didn't know whether the docs would be ready or not. You want to know how the company responded? "We will need someone with more flexibility."

HELLO out there! My zip code may be 20195; but if you're necessarily looking at time to estimate how "efficient" I can be, don't bother calling me. I am a Professional trying to use my time wisely and I know just what it takes to get it done fast AND accurately.
And if it really matters, I also LIVE IN a different ZIP CODE!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/5/12 3:22pm
Msg #425658

Re: More Note trouble

Initials on every page of any document is not standard procedure...it's lender specific and/or title company specific...some use software that requires initials, some don't, and it's each individual lender's decision as to whether they want to require them or not. If they're not required, you don't get initials. And yes, every loan is unique in its own way - what goes for one loan does not necessarily apply to the next loan. If you've taken it upon yourself to assume, and require, that all pages of every note in every package get initialed, that's incorrect.

Also, you should be taking the time to check and make sure all your printing has come out correctly. If you're not, then you need to start. THIS is, or should be, standard procedure. In another post you said "A true professional takes time to review the documents, note inconsistencies, wrong dates, or whatever beforehand." - that's very true - and that includes checking the docs before you leave for accurate printing.

Sounds like you have a loan here that's under Murphy's Law - if it can go wrong it will and it did. I would be looking back at my day and trying to find out why this all happened...and make appropriate adjustments. You're abdolutely right - a professional will take the time - and that's what you are, and you want your work to reflect that.

Good luck

Reply by VT_Syrup on 7/5/12 4:57pm
Msg #425673

"notarize" and "we only notarize signatures"

"Notarize" can mean any notarial act, like taking an ack, protesting a note, certifying a copy, issuing a subpoena, or taking an inventory of a safe deposit box. Some of those acts do not involve signatures of anyone but the notary.

Reply by Northern Virginia Loan Signing NVLS on 7/5/12 6:40pm
Msg #425690

Re: "notarize" and "we only notarize signatures"

Yep . . . and the notary has to have the proper wording to comply. Since we can't tell anyone which one to use . . . if they pick a "notarial" (ack, true copy, etc.) statement that is worded improperly, it is never in the notary's best interest to proceed. I will not do any I-9s (citizen forms for employment) for this reason. There is NOTHING on the govt form that I recognize as being a valid notarial act.