Posted by I'm New Here... on 11/4/04 4:21pm
Msg #10892

CNSA - What is the diff between this and a Notary Public?

Can someone explain, I'm new here and I am sure that this will all come with years under my belt. For now......?

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/4/04 4:39pm
Msg #10895

A signing agent has to be a notary public to do this job, but you're doing more than just strictly notarizing documents. It requires additional real estate knowledge.

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 11/4/04 6:00pm
Msg #10904

I beg to differ with you. A signing agent SHOULD be a notary public to be able to facilitate the notarization of documents as necessary in the package. However, there is no REQUIREMENT, as there is no standard definition as to what a signing agent is or what is necessary to be a signing agent. However, most companies want the SA to be a notary too since one person could accomplish the both functions.

Nit pickin' aside, an NSA performs to distinct, but related functions. As a Signing Agent, you present the documents to the borrowers, explaining only the purpose of the document if necessary, and showing them were to find information if they ask questions. Thus, the SA needs to know the process and documents associated with mortgages. The Notary Public, must abide by the NP's state laws, practices and principals, in properly identifying the signers, taking acknowledgments and giving oaths, on the handful of documents that require it.

So, the NSA must not only know the documents, purpose and function, but also must understand the process to be able to guide the borrowers through the muck and mire, avoiding UPL at all costs and spewing the "you gotta call your broker or loan officer" line a dozen times. You must also know the proper procedures for completing the notarizations.

A CNSA is a "Certified" NSA, whatever that means to those who hear it. There is no standard for certification and many organizations provide it. However, the certification most adorned, by the NNA, is hollow at best. All too often we hear about CNSA's who haven't a clue about general notarization procedures much less how to explain things like "aggregate adjustment" or "APR".

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/5/04 2:24am
Msg #10921

For all intents and purposes, a signing agent MUST be a notary public. Do you know of any companies that use a separate notary and signing agent? Could a person actually market themself as a signing agent if they weren't a notary public? It may be theoretically possible, but realistically a signing agent MUST be a notary public.

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 11/5/04 5:20am
Msg #10926

Yes, most companies that I do work with. Case in point... I have a business. The title company hires my business to complete the work. My wife is a Notary Public. We work as a team. Having been on the lender side for over 10 years and working in title for 3 years, I'm pretty confident in what the papers are and can present them with no problem. Though more often than not, I notarize as well as present, there have been times when I did the presentations and explanations at the table and my wife did the necessary notarizations at the end of the "paper passing". Makes things go much quicker.

This scenario is made possible because the hiring companies know how we work. If I were not a notary public, it wouldn't make any difference to many of my clients. However, it is not economic to do it with two people. (It's hardly economic to do it with one person, in many cases!)

My point is that I market a service as a company or business, not as an individual. Our business is to provide notary services and loan signing services. That's what our clients "buy". How we accomplish that is a business policy that is explained to the "buyer". I also market myself as a Notary Signing Agent, in which case the "buyer" expects me, individually, to provide the services of both the notary public and signing agent. That's why I said it was "nit pickin'". For every "standard" there are exceptions. And the Signing Agent/Notary Public roles are no exception to the exceptions.

Reply by Stephanie/CA on 11/4/04 5:22pm
Msg #10897

CNSA = Certified Notary Signing Agent

One must be a Notary Public to be a CNSA.

a CNSA is a Notary Public that has taken a course and passed a Certification exam in Loan Documents along with the procedures of being a Signing Agent.

Taking a course on Loan Documents was beneficial to me; however, Notaries with a background in Loan Documents wouldn't necessarily take this course.

Sometimes, experience "trumps" all courses.

I hope others respond to your question so you can review a variety of responses.

Stephanie

Reply by Becca/FL on 11/5/04 1:16am
Msg #10920

Great explanation, Stephanie.

I am a Notary - not a "certified" signing agent. However, I am a certified (some would argue certifiable) RE Paralegal. I feel no need to become "certified" by a web site. I've had no problem getting work without the CNSA or CLSA title. FWIW