Posted by LisaV_MN on 4/15/05 4:12pm
Msg #32037

Safety

Going in to strangers homes every day can be a bit scary.
I have only been nervous one time - a borrower asked "Do I look familiar?" When I replied "No" he said "good, you must have missed that episode of America's Most wanted." I immediately checked my exit points and made a plan of action on my escape - which of course made him giggle with enjoyment! He then informed me of what a funny joke that was!!

So...I look to the others that so bravely enter into strangers home day in and day out. What makes you feel safe when you enter a home?

Do you carry mace? A tazer? A gun? Ever been in a scary situation?

Reply by ManyBell_Tx on 4/15/05 4:25pm
Msg #32040

You know I thought about that too if the borrow is a single guy hmmmm if its a husband and wife I feel pretty safe single woman I feel safe but at night I thought about taking my husband with me if its a single male.

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/15/05 4:28pm
Msg #32042

My experience has been that single men want to meet at a neutral point more often than any.

I have not been afraid in any of my signings except one...after I realized the b. was a smoker and was getting jitters from not having his cigs, I told him if you've got 'em, smoke 'em.

He did and a good time was had by all.

Reply by Mary on 4/16/05 12:49pm
Msg #32198

OMG! That is sooo true! As a smoker, I totally understand!! LOL!!!

Reply by MaggieMae on 4/15/05 4:30pm
Msg #32043

As soon as my commission came in, my husband thought he should run out and get another gun permit so he could accompany me to my signings as a bodyguard. Told him to get real and go back to surfing the net with his laptop.

Reply by Stephanie_CA on 4/15/05 5:12pm
Msg #32052

I have a system set up with my daughter - she is aware of where my signings are & approx. times I should be done...if I have any problem, we have decided I am to call her, pretending that she is an employee/assistant and ask her to call my next appt., and confirm that they will have current IDs available.

If my daughter receives this call from me, it is telling her that there is trouble - call the authorities & give them the address of where I am immediately.

Luckily, this call has never been made.
The way I look at it is if a person has gone through all of the trouble to apply for a loan, providing so much confidential info during application interview, they should be legit. Naive, I know.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 5:27pm
Msg #32055

I used to call my husband as soon as I got in the borrowers home, and tell him I would call when I was on my way home. So borrowes knew someone knew exactly where I was and was waiting for a call that I was on my way home.
Now, he has to drive me anyway, so he is always in the vehicle in the driveway - unless he is needed to witness a deed.

Reply by Mary on 4/16/05 12:53pm
Msg #32199

Oh, that is SUCH a great idea, Sylvia! I am going to use this - calling someone from the borrower's home. I never thought about that. You could actually just call your own voice mail if no one is available. Who would know?

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/15/05 5:28pm
Msg #32057

I agree Steph. I use a similar set up.

At minimum, even if you don't have a person to act as your contact...like I am a lot of the time, set up a system to use with your cell phone. Have a red alert phrase, etc.

I tell my sister or neighbor (when my kids are out of pocket) that I'll leave information on my cell phone to find me. If I become MIA, they can check my voicemail. Sometimes I email my schedule to someone.

Just keep your cell phone with you at all times.

Reply by Stacey-NV on 4/15/05 5:29pm
Msg #32058

I adopted this procedure several years ago...when I sit down at the signing table, I take out my materials and my cell phone and make a phoney call "to my closing team." I'll dial my home number and say something into my phone like "Hi this is signing agent 12345, at the closing table with Mr. and Mrs. XXXXXX, beginning closing at XX time." I've had a couple of borrowers ask why I did that and I just say "It's just my way of reporting to them that I'm here and doing my job and they can track me."
I also carry pepper spray and when I leave the home I ask the borrower to walk me to the sidewalk and wait until I get in my car. At first I thought this might offend them (insinuating that they live in a crummy neighborhood) but it's for my safety and typically they say something like "Oh yes, I'll be happy to, that's a good idea, you never know" or something like that. We can't be too careful these days!

Reply by missy_socal on 4/15/05 6:56pm
Msg #32061

That reminds me of a signing that I had.

It was a dark and stormy night.... ;-) (it actually really was!)

Anyway, the signing was completed, and I was putting everything in order. The husband says to me, "So, when do we find out that we've been tricked?"
His wife tells him to hush, and he says to me, "Well, maybe we'll just keep you here until we're sure that everything's fine".
At this point, I'm feeling a little creeped out, and I say something to the effect of, "um... I'm just here to witness your signatures. I have nothing to do with the terms of your loan!"

THEN, he says, "Haven't you ever heard of killing the messenger??"

At that point, I wanted to run shrieking into the night. :-)

I honestly think that he was trying to be funny, and English wasn't his first language...so perhaps a little something was lost in the translation. It just wasn't the best humor to be tossing out there to a petite woman, alone in your house!

Reply by missy_socal on 4/15/05 6:58pm
Msg #32064

And this was in the middle of those crazy rainstorms that we were having, too. I had to fight flooded roads, and low visibilty just to get there. I was already a teeny bit on edge!

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/15/05 7:22pm
Msg #32070

*It just wasn't the best humor to be tossing out there to a petite woman, alone in your house!*

What is it about NSAs? Is part of the requirement that all of us be under 5'2"

Reply by missy_socal on 4/15/05 7:30pm
Msg #32072

[i]What is it about NSAs? Is part of the requirement that all of us be under 5'2"[/i]

How did you know?? I'm barely 5'1"!

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 8:13pm
Msg #32080

Re: Safety - Missy

5'1"?
Oh it must be nice to be so tall

Reply by missy_socal on 4/15/05 9:25pm
Msg #32109

You know what's funny...

That technically *petite* is 5'4" and under. My little sister is 5'4", and she's the TALL one!

My mom is around 4'10" or so (after early osteoperosis...ladies take your calcium!).

Reply by Mysti_FL on 4/15/05 8:52pm
Msg #32099

Funny guys! I am 5'2, although a little on the round side. Scary thought, huh???

Haven't had anything bad happen, but have had to sign at a Wendy's in a bad side of town, at night. It was the first time I signed with a single man and he looked scary, certainly not like a man who worked and earned income and had a home!

Mysti

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 8:58pm
Msg #32104

Re: Safety - Mysti

5'2"
Why am I surrounded by Amazons???

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/15/05 9:19pm
Msg #32108

Me: 5'1"

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 9:38pm
Msg #32112

Re: Me: 5'1"

Another Amazon - sigh

Reply by SL/CA on 4/15/05 10:30pm
Msg #32134

So if 5'1" is Amazon, what am I at 5'8" ?? LOL ...nm

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 11:57pm
Msg #32157

Re: So if 5'1" is Amazon, what am I at 5'8" ?? LOL ...nm

Definitely a Super Amazon!

Reply by Mysti_FL on 4/17/05 9:05pm
Msg #32377

Re: LUCKY!!!! LOL ...nm

Reply by Jon on 4/15/05 7:41pm
Msg #32074

Scariest situation:

I went to a signing in a less than desirable hispanic neighborhood. I park and walk up to the door, hoping that my car will still be there when I done. The door is opened by a young man who is the spitting image of a stereotypical hispanic gang member. He says "What do you want?" Before I can answer I hear the borrower say "It's ok, he's here to have us sign papers." I walk in and see several other young men, some with their shirts off(it was summer) and all of them had guns tucked into their pants. The borrowers, whom I surmised were Mom & Dad, looked like older versions of everyone else, except no guns. I couldn't wait to get out of there.

I am not racist, but in SoCal, there are some places that white people just don't go, unless of course, you're a NSA .

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/15/05 8:02pm
Msg #32077

I have had borrowers tell me that I don't have any business driving in their neighborhood without them escorting me in. In this case it was an older couple/rev mort and he insisted I wait on the main highway and he'd come get me. When I left he drove me back out.

I did not see the "threats" he was worried about--no guns for sure--and the young people in this area just looked like groups of young people...but it WAS his neighborhood, so I will assume he knew best.

Reply by ZLee_Califia on 4/15/05 8:15pm
Msg #32081

Between Safety & New Viruses

I may consider investing in the NSA's version of hazmat bullet-proof clothing.. I can see it now: the NNA logo on the hood with a see-thru plastic lens covering the eyes; and perhaps SS company logos on various places like an Indy car driver.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/15/05 8:31pm
Msg #32086

Re: Between Safety & New Viruses

Hey - who told you what I wear to signings???

LOL - just kidding <g>

Reply by Brijoe_WA on 4/15/05 8:47pm
Msg #32096

Re: Between Safety & New Viruses

I have been reading all these posts, wow, I guess I count myself lucky I dont live in areas like so. cal. and the hispanic gang member house yikes. My city is very safe, there are some neighboehoods that are questionable, but not like that. I have never felt threatened, Course I am 5'11" and 280. I can understand you women needing to be careful, I always worry about my wife when she has to go out on appointments.

Today I did have a kind of a kind of creepy kind of signing. I was at this guys house, single guy. He reminded me of Hanible Lector, lets just say he was 1 can shy of a 6 pack. Nice enough guy though. Well toward the end of the signing the loan officer called and needed to send a new hud over, so he wanted to e-mail it to the borrower. The borrower went dowstairs to download it while I waited. A few minutes later he comes back up and asks if I knew anything about computers cause he couldnt figure out how to download it. So being the nice guy I am I went downstairs to his "den" to help him out. Little did I know I was going down into a frigin Basment-o-porn. This dude had porn everywhere!!! mags, posters, videos scattered everywhere. Needless to say I washed my hands at the first place I could when I left. EEEWWW

Reply by MsRobbo on 4/15/05 9:10pm
Msg #32105

Re: Between Safety & New Viruses

These posts are a little creepy. Fortunately I haven't had any problems, but you never know. Think that I will set up some kind of system with my family besides just leaving the addresses of where I'm heading to. I usually don't feel threatened since I'm 5'8" but maybe a tazer would be nice to carry around. Think of the shock on a borrower's face when he/she realizes what your carrying and that instead of getting funded he/she might end up in the big house!

Reply by missy_socal on 4/15/05 9:27pm
Msg #32110

That is one of the craziest stories ever. I solomnly swear that I will never, ever complain again.
To be honest, I don't know what I would have done in that situation. I'd like to think that I would just leave, but I probably would be afraid of offending.

Reply by Jon on 4/16/05 1:06am
Msg #32160

Like the man once said, "Never offend a person with a gun."

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/16/05 1:01pm
Msg #32201

Re: Safety--Jon...

*Like the man once said, "Never offend a person with a gun."*

This is what he meant:

Never offend a person with a gun, or a woman.

(Right, Hugh?)

Reply by Stephen_VA on 4/15/05 9:42pm
Msg #32116

A doctor friend of mine said "people who get shot are always on their way to church". The moral of the story is if you have a legitimate reason for being somewhere your likelihood of being involved in a crime directed against you is greatly diminished.

Reply by Stephen_VA on 4/15/05 9:43pm
Msg #32117

For those of you who do not get sarcasm.... my doctor friend meant that there is no way that they were on their way to church.

Reply by Moose.fl on 4/15/05 9:47pm
Msg #32121

I've found that being overweight and middle aged is all the protection I need!!!

Reply by christi/socal on 4/15/05 10:42pm
Msg #32137

overweight and middle aged works for me too, although I also do the "I have to check in with the office" thing too.
My scariest signing was in compton (not a great area!) the borrower had a flat tire so I met him at the tire shop. We had to sign standing next to my car, bending over to use the folded back seat (mini van) while a guy (a bit nuts I believe) was screaming every cuss word I've ever heard (and a few extras) at me. He didn't get real close although it still felt awful close, and the borrower kept giving him dirty looks to keep him away. He finally went across the busy street and yelled at the cars as well. I was sooo happy to get away from there!
this same signing also had the docs going to the wrong place (I got to track them down) then the last doc was for his wife to sign, of course no one had said anything about a wife, and the borrower kept trying to convince me the soon to be ex didn't need to sign! The L.O. finally got it strightened out but it was the signing from hell.

Reply by christi/socal on 4/15/05 10:43pm
Msg #32138

forgot to mention I'm a giant at 5"8 n/m

Reply by MelissaNV on 4/15/05 11:01pm
Msg #32141

Giant at 5'9" + I wear hi heels

I have been this tall since I was ten. The reality of it is that men are more intimated by the size of my breast than my hight. I usually have the situation under control, since most men think they are tall at 5'8".



P.S.
Personally large breast are stupid, but they do seem to give you power. Had them since I was ten too.

Reply by Melody on 4/15/05 11:17pm
Msg #32147

Hugh

Melissa

Hugh wants to meet you.

Do you own a liquor store?

Reply by MelissaNV on 4/15/05 11:22pm
Msg #32148

Re: Hugh

I refer to myself as Sherah the Amazon Princess. Most men have never seen my face, too bad I have really nice teeth.

Reply by HisHughness on 4/16/05 12:05am
Msg #32158

Re: Hugh

Melissa remarks:

***I refer to myself as Sherah the Amazon Princess. Most men have never seen my face, too bad I have really nice teeth.***

I may have told this story before, but it bears repeating.

I am intimidated by women who are near my height. Very tall women, on the other hand, I find challenging.

When I was with the newspaper in Bryan/College Station (Brenda's current stomping grounds), I was president of the singles club. Every Wednesday night we had an outing at the Hall of Fame, a country & western dance hall known affectionately among boot scooters as the Hall of Shame. One Wednesday night, this strange blonde strolled in: about 5'10", blond hair down to her butt, eyes as blue as the Coral Sea on a hazy afternoon. I took it as long as I could, and finally controlled my salivation long enough to seek her out.

"I figure every man should have three dreams," I told her. "My three dreams are to write the novel that will replace 'Huckleberry Finn' as the Great American Novel, to own a completely restored supercharged 1937 Cord convertible, and to dance with you."

"Hey, guy," she said, "bombing on three outta three ain't bad."

If I had had a tail, guess where it would have been as I slunk away.

Reply by CaliNotary on 4/16/05 1:49am
Msg #32166

"I am not racist, but in SoCal, there are some places that white people just don't go, unless of course, you're a NSA"

So true. I really cannot believe the amount of time I spend in South Central Los Angeles. I'd never heard of Louisiana Fried Chicken, but those suckers are everywhere in that area!

It has its cool moments though. One day I was standing on somebody's porch in Watts. I looked across the street and saw something odd sticking up over the rooftops. Took me a minute to realize it was the Watts Towers, so I went over and played tourist after the signing.

Sometimes it's not so cool. Had a fender bender a couple of blocks away from Florence and Normandie. I pulled over but images of Reginald Denny flashed in my mind. He was the truck driver who was almost beaten to death at that intersection during the 1992 riots.

Reply by Melody on 4/15/05 11:16pm
Msg #32146

There was a report on one of the boards last year

I forget who posted her story.

The borrower was a single guy. While confirming the appointment via phone, he made several sexual references. She posted on the board asking us if she should go or cancel.

Lots of us (Sylvia may remember) told her NOT to go: she should either move the signing venue to a public place (Denny's - wherever) or bow out of the signing and tell the SS/TC why.

She was young so she went anyway (the idiot) and was scared to death. She got out with virtue and health intact. Barely.

My two cents:
*If you get any bad feelings during the phone call, bow out of the signing.

*Sylvia and a few others posted about having phone call systems set up to family members or fake calls to the title company. Great idea. I'm going to start doing that.

*I have always turned down signings in bad neighborhoods. There is a BIG male NSA in my area. Let him do 'em. If the TC/SS gives me any grief: shame on them!

*There are two lenders who target the really poor neighborhoods. They are both predatory as heck. One is Ameriquest. I won't do any loans for either lender. Anywhere.

*When I moved to my new state, I asked the cops for advice on which areas I should avoid.
I am no chicken. I have traveled to Russia and many other places by myself but there are towns in my county to which I will NOT go!

Meth labs and car thefts are the favorite income sources for some stay-at-home-Dads-&-Moms. Yikes!

Reply by ZLee_Califia on 4/15/05 11:23pm
Msg #32149

5'7" But Appear Taller From a Distance N/M

Reply by Moose-fl on 4/16/05 11:44am
Msg #32193

I'm 5' 10'' and love flip flops or 4" spikes

On the serious side I had one signing in a ghetto. This was a last minute signing and 10:00 pm. on a friday night. The house was two doors down from a convenience store where around 15 men where standing around drinking. I called the BR from their driveway and had them come out and escort me into their house. Also had them open the front drapes so I could see my car. After the signing I had them escort me back to my car. Plus I called a friend to tell him where I was and if didn't call him every hour he was to call the cops!

Reply by Carol FL on 4/16/05 2:37pm
Msg #32214

I've always left a copy of and map from mapquest along with assignment confirmation (to include name, address, phone # of borrower) prior to leaving my home. Was very comfortable with that until I did a signing with a person in law enforcement and they made the comment "you do carry a gun with you at all times, correct?' Now there are times I'm a little uncomfortable with some situations - especially when a single male who wants to show you the whole house!

Reply by LisaV_MN on 4/16/05 6:03pm
Msg #32244

So everyone has a plan in place in case they don't come home - calling a buddy before and after, leaving the address with a friend, etc. But what happens if we are every faced with that situation where we are not able to leave - or heaven forbid, we are hurt by a borrower? I don't want someone to have to retreive my body...I want to make sure I leave each house alive.

Seems like carrying mace is the best safe guard....