Posted by dvbell_IL on 5/9/05 7:27pm
Msg #36753

Docs should be there in an hour (yeah right)

I've had a situation happen enough times that now I need to run it past you wiser ones :-):

Receive a call about 9am(CT) from SS(West Coast) with a refi/edoc closing in my area for 1pm(CT). The travel is within 30 min so I accept and am straightforward about my fee. They promise me e-mail confirmation and I ask again where they are located because I am CT so docs must be to my within an hour.

Confirmation comes promptly after which I contact a very nice borrower who has no idea that their closing is set for 1 pm. Her husband works til 6 and can only meet around 6:30 or 7 at the earliest. I let them know my role and that I need to call to firm up that time. By the way I already had a commitment for the evening.

Calling SS they are all surprised that time needs to be later, but I consent to doing it. Once again I'm assured docs will be ready. Calling borrower she is hesitant because this is the 3d attempt this week to finalize her loan. I apologize for her stress (though I've had nothing to do with it).

I'm irritated because I have declined 2 midmorning/afternoon signings because this one was to occur at 1pm. Money out the window. Then 3, 4pm come and go. I call asking for docs and am told their coming. The borrower even calls me (from her caller ID) worried that she will get stood up again. She begins to call her lender repeatedly and even she is told that the docs are being worked up now.

At 5pm I call with a firm reminder that their(CT) window is closing. Now the SS can't reach lender. I give one more hour then I quit. Then 6 comes and I have to bail only to be told "Sorry we deal w/ this lender all the time I don't know what happened". I'm told the lender (who hasn't returned any calls nor produced docs) will contact the borrower and have a good night.

On top of being furious for having passed up other assignments for this bogus one, I now feel obligated to tell this borrower whose waiting by the phone and by the door that her loan will not close for the 3d time. So reluctantantly I call her for which she thanks me for having the decency to let her know. Something which the other two times she never heard.

QUESTION: Has this type of thing ever happened to anyone else? Should someone be held accountable when our time is spent waiting for loans that never happen while legitimate opportunities are passed up? Ahhhhhhh venting does help a bit!!

Reply by Charm_AL on 5/9/05 7:57pm
Msg #36757

how 'bout this?

I accepted a signing for tomorrow evening at 7 PM in Huntsville. 10 minutes later my favorite SS calls for a 7:30, I politely decline because I wouldn't make the apt on time.

Get home and call the borrower, he's in Birmingham! Call the SS back and she says "Oh sorry, we got the wrong city!" I lost a potential $100. for that apt and I turned down a $75.00 signing 4 blocks away on top of it.

Reply by dvbell_IL on 5/9/05 8:02pm
Msg #36758

Re: how 'bout this?

Yeah that for sure is a mess. At least you didn't waste a whole day hovering around your desk & computer playing the "invisible loan" game. This seems to be happening more and more. There must be a diplomatic yet effective way to address it and show the SS that this cannot become an industry standard. Dontcha think?

Reply by Charm_AL on 5/9/05 8:17pm
Msg #36762

Re: how 'bout this?

Oh!!!... I've hovered lol...

Now I simply tell them " I need the docs by ---am/pm or I simply don't go. It's about time they start realizing that we are independent contractors! We need to put food on the table and shoe the youngsters just like they do!

Reply by Melody on 5/10/05 12:21am
Msg #36834

Charm has it right

Like Charm, I also give a "deliver or die" time. If no eDocs, then I am gone.

Loan officers promise lots to borrowers and lenders. Rarely do they deliver. They promise the moon and then wonder why the lender won't oblige.

I have spent over 5 hours hovering over the computer waiting for eDocs which would "arrive any minute now." Heck with that.

That is part of why I won't handle Ameriquest any longer. They lie like rugs to both notaries and borrowers.

Reply by anon on 5/10/05 2:10am
Msg #36844

Re: Charm has it right

Seems to be happening more all the time. Have only done this a couple of times, but it seemed to work and stops the hovering: In addition to the 'drop dead' time, ask them to call you when the docs are, in fact, sent. Dumps the responsibility back where it belongs. And seems to keep everybody on their toes--except you.

Reply by dvbell_IL on 5/10/05 6:35am
Msg #36853

Thanks alot for the input. I will be incorporating your suggestions from now on, otherwise like trip fees, copy fees and the like we might need to determine a "hover fee" -- I am so kidding.