Posted by Mike_IA on 9/19/05 1:32pm
Msg #66024

My advice to new SA -go to the source

If you have a legal question - go to the source.

Ask your Secretary of State or whoever appoints notaries in your state. While the people here are helpful and generous, in the end it's the Secretary of State who gives and takes away notary commissions. Regardless of what you're told here, only the State's opinion counts when there's an official complaint against you. Ask for a staff attorney if the clerk on the phone doesn't know the answer to your question. And make a note of who gave you the answer and when. Then you can say with confidence in my State that is illegal. It might be acceptable in some other State but not in the State.

If you have a question about the documents - go to the source.

Ask the title company or the lender what to do. I have never had a company complain that I called with a question on the correct way to handle their paperwork. A company would much prefer to spend a few minutes answering your questions before the closing than tryng to correct something after the closing. And they almost always thank you for calling before the closing.

Just my suggestion on where to get answers.

Reply by Renee Kovacs on 9/20/05 4:31am
Msg #66128

Excellent advice, absolutely, and pretty fundamental - though it seems seldom followed. I wonder if sometimes people feel intimidated to call, thinking "oh this must be a dumb question and they'll think I'm dumb for asking."

Like Mike said - they're MUCH happier to have you ASK, than to have to get the broom and dustpan out when you're done. The only 'dumb' question is the one not asked.

That's assuming it's not after hours, not a Saturday, etc. Imagine the respect you could earn by saying "I have a question, I did research it and believe I have the answer, but I want to verify I'm correct before I do this signing for you."