Posted by BrendaTx on 12/22/06 6:48pm
Msg #167431
Has anyone noticed?
Many new notaries are logging in these days. Welcome, new notaries. The holiday is here. New notaries, for this Christmas season please give yourself the gift and power of knowledge. Arm yourself with what no one else can take away.
If you have not already done so, here's my advice on what you need to do.
#1 - Realize that you are more than a "notary signing agent." The "notary signing agent" part of your activities is secondary. Being an informed notary is primary.
#2 - Realize that being a notary requires you to know your rules. If you don't know a notary rule, then grab your handbook, look it up and at least try to figure out for yourself what the state you are in wants you to know about notarizing.
#3 - Realize that new notaries **are just as responsible** for knowing how to notarize, keeping records, knowing what you can and cannot do as much as long-time notaries.
#4 - Know that if are working your buns off trying to get it down what notarial procedures are correct, then you have a whole community of people willing to help you figure out what's right and wrong.
Once you crack open that notary booklet, or online handbook of yours, and once you are trying to learn all you can...if you don't understand what a rule is saying, then you should, by all means bring that rule to the board and ask for clarification.
Please take your commission seriously and don't be reluctant to take responsibility for your own notary education.
#5 - Finally, understand that there are no dumb questions, but there are a ton of questions that make you look extremely unprepared, lazy, and unwilling to learn for yourself and downright childish.
Why? Because it is clear you have not bothered to learn a whit about what you need to know if you are going to call yourself a notary. (Refer to #2 and #3.)
#6 Again, take note: Signing agent questions are different that notary questions. If you have not figured out that difference, then please study your handbook until you do.
I notice that others as well as myself have begun to avoid assisting anyone who has not made it evident they are looking for clarification on a rule...if you bring the rule to the board and ask for clarification, I'll help you all I can. However, if you are too indifferent to the rules of your state to at least try to figure them out yourself, then I am hopeful no one will come to your rescue.
Be kind to yourself. Learn what your state has commissioned you for.
| Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/22/06 7:49pm
Msg #167440
A Pocketful of Jewels; what a present! n/m
| Reply by BrendaTx on 12/22/06 8:18pm
Msg #167442
Re: A Pocketful of Jewels; what a present!
Thanks, Susan. Sometimes I think that the reason that people come to this business overshadows their understanding that the notary part is pretty much black and white. I don't think they do it on purpose, but it just hits them like a wave and they miss the base and foundational part of the business. If they can get that (and ANYONE can) then they can build on their business with more confidence.
Since I am in a big ol' learning curve right now myself, I can see how easy it is to miss seeing the forest because you are staring at the trees.
At work, since I have gone from handling home loan docs to preparing commercial loan packages, I am doing a lot of learning.
I started out just doing lender doc prep. Therefore, I am often focused on one point (doing doc prep for lender) and when I need to switch to being doc preparer for development lot sales I get confused about what my position is, hence, what product is required to be delivered to what tier of the process.
The only way to fix that is to realize that my field of vision changes from this view to that view. Don't stay "stuck" on just thinking one way.
Apply this to the NSA business and realize, as an NSA you are working for both the "public" person in front of you as well as Title/Lender whose docs you are tromping around with.
Then, there are times you are working only for the public person in front of you and all the lender/title peripheral stuff not related to pure notary work goes to the side.
I am concerned that in the haste to bring notaries into this NSA thing, the educational part is missing the boat on getting this point across to the new notary. If they'll just start with the basics of notarization they will see where it is the foundation and the NSA part is on top of that.
| Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/22/06 8:39pm
Msg #167445
Re: A Pocketful of Jewels; what a present!
Precisely. Completely agree with your analysis.
Many hats. We're learning how to identify and juggle them.
Yes, the education is not addressing the dual aspects; Notary and Signing Agent. Even the name, Notary Signing Agent blurrs the distinction. Maybe we could more Notary mentors first, then SA mentors.
The NNA is doing fatal damage to the Notary and Signing Agent world. And the shame of it is, that they have the perfect platform to do it right, but choose to go the profit-at-any-cost route. Personally, I think they should knock it off, and step up...I believe they have a duty to get back on track.
Maybe forums like this can help forge a clearer path, and your thread is a perfect contribution.
Cheers!
Susie
| Reply by TitleGalCA on 12/22/06 9:43pm
Msg #167451
Very timely Brenda! n/m
| Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 12/22/06 10:34pm
Msg #167456
*clink* A Toast to you for that wisdom, Brenda! n/m
| Reply by LawrenceOK on 12/23/06 7:44am
Msg #167516
Re: Has anyone noticed?... I have always said
That we are Notaries Public first and foremost. It is paramount to the signing industry that you know the difference between an ack & jurat and how the borrowers are to sign if they are trustees or have POA. It's all in the hand book and if not, look up your notary statutes.
| Reply by BrendaTx on 12/23/06 8:05am
Msg #167520
Re: Has anyone noticed?... I have always said
Thank you Sir Lawrence!
We need to read those rules so we don't botch notarizations for the county clerk to reject...or for a court document to have incorrect info in the notary block. If we study those forms in our handbook we'll learn a ton and if we carry those SOS forms/handbook with us to appointments it will make it all come together when we sign people.
It's just wrong not to know what the rules and nuances are for our own state and notarizing.
| Reply by LawrenceOK on 12/23/06 8:21am
Msg #167522
Re: Has anyone noticed?... I have always said
I was at the courthouse the other day looking up some old deeds, when I ran across some deeds from 1930. All the venue and language was hand writen in. That got me to thinking, what if I had to do this? So back to book I went and now if I have to, I can. Some folks just don't realize that there is more to being a Notary Public then just stamping a document.
| Reply by BrendaTx on 12/23/06 9:49am
Msg #167541
Re: Has anyone noticed?... I have always said
Right, Lawrence!
I was force-fed the language...My old boss from ten years ago or more used to dictate to me...in my ears I'd hear...
"Okay...now put state of texas county of __ and those little section marks you know how to do on the computer because I sure as hell don't. Say on this day personally appeared the @ssh0le we are representing...I can't believe he did this but anyway...before me a Texas Notary Public and acknowledged to me that he is a lying no-good SOB who doesn't like his lawyer fees, no strike that part and put ..........." And, he'd dictate the whole block to me.
I had one of the best contested probate lawyers I know teaching me, God rest his soul.
He was really funny most of the time. We had a TV in the office and he loved to tune in to Perry Mason every morning at 10 am after court; he'd mute the volume down and make up his own lines. "Della, so...you lovely brunette you...aren't you are getting a little hefty these days?
(Falsetto voice) "Why Perry, you know I am pregnant with the love child of the Defendant! Just wait twenty years. You'll look like you have been drinking cream gravy as a beverage." He could spin some pretty funny yarns about Perry and Della. That's one of the nicer ones.
Christmas is a good time to remember my old friend, Tom. Crazy guy...hard to work for at times, but taught me a lot.
| Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/23/06 12:31pm
Msg #167558
Brenda, that's hysterical! Thanks for the bellylaugh. n/m
| Reply by BrendaTx on 12/23/06 2:32pm
Msg #167568
Re: Brenda, that's hysterical! Thanks for the bellylaugh.
Quite a hoot, he was.
Once I asked him what the title of that movie, "The Pelican Brief" meant...not having seen the movie yet...just wondering if a Pelican Brief was a specific kind of a legal brief.
He said, "A Pelican Brief? Oh sure...that's a tiny little pair of white cotton briefs cut just right to fit a Pelican's behind."
| Reply by Susan Fischer on 12/24/06 2:20am
Msg #167613
Just so. n/m
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