Posted by FloridasBestClosers.com on 1/18/06 2:02pm
Msg #89208

It's Wonderful To See This!!!

Hello Viewing Audience:

I haven't had much of a chance to log in and check out the postings of late, but it's great to see you all supporting each other, teaching each other, and creating positive relationships with one another. The more support you can give each other, the stronger the industry becomes as a whole.

I just would like to thank everyone who represents FloridasBestClosers.com at closing tables everywhere! You guys are really stepping up to the plate when it comes to getting the job done well, usually under the gun. Keep up the great work! The applications I have been receiving lately show your dedication to getting trained, certified, and focus driven.

Please know that we are accepting applications from new notaries along the eastern coast. Please feel free to visit our website at www.floridasbestclosers.com to sign up. It's quick and easy. You'll also find valuable industry related information you can learn from.

Kind regards,

Mindi Barnes and Staff
FloridasBestClosers.com, Inc.

Reply by Anonymous on 1/18/06 3:31pm
Msg #89244

It's Wonderful To See This!!!

I checked your website and see a very interesting NOTARY PENALTY SCHEDULE:
25.00 PENALTY FOR EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:

Missing borrower or notary signature
Missing Notary Stamp
Missing Witness signature
Failure to return docs by such date
Failure to report status
Failure to properly execute a deed.
Failure to collect check from borrower when hud request it
Adding name or initial when its not printed
Failure to have the borrowers initial changes they have made to the documents
Failure to obtain signature when an individual is named on the loan.

LIKE YOU STATED"ITS WONDERFUL TO SEE THIS"


You dont say how much you pay per loan but some newbies will end up with red numbers
Do you also pay the notary 25.00 dollars when the SS make each mistake?

Thank you.

Reply by Charm_AL on 1/18/06 4:38pm
Msg #89261

Re: It's Wonderful To See This!!!

First of all, you point out all the obvious.
Missing sigs are a no-no, but so very often overlooked - it's right there for everyone to see. This is a common mistake by someone whom thinks they are too good at this and it doesn't take a rocket scientist, not double checking your paperwork...
failure to return docs at your earliest convenience is a no-no.
All the others are a given.
This is why we get paid $75.-150. for completing a loan closing.
When you continually screw up your docs, the SS's face losing good clients. If I were a SS I'd have some stiff penalties because I'd expect the notary that advertises as a professional know everything about docs to get it right.
I do understand the occasional mess-up, but I've fixed some massive screw ups by people claiming to know what they're doing. I've also had to resue docs by some idiot holding them hostage because he thought they were in 'his' zip code and could do them during his lunch hour from his full time job. So he wanted $25. to cover the cost of printing out the 3 pages of e-mail conf.
Just because you got a commission does not make you qualified to handle someone's loan and possible loss of thousands and thousands of dollars to a borrower that just expects to get it done. I see a lot of complaining but isn't it funny how NO ONE ever steps up and says..."Man, did I screw up!!!"

Reply by SLP_VA on 1/18/06 4:48pm
Msg #89263

I Agree Charm...N/M

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/18/06 4:56pm
Msg #89266

Re: It's Wonderful To See This!!!.....Charm

You are so right!

Mindi runs a top notch signing service and I am always happy to hear from her. Mindi gave me my first job as a mobile closer (4/03) and actually paid me more than I had asked for. (Yes, I was a newbie once too) FBC pays a very fair fee and supports their Notaries 100%. After I moved from CA back to FL to start working as an SA full time, the first person I contacted was Mindi Barnes. To this day, Mindi Barnes has given me some of the advice on how to run my business and I thank her for it.

Have a great year Mindi & Michelle!

Reply by SueW/Tn on 1/18/06 5:01pm
Msg #89269

I agree Charm and Becca

SS are being slammed on this board left and right for simply setting rules down on paper. What's the big deal? I EXPECT a penalty if I do something stupid, gotta bite the bullet and learn. If Mindi and Michelle have rules there's a darn good reason for it. Screw me once, shame on you...screw me twice, shame on me. Sherry has every right to get picky about equipment...what do you want the SS companies to do? Come drive you to the next signing, buy you lunch and cut your meat? Sheesh....

Reply by FloridasBestClosers.com on 1/23/06 12:22pm
Msg #90292

Re: It's Wonderful To See This!!!.....Charm

Thanks for the kind words,

Mindi

Reply by Jimmy_FL on 1/18/06 5:58pm
Msg #89279

Well said Charm, I agree...

Reply by CarolynCO on 1/18/06 4:59pm
Msg #89267

Re: And you think this penalty schedule is unfair? nm

Reply by Joshua Basil on 1/18/06 5:33pm
Msg #89272

Re: And you think this penalty schedule is unfair? nm

I agree we all know there are plenty of bad signing services around, however there are good ones as well. Every signing service has to answer to their lenders. If there docs where to go back with errors on a regular basses they would no longer be given loans from that company.
After looking over this list of "rules" it seems that they are mistakes that would only be consistently made by an under educated notary. This is simply a way for the signing company to weed out the notaries not qualified to cover signings. Granted I think your first mistake they should let you correct for free(with out a deduction) however if your making more mistakes than that they probably should hire a different notary to begin with.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 1/19/06 7:22am
Msg #89318

Re: And you think this penalty schedule is unfair? nm

The lender penalizes the TC, the TC penalizes the SS, the SS penalizes the Notary. I have never seen it as the Notary penalizes the lender, TC or SS for their mistakes. Why is it ok for them to penalize us but it's not ok for us to penalize them? Pretty damn one-sided if you ask me.

Reply by Anonymous on 1/19/06 7:49am
Msg #89326

Re: And you think this penalty schedule is unfair? nm

Things can happen on both sides, but, a good notary knows how many times we have had to call lo's, bank's, title cos., etc. on our dime and time and sometimes spend up to an hour for the lo and borrower to resolve things. Deal with very difficult people and situations and try to smooth things over. It is an art unto itself. Do we go back to the signing service and say you owe me $25 because this was a total nightmare all the way around. No, we move on. SS's can bitch all they want but it is their responsibility to know they are dealing with good notaries. How they do that I don't know or care.

Reply by Charm_AL on 1/19/06 8:57am
Msg #89369

Re: Lawrence

I have talked to many SS's after recieving a conf., and actually getting a more 'fair' price for several different reasons. In defense of them, I will say that if they didn't know it was a double, they will increase my fee. Also, had one that increased my fee by $75 because the print job was a nightmare. Also had one that paid me overnite because I did a favor by rescuing their docs. The latest, I had a company give me all the $$$ to get over somewhere right quick and save their butt because of a last minute cancel by another notary. There are many great SS's out there and as well as there are many great NSA's, each have the same number of bad. Gotta take the good with the bad.
Everyone at the TC and down is just doing the steps to get it done, in the end it is we notaries that are counted on to get to the final stage and get the loan funded. We contribute a very important part to the industry, not one to be taken lighty. I'm sure everyone on payroll, not just us, gets penalized or eventually canned for repeated mistakes.

Reply by FloridasBestClosers.com on 1/23/06 12:41pm
Msg #90304

Re: It's Wonderful To See This!!!

Please know that we are processing hundreds of loan packages per month and there has to be rules and regulations to handle this kind of volume. We also reward ALL notaries, both new and not so new, for often going the extra mile. We appreciate all that you do... we just need to be able to put a system, rules and regulations in place whereby we all can work from. Being a preferred signing agency, we must be accountable to our clients for the work we do. We often take penalties and never bill the notary. It's when a notaries errors are consistent that we must take action and this schedule gives us something to go by. --- Mindi