Posted by sandi_CA on 1/25/08 11:08pm
Msg #232459

Spanish speaking notaries

I accepted notary assignment for Saturday at 12:30pm in nearby town. Then accepted a second assignment for tomorrow at 2pm in this same town. So happy to finally have some work coming in!

But then the trouble....loan officer for 2nd signing called, says borrowers need to change location of signing to town 40 miles from their home. I had to back out of the assignment, as I can't be sure I'd have driving time to get from 1 assignment to the next. oh well, they can't change the time, so will get another notary.

Then, loan officer for 1st signing calls.....the borrowers speak only Spanish, but their daughter will translate. I explained that I must be able to communicate with the signers themselves. I have to be sure they understand me when I explain what the paper is that they're signing. I called borrower and spoke with translating daughter to see if they understand enough english to accomplish this. They do not, so I let them know that they will be getting a call from another notary, as the company will find a spanish-speaking notary for them. I called the loan officer and let them know the situation. Even recommended Notary Rotary and another site, for finding a Spanish-speaking notary for them.

So now, I have no assignments for tomorrow! I've been in this business for about 12 years now....9 or so as a signing agent. It's never been this slow for me at end of month....and now I turned away a whole day's work! oh well.....gotta stick by ethics on this. And somehow I've just got to get fluent in Spanish!!!

Reply by LKT/CA on 1/25/08 11:31pm
Msg #232460

Sometimes things don't work out. I just turned down two short-notice, lowball offers.

Reply by Linda Juenger on 1/26/08 8:06am
Msg #232481

I feel for you. But my opinion is you don't need to learn Spanish, THEY need to learn English. We are in the good ole USA not Mexico. JMO

Reply by JanetK_CA on 1/26/08 6:30pm
Msg #232567

Yes, we are! The good ole USA, a land built by immigrants. Out of couriosity, do you speak any other languages? Have you ever tried to learn another language? It is NOT easy.

Statistics show that the vast majority of immigrants work at trying to learn English -- including those from Mexico. And their children learn English at the same rate as all other immigrant populations have done in the past. It has nearly always taken only one generation (and often less, depending on how old someone is when they arrive here) for an immigrant family to become fluent in English -- but not for lack of trying.

On the practical side, learning Spanish to do notarizations is a huge undertaking, and not something someone should attempt to do for short term business benefit. IMO, you need more than just a basic working knowledge of a language to truly be able to communicate with someone about a document being notarized.

Reply by Philip Johnson on 1/26/08 9:31am
Msg #232489

Speaking of Spanish speakers in California.

Take a look at this link.

http://loanworkout.org/2008/01/24/borrowers-who-negotiate-loan-terms-with-a-mortgage-broker-in-spanish-must-receive-their-loan-documents-in-spanish/

Reply by desktopfull on 1/26/08 10:17am
Msg #232496

That explains why I got a copy of loan docs in English &

Spanish for a couple from No. California to have both sets signed while they were on vacation here in Florida. I always wondered about that, thanks for posting the link.

Reply by cal2az on 1/26/08 1:07pm
Msg #232544

Re: Speaking of Spanish speakers in California.

I have done many Spanish speaking signings (in the Phoenix, AZ area). But only once were the documents written in Spanish, which I found odd. This was about 2-3 years ago; can't remember who the lender was.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 1/26/08 6:13pm
Msg #232566

Re: Speaking of Spanish speakers in California.

Only lender I know of that provides docs in Spanish is HSBC.