Posted by Les_CO on 3/27/08 1:45pm
Msg #240960

How do these people stay in business? (long)


Some EOM anecdotes:
SS calls notary for a late, 8:30 PM rush, must close, in the boonies, closing, (at 7 PM) Notary says okay, (for extra fee) will call borrower, and confirm. (7:30) Notary calls SS: “Having trouble printing docs just ran out of ink!” SS: “How many pages did you print?” Notary: “44.” SS: “Hold for a moment, we’ll call you right back.” SS calls borrower: “Do you have a computer, printer, etc.?” Borrower: “Yes.” SS: “Notary has a problem; can we send you the docs?” Borrower (very nice people): “Yes.” SS calls Notary back: “We have sent the docs (62 pages) to the borrower, and they have printed them off, Just please go to their home and notarize them.” Notary: “Okay, I’m on my way!” (9:30 PM) Borrower calls SS : “Where’s the notary? We’ve been waiting?” SS: “He’s not there? Here’s his cell number, and home number. We will try and call him.” No answer??!! SS calls borrower: “Hopefully he’s on his way, we tried calling, and get no answer.” (Now midnight) Borrower calls SS: “Where’s the notary?” SS: “He’s not been there??” Borrower: “No and we have to go to bed, we have an early morning appointment.” SS: “Sorry, We don’t know what happened, he have not been able to get in touch with the notary, and your docs, have now expired, and will have to be redrawn. We will call the lender, and try and schedule you for tomorrow.” (12:30) Notary calls SS: “I couldn’t find the borrowers house.” SS: “Did you call the borrower for directions before you left?” Notary: “No.” SS: We have been trying to call you on your cell?” Notary: “Yeah, I ran out of minutes, so my cell doesn’t work. I stopped at a gas station and asked directions, but after driving around for hours I still couldn’t find the place.” SS: “Did you call the borrower from the gas station, for directions, and to let them know what was going on?” Notary: “No. Look am I going to get paid, my printing, and trip fee?” SS: “You don’t print the docs, you don’t call the borrower, you don’t show up, you don’t get anything signed, or notarized, you don’t communicate with anyone, you let the docs expire, so they now have to be redrafted, you cause everyone BIG problems, you don’t communicate with anyone, and you still want to get paid?” Notary, “Well yes, I printed some of the docs, and drove around a lot?” SS: “We’ll check with the lender, and see if they want to pay for those services, if they do we will send you a check.”
By the way, it did close the next day, with a different notary.
Another one:
SS calls notary for a FHA refi., edocs. Notary goes to borrowers home, sees that lender wants borrower to give her a post dated check for first months payment. Tells the borrower not to sign the docs, or to call the LO, that this is some fraudulent scam. Leaves docs with borrower, goes on her way, and calls no one. Next day tells SS: “Borrowers refused to sign; I will need my full fee!!” SS: “Why did they not sign? Did they call the LO? Did you call us? Or the title company? Or the lender? Or let anyone know?” Notary: “No, I was busy.” Later that evening the borrower calls LO and says: That guy the Notary sent over to get us a new loan, could not get us a FHA loan, so could we please just keep the loan we started with you.” Yes, the Notary called her friend, a LO and told him to go get this hot one. Needless to say the lender was NOT pleased with the title company, the SS, or the notary. This one also closed with a doc redraw, and a different notary.
It makes one wonder?

Reply by LisaWI on 3/27/08 2:27pm
Msg #240967

Re: Wow, wow, and wow is all I can say! n/m

Reply by christiSocal on 3/27/08 2:34pm
Msg #240968

Unbelievable!!!

I'd even say these Have to be made up.
BUT,
unfortunately they are probably real....
Does make you understand why some companies hand hold.

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 3/27/08 2:58pm
Msg #240970

Re: Unbelievable!!!

it happens more often than not

I had a signing agent pull out a lap top and show a short presentation on a loan she might be able to get the borrowers, because after all "they were not real happy with the loan" that the signing agent brought them.

The Signing Service gets the major blame here, because we should know the agendas of every signing agent who does work for us, right?

Reply by sue_pa on 3/27/08 3:07pm
Msg #240972

Re: Unbelievable!!!

...because we should know the agendas of every signing agent who does work for us, right?...

Actually you should know darn well close. INTERVIEW subcontractors before hiring them. CHECK references. I am going to say that 99.999% of the new clients I get hire me because I am available at the time and place they require.

Reply by Les_CO on 3/27/08 3:19pm
Msg #240981

Re: Unbelievable!!!sue

This SS/title Co. tries to use the same people they have used before. Sometimes it's difficult, especially in a remote area and the "must close tonight" rush jobs EOM.

Reply by sue_pa on 3/28/08 8:58am
Msg #241090

So What?

... Sometimes it's difficult, especially in a remote area and the "must close tonight" rush jobs EOM. ...

If they don't have coverage, they should turn the order back to their client and state they don't have an experienced closer available. Sending any warm body with a notary stamp does us all a disservice - and they do it just so they can fill the order - TOTALLY unconcerned about the quality product they will be receiving in return.

Reply by Les_CO on 3/28/08 10:16am
Msg #241108

Re: So What?/ Sue

Sue,
You are probably right, about turning back the order, not about if this particular SS is concerned about the quality of service, especially to the borrower. They are VERY concerned. The people the most ‘unconcerned’ are the lenders. Some of these LO’s just throw everything at the wall EOM, and hope something sticks. Most of these “must close tonight” deals are a fabric of the LO desirer to get something on the books this month. (Except maybe FHA payoffs) If you think these people care about the Notaries, the SS or the Title Companies all bending over backwards, and working tails off, trying to change the HUD three times so the borrower zeros out, and the loan will maybe fly, you are in most cases mistaken. In this business there are ‘good’ Title Companies, Notaries, SS’s and even some Lenders. There are others that are difficult to work with, inexperienced and ill-equipped, deadbeats, and notoriously late with docs and demanding. However KNOWING all this, in these lean times it is difficult to tell a Title Company you as a SS can’t do your job, because you don’t know the supposed “Certified Notary Signing Agent” personally. These sometime tired, and frazzled schedulers, after calling 15 notaries for a ‘last minute’ signing, are relieved to get anyone to say yes. They may not be too fussy about ‘interviewing’ them. This SS (like many) uses (pays for) a data base of 27,000 notaries. They don’t know them all. They try and use people they have used before, and try and give their ‘good’ notaries as much repeat business as possible. They DO know many, they have years experience of doing this. ( The two older ladies have worked for Title Companies for 20, and 25 years respectively, the younger ‘schedulers’ about 4 years) In a perfect world we’d all be perfect. I’ve been a Real Estate Broker, and Notary for more than 30 years, and even I still sometimes make mistakes. (like maybe this post)

Reply by SoCal Signing Co. on 3/27/08 3:44pm
Msg #240991

Re: Unbelievable!!!


People can say all the right things all they want in a phone interview. The proof in in the work, and most of the time, signing agents are right on, do the job and its a great relationship for all. But these situations noted above and mine are real.

Takes all sorts to color the world

Reply by Les_CO on 3/27/08 3:12pm
Msg #240978

Re: Unbelievable!!!

Absolutely 100% true.

Reply by christiSocal on 3/27/08 3:33pm
Msg #240986

I do believe you,

I guess I should say those "notaries" are unbelievable. Don't even want to call them notaries though...

Reply by LKT/CA on 3/27/08 3:50pm
Msg #240993

Why is this Unbelievable?

There are the empty-headed, unethical, immoral, illogical and downright criminal folks in all facets of business and industry.

Doctors, lawyers, contractors, mechanics, CEO's, teachers.....can all behave badly. Why is there any shock or surprise that a fair share of Notaries behave badly too?

Reply by JenCA on 3/27/08 3:20pm
Msg #240982

Are these real scenarios or just hypethetical?? My goodness, that whole thing just made me shake my head... the audacity of some people I tell ya!!!!

Reply by Les_CO on 3/27/08 3:26pm
Msg #240984

Real, just happened. I can give you their names and addresses..... but I don't think I should here, in public.

Reply by JenCA on 3/27/08 3:34pm
Msg #240987

That is unbeleivable to say the least. I was talking to a business associate last night and we were talking about the latest notary scandal here in California and I beleive 12 or 19 people were indicted for swindling these people. And its just down right sad.

But unfortunately right now times are hard for ALOT of peole and they are getting desperate and willing to do anything, even the wrong thing to survie. Just very disheartening.

Reply by A-1 Signing Agents, LLC on 3/27/08 3:38pm
Msg #240989

What caught my eye was the part of running out of minutes. I don't know about everyone else but I made sure I had a good plan to cover lots of minutes. Those pay as you go are usually .25 per minute. I think previous post some time ago stated, "have stamp, will travel". Seems that is the case here. Also, most companies I work for I have to sign contracts with them that basically are "no compete". How much trouble could that person get into for that? Sad to say the least.

Reply by Les_CO on 3/27/08 4:02pm
Msg #240998

Anyone serious about this business does NOT run out of ink. I have three (two HP’s and a Brother (spare) laser printers and spare ink cartridges for each. If one is a “Mobile Notary” one should have a good cell phone. We don’t all have a GPS system (I do and love it) If one has no idea where the borrower lives, perhaps they should call for directions? I’m just mentioning this because there are some very unprofessional and unknowledgeable people masquerading as “Notary Signing Agents” out there. And telling the borrowers not to sign the loan docs, and then sending a friend LO over is a REAL no no.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/27/08 8:07pm
Msg #241032

The whole thing seemed like a study of what NOT to do. Clearly unprofessional on all points! (BTW, how did you learn so much detail about these events? Do you have a ss, also? Just curious. It's one of many reasons I choose not to take on that responsibility!)

Reply by Les_CO on 3/27/08 9:05pm
Msg #241037

Some very good friends have recently started a SS here in Denver. People that used to work for Title Companies here. Actually they still do, just different Title Companies. Some of these conversations happened at night, and I was there helping them out. (stuffing envelopes, etc.)

Reply by Lee/AR on 3/27/08 11:08pm
Msg #241057

Totally believeable and very logical, considering

that XYZ promoted this as a huge income, which attracted many 'jobless' people, with no cash, no resources, no equipment. They were playing on the come. When the big bucks come rolling in, I'll buy extra paper, ink, a cell plan, etc. And the big bucks never materialized, but the expenses kept on coming. Something has to give.