Posted by Babytig on 8/12/10 8:28am
Msg #348585

FASS - Doesn't understand the job of a notary

They will ding you if you don't FORCE a borrower to sign a form, even if the borrower refused up and down they don't want Auto Pay. They will ding you if you don't call the borrower in a set amount of time, but there is no way for a notary to add notes later, unless you call and wait 20 min to talk to someone. Never leave a message, they will say they never got it. They have notaries going out past 6pm PST and there is no one in the office, no live person you can talk to, all other signing companies that i have worked for have people in the office as late as 11pm PST or until the last signing is complteted.

They pick on notaries for things that are not valid issues, did you do your job, witness the signature and verify the borrower. Per state laws, notaries can be fined and even worse for forcing someone to sign something, that should not fall on us.

If the borrower's can not follow directions and you go over and over it with them, that too should not fall on us, we do not need to babysit the borrowers, half the time only one spouse wants to know what the docs say, they other says... just let me know when your ready for me, or just tell me where to sign. Our job is to notarize their signatures, not babysit them. Escrow needs to make it clear to there where they need to sign, but escrow is getting lazy and letting FASS tell us how to be notaries.

They are rude to us, pick on us and they think we are stupid. We all so the best that we can, yet they ding you casue you didn't send the right FedEx pack back, or they ding you because you were 5min late completeing a signing. I really could go on and on. They are not fair to their notaries and they treat us like we are 5. More than half that team has never been a notary, they don't know our job, but thtye think they do!

Reply by Michelle/AL on 8/12/10 8:38am
Msg #348586

That's the cool thing about being self-employed:

You don't have to accept work from anyone unless you want to. I've worked for FASS in the past and did not have the same experience that you had. Perhaps it is a regional thing. I guess you won't be accepting anymore assignments from them, right?

Reply by parkerc/ME on 8/12/10 5:27pm
Msg #348735

Have same experience with FASS as Michelle n/m

Reply by Julie/MI on 8/12/10 8:39am
Msg #348587

That's why I don't do business with them!

They were the second company I started with in 2000 and the first I gave up in 2003.

Just not worth the hassle and this was before they began edocs and white glove status stuff.

Reply by Les_CO on 8/12/10 8:41am
Msg #348589

I have never worked for FASS. I don’t ever intend to work for FASS. They treat me just fine. (they don’t call)

Reply by jba/fl on 8/12/10 8:47am
Msg #348590

DITTO! n/m

Reply by Cari on 8/12/10 9:33am
Msg #348602

.."yet they ding you casue you didn't send the right FedEx pack back.."

Um, do you mean, what I think you mean. In that FASS will deduct a small fee because of the agents failure to send back the correct loan package?

Call me nuts, but for me, that is a very valid reason for a 'ding', but again that's just MHO.

And as for the rest of your post, I agree in part. They do lots of hand holding and really pay low fees. The starving agent will most certainly jump on those closings.

Reply by PAW on 8/12/10 9:37am
Msg #348604

No, not the wrong loan package, the wrong type of FedEx/UPS packing. Wrong envelope or using a padded pak, etc.

Reply by Cari on 8/12/10 9:51am
Msg #348607

ohhh...there's another company here locally that requires

agents to use the 'reusable" FedEx packs. When I asked why, I was told that their contract with FedEx, which was a good rate, called for the company or its agents, to only use that type of packing, otherwise they'd pay a higher fee to FedEx, per unauthorized packing not listed in their contract.

Reply by Babytig on 8/12/10 3:25pm
Msg #348690

No, that if you send a hard pack vs. a soft pack and reuseable vs non-reusable depending on the lender team. I know you should send back the correct loan packge, but when I say ding, I mean they wont give you any signings for 90 days.

Reply by Riley/FL on 8/12/10 11:12am
Msg #348621

How not to get "dinged".

"They will ding you if you don't FORCE a borrower to sign a form, even if the borrower refused up and down they don't want Auto Pay"
If the borrower doesn't want Autopay, just have them print 'DECLINED' on the form and sign

"They will ding you if you don't call the borrower in a set amount of time, but there is no way for a notary to add notes later, unless you call and wait 20 min to talk to someone."
I believe they give you 24 hrs, correct me if I'm wrong. Call the closing team if you can't get a hold of the borrowers.

"Our job is to notarize their signatures, not babysit them. Escrow needs to make it clear to there where they need to sign, but escrow is getting lazy and letting FASS tell us how to be notaries."

I think it is our job to tell the borrowers where to sign and, yes, we are sometimes "babysitters". Most borrowers have no idea what all those docs mean and need a brief explanation from us. If they tell you "no way am I signing this!", call escrow.

FASS are just schedulers for First American Title. If you can establish relationships with the escrow officers they will call you directly for assignments. You still have to report to FASS, but the escrow officer can also update a file for you.

You CAN work the system so there are fewer headaches, it just takes tact and a little patience.

Reply by parkerc/ME on 8/12/10 5:31pm
Msg #348738

Re: How not to get "dinged". Agree with Riley/FL. n/m

Reply by Shelly_FL on 8/12/10 12:22pm
Msg #348634

Anytime a borrower refuses to sign, a call to title will

cover your a$$. Optional documents like auto pay can be "declined". I will suggest they note this in their own words and at least initial to show that they reviewed the document.

Also, when in doubt communicating over the phone with FASS, a follow up email to them is written proof I have fulfilled my obligation to them.

The bottom line is - whatever they decide my "white glove" status is, what matters to me is my belief that I did my best (within the law) to provide the service that was expected.

Reply by GA/Atty on 8/12/10 1:36pm
Msg #348646

"White Glove" is just a gimmick to keep your fees down.....

If you have white glove status with FASS, it means you are not charging enough...

Reply by Riley/FL on 8/12/10 1:43pm
Msg #348649

Re: "White Glove" is just a gimmick to keep your fees down.....

I don't think the escrow officers care about your status as long as they can trust you. Did I mention they pay more?

Reply by barkaroni on 8/12/10 2:28pm
Msg #348664

Re: "White Glove" is just a gimmick to keep your fees down.....

I have done work for FASS in the past and have done many closings for Wells Fargo through them. I am just curious, how do you contact the escrow officers to get work from them but report to FASS?

Reply by MistarellaFL on 8/12/10 2:48pm
Msg #348674

Optional documents like auto pay can be "declined".

I do the same thing, Shelly.

If they don't want auto-pay, or decline signing any optional document, I have them write
"Declined" at the top of the form, along with their initials.

Any other forms they don't want signed: TC (or hiring party) gets a phone call from the table for further instruction.

Reply by Babytig on 8/12/10 3:33pm
Msg #348692

Re: Optional documents like auto pay can be "declined".

When it came to the auot pay form, it was already marked, borrower does not want Auto Pay, clearly marked, yet they still wanted it filled out and signed. The borrower refused and called the lender team and refused. I notified FASS.

Also a lot of escrows through FASS have a contract with the lender and the signing service... some escrows CAN'T go outside of FASS and bring in their own notary, depending on who the client/lender is.

Reply by Seanaidan on 8/12/10 4:11pm
Msg #348700

I have worked for them and found they pay fast and do not have all the rules you state.