Posted by Shauna/WA on 5/19/10 2:44pm
Msg #337187

First Signing tonight

I'm just checking to make sure I did everything right because I am NERVOUS!

Called and confirmed with borrower, requested copies of current ID. Confirmed spelling.

Printed docs, one set for borrower, one for lender

Picked up UPS package, ready to ship

Went through docs, put 'sign here' dohickeys on each sig/initial

Read all paperwork about four times

Packed my bag with additional acks/jurats (should I include anything else)

Created folders for borrower/lender

Confirmed everything with title.

Is there anything I'm forgetting? Any common mistakes to make sure I don't (I did read a thread here about common mistakes, so that helped). Words of advice?

Thanks in advance. Two months of reading here helped prep me, so hopefully all goes well!

Reply by Grammyzoom on 5/19/10 2:56pm
Msg #337195

Just take it one page at a time........double check every page and read every instruction from your client. Do not hesitate to call and ask a question if you are not sure about something. Be friendly and have plenty of confidence. Good Luck!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/19/10 2:57pm
Msg #337196

Sounds like you are ready. Good luck!

Reply by Bob_Chicago on 5/19/10 3:48pm
Msg #337211

If you don't know what you are doing, dazzle them with

your footwork.
Just kidding, sound like you have your act together. You should do fine.
After you have a couple of dozen under your belt, you'll wonder why you were
ever nervous.
Just remember, the only dumb question is the one that you don't ask,
just before you doing something really dumb.

Reply by Bob_Chicago on 5/20/10 11:42am
Msg #337296

Futhermore, you will find that a large % of loans today...

involve refinancing with the existing lender to secure a lower interest rate, with
limited or no cash out.
You will find that borrowers are confortable with the lender, and will, generally,
only be interested in the new rate , payment and the fact that there is no
prepayment penalty.
Prior to the signing , put a paper clip on note, 1st payment letter and Truth In Lending
( note checked box near bottom of TIL , indicating not prepaymemt penalty)
Have them review settlement statement while you are doing you ID check and journal
thing, then show them the 3 dox mentioned ponting out the important terms.
Signing will usually go smoothly after that, with limited need to describe dox.
Good Luck.

Reply by John/CT on 5/19/10 3:56pm
Msg #337214

Do your notary work at the table as you go along, when finished place all the paperwork in the courier packaging with label attached, and seal. Don't wait to do this until you get home. Heaven forbid, if "something" happens to you on the way home, at least the completed package can still go on its way and the dox get processed.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/19/10 4:08pm
Msg #337215

When I was new I took the docs home and went over them about four more times, making sure that I didn't miss any signatures, initials, or dates, but mostly making sure that all my notarizations were complete. It was overkill but that's how I am and yes I found mistakes from time to time.

Shauna, check all signatures as you go but also be sure to take a few moments at the end to review all the signatures, dates, initials once more before you leave. Anything you miss, you'll have to go back and get signed/dated/initialed on your dime. And yes, I've had to do that a few times in the past, but I always caught it because I reviewed the docs at home before shipping out the next morning (this applies to evening signings where the shipping deadline for the day had already passed). Haven't had to do that in a long while, but yes I did when I was new. Never had a TC call me and tell me I missed something, so it worked for me.

Reply by John/CT on 5/19/10 4:19pm
Msg #337216

You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

Shauna, if you have time, you can always "unseal" the package after you get home to re-check your work ... as well as do your fax bax, if required. In addition to what I said earlier, another advantage of sealing the courier package in front of the borrowers is it conveys to them a sense of finality and gives the appearance that everything is good to go.

Reply by Jayhawk/KS on 5/19/10 5:58pm
Msg #337226

Re: You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

I think my best word of advise is, to remember where your feet are planted. That is the country that you put down when you are doing your notarization. Where I live, I'm in different counties all the time, and often, I look down at my feet to think which county I'm in, I know that's silly, but it's easy to write down your home county, and that helps me make sure I get the right one!!!!!!!!!! Have fun, and welcome to the group.

Reply by Shauna/WA on 5/19/10 7:02pm
Msg #337239

Re: You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

It's funny you mention that. I already noticed that they have the wrong county for one of the needed notarizations. It's not my county and it's not even the county I'm signing in. I simply cross that out, initial and correct it, right?

I plan on rechecking both at the table and at home, just to be 100% positive I have everything correct.

Thank you all for the good wishes. I'm nervous but also pretty certain I'll do a good job.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 5/19/10 7:47pm
Msg #337246

Re: You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

I still nearly always do a triple check at home later. There's something about a different setting that helps you see things differently. And like Copperhead said, I'd much rather find any mistakes on my own and make the extra trip, if necessary, to make sure I'm sending back a clean package. In the early days, that came in very handy. Now it's just a habit I feel is worth keeping.

Another couple of suggestions: don't tell them this is your first signing. Take your time, exude confidence, and they probably will have no idea. Also see if you can bring with you cell phone numbers for people you can call if there are any issues or questions that come up - and don't hesitate to use them. (i.e. their loan officer and your client.)

You've done the right thing by taking time up front to study up and learn as much as possible before taking on your first signing, so kudos to you! And best of luck!!!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/19/10 8:04pm
Msg #337247

Re: You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

I always check as we sign, and then also do a once-through at the end of the appointment. If the borrower has to fill out a document (such as a survey) then I put that at the end and check the package while they are completing that doc. I no longer check the package four times at home, but I usually still do it at least twice after the appointment! Sometimes I have to check it in the car right after the signing so the package can go out same day - I hate doing that because it's so cramped and I have to be so careful about the pages not falling off the seat!

In the early days I can remember a few times when I had checked that darn package several times, and upon doing one last check I found that I had failed to stamp a document. And then I'm thinking, "How did I miss that the first three times???" Hasn't happened in while now, but I am human. I agree, Janet - you want to make sure that package is perfect so the TC will call you again!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/19/10 8:07pm
Msg #337248

Re: You're absolutely right, re: rechecking later at home.

<< I simply cross that out, initial and correct it, right? >>

Shauna, yes that's correct.

Reply by Carole Breckbill on 5/20/10 9:10am
Msg #337278

I always verify the county w/BO at the table; good to do n/m

Reply by Patricia/VT on 5/20/10 10:08am
Msg #337281

Shauna - I agree with all the good advice already posted in response to your query. In addition, I fill in the notary block (venue, date, my name, state & county of commission and date my commission expires) in advance, so that at the signing I have only to sign and stamp - & of course, administer the oath on jurats. At the signing, I double check all docs, primarily for borrowers' signatures & initials. Then before sending docs back, I check the docs again. You seem well prepared. I hope your first signing went well.

Reply by Shauna/WA on 5/21/10 8:47am
Msg #337459

Well, it looks like all went well. There was one little hiccup where the borrowers weren't aware they were going to have mortgage insurance. Since this particular loan didn't have a RTC, I told them to make sure. We couldn't get ahold of anyone, so I had them sign everything else and held that document back. Got ahold of TC, they said consider the loan closed and I sent it all back.

Got a fee verification from them today so I think it's considered done and I did everything right (I hope, I hope). The folks that I did the closing for where as nice as pie and said I was amazingly organized.

Such a relief!!

Reply by Kaci Lusk on 5/21/10 3:35pm
Msg #337518

Where did you get the additional acks/jurats ? New here also and trying to make sure I'm prepared.

Reply by Shauna/WA on 5/21/10 4:22pm
Msg #337536

My state has examples of the way they want them. I simply copied those and made my own. I can get two to a page, so I did several pages of each and cut them out and put them in a pouch (with labels).

As luck would have it, the TC forgot to include a Quit Claim deed in the original package. I get to go back out tonight and do that (and they're paying REALLY well for it!).

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/22/10 5:56am
Msg #337625

Shauna, just a friendly head's up - I wouldn't put two notary certificates on one page and cut them in half. I think that will cause a problem for you when you use them, especially with loan docs. Companies want a full page to match the document the certificate is going with. Putting a half-page certificate with a recordable document such as a Mortgage or Deed of Trust could be a disaster. I have also learned not to put a border on them due to the strict recording requirements of some counties.


I have acks and jurats printed out on both legal and letter sized paper and I carry them with me. If the document is legal sized, then I use a legal-sized certificate. If the document is letter sized, then I use a letter-sized certificate.