Posted by ct on 6/26/12 2:43pm
Msg #424711

Good Deed For the Day

Got a call from a newbie..wanted to discuss her first signing..OK...tells me she still has docs..will I look them over for her..wanted to try and help her over the phone..told her she really should be shipping them..Tell her to flip to the 1003.."whats that?" Uh oh...OK..so no signatures at top...how about the Right to cancel.."yeah we signed all lines"..yup..even the cancel lines...I ask a few more questions and discover her first signing is a non borrowing spouse with the spouse out of town and the husband signing as POA..I agree to meet her..she sounds so nice and she is trying so hard..she is driving an hour and a half to meet..hope she has time to make all the corrections and ship...poor girl..someone probably told her it was so easy...

Reply by Yoli/CA on 6/26/12 2:53pm
Msg #424714

That's awfully kind of you, ct.

Hope she hasn't been holding docs for several days 'til she found someone to proof her work ... especially since she has to have some signed and/or re-signed.

Wonder where she got her "training" .............

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/26/12 3:22pm
Msg #424719

Re: That's awfully kind of you, ct.

Right! I'm wondering IF she got any training at all - or if she paid any attention. I would think - at the very least - that someone would know how to complete the RTC page before taking a signing appointment. Seems that folks still don't realize that being an NSA is a whole other ball of wax, and that once they have a notary commission, they can figure out the rest.

How sad for the borrowers and all the other parties involved.

Reply by Linda Spanski on 6/26/12 4:09pm
Msg #424726

A former nsa signed with me last night

When I explained my notary journal to the borrowers she nodded wisely and said "I used to be a notary doing what you're doing." As we went through the note and HUD she said "I never explained things the way you do." I asked why she quit. "I never knew what all these papers were. I called the loan officer every time they asked a question and it took forever. But at least they put those sticky arrows every place so I knew where to have them sign."

She was kind enough to give me a couple unused fingerprint pads she purchased from the NNA before I left.

Reply by ct on 6/26/12 5:31pm
Msg #424733

wow! it was worse then I thought.. she had no business doing a closing..she left with about 25 corrections that needed to be made..she thought if she saw the word "seal"..she needed to stamp..deed was stamped at each borrowers signature but not her acknowledgment... I feel sorry for the borrower.. $80 edoc closing...

Reply by PegiT_MN on 6/26/12 5:33pm
Msg #424734

YIKES!!! . n/m

Reply by ct on 6/26/12 5:36pm
Msg #424735

Re: YIKES!!! .

yes..she even was kind enough to sign for the closing agent and settlement agent verifying the correctness of HUD...

Reply by NJDiva on 6/26/12 7:49pm
Msg #424750

CT, you just saved that lowballing SS/Title company from

going out of business...or rather you kept them in business...lmao

You should contact them and tell them they owe you a consulting fee of $100 (or more...lol) for saving this loan (and their business) for them.

30 pages of instructions would not have saved this closing. CT to the rescue!

That WAS a very nice gesture though! The real question is, would you have done that if the person were a mile from you and a possible competitor? lol You would be a bigger person than I if so!

Reply by Yoli/CA on 6/26/12 7:54pm
Msg #424751

You know what they say: Get what you pay for.

In this case, that low ball fee got 'em a bonus.

When was this originally signed? What area is she covering? I'm in the Sacramento area and just wondering if I might be hearing from TC/SS to correct some signings.

You're absolutely right <I feel sorry for the borrower>.

Reply by Karla/OR on 6/26/12 8:25pm
Msg #424752

CT~ I feel for her - first signing and all the issues she encountered. I will forever remember my first few calls and signings. I'm sure every notary will recall those moments of sheer terror!! I was more prepared than I gave myself credit for, and everything went well, fortunately!

I respect you for stepping up to the plate and helping this new notary the way you did. Not a pretty picture. I was assisted by two experienced notaries when I first started out - One continues to forward business to me when she is not able to take a signing. I will never forget the help they have provided me.

Did I not read somewhere here on Not Rot that part of the notary creed (?) is to assist newbies when you are the point of being able to do so. I feel some notaries feel they do not want to help the competition but others, like you CT and those that have assisted me, are priceless!!

A star for your crown!

Reply by NJDiva on 6/26/12 8:51pm
Msg #424754

I don't mind helping, but really? A creed? hmmmmm

Go talk to Costco and see if they're in the market to help Sam's or BJ's. How about Walmart help Target.

Would that be good for their business? hmmmmm

I'm a generous, honest and helpful person. But a dam fool I'm not...lmao

Reply by NJDiva on 6/26/12 9:10pm
Msg #424755

I'm just teasing of course...if someone contacted me and

asked for my help or guidance, it wouldn't be in me to turn my back!

Reply by bfnotary on 6/26/12 9:10pm
Msg #424756

I totally agree with you karla. before I did my first signing I had observed my mom do a few (with company and borrower permission of course) I was already a notary, plus took a signing agent course. But I would have probably been lost with out the help. Now I love it, and have not made any errors, (starting to get lots of calls now to). I finally found something I love doing besides being a stay at home mom.

Reply by ct on 6/26/12 10:14pm
Msg #424761

I remember being terrified with my first signing.. This newbie was so sincere in wanting to do a good job.
But truthfully I don't think any of us have anything to worry about. People in it for fast money will be sorely disappointed. I put my years in and it seems so easy now but this poor girl was overwhelmed. She didn't have a laser printer and went thru a whole cartridge printing her loan which took over an hour to print. She drove an hour an a half to get to me...she had to go home and reprint many pages..resign with borrower..and still ship docs..She made not a penny on this I'm sure..and even with my help I have no idea how all those corrections will go...even so it made me feel good to try and pass along some knowledge...

Reply by HisHughness on 6/26/12 10:17pm
Msg #424763

Hate to rain on anybody's feel-good parade, but doesn't asking a third party unaffiliated with the closing to review every document of a closing withot prior consent of the borrowers violate several statutes, a few regulations, one or two municipal ordinances, deed covenants, HOA rules and the Boy Scout Oath?

Reply by ct on 6/26/12 10:30pm
Msg #424764

Do you need cream for that rash...LOL..

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 6/27/12 12:54am
Msg #424771

Biting the hand that feeds you

You gotta be careful when dispensing advice, overseeing corrections and all the other interventions you proceeded to make with this neophyte. When trying to explain this huge mess to the hiring agency, she likely will say a notary told me this and a notary told me that, when in fact she completely misunderstood what your were saying (highy likely) or you didn't say anything like that at all.
I'm not being paranoid and I'm not overreacting. It happened to me and it was a nightmare and jeopardized my commission. No more helping hands to those who don't have a clue! Being the good guy for bailing out someone who clearly should not have taken/been given a loan signing while putting yourself in the middle of something you have no business being in the middle of is dangerous territory. There are much better ways to help her


BTW: This goes way beyond and, in fact, has absolutely nothing to do with "training your competition."

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/27/12 1:37am
Msg #424774

Re: Biting the hand that feeds you

Excellent points. This whole situation bothers me and I'm having a hard time feeling too sorry for that other notary. Not only did she put ct into a difficult situation by asking to be bailed out from a problem of her own creation, she jeopardized the borrowers' loan and possibly put others (e.g. ss, closing agent, title co) at risk of liability, as well.

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I started, I didn't have anyone to show me the ropes. But I took a class (such as it was), and spent a good month studying, reading all kinds of stuff, and making sure I at least had down the basics about conducting a signing before I even TRIED to get an assignment. The others who have commented on their first signings also said that they had put in some serious effort before doing their first signing.

Either that other notary isn't too bright or she just showed up and decided to figure it out as she went. She made some verrrrrry basic mistakes. I just don't think there's any excuse for that, no matter how new someone is. No one who has been doing this for a while should have any problem thinking of many possible serious consequences her incompetence could have caused. I just think it boils down to a lack of accountability. Actually, we all see the consequences of this sort of thing all the time with the threats of fees being docked, ever-lengthening instructions, and companies wanting to pay less and less. True, there are other factors for the last part, but higher overhead for dealing with errors likely plays a part.

Reply by Lee/AR on 6/27/12 9:35am
Msg #424790

Have to agree w/Goldgirl & JanetK...no good deed

goes unpunished. Hope that's not true in this case, but it is something to think about a lot before you help someone. Be careful out there.

Reply by Karla/OR on 6/27/12 2:56am
Msg #424775

Assists from my mentors came mainly after the fact - after I did my own research and had completed the GNW or NSA signing. I would have questions concerning journal entries, fees, etc. They cleared up the fogginess of issues I ran into.

The person CT assisted needed to get those docs fixed and returned so the borrowers would not be affected by the lack of training of the notary involved. I'm sure CT discussed the need for continuation training with her after helping to make the docs right - the same "right" Ct (or any other experienced notary) would have done had she been the one assigned to the signing.

I do get the liability issue involved and glad that was brought up as well. Something to ponder for sure. My daughter is about to take the notary plunge (she lives in a different state) and I have encouraged/insisted on the notary and NSA training up front. Fortunately, she doesn't have an issue with that. She is a recent single mom of two (one with a disability) and loves the idea of being able to make her own schedule (when possible) around her kids schedule. She has other income and is aware of the ebbs and flows of this business. She has witnessed how much I like this work and I know she will too. I will make sure she knows about the orange "Search" button!!! :O)

Reply by jnew on 6/27/12 9:12pm
Msg #424882

Privacy concerns, etc.

I think it was brought up in a prior post, but your good deed represented a violation of the title company and lender's privacy policies, unless they gave express permission for you to view the completed documents. I would think that it would require the express permission of the borrowers as well. This person should not be acting as a signing agent, she has no clue of what is required. She should not be notarizing documents as well. She has shown no evidence that she was familiar with the notary requirements of her state. Anyone with a modicum of understanding should be able to read the notary handbook once and come out better than she did. If you pored through the settlement agent's instructions and lender's instructions, you should be able to do better than she did, with no experience at all. My advice for her would be to look for a career in the food service sector.

Reply by Karla/OR on 6/28/12 3:10pm
Msg #424944

Re: Privacy concerns, etc.

"My advice for her would be to look for a career in the food service sector."

Ouch, really James? You could have gone all day without having to be that rude. IMO

Reply by jba/fl on 6/28/12 6:35pm
Msg #424978

I have noticed Karla that

anyone disagrees with you and you throw out 'rude'. Have you no other vocabulary?

The OP does not belong in this business at this time. CT overstepped his/her bounds as well. Lots of homework needs to take place first. Privacy issues are paramount. That is one of the biggest things on-going these days that has made it more difficult for us to do our job efficently, effectively and keeps us jumping through hoops never in place before.

Thick skin....

IMO (see, we all have one - )