Posted by Jocelyn/NJ on 7/24/13 9:18am
Msg #477895

PROVIDENT

Well, after my last experience, my one line of advice: DO NOT TAKE PROVIDENT CLOSINGS! You will not be sorry and the fee you think you will lose out on by not taking, is nothing compared to the aggravation endured from the so-called "handwriting analysts" that Provident allegedly hires to scrutinize each and every signature and date to make sure all are identical. It's a ploy they use to find a reason not to pay the notary. Please take my advice to all my fellow notaries - this will be the only way Provident will change. JUST SAY NO.

Ahhh, feel way better now and hopefully everyone will take my advice.

Reply by 101livescan on 7/24/13 9:35am
Msg #477896

Provident packages? TIME BANDITS! Little or no compensation to boot! A complete waste of time and energy. That is why other lenders are taking over their space. Good bye, Provident!

Reply by A S Johnson on 7/24/13 9:35am
Msg #477897

In ref to sigs: legally, how can a company tell a signer his sig is not acceptable. In thier fraud investigations the post office has you sign you name 500 times with the paper at 20 different angles for sig comparision to see if you sig is the one one a "Resistered Mail" reciept. Would Provident allow "sig by mark", and would they require that to be the same size all the way thru?

Reply by JAM/CA on 7/24/13 11:25am
Msg #477907

I'm with A S Johnson. Like Pegit, I did Provident for years, all it takes is that one time to
convince you they aren't worth it. I had to go back for a two letter last name, that Provident
thought was printed rather than cursive. The signature was consistent throughout.

I was told by a reputable owner of a Signing Service, that this is illegal. After all, the purpose for
our being there is to watch the signer sign the document. My signature is not that consistent and
after people sign 100+ pages, they get tired.

I guess Provident, being the lender, can ask whatever they want. But this goes beyond ludicrous
when it comes to signatures.

Reply by PegiT_MN on 7/24/13 10:35am
Msg #477904

I am very sorry for your bad experiences with Provident. I've been doing closings for them for more than two years and I have never ever had one single issue with them. I know that they are very particular about the way their documents are signed and I make sure I let the borrowers know this when I sit them down for the signing. There are to be no cross outs, no sloppy signing, the date must be written in the xx-xx-xxxx format, we are to sign in blue ink, and they must sign on the lines and not go off into the margins. Some of these people get so lazy and think they can sign any old way they want to. I just explain to them that hese are legal documents and they should be signed correctly and with care so Provident does not reject them and I have to come back and have them sign again.

I know a lot of people hate Provident closings, but I don't mind them at all. Just saying.

Reply by ikando on 7/24/13 11:38am
Msg #477908

I always have to wonder if the lender has so many rules for field closers, what they require of their in-house closers. How long do they take to do an in-house close, and who double checks for consistency there?

I understand the need for oversight, especially when there are issues with people who miss things that are really critical. But to micromanage the borrowers' signatures, seems to me to be a bit much.

Reply by Alz on 7/24/13 11:45am
Msg #477911

I'm with you. I have never had any

issues with Provident signings over the past several years. The packages are generally well under a 100 pages and the BWRs have been prep prior to signing both by the LO and I. Meaning, they know what to expect and understand the ground rules, so to speak.

These type of signings are not for everyone.

Reply by desktopfull on 7/24/13 12:15pm
Msg #477917

Re: I'm with you. I have never had any

To have to resign a package because the borrower dated some with a dash and some with a slash line and the curved part of the five not being the same is absurd. The only way to have every signature and date identical is to use a stamp.

Reply by HrdwrkrVA on 7/24/13 12:32pm
Msg #477921

Amen! Never any problem, but the stress isn't worth it!

Identical, exact sigs are usually forgeries/ traces.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/24/13 2:57pm
Msg #477939

Yeah, I used to be able to say that, too. I've done hundreds of Provident signings. But statistics eventually caught up with me and I ran into a signer that was simply physically unable to meet their exacting standards. It could also have been someone who has an attitude, or really sloppy handwriting, or is from a different country, etc.

Seems to me that they have gotten even worse over time, based on what I've read. I wish I knew the reasoning behind their ridiculous requirements. To me, it just shows a very narrow world view - among other things...

I hope your luck continues to hold, but I don't really miss not doing those!

Reply by Linda Juenger on 7/24/13 3:06pm
Msg #477941

I have done many Provident also. I've only had 1 problem. It wasn't the docs that they questioned, it was the voided check the borrower sent along for proceeds due to them. The borrower gave me a different checking acct check than the acct that they had verified. They called me to go back out and collect a different check on my dime and I said no. There is no way that this was my fault as there is no way I could know that they gave me a check from the wrong acct. I never heard back so I assume they worked it out with the borrower.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/27/13 3:39pm
Msg #478249

Good for you! That shows a complete lack of respect for the notary or total misunderstanding of what we do and what we have to deal with. I'd love to see some of the folks who come up with these rules have to execute them in the real world!