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November 18, 2013

10 quick changes to your notes that double your calls!

Filed under: Popular on Twitter 2013,Reviews,Your Notes Section — Tags: , , , — admin @ 11:49 pm

I have been poking around and seeing how the newer listings are performing. Basically, it is bizarre. Some are getting clicks up the yazoo, while others get one click per week. So, I decided to take a closer look and see what is going on.

Obviously, notaries with reviews get tons more work simply because they have credibility from 3rd parties. But, brand new listings don’t have any reviews, so the only thing that makes them different is their NOTES section. So, what did I notice? Many notaries refuse to write a notes section, so I have to make something up for them. I write stuff like: I am reliable, motivated, and personable. These wishy-washy adjectives mean nothing to me, but I wonder what they mean to the browsers on our site. The answer is that they mean something alright! Worse! The ones with nonsense claims using a string of adjectives and commas are getting next to no clicks! So, what works and what doesn’t. The good, the bad and the ugly.

(1) Adjectives: BAD
Example: Reliable, personable, friendly, accurate, detail oriented

Result: Will get you far below average clicks just because you are saying nothing about yourself that sounds REAL to the reader.

(2) Years of experience: So-So
The number doesn’t reflect what you have actually done. Having many years of experience doesn’t count against you, but it also doesn’t count for you.

(3) NNA certification: So-So
Result: Generally, those who claim to be NNA certified do no better than the average notary. If you average it out, those who claim to be NNA certified do oh so slightly better than the average notes section of other newbies. BTW, 90% of notaries on 123notary are NNA certified, so by claiming it on your profile you might as well say, “I am no different than 90% of the other notaries on this site”

(4) Real Estate Agent: So-So
To me this is a waste of space. Those with Real Estate backgrounds fail to realize that despite their self-promoting claims, they really don’t understand the loan documents at all unless they have really studied for at least five hours from a loan signing course. It is not a selling feature because people want to hire you as a notary, and not to sell their house!

(5) Languages: Good
I encourage people to list their language first, before stating anything else. Fluent Spanish; Conversational Cambodian; Some Portuguese. In your notes section you can say how well you speak the language, but NOT in the language field which only accepts the name of the language. Those who put their language skills up front got more clicks, but nothing earthshaking.

(6) Radiuses: Very good
Example: 100 mile radius; or; Travel above 20 miles is charged an extra fee.
The notaries who listed how far they went in a clear and non-verbose way did better on clicks. EVEN if you have restrictions about how far you will go for a charge, the fact that you will go far away means a lot to the readers.

(7) Terms and Conditions: Good
Even if you have extra fees, or large charges, people like getting the facts. They are reading your profile for facts, not fluff.

(8) # of loans: Good
The number of years you have been in business says very little. But, the number of loans says a lot more. If you have done 1000 loans, you might still be ignorant of a lot of what you need to know, but at least you can measure your experience.

(9) Last minute signings: Good
Notaries who do last minute signings got more clicks. Nothing amazing, but they got a lot more jobs as well. Clicks and jobs are not proportional. When it comes down to getting a job assigned, you need someone who will jump when you say jump.

(10) Minimums: Good
Minimums are constrictive, but show that you are professional and mean serious business. We found only three examples of people with minimums. One did a lot better than average while the other two did average. It doesn’t seem to hurt to have a minimum.

Tweets:
(1) Notaries with reviews get tons more work simply because they have credibility from 3rd parties.

(2) Make your notes sound real and believable and you’ll get more clicks. That’s a fact. P.S. – They’re reading your profile for facts, not fluff.

(3) Listing your language skills can help get more clicks.

(4) Clearly stating how far you’ll travel is very good for your business

(5) The number of years you’ve been in business isn’t as important as the number of loans.

You might also like:

How to write a notes section if you are a beginner
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16698

2014 Excerpts from great notes sections
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13613

How many financial packages do you mention in your notes?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19997

Clarifying vague claims in your notes section
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4675

Notary Marketing 102 – your notes section
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19788

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October 24, 2013

He made $35,000 a month his first year in business?

Filed under: How to get work; Who is getting work,Ninja Theme Articles,NSA Pricing, Fees & Income,Popular on Facebook (A little),Popular on Twitter 2013,Popular Overall — Tags: , , — admin @ 4:51 am

He what? He made how much? Am I dreaming? Who is this guy?

I just got off the phone with him. I will not disclose his location or name for his privacy. I just talked with a particular gentleman who has multiple listings on 123notary.com. He says these listings bring him so much business that the phone is ringing off the hook and he is reeling in the business. But, $35,000 a month? He says this is his first year in business as a mobile notary. He hires people on salary to drive around and do signings. He pays for the car and other expenses himself and pays them an hourly salary (not big bucks, so don’t get your hopes up). The sheer volume of business this guy is getting is amazing.

Honestly, from talking to him, he sounds like a very cool guy, and very motivated. He fits the profile of a winner in my book. But, still, this type of success is unprecedented in someone’s first year. I understand that the market is picking up for notaries, but still. We have another gentleman who is running a very similar type of operation and very successfully. He has notaries in four or five states and pays them on salary. He gets business right and left and has a huge staff in the office and in the field.

So, if your business is not all it can be, think about what the personality traits of a success story are. There are many successes on 123notary, and you can be one of them. Be an up beat person who gets the job done and doesn’t create obstacles for others. If others create obstacles for you, then create systematic policies for dealing with these problems instead of complaining. Remember — winners find solutions. My idea is to try to adopt the mind-set of someone whose business is off the hook, and that will help you be one of the notaries who is on your way to a huge success!

Tweets:
(1) He bought 8 listings on 123notary.com, hired people to do signings for him & made $35000/month!
(2) If your business could be better, think about what the personality traits of a success story are.
(3) Be an upbeat person who gets the job done and doesn’t create obstacles for others.
(4) If others create obstacles for you, then create policies for dealing with these problems instead of complaining. Winners find solutions.

You might also like:

$10,000 a month on a bad month
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3891

The Notary, The Mafia & The FedEx Drop Box
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=3891

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July 19, 2013

Interview with a Title Company

Filed under: General Articles,Ninja Theme Articles — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 5:30 am

We recently had the opportunity to speak with a seasoned escrow & title officer at a reputable title company that hires the very best notaries from 123notary. He had a number of interesting things to say about how the escrow-title-mortgage industry works, why those darn documents are sometimes late, and what a title company looks for in a notary.

Q. What is the need for a title company? When and how did the current system come about?

A. Before W.W. II, there was only an abstract about a property that you could get. The problem was, this abstract did not insure the results. As sales became more complex, they needed to find a way to remedy this. Title insurance guarantees that, if someone else owns the title to your property and you cannot obtain that title, you get all of your money back. So say you buy a property from a man, but it is actually owned by his sister, to whom it was given in a will. If you cannot obtain title, title insurance guarantees that you will get back all of your money–because the property wasn’t legally yours. The escrow company is the one that does the financials for the lender and sets up the closing, and the title company is hired by the realtors and builders. However, the states have set up the system differently. Some states have companies that do both the title and escrow work, and in some states these companies are separate.

Q. There seem to be a number of hands in the pie: lenders, title companies, escrow, signing companies. How does it actually work?

A. The top of the feeding chain is the realtor. He (or she) finds the lender and the title company. Some lenders want to work with certain title companies, even if the buyer wants to work with a certain one. Each state has its own laws governing real estate. In some states, a seller can use one title company and the buyer can choose another. So there’s lots of work for notaries. The escrow or title company must choose a notary who works in the state where the property is being sold. Since there is no national certification for notaries, the title company has to have a list of good notaries in each state, and in each area of the state. We are constantly looking for the very best notaries. The notary works for the title company or the escrow company. The lender sends docs to the title company (or escrow company, depending on how the state laws are set up). Escrow handles the closing; Title prepares the settlement statement.

Q. Notaries constantly have to deal with late documents. Why are the documents late or full of errors, and how do you personally help notaries avoid this problem?

A. Ninety-nine percent of the time, late documents are the fault of the lender. However, getting a loan is a group effort, and it’s really hard to point a finger at any one person. The lender did not realize, for instance, that something was missing. Maybe the borrower didn’t provide the lender with tax returns in a timely manner, for instance; there could be several pieces of information that were found missing. The loan officer is more or less responsible for the processing of the loan.

Q. What is the training and education you need in order to be a loan officer, and how much does he/ she get paid to do the job?

A. The loan officer is trained on the job. He/she is not required to have a college degree–or even a high school degree. Of course, most do have such degrees. The loan officer might have started as a loan processor, or an accountant. A loan officer is well paid, and can make as much as a million dollars a year! I know one who does 42 closings a month. The loan officer is paid a percentage of the origination fee. Most lenders (banks) have a retail and a wholesale division. The wholesale division buys loans from mortgage brokers. A mortgage broker can do a loan in one month; a bank takes longer to do a loan. They don’t have enough employees, and maybe not enough good ones. These same employees can make much more money working for a mortgage broker, and lenders often lose good employees. This may have something to do with the errors that frequently appear on the documents from lenders.

Q. On the other hand, what kinds of errors do notaries make that are a problem for you?
A. The notary may miss a date or a signature. I put an X by every place I want signed. You can’t miss these. If a notary makes even one error, no matter what that is, I will never call that notary again.

Q. What about late documents? These can really mess up the notary’s appointments and affect income. If the notary is working for you (the title company), and you know the docs are coming in late from the lender…

A. I won’t call a notary until I have the documents; some title companies are different, and have notaries waiting and waiting. In fact, if I don’t have the documents, and cause a notary to change his/ her schedule, I think the notary has a right to charge me for the extra time and inconvenience.

Q. Now all our notaries are saying, “We like this guy!” What do you look for in a notary? What influences your decision to hire one or to not ever hire the notary again?

A. When I need a notary, the first place I look is 123notary. I look at the notary’s service area, background (profile), reviews, equipment, and hours. We also cannot hire notaries who do not answer their phones, of course. I am looking for experience. If a notary has years of experience, but has zero reviews, that’s a bit odd. I mean solid reviews that are specific, genuine, and obviously well written. It matters. It shows effort. Look at the top New York notaries’ reviews on 123 notary, for example. To any notary looking for work from a title company, I’d say, “Get listed on 123notary. That’s where I’m going to go.”

You might also like:

Interview with a veteran notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6851

Interview with Timios Title
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6718

Interview with Title Source
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=6553

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July 9, 2013

The Power of Attorney was rejected by a bank

Filed under: Power of Attorney — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 8:46 am

I was reminded of this situation as I looked through our retweets. Apparantly, our followers like tweets about Powers of Attorney. So, I decided to come up with some real stories about Power of Attorney signings that can inform and inspire notaries everywhere.

It happened many years ago. I remember many of the details. I went to someone’s home to notarize a Power of Attorney for banking. They had a fancy Attorney draw up the document and it looked very professional. Please note: non-Attorney notaries are probably NOT ALLOWED to draft up Power of Attorney documents or other legal documents in most if not all states. I had notarized many types of Power of Attorney documents in the past. Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Limited Powers of Attorney, Correction Agreement Power of Attorney, and many others too. Yes, a Living Will is a form of Power of Attorney where it gives someone authority to make medical and other decisions for the principal should they become incapacitated.

In any case, I notarized this Power of Attorney, and the client took it to his bank, and it was rejected. But, why? Nothing was wrong with the document or the notarization. So, what was it? The bank had THEIR OWN form of Power of Attorney. We learned the hard way. After spending hundreds on an Attorney and $50 on me, he now knew what to do. So, I had to meet the client at the bank. I forget which bank it was. One of the big ones. Perhaps Bank of America, Chase, or some other big name. They had a form on card stock that had a carbon copy. There was no room to put my stamp. It was idiotic. They wanted the stamp on the form itself and no Acknowledgment Certificates stapled on. So, I filled out the Acknowledgment wording and notarized the form. Voila — acceptable.

So, the lesson for today is — what the law says is acceptable is very different than what the document custodian (the person receiving and keeping or holding onto the document) might see as acceptable. Sending notarized documents to China, the stamp has to be on the document, but try explaining to them that the California Notary Verbiage needs to be on the document too if they want their stamp. Good luck. Warn your clients of the fact that their bank might not accept the Power of Attorney. The moral of the story is to ask the document custodian what type of power of attorney THEY want.

.

You might also like:

The Power of Attorney was rejected 2017
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18954

Index of posts about Power of Attorney
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20255

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July 2, 2013

Find a notary public at the last minute on 123notary.com

Filed under: Find a Notary — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 8:28 am

Do you ever need to find a notary public at the last minute? You might need to find a notary office, or even find a mobile notary public who will travel to you. It seems like a difficult thing to do. You ask around. You ask where you can find a great notary public. You might assume that you will have to stand in line at some bank or office and fill out a lot of forms.

It is easier than that. Just visit www.123notary.com and click on the FIND A NOTARY page. Find 7000 mobile notaries throughout the United States. We have notaries in every state by the boatload. We even have notaries in remote parts of Montana, Hawaii, and Delaware.

Notaries on our site who have our certification icon are a lot better trained than those who don’t. So, even if your notarization is an easy one, it pays off to have someone who knows what they are doing. We have Notaries who speak many foreign languages as well and sometimes have other unique skills like being a wedding officiate, knowing how to do Apostilles, or having intimate knowledge of many types of loan packages.

Good luck finding a great notary on 123notary.com!

You might also like:

How do you let people know you are a notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1936

Common notary acts from A to Z
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2392

Power of Attorney Signings
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1627

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June 20, 2013

Optional info on Acknowledgment Certificate

Filed under: Best Practices,Loan Signing 101 — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:31 am

So, you are a notary? But:

(1) Do you fill out your certificates thoroughly?

(2) Do you know what the optional or additional information section of the acknowledgment certificate is?

(3) Do you know what a certificate is?

(4) Do you know what the Acknowledgment wording is in your state?

(5) Do you cross out the his/her/their or (s) in capacity(s)?

Most notaries don’t do their cross outs which is illegal to skip. And the Secretary of State is too busy to catch up with all of the notaries in their respective state.

What is in the optional information section, and should it be optional?
(1) Number of pages in the document

(2) Document name

(3) Document date

(4) Capacity of signer

(5) Other signers who signed the document but, were not notarized on that notarization

(6) Right thumbprint of signer

Why is this important?
There are a lot of frauds out there. California law requires notaries to STAPLE (legally, the word used is attach) the notary certificate to the corresponding document. But, do you know how many people detach the staple? Title companies complained about my staples because they detached everything I stapled. They are inviting fraud if you ask me. It looks tampered with if they detach documents. Very sketchy. If I were the Secretary of State, I would investigate anyone who unstapled a notary document and might have them arrested for suspected fraud!

If a fraud wants to take an Acknowledgment OFF one document and attach it to another, it will be hard work if the optional information is all filled out. The number of pages would have to measure up. The document date would need to correspond. The Document name would have to be consistent as well. Most frauds would have not go that far, and might make a mistake matching all of the statistics since they were not trained well (probably). But, imagine if you submit an Acknowledgment certificate that has none of this information? You could conceivably reattach it to ANY document that the signer signed — an invitation for others to commit fraud.

Therefor, I believe that it should be required by law in all states to fill in the optional information section — hence renaming it the required additional information section. Be square and deter fraud today!

You might also like:

10 tight points on loose certificates
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15449

Acknowledgment FAQ
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21331

Basic Notary Acts — Acknowledgments
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19500

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May 9, 2013

What is a notary public?

Filed under: Popular on Twitter 2013,Popular Overall,Public Interest — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:17 am

What is a notary?

A notary is a state appointed public official that is authorized to conduct certain types of official acts such as Acknowledgments, Jurats, Oaths, Affirmations, Protests, and sometimes other notary public acts. Since notaries are appointed by their respective states, the laws for notary conduct and what types of official notary acts a notary can do vary from state to state.

Notary Acknowledgments & Identification Requirements
A notary public can execute acknowledgments. Acknowledgments are the most common notary act representing about 80% of all acts done by notaries! The notary must positively identify a signer as the first step in executing an acknowledgment. Identification requirements vary from state to state, but most states allow state issued identification cards, drivers licenses, and passports. As a general rule, any government issued photo-ID with a serial number, expiration date, and physical description is accepted. Social security cards, credit cards and green cards are not acceptable.

Identification through Credible Witnesses
Some states allow a notary to positively identify a signer through the use of credible witnesses who must be identified by the notary and then swear under Oath as to the identity of the signer. Personal knowledge of the signer used to be allowed in most states, but in recent years, notaries are required to rely on more “hard” forms of identification.

Notary Journals
After the identification process is over, the notary must fill out a journal entry in his/her official journal of notarial acts. Not all states require journals, but they should because the journal is the only record of a transaction that the notary has, and can be used in an investigation or in court after the fact. Such an investigation might happen in a few critical cases where fraud is suspected! The signer is required to sign the notary journal which is one of the most important parts of the notary process.

Notary Certificates
The notary must fill out an Acknowledgment Certificate with state specific Acknowledgment verbiage. The Acknowledgment wording can be embedded in the last page of the document, or could be added and stapled as a loose form.

The official notary seal
Notaries typically affix their seal to the notary certificate area in a document or on a loose certificate. This is a very official way that notaries finalize their notary acts. Notaries may use an inked rubber seal. Some states allow a notary public to also use an non-inked embosser which leaves a raised impression in a piece of paper — as a supplemental seal to deter fraud through page swapping.

Jurats
A Jurat is a notary procedure where the notary administers an Oath. The signer has to raise his/her right hand and swear under Oath to the truthfulness of a document or statement in a Jurat form. Additionally, the signer must sign the document in front of the notary for a Jurat, where they can sign long ahead of time for an Acknowledgment. Identification requirements for Jurats vary from state to state. Jurats represent roughly 18% of all notarial acts!

Oaths and Affirmations
Notaries can perform or administer Oaths or Affirmations for clients. They should record such acts in their bound and sequential journal as well. Wording for Oaths is really up to the notary, but some standardized or formal wording is recommended such as, “Do you solemnly swear that the contents of this document are true and correct to the best of your knowledge?”. Or, “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”. The Oath verbiage depends on the situation and the document. However, it should be formal, and the Affiant (Oath taker) must raise their right hand definitively for this type of act. An Affirmation is the same as an Oath except for the fact that the word God is omitted from the Affirmation Verbiage.

Protests
This is an antiquated notary act where someone can protest the non-payment of a bill. I have never met a notary who has actually conducted such a notary act, but most states still include this as one of their official acts.

Acts allowed only in specific states
New York allows notaries to do Safety Box Openings as an official notary act while most other states do not. Rhode Island has something called a Marine Protest which is only an official notary act in Rhode Island. Various states allow notaries to act as a Witness as an official notary act as well. Additionally, please consult your state’s notary division for information about Apostilles and Authentications which typically involve either a local county recorder, the Secretary of State’s office, or a local embassy.

Documents that are commonly notarized.
Many notaries notarized Power of Attorney documents frequently. Notaries are advised not to draft such documents as they are legal documents. However, notaries can notarize signatures on such documents.

Affidavits of all sorts are normally notarized with a Jurat since they are to be sworn to (usually). The notary is forbidden from recommending a particular notary act over another, but they are not prohibited from stating what is “usually” done.

Wills can be notarized by a notary, however, it is generally frowned upon unless given written instructions from an Attorney!

Notaries can not notarize vital records such as Birth Certificates or Marriage Certificates.

A Notary Public can notarize Real Estate or Mortgage documents or loan documents except in certain Attorney states such as Massachusetts or Georgia where there are restrictions. Common loan documents that might be notarized could include Deeds of Trust, Signature Affidavits, Grant Deeds, Quit Claim Deeds, Occupancy Affidavits, and many more!

Where can I find a notary?
123notary has thousands of mobile notaries distributed throughout the United States that you can find on our Find a Notary page. They typically charge a travel fee and specialize in loan documents. To find a stationary notary, please consult your local yellow pages, or call pack & ship places in your area.

How can I become a notary?
Each state has a Secretary of State or Notary Division that appoints notaries. Please visit our state contact page, and contact your state’s notary division for details. Typically, you need to be 18 years old, not have a felony on your criminal record, be a citizen (some states require this), or in many states be legally residing in the United States. Most states have a Notary Public Application Form, and a Notary Public handbook for you to study from. You are normally required to pay an Application fee for becoming a notary, and there could be other fees for recording your Notary Oath of Office as well as the fee for your Stamp, Journal, and other related fees.

Is it worth it to become a notary?
It can be very rewarding to be a notary. You can make a lot of extra money in your spare time if you have a way to attract clients. You can meet new people, and learn new things. Mobile notaries who are good at what they do can make a full time living driving around doing loan signings. You can get a job more easily if the boss knows you are a notary, as that is a skill in high demand at many offices.

Tweets:
(1) A notary is a state appointed public official authorized to conduct certain types of official acts such as Jurats …
(2) A notary public can execute Acknowledgments, Jurats, Protests, Oaths, Affirmations…
(3) A quick guide to being a notary including: journals, seals, identification, witnesses, jurats, oaths & more…

I want to learn more!
Visit our GLOSSARY of notary and mortgage terms, and read more articles in our blog!

.

You might also like:

Notary Public Information 2018 Edition
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20075

Notary Public 101 Real Life Scenarios
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19681

Notary Public 101 Quick Review Pointers
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19679

10 Risks to being a Mobile Notary Public
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19459

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May 3, 2013

Find a Notary — one who provides late night 24 hour service

Filed under: General Articles,SEO — Tags: , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:30 am

I was thinking about this today. Everybody needs to sleep. In our search results for 24 hour notaries, we should document when their black hours are. Everybody sleeps sometime — even if it is during odd hours. If they are sleeping, then maybe another 24 hour notary would be a better candidate for a particular job. Some people go to sleep at 4am and wake at 8am, and they would be perfect for a 2am job. Don’t you think?

But, 123notary has tons of 24 hour notaries in our search results. Use the Find a Notary Public Search page to find these people. Roughy 25% of all of our 7000 notaries on the site provide 24 hour service (or claim to). This can be a real life saver.

The tricky part is that not all of these notaries are “real” 24 hour notaries. Some don’t answer the phone after hours, or even during business hours. So, how do you know which of our 24 hour notaries are real ones? Surprisingly, I have called many of these notaries myself and the MAJORITY do answer the phone late at night, even after midnight. Keep calling until you find one who can accommodate your job.

24 hour notaries are often used for last minute travel documents, hospital signings, airport signings, and loan signings for people who work unusual shifts. I did a loan signing at 2am for someone who got out of work at midnight. A bit unusual, but there was no traffic, and my client was very nice. It worked well.

Find a 24 hour notary public on 123notary.com on our Find a Notary page. Good luck!

You might also like:

Ideas for names for 24 hour Notary businesses
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19062

Hospital notarization issues (string)
http://blog.123notary.com/?s=hospital

Names for Notary businesses that can get you in trouble.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19064

The 24 hour icon and what it means
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19455

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April 28, 2013

Best Practices: When it is legal to notarize a document twice?

Filed under: Best Practices,Ninja Theme Articles — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 8:29 am

Q. When is it legal to notarize twice?

A. Any time you get two journal entries for the document in question and attach two separate certificates.

How is this?

Many notaries fall into unfortunate circumstances. We live in a day and age when old fashioned common sense is not a part of life any more — at least not in the Title industry. A notary will be given an Acknowledgment form with wording that just isn’t acceptable. Perhaps the venue is for a different county or state. Perhaps there are two names on the Acknowledgment when there is only one signer — and a cross out will just look funny. Maybe something else will be wrong. Use your imagination here — you are notaries!

So, should you cross-out Jim’s name on the Acknowledgment form since only Jane is there and Jim is on a business trip? Or should you attach an additional acknowledgment form and leave the original blank? The issue here is much more than what the law says. The law doesn’t address cross outs to my knowledge although it definately seems that it is not a “best practice” since it looks dubious and possibly fraudulent.

Do you really want your notarized documents to look tampered with? That is what notarizing a document with a cross-out looks like. Sure you do it all the time, but what if fraud really is involved and you get called into court just because you think it is fine and dandy to simply, “cross out and initial — I do it all the time”. Well, stop doing it all the time on notarized documents. It is a “worst practice”, not a best practice. Best practices include starting fresh with a clean acknowledgment and filling out properly with not only the state required wording, but also a document name, document date, document description, number of pages, etc. If you are smart, you will emboss every page on every document that you notarize whether the clients like it or not — for your protection. It makes page swapping after the fact very noticeable and detectable.

So, I recommend the fresh acknowledgment approach since it is clean and a best practice. But, on the other hand, what about notarizing the document twice and giving the lender a choice of the messy cross-out version, or the clean attached version. Some lenders HATE attachments (even though it is legal and kosher). Many lenders do not mind cross-outs even though it is abominable to anyone with standards. So, if you give them a choice, at least they will have less cause to be unhappy. They will know that you went above and beyond for them.

However, you will be committing fraud if you send a loose acknowledgment in the mail to the lender who doesn’t like your first attempt. Sure you already notarized it, but now there are two certificates floating around and not attached. The “best practice” here is to tell the lender you need the original back, you shred the certificate, add another certificate, and then send it back. Lenders don’t typically like best practices because it takes longer. Fraud is easier! But, don’t even think about it.

I will end this entry with a quote from a Yiddish folk story

Crime doesn’t pay, but oy, such good hours!

I will end this entry a second time, but this time with a line from a Mexican folk song about notarizations

Dos Acknowledmentos Un Documento?
Ay que paso en esta mundo?
Que voy aser con esta notario?
Llama el telefono a el Loan Officer por favor!

You might also like:

Must a thumbprint accompany a notarized document?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2289

Do you take control at a signing?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21104

Following directions is more important than you think
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19608

What defines what a signature is?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22173

What if the signature is in the middle of the document?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20525

Notarizing multi-page documents
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21423

Notary Public 101 basic notary acts explained
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19500

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April 20, 2013

A detailed look at the NINJA course

Filed under: Ninja Theme Articles — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:00 am

We have a new Elite certification textbook that accompanies the elite test. We will soon be using a 30 point test to evaluate the skills of our higher level notaries. But, what is this new textbook like? The ORDER of the information is subject to change as we re-edit the course and add content later on.

119 pages of riveting information!

This course integrates ancient Zen Buddhist philosophy, Ninjutsu strategy, and exciting stories with higher level notary & signing agent knowledge for the refined notary public! Here are some of the topics covered in the course.

(1) Presentation
Learn the art of interacting with prospective clients. Learn what to say and what not to say. How to answer questions gracefully, and how to stand your ground. Show your knowledge without seeming like you are trying to. Operate like a professional and negotiate like a professional.

(2) Strategy
Learn which type of advertising pays off and which should be avoided. Which certifications to get and which to skip. How to craft your advertising for maximum results; Which additional services to offer such as Apostilles and Livescan; How to choose your clients well; Picking company names; Contracts. E&O insurance; Getting paid; Handling difficult companies; Hiring other notaries to expand your empire; Handling low-ballers with ease; Marketing with Facebook and Web Sites; Researching companies; When to say no;

Scheduling strategies: Learn about the

Timed appointment strategy
The spring-it-on-ya strategy
The no surprises strategy
Business models that influence scheduling strategy
Dealing with late e-documents
End of the month scheduling strategies
Beginning of the month scheduling strategies
Tight scheduling strategies
High-brow scheduling strategies

(3) Business analysis
Advertising allows you to pick and choose; Analyzing where your calls are coming from; Assessing the companies you work for; Late Documents; Dealing with cancellations; Dealing with late payers; Managing contacts; Optimizing your client base; What do the statistics that 123notary keeps really mean?; How well do you communicate and how does that translate into clicks?

(4) Mastering the ancient art of the notes section
Which adjectives help, and which hurt? Does mentioning years of experience help? Which quick facts will win you clients and which are a waste of time? Overall recommended structure of a notes section; Analyzing your best selling features; What not to put at the top of your notes section; Expressing your personal style of doing business; 19 examples of great personal information used in notes sections; Specialties expressed in detail; How to use bullet points for your additional information; Where do you write about coverage areas, and how detailed do you get? Radius verses counties? Closing statements — call me whenever you are ready! Spelling and mistakes; Example of a bad notes section; Example of a nearly perfect notes section; Commentary on 16 notes sections; Selling features compared in detail;

(5) Miscellaneous points
Smelling good; How to dress; Calling people back; Professional answering machines; Company names; Complaining; Asking too many questions; Call back etiquette; Asking about specifications before price; Negotiating with people who won’t meet your fee; Evolutionary path to success; Charge less to get experience; The close job strategy; MOBILE OFFICES; Don’t call until the e-documents are ready; FULL-TIME or PART-TIME; 123notary’s 30 point test; Last minute appointments; The A list strategy; Precautions; Embossing; Journal thumbprints; Answering the phone at signings; Refining your notes; Dual state commissions; How many certifications; Does Facebook help; How do you let people know you are a notary; Can you afford to be expensive; Get reviews or perish; Are you available enough; Do you keep all of your paperwork; Emergencies are where you shine; Errors with bad seals; Showing up late; Complaints; Wrongful complaints; Rebutting complaints; Being selective about working for companies with potential.

(6) Zen and the art of teaching others to be on your team
Master the ancient art of: Selection, training, scrutinization, and comparison.
Choose people with the right: Attitude, pre-existing skills, ability to learn, reliability, and personability

Where do you start training? Scrutinizing the work of your new notaries. Comparing them to your other trainees.

(7) Comparing notaries
People change over time; Examining your local list of notaries to see the differences in each service provider; Elite certification; Skills verses presentation; Online presentation verses life presentation; Thinking about comparisons while you are working; What did you forget to think about?

(8) Impressions, dreams and nightmares
Where the money really is; How long does it take to do each type of signing; How do you analyze traffic; Should you charge by the minute; How much ROI do you need on your advertisement; Making an impression; The borrower comes first; Meeting at a nearby cafe; Cancelling nightmares before you get involved; What to know about a culture so you don’t get in trouble; Fedex and drop boxes.

(9) Following directions
When to call the loan officer; Sample questions; When not to coerce the borrower into signing; When to continue the signing; Listening exercises, communication exercises, following orders without a fuss.

(10) Notary knowledge revisited
Acknowledgments discussed in detail; Jurats; Official wording and cross-outs; Loose certificates; Backdating; Document dates verses notarization dates; County recorders & recorded documents; Copies of a document; The names must match; Credible witnesses; Errors on the Acknowledgment; Oath wording; Signature by X; Journals; What the OPTIONAL information section is for in Acknowledgments & deterring fraud; Embossers; Thumbprints; Seals; 10 Grant Deeds in a single session; Notary Fraud; Notarizing the elderly; Notarizing a dead person; The 4 parts of an Acknowledgment certificate; Misdemeanors.

(11) Signing Agent knowledge revisited
Understanding: The 1003, The 4506; Apostilles, Attorney States; Changing a name on Title; Checks in packages; Cross-outs; The Deed of Trust; Elizors; Identity Affidavits; The HUD-1; Initials go where? Letter of instructions; The legals; Maiden names; Prepayment penalties; The Right to Cancel; Rescinding; The security instrument; Signature Affidavit; Spousal signatures; The Subordination Agreement; Thumbprints revisited; The three magical phone numbers; Signature variations; Witness states; When to call the loan officer; Witness closings; Documents that are typically notarized.

(12) The APR & First payments
Yes, an entire chapter about the APR in detail. Learn typical incomplete descriptions of the APR that even the most experienced Loan Processors, Title Agents, and notaries use on a regular basis. Learn a professional definition and learn all of the components that go into computing the APR one by one. Show the world how knowledgeable you really are!
When is my first payment due.

(13) Interviews with our finest notaries and title companies
We get amazing points of views and endless new information by getting input from others in the industry. And then we share it with you on the forum, blog, and in our courses! We interviews many title companies. Many of these companies will be working with us on crafting and endorsing some very relevant signing agent questions. Notaries often ask why it is important for them to learn particular facts. But, if a title company who hires notaries and pays well tells you that you better learn it, then there is no excuse not to learn it,right?

We have some information from Title companies as of April 2013. We will be adding more information every month including statements about things that notaries did wrong that caused a lot of trouble. We will also be adding multiple choice questions endorsed by specific Title companies over time.

The interviews with the notaries this time were about topics of concerned to regular notaries. How do you handle low-ballers? How do you handle people who don’t meet your fee? What is your best attribute as a notary? What made you become a notary? Could you describe your evolution in business and how you became successful? Hoe do you introduce the documents and do your loan signing presentation.

The answers given by the top notch notaries interviewed were truly inspiring, unique, and fascinating. You will love this section the most of all the sections partly due to the great information, and partly because it is the most light hearted section of the course.

(14) The 30 point test
This section goes over the 30 point test. Notaries who pass this grueling and difficult test can elect to have their scores published on their listing. Test topics will include not only notary and signing agent competency, but other areas as well. We learned that following directions and communicating are huge problem areas even for the most experienced notaries, so we will be focusing on those during the test. The test will be timed and might be over the phone or online — or both! Retesting will be allowed, but we do not know what the retesting fee will be. Purchasing the Ninja course / Elite certification gives you one chance at the test providing you take it within (60) days of your purchase date. Good luck!

(15) Apostilles and Loan Types
Learn what our best notaries have to say about Apostilles, Authentications, FHA, HELOCS, Investment loans, Loan modifications, Purchases, Reverse Mortgages, VA loans, and more!

Thanks for your interest and ENJOY our Ninja course!

You might also like:

Notary Public 101 – a free notary course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19493

Unique phrases from the Ninja course
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14690

Elite certification will benefit you for the rest of your life
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20770

Signing Agent Best Practices: a 63 point guide to being the safest and most thorough notary.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=4315

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