Who prefers them and how do they become Preferred?

Settlement agents that close real estate transactions, such as title companies, escrow companies, and attorneys, often need mobile notaries to witness borrowers’ signatures on loan documents. Lenders, builders, and real estate agents also need good notaries.

Owners of notary signing services, like myself, specialize in providing such notaries.

This small but critical component of the real estate business called “signing the loan document” is an art form commonly dismissed as an administrative formality.

When documents need to be accurately signed 3,000 miles away and returned the next day, time is of the essence and the deal is on the line. My clients count on me to maintain their reputation as closing professionals by executing that leg of the relay seamlessly.

Therefore, I select and send only to the notaries I prefer to protect my reputation and that of my clients. They are my “Preferred Notaries”.

So, beyond basic notarization capability, what do I look for to effectively serve my clients’ signing needs?

**The Preferred Notary knows his Role and is comfortable with it. They must be able to convey to the borrower that they are a neutral party, hired by an agency. The notary signing agent is there for the purpose of making sure borrowers are properly identified and loan documents are properly executed.

The Preferred Notary has learned NOT to play the role of Real Estate Agent, Lender, Closer (Settlement Agent), Attorney, Title Insurer, Seller, or any other party to the transaction. They refer to the experience of other professionals when borrowers ask about the terms, effects, financial and legal implications of the documents they are signing. Many times the other professional is available to meet the needs of the borrower.

The Preferred Notary knows that a rescheduled appointment is better than a bad one.

**Preferred Notary is Experienced. Some people feel comfortable walking into a stranger’s home alone and being responsible for the proper execution of legal documents representing several hundred thousand dollars of debt. Most are not.

The Preferred Notary is aware of the importance of the assignment, and has performed it many, many times faithfully. Players and situations change, but the Notary Preferred professionally grows with each assignment. There is no substitute for this process.

Classes, Trainers, Certifications and other Business/Work/Life Experiences can improve the “success” rate in this area. However, more than once I have had to clean up after “well-trained” notaries who simply did not have several hundred signatures under their belt.

Any professional worth their salt knows that the cost of a failed signature far outweighs the investment in finding and hiring a preferred notary.

Preferred notaries have experience and the accumulated wisdom that goes with it.

**Preferred Notary has a strong work ethic. Simply put, some people have more productive work habits than most. This is especially evident in the field of self-employment.

The Preferred Notary is reliable by virtue of being prepared for an assignment before receiving it. They actively acquire the tools and knowledge to use when an assignment opportunity presents itself (inevitably). Efficiency and punctuality are two characteristics of a strong work ethic.

Preferred notaries require very little supervision because once they accept an assignment, they follow it through to completion. This is especially valuable because human error is just as much a part of the real estate business as any other. Negative consequences and damage multiply when errors go undetected or unresolved. The transactions are large and the liability is high.

Preferred Notaries always take care of business and leave no loose ends.

**Preferred Notary has Strong People Skills. Preferred Notaries are aware that we are interacting with people during some of the most stressful events of their lives. Relating to the borrower’s circumstances, while remaining true to one’s role, is something the Preferred Notary does very well. They ask questions, listen and respond carefully.

Occasionally, miscommunication in the course of a deal is of concern to the borrower. The preferred notary’s knowledge of the loan documents and the basics of the closing process will allow them to alleviate the borrower’s concerns most of the time. Otherwise, the preferred notary employs a concierge-like approach to tactfully direct borrowers to the right professional for resolution.

In conclusion, Preferred Notaries build a bond of trust. They deserve to be respected and thanked for ensuring something important…a positive signing experience!