I cannot stress this enough, as a victim of Hurricane Charley, I learned the hard way, if you sustain ANY damages from the upcoming storm, immediately call your insurance carrier if possible, as soon as possible, but also HIRE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER!! If you do not live in the effected area, but you know someone that is, tell them to immediately hire an adjuster, if they need a reference, I will be more than glad to give one, but would suggest a local one to the effected area. Make sure they do NOT hesitate! Any reputable Public Adjuster will NOT accept ANY money from anyone BUT the insurance company. But they know all the loopholes that the insurance companies try to use to avoid paying you for damages that you incurred, and might not realize it was a recoverable expense! So please, if you, or ANYONE you know sustains damages from this hurricane or any disaster,
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
This is my continuing series of promoting many of my business partners. They all have their special strengths, and I feel I would like to help them promote their business. If you ever do business with any of these people or businesses, please feel free to comment here about your experiences!
Today, for my third issue, I would like to promote:
Paul W DeClark - The Open Network Groups
Bradenton / Sarasota / Venice, FL
Paul tirelessly puts on several networking groups EVERY week! The three that I often visit of his are part of his Open Network Groups, each are always $10 for the meeting, and lunch is free. Bradenton @ Staceys and Venice @ Marco Polo are buffet, so there is always plenty to eat there! Also, if he did any less for you, he would have to charge you more is the slogan. Come see why! If you visit, tell them, I Ronald Gillis referred you, and how I invited you - you will NOT regret it, everyone here are some of the most dedicated networkers and all work to help each other, personally and business wise -
Open Network Bradenton which meets every Tuesday from 11:45AM - 1PM at Stacey's Buffey, at 4848 14th St W (US 41), Bradenton
Open Network Venice which meets every Wednesday from 11:45AM - 1PM at the Marco Polo Restaurant, in Bird Bay Plaza - 549 US Hwy 41 Bypass N, Venice
Open Network Sarasota which meets every Thursday from 11:45AM - 1PM at Broccolini's at 6525 Superior Ave, near Gulf Gate Mall, Sarasota
Business Category: Networking
Paul groups are not your traditional networking group, such as BNI where they are non-compete. Here everyone is welcome, no matter what business opportunity or product you are promoting! No contracts, no points, no dues, no non-competes, no required referrals, no required attendance, no prepayment -- NO HASSLES! Just show up!
In addition to this, Paul is a Jack-of-all-trades! Here are some of his offerings that he promotes:
As you can see, I said he has a lot to offer! The networking groups have about 30-40 participants attend every week at every meeting. They all have different members, so come check out them all! We all look forward to seeing you there every week!
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
How often do you see a title that looks at least something like this? I know I see it frequently. But in reality, many of these articles, blogs, etc., are being written by people that do not know the CORRECT FACTS about today's FHA/HUD backed HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) Reverse Mortgage Program. They say counseling should be required on all of them. IT IS!! They say it causes foreclosures, when in reality, they cause almost NONE, and in virtually every instance that the homeowner qualifies, it PREVENTS foreclosures! [CLICK HERE] for a blog about this very topic - ZERO, that's NONE out of 61 for a week in Charlotte Counties early foreclosure proceedings. Is there some remote possibility that someone can exploit a senior homeowner, I would say probably with ANYTHING it can be done. I honestly don't know how it can be done with all the FHA / HUD regulations on the HECM Program, but I am sure if someone put their mind to it, they can find some obscure way, but they can find other ways as well, again, if they put their minds to ripping of ANYONE - INCLUDING YOU, no matter who YOU are or what your age! Look at all the "You won a Lottery," "Your bank account has been locked," "Great stock purchase available," etc, etc. emails we all get every day! These don't just go to seniors, and you know many get fooled with them, although most of us know what they are and ignore them. If you make statements like, this is not a good mortgage if you are planning to sell, or move from the house within a couple years, you are absolutely correct. If you say that it does not help when a person has to go into a nursing home, or move in with relatives, you are mostly correct. Let me explain - If it is a single person, then yes, you are correct if they are permanently moving into a nursing home. If a couple, and ONE is moving into a nursing home, you are not correct, the healthier person can remain in the home as long as they are able to, and want to live there. The reverse mortgage does not need to be paid back until BOTH persons health fail or they BOTH pass away. In other words, BOTH must leave the home in some fashion or another before it needs to be paid back.
The bank owns the property is FALSE!!
If you make one of THE most common statements that you 'give the home to the bank' with a reverse mortgage, you are absolutely wrong! YOU retain ownership of the home, NOT the bank. Please review my blog about this most common myth - http://activerain.com/blogsview/593531/Not-another-Reverse-Mortgages and a lot of other information about reverse mortgages.
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
This time, four years ago, on Friday the 13th, August 13, 2004, was a very traumatic time in Charlotte County, FL. I had lived here over 20 years and "knew" or at least I THOUGHT I knew what it was like to live through a hurricane. After all, I was here when Andrew went by a few years prior. And with other storms, I saw roof damage, trees down, power lines down. So I THOUGHT I knew what it was REALLY like. All that changed Friday August 13, 2004, when Hurricane Charley came into town unexpectedly and uninvited! BOY was that EVER an eye opener. I now know, ONLY those that have lived through a DIRECT hurricane hit, DIRECT tornado, DIRECT earthquake, DIRECT flood of their town, etc., can FULLY understand the impact on your life, what you expect, what you tolerate, everything! Having no electricity, running water, but you must boil before drinking (HOW TO BOIL IT!!!), some have phones most did not (I was lucky, I did have this), cells phones were spotty at best, usually had to call repeatedly to get an outside line, driving down your major local route in the evening with NO lights, no business lights, NO traffic lights, NO street lights, NO stop signs, military people all around with rifles, helicopters coming in to evacuate hospitals, sirens, LOTS of sirens, cops, ambulances also taking the less sever to outside hospitals, and this is just for starters. The smells after a few days, YUK! Food, you can't run down to your local 24 hour supermarket, Wal-Mart, etc, they are closed. (Although many did an amazing job opening up in a few days!) But they needed security, electricity, etc, but they didn't have any of that for a few days. You need gas to run generators, but have to drive 20-30 miles to get gas. (Keep in mind, some Hurricane Katrina victims had to drive 100+ miles ONE way to get supplies, then drive back - WOW!!) But then, how do you work if your employer had his/her business destroyed. Suddenly you are out of a job. Then the repairs to your home. How do you START? Here is my home just after the storm:
Keep in mind, my area was the better area - not as much damage as some others, although we were one of the last to get electricity back on - August 31, 2004 several weeks later! BTW, does this pic put it in perspective on the size of that pine tree?
Also, keep in mind, this is FL summer, fairly hot, and VERY MUGGY!! Then you have NO electricity, no running drinkable water, while working to clear your neighborhood, fix your home, and help your neighbors! Don't get me wrong, FL, especially Southwest Florida is a GREAT place to live, and I have pretty much rebuilt my home. My insurance carrier took three years to finish my claim - closed it days before the three year anniversary! My county should be commended - they did a great job, most business have been rebuilt, there are only a couple of schools that have not completed their rebuild, and they should be done within a year. That will be the five year anniversary. The county will have accomplished virtually everything it needed to rebuild in five years. Compared to some other devastated areas, that is an amazing accomplishment!
If you ever have friends, or family hit by a major disaster - go help them if at all possible. It is overwhelming to say the least! They will need all the support possible to get through it! I'm not talking nearby communities, as I learned, I am talking direct hit, if that has happened to them, do everything possible, they will need it!
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
At 20499 Edgewater Drive, not far from Spring Lake Park, there is another great park. It is near Port Charlotte Blvd, and Grassy Point Estates. It has a canoe/kayak launch, as well as tennis courts and walking trail, fishing pier and restrooms. It is one of Port Charlotte's newer parks. Here is the view when you enter the park off Edgewater Drive -
And then at sunset [at Sunrise Park :-) ] here is the kayak/canoe launch site:
If you are ever visiting Port Charlotte, please stop here and check it out, and enjoy what Port Charlotte has to offer!
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
This is my continuing series of promoting many of my business partners. They all have their special strengths, and I feel I would like to help them promote their business. If you ever do business with any of these people or businesses, please feel free to comment here about your experiences!
Today, for my second issue, I would like to promote:
Sandra Wiseman - Wiseman Law Office
355 West Venice Ave
Venice, FL
Attorney at Law specializing in Real Estate Litigation and Real Estate Closings. Active Member of the Attorney's Title Insurance Fund (The Fund). Additionally, a former insurance defense attorney and public defender, also taking personal injury and criminal defense cases.
Business Category: Legal/Mediation
While Sandra technically is also a business 'networking partner' she has helped me both personally and professionally. I learned some of my title company knowledge by assisting her with some clerical title work. So I can speak for her thoroughness and keen attention to the smallest of details! She can and will represent you professionally if you have been involved in a vehicle accident, or if you need a criminal defense attorney. She can handle all title work & deed preparations in the State of Florida, including reverse mortgages. I would also like to thank her, just like TJ personally, she has tried and continues to help me with business and personal needs. If you ever need an attorney in the Venice area, get in touch with me, and I will be glad to give you her phone number as well as her email address.
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
The other day, I did a loan signing with a mortgage broker and Realtor present. First, I brought out my Notorial Log and completed the information in it. Both said wow, they never saw a notary do that. OK, it is not a Florida requirement, but it is foolish NOT to do this as a notary anywhere! Then, since there are always Jurats in every mortgage package (OK, maybe not EVERY, but virtually every if not all - I can't recall a mortgage package that DIDN'T have one) I gave them an oath about perjury. Both looked at each other and again stated, they didn't have any notary that they could recall do that. Now this, I have a problem with. Do they, and do you realize the potential impact of NOT completely doing your job as a notary? It could jeopardize a lot of things, and have implications for you as the notary, the borrower, the title company, and the lender. If something goes wrong down the line, and it ends up challenged in court, do you realize the headaches and problems this can cause - everyone!!??
Did you not see the words, "Sworn to and subscribed to...."? The very first word, "SWORN" is there for a reason. You are an official of the State of Florida, and if they swear to it, and sworn falsely, they can be brought up on perjury charges. That is serious business! If you did not give them an oath, and they signed it and you stamp it, you have not done your job, and it will be difficult at best to pursue perjury charges, even though they did in fact commit a perjury type of action, but without an oath being given, it would make it difficult or impossible to pursue these charges. Then you know who they are coming after - I think you can fill in the blank here!!! Other states might not call it a Jurat, although I would tend to believe most probably call it the same thing, and if not, they at least have the same kind of document that needs an oath be given to the person.
Do you follow all procedures, ALL the time? If not, do you realize the liability you are opening yourself up to? While everything mentioned in this blog is for Florida Notaries, many procedures are similar for every state - but take the time to KNOW all your state requirements before proceeding.
A notary public may notarize a signature on a document if the following conditions are met:
The person whose signature is being notarized is in the presence of the notary public at the time the signature is notarized. NOTE: This does not say they have to sign the document in front of you, and for an acknowledgment, they do not have to sign it in front of you. BUT... if it is a Jurat, it states, "Sworn to and subscribed....." so the 'subscribed' means they signed in FRONT of you. So it is imperative to know the difference and your requirements!
The document is complete. In other words - NO BLANKS!! (Keep in mind, if there are boxes that do not NEED to be checked - that is OK, but they may not be altered after you affix your stamp and signature.)
The person signing the document is mentally competent and understands what he/she is signing. On this one, I think I mentioned it in one of my other blogs, it is not important for you to verify if they are doing something proper or not, but they MUST understand what they are signing. I had a man wanting me to notarize his wife's signature, but while she clearly had medical issues, she also clearly did not understand what she was about to sign. I have little doubt that they were doing nothing improper or illegal, BUT, she did NOT know what she was doing, so I had to respectfully decline the notarization and note it in my log and why I refused.
The notary is in the State of Florida. You MUST be within the state border.
The notary is not a party to the transaction - or mother, father, son, daughter, or spouse to the signer. While I believe this is all the law specifically states, if they are related in any way that you are aware of (blood or legal), unless it is a wedding, you are much safer finding a different notary to avoid the implication of any conflict of interest.
A notary public must specify in the certificate of acknowledgment what type of identification was relied upon, and whether or not an oath was taken.
Valid identification must be obtained from each person whose signature is to be notarized. Proper identification is necessary since legal consequences of an error are severe. The following examples are good forms of identification:
Personal acquaintance of the notary
Driver's license (FLORIDA ONLY - It may be expired, but expired NO more than six (6) months AND have been issued within the last five [5] years)
Passport
Photo identification card issued (within the past five years) by a state or branch of the federal government
A notary public must specify in the certificate, when two or more signatures are to be notarized, which signature is being notarized. It will be presumed that absent these specifics, notarization by the notary public is for all signatures on the document.
When notarizing a document, it is important that the state, county where the signing took place, and date be completed before the acknowledgment and seal are affixed
This is just a brief overview of your responsibilities, but this is a good starting point. If you are not fully aware of at least these minimum requirements, then I strongly suggest you stop notarizing, and take the time to learn what your requirements are, and know what you can and cannot do. Also, I suggest you have at a minimum a membership with the ASN & NNA, as they both have help desk personnel that can assist you with the rare unusual things that inevitably come up in your job as a notary!
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
The other day, I was at a signing, and my advertising pen stopped working. My client made the comment, it must have been made in China. Truth is, it was made there. But it really made me wonder a few things. Obviously our country thinks anything made there is of an inferior quality. Do they make better quality stuff for themselves, and ship out the lower quality items? Do they just not care much about better quality? Heck does OUR COUNTRY care much about quality anymore? Another thing about our country, and I know I am guilty myself, why do we accept such drastic lesser of a quality to save a little money. Does the item we are purchasing influence our decision that much. If we want a better quality item, do we make sure it is not from China? If it is made in the US, is it ALWAYS that much better? Some have stronger opinions on the larger items (such as cars - Ford / GM, etc.) but less strong opinions on lesser dollar items, at least that is how I see it. But what about electronic equipment? Clearly, many of us make sure we purchase Japanese branded items. Are they doing that much better as well? At least with certain items anyway?
I know years ago, made in the US was not only a patriotic thing, I think it meant better quality - usually. These days, how much do we manufacture? Heck, many companies don't even answer their own customer service lines - they are answered in many Asian countries. All because of the bottom line to save money. This is a concern I have, and I know it is made by many others, but I am probably most interested in my blog title - What do the Chinese think of 'Made in China'???
Title companies & mortgage brokers, help your borrowers- arrange to have their loan signed and notarized in their home, at their convenience by a Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA)
Browse The Rain for a qualified and Certified Notary Signing Agent in your area.
Southwest Florida Notaries is open for your mortgage closing 24/7 at your location (Based in Murdock, FL, near Port Charlotte FL, but covering all of Southwest Florida - Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Desoto, Lee and Collier counties)
Ronald Gillis, CNSA Southwest Florida Notaries, Port Charlotte, 941-7-NOTARY
Murdock, FL
More about me
Southwest Florida Notaries (Mortgage Notary Signing Agent)
Office Phone: (941) 7NO-TARY
Cell Phone: (941) 766-8279
Email Me
Do you want to sign your refinance mortgage papers at your convenience, at the location of your choice? You have the right to choose your Mortgage Notary Signing Agent - Call 941-7-NOTARY (766-8279)