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"I only do mortgage work."

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Mobile Notary Services

I got a call a few hours ago to notarize a person's signature so he could join the police force. It was 10:30 p.m. when my cell phone went off and, quite honestly, I was in bed. But I'm 24/7, and I'm a notary, so I agreed to do it.

When I got there the man appreciated it very much. He said he called another notary, but the notary told him, "I only do mortgage work."

I'm a notary signing agent myself, and most of my business comes from doing mortgage loan closings. But I'm also a Colorado Notary Public. And that is just as important.

If you are a notary signing agent, you don't have to work 24/7. And you don't have to do mobile notary work for the general public.  It's understandable that you wouldn't want to do something for a fraction of what you normally charge. But if you tell someone, "I only do mortgage work.", it leaves a less than favorable impression with them. It did with this person that I met this evening. He quipped that it would be like a doctor saying, "I only do surgery."  There is no notary service that is beneath a notary public.

Notarizing for the general public as a mobile notary is a good service. And it's a good way to serve as an ambassador for the notary public profession.  Hopefully more notary signing agents will join the ranks of mobile notaries.

Good luck.

Comments (28)

SHAUN WREN
LICENSE IS NOT PLACED - Lakeland, FL
I would have been asleep or busy on the rain. I would have listened to the message and called them back in the morning.
Jul 21, 2007 12:13 AM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY

I too am a Notary Public, as well. And it is obvious Leon that you have strong feeling about this. And I respect that. Continue to perform any type of nortarization, which you choose to. But respect the position of those who choose to specialize.

Jul 21, 2007 12:24 AM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary

Derrick, I think you are totally misunderstanding what I wrote. If you go back to the first post you will see that I wrote:

"If you are a notary signing agent, you don't have to work 24/7. And you don't have to do mobile notary work for the general public."

I'm not the one who criticized. It is the person who received the comment from the notary who criticized. To say: "I only do mortgage work.", to someone who is need of a notary, it came across to that person the wrong way.

I'm totally impartial. If a notary only wants to do mortgage loan closings, that is their business.

Good luck.

 

Jul 21, 2007 12:32 AM
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator - Fort Myers, FL

Leon:

It looks like a good way to drum up business.

Jul 21, 2007 12:37 AM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary

Bill, I was wondering if anyone would finally get the message. Thank you.

When you are in the service business, every customer is potentially a future customer. Repeat business.

That person who called you at 10:30 in the evening, and you responded, they will remember you. And when they are ready to refinance, and need a notary signing agent to close their loan, they will consider you. And if their friends ever need a notary, they will probably recommend you. Thanks for your comment.

Jul 21, 2007 12:45 AM
Leo Namiot - LeoLends.com
Canopy Mortgage - Leo Namiot - Saint Augustine, FL
More than just great rates
Wow, I love my job and go the extra mile for people but I don't think I would have gotten out of bed at 10:30 pm to sign some docs.
Jul 21, 2007 02:05 AM
LaShon James-Major
The Document Diva - Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Mobile Notary - 562.314.4319

There are many notaries that advertise 24/7 service. There are emergency situations that call for this service. And obviously this police felt his situation fell into that category and I'm sure you charged him appropiately for this service, Leon.

As far as that other notary who "only does mortgages", in CA it is my understanding that that is illegal. We are officers of the state so unless you have a legitimate reason, like the signer is under the influence or you don't provide 24/7 service, you can't refuse to notarize a document for someone. 

 

 

Jul 21, 2007 06:04 AM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary

LaShon, yes, I charged him a travel fee that was commensurate with the time involved and distance. And he added more to it than I asked in the form of a tip. I reflected the tip on my invoice as part of the travel fee.

And yes, we have the same law in Colorado. It's against the law to refuse someone notary service, unless the customer is making an illegal request (i.e. certify a copy of a birth certificate). 

Jul 22, 2007 12:57 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate
I like your integrity.  I too am a Mobile Notary, and I own my Real Estate company.  I have gone at all hours of the day and night for Birth Certificates, release of impounded  cars, etc.  I couldn't imagine telling someone sorry I only do Loan docs.......
Jul 22, 2007 08:51 AM
Griselda Tealdo-Perez, REALTOR®, e-Pro, GRI, TRC
Coldwell Banker Real Estate - Miami Lakes, FL
Leon, I hope that police officer appreciates what you did. But I know that when you go the extra mile like you did in that case the most important thing is the satisfaction that you get from yourself, for doing something you are proud of, regardless of the clients' appreciation or not. 
Jul 22, 2007 05:39 PM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary

Kathy, I want to commend you on being a mobile notary, and making yourself available the way you do.

Griselda, yes he appreciated it. But I just thought of it as part of my job. I didn't think it was really that late. I have had closings later than that.

 

Jul 23, 2007 06:58 AM
Laurie Gray
Notary In A Flash - Chandler, AZ

I work 24/7 and would definitely have handled the situation as you did. I thought notaries must honor all lawful and reasonable requests to notarize? Of course if your not a 24/7 notary then I could understand turning it down, but not because you only do mortgages.

Keep up the blogs!

Laurie

Jul 23, 2007 12:16 PM
Joan Bergstrom
Joan Bergstrom Mobile Notary - Riverside, CA
Mobile Notary, Riverside CA
If you advertise yourself as I do as 24/7 then you better answer the phone and do the notarization if possible.
Jul 23, 2007 03:00 PM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary
Laurie, I don't know for certain if this other notary advertises himself as 24/7. But I don't think the time was unreasonable. I think that some notaries tend to forget that they wouldn't be able to "only do mortgage work" if the state didn't grant them a commission to be a notary. So in my mind, being a notary public always comes first. And I want to commend you also for being available 24/7.
Jul 23, 2007 05:40 PM
Mike Fotiou
First Place Realty - Calgary, AB
Calgary & Area Real Estate

Word will get around about your customer service :)

Jul 23, 2007 05:49 PM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Leon,

As a Broker I have to say i do care about the loan docs/mortgage work....that's how I pay my mortgage.....BUT you really said it perfectly......"being a notary public comes first......".  The real reason I do my Notaries are too many people won't go out of their way, or they close early, etc.  So, I started doing it as a public service.  I love it.

Jul 24, 2007 04:04 PM
Leon Austin
Mobile Notary Services - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs Mobile Notary

Mike, I hope you're right.

Kathy, it's good to hear that you are getting satisfaction from providing notary service. There are a lot of intangible benefits.

 

Jul 25, 2007 06:41 AM
Dawn Oberdalhoff
Dawn's Mobile Notary Services - York, PA

Leon,

I think it is awesome the way you handled the request.

Aug 15, 2007 10:35 AM
Michele Madison
Nebraska's #1 Notary Services - Bellevue, NE
I agree! Hearing that would leave a bad taste in my mouth!  I too am 24/7 and if I get a call, I definitely try to cater to those in need of a notary. Word of mouth is going to be your biggest asset in the marketing field and the way the market is now, any help is greatly appreciated. 
Aug 30, 2007 04:49 AM
Mary Ellen Elmore
Nunnelly, TN

I have done lots of work in the middle of the night. Some people are shift workers.

 Also, in some states, Tennessee was one of them just 5 years ago, require that a Notary not refuse to notarize something unless they have reason to believe the signer is not who they say they are, the signer is under duress, the signer is under the influence of alcohol or drugs and you have reason to suspect that, and a few other reasons.

I would carefully read my states laws before I ever refused to notarize a document based on "I don't notarize those." Some states consider notaries an "Officer of the Court".

 

Dec 02, 2007 06:48 PM