Paperwork Ettiquette, Is there any?

Hi Michelle,

Don't worry the loan will process...I do alot of branch closings for various banks....most of their documents are printed this way.  You just got to make sure that all pages are signed and initialed where they need to be.  It is very nerve reckoning, I feel your pain. 

I've done a few of those in my times and they can become confusing when you are getting them signed.  Just be careful and double check your work.  I suggest to notaries DO NOT witness the documents in front of the client, unless requested to do so.  This way you can go back to your abode and sift out the mess.  Plus you are wasting high-value time with low-value effort.

To Find a Notary Public,

Im wondering if I just read your comment correctly, for Notaries NOT to witness the documents in front of a client.  If I am misunderstanding, please accept my apologies.  But isnt that the role of a Notary Public is to witness in front of the client?  A part of the whole Notarial Act with this being the conclusion of the act?  Just want clarification on your statement.

I don't think she was saying that in her post.  Some companies duplex the loan documents and that is the reason I turn the signed document face down.

http://www.joanbergstromnotarypublicom

Sorry Michelle, we hijacked your post :) 

I can understand your frustration and at the time, it probably seemed like a great big mess.  But just think, now you have jumped this hurdle and are now one situation smarter in doing loan closings so when you come across this again you will breeze it and know what to look for.  Plus you probably just aquired a good company to work for.  Always a bonus :)

Joan, I was referring to Find a Notary's comment above mine.  Not Michelle's post.

Gotcha. Sorry

I agree completely that as CA Notaries we are to complete all ACK & Jurats in front of the borrower(s) and not take the documents back to our office and notarize them.

With public notary work (non loan signing) the client brings us a document to be notarized and after we complete an ACK or Jurat, the client leaves with his/her documents.

Loan signing is different because we take the loan docs with us after the signing and FedEx or UPS them back.

I always notarize documents during the signing, it can be a little difficult with some loan packages to keep up, but its possible to complete everything and be out of there under an hour.

It can be a little difficult to notarize the documents during the signing but it is the correct method. Sometimes we aren't sitting at a table/etc where there is lots of room and we just have to make do!

http://www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com

I've done signings on someones couch with no table. Inside a car once.

The last one that was unbelievable was in the Inland Empire and the house looked okay from the outside and when I got in the house I thought Oh s.... and I looked around the place and it was stacked to the ceiling with all kinds of junk and there was no place to sign the docs; but, the couple was very overweight and I figured they ate there and I asked them " do you have TV trays?" 

They said yes and I passed the docs from 1 tv tray to the other tv tray and checked the docs page by page and put them in my briefcase on the floor and did the notary work out in my car. I stood  the entire time as there was no chair for me!

Not every signing is done in paradise and you just have to make it work.  I have signed documents on hoods of cars, in garages on work benches, on tables the borrowers set up in front of their garage so you can't sign inside the house.  Be thankful you don't have to go in the house.

http://www.joanbergstromnotarypublic.com

In three years, and eight hundred loans, I think I have only had one front/back loan (& like you they printed it) and I called them to see if they did it by mistake.  Nope.  It can be filed in many recording offices, but some do not, so I don't know how they deal with that, I am assuming since it is electronically filed, the scanned version doesn't realize it was printed front/back.