Colorado Springs Notary - Leon Austin

Most of the requests that I get to notarize foreign language documents are for German documents, since German is the language that I know.

This morning I got a call from a Russian man, asking if I would notarize his signature for a Russian document.

Of course.

When I got there he showed me the document. I had him sign it, and then I notarized his signature.

What did the document say?

I have absolutely no idea.

A notary public does not concern themselves with the contents of the document. We notarize signatures, not documents.  And Colorado notary law does not prohibit Colorado notaries from notarizing documents in a foreign language.

However, there are some measures that I took.  The first thing I did was take a photo of the document with my digital camera.  Whenever I notarize a document in a foreign language, usually for copy certifications, I keep a copy of the document for my records.

Also, I attached a loose certificate.  So although the document is in Russian, the notary certificate is in English.  And that is really all that is required. 

I don't know the notary laws of all states, so the prudent thing for any notary to do is to make sure that their state notary laws allow them to notarize a document in a foreign language.

It's a situation that every notary signing agent has been in. You're driving in your car, perhaps on your way to a closing, and you get a call on your cell phone.  The caller has some information for you that you want to write down. But you can't, because you have your hands on the wheel. Not only that, but it would be difficult to write and drive, even if you did have both hands free. What to do?

A few months ago, at the recommendation of ActiveRain member Justin Smith, I bought a digital voice recorder for doing interviews for localism. The model I bought is the Olympus VN-3100. It's basically the same model that he recommended, except that it doesn't have the PC connection which enables you to upload your files to your PC.  But it works beautifully.

The size is ideal. It's about the size of a cell phone. You can even use a cell phone case to carry it in, like the one shown in the photo to the left. You don't have to take it out of the case in order to record. The case has a hole in the top where the microphone is located. The case also has a clip on the back, so you can clip it to your visor. Or if you want to carry it while you're walking, you can clip it to your belt or some other item.

The sound quality is excellent. I attended a class and used it for recording the instructor. It caught every word. There are 4 "folders" (A, B, C, and D) so you can organize your notes.

Once you start using one, you'll find many more uses for it.

At one time I never thought I'd ever make use of a digital voice recorder. Now I don't know what I would do without it.

Good luck.

"Children should be seen and not heard."

Malarkey!

Not only should children be seen AND heard, but they should be made to feel special. I try to do this whenever there are children present at a loan signing.

One way is by simply talking to them.  There isn't much opportunity to talk with them during the signing, but I make it a point of greeting them whenever I walk into a home, and saying goodbye to them when I leave.  And if there is a moment free, I'll use it to engage them in conversation.  The late Art Linkletter once said, "Kids say the darndest things."  That is so true.  It's one of the reasons why I love talking to kids.

Something else about kids is that they're grateful of the smallest things that you do for them. That is a special quality.

I always have my thumbprinter in my bag.  Sometimes I'll take a thumbprint of the kids so they can see what their thumbprint looks like. They get a big kick out of that. It's inkless, so it wipes off easily.

I remember when I was in elementary school the teacher would give out stars. She would put them on our forehead.  It made us feel so special that we would wear it all day long.

Well, kids still like getting stars, so I give them a gold star -- the kind I use for notary seals.

There are a lot of other ways to get the kids involved. The main thing is to make them feel special. Because they are.

The next Colorado Notary Public Training class will be held on Thursday, August 16, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Secretary of State's office, located at 1700 Broadway in Denver.

Materials are provided, and each participant will receive a certificate of completion in the mail. There is no fee to attend these classes.  You can bring your Colorado notary application to the class and have it notarized there. The instructor is excellent, and very knowledgeable about notary laws and procedures.

For more information about the class and on how to register, visit the website: Colorado Notary Public Training

Arrive early enough to find a parking spot.

Is there a professional organization for Notary Signing Agents?

Yes. There are many organizations that signing agents can join, including the Signing Registry that I mentioned in Part I. I recommend that the first organization they join is the National Notary Association.

Are there professional designations?

Yes. There are several. One of the most common is the designation Certified Notary Signing Agent (CNSA) from the National Notary Association. In order to earn this designation they must pass a 3-part test and undergo a background screening.

Do Notary Signing Agents have a place online to chat about notary signing agent issues?

Yes. There are many message boards for signing agents. One of the most popular is: Notary Rotary. It's a good place to learn a lot about the signing agent profession. There is a search feature. It can find the answer to just about any question you have.

How does a company go about finding a notary signing agent? Are you listed in the Yellow Pages?

The most effective way to advertise is by becoming a member of the National Notary Association and becoming a member of the Notary Signing Agent section, registering with the major notary signing agent sites, such as Notary Rotary and 123notary.com, signing up with signing companies, and having a website. There are a lot of other ways and other sites that I haven't mentioned. The main thing is to never stop marketing.

I have tried to give as broad a picture as possible, but I'm sure that I haven't come close to answering the question: 'What is a Notary Signing Agent?' completely. It is such a multi-faceted profession.

One of the main reasons why this Notary Signing Agent group exists is so that notary signing agents can share information regarding the notary signing agent profession -- not only amongst themselves, but with the general public.  Visitors are welcome to read through the topics to learn more about what we do, and to ask questions.

There are many difficulties and challenges to this job. But for the most part it is a very rewarding profession, and I derive a great amount of satisfaction from what I do.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about notary signing agents.

What is a Notary Signing Agent? (Part I)

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The National Notary Association is the nation's professional Notary organization and serves the professional, educational, career and business needs of Notaries throughout the U.S. Since 1957, the NNA has helped Notaries to serve society responsibly and ethically.

In one of the topics I posted recently, ActiveRain member Jeff Link commented, "I am a Realtor and I also am a Notary. What exactly is a signing agent and what do they do?"
 
I hope that he didn't think that I was ignoring him by not responding right away. It's just that it is difficult to say what a notary signing agent is. It's easier to answer the second part of his question: 'what do they do?' And even that is difficult, because we do so many things.

The simple answer is that notary signing agents make it possible for someone to do the closing of their mortgage loan, whenever and wherever it is most convenient for them. Many of us work 24/7, which means that there is virtually no limit to when the closing can take place.

How does all of this happen?

Someone in Colorado can go online and borrow from a lender in California.  Is it necessary for that borrower to board a plane and fly to California for the signing of their loan documents, some of which also need to be notarized, or to make a trip to a title company?  No.

Instead, a notary signing agent will bring the loan documents to the borrower.

What usually happens is that I will get a call from the title company to do a closing. They email a confirmation with the borrowers name, address, and phone number, along with other information about the closing. They send the documents to me, most of the time in an email attachment, or they will provide a link to where I can download the documents from a secure website. I make a confirmation call to the borrower, print the documents, then go to the borrower to have the documents signed and notarized. This can be at their home, their place of work, or wherever it's most convenient for them -- any time of day or night.  Afterwards I deliver the documents back to the title company, usually by overnight courier. If it's a local title company here in Colorado Springs I will personally deliver them.

The whole idea is to make it more convenient for the borrower. It's a convenience for the lender as well. Closings have even been done while borrowers were traveling on vacation in their recreational vehicle.

What are the limitations of notary signing agents?

As I'm going over the documents with the borrower during the closing, if the borrower has a specific question about the terms of their loan, I remind them that they will have to ask their loan officer, and that I work for neither the lender nor the title company.

"Well then, who DO YOU work for?"

Notary signing agents are independent contractors. We work for many different companies. It's not uncommon that I will close loans for 3 different lenders, from 3 different parts of the country, on the same day. Yet I represent all of them as if I did work for them.

Is the borrower's sensitive information safe?

Absolutely. Notary signing agents go to great lengths to secure the borrower's sensitive information.  See: Guarding the borrower's information

How much money do notary signing agents make, and what kind of hours do they work?

One of the biggest myths surrounding this profession is that becoming a notary signing agent is a 'get-rich-quick' way of making money. That is far from the truth. Many prospective signing agents come into this profession disillusioned, thinking that they can quit their job and immediately earn a six-figure salary.  It is not easy being a notary signing agent. And it can be very frustrating at times.  Notary signing agents work very hard. It can take a long time to get established to the point where you can make a living at this.  And those who are able to make a living usually work long hours. On several occasions I have left the office to do a closing at 8:00 a.m. and didn't finish the day until close to midnight. Very many of us make ourselves available 24/7, because we have to be available whenever it is convenient for the borrower. Sometimes I'll get a call to do a closing at 7 a.m. because the borrower wants to sign the papers before they go to work, or because that is the only time they are available.

Reverse Mortgages

This is an area in which notary signing agents can play a significant role.  The people who are least able to leave their homes and travel great distances are the elderly.  Many of us are trained to do Reverse Mortgage closings and have a lot of experience working with senior citizens. We take a lot of pride in serving these clients.

Speaking of training, what type of training is required to become a Notary Signing Agent?

Some of the types of training include seminars, training manuals, and online courses. Most of the knowledge that we gain is through self-study.

More information can be found in the topic: Continuing Education for Notary Signing Agents.  If you are going to learn from a training manual, the one I recommend is the Signing Agent Training Guide, written by Kathy Poston. You can learn more by visiting the Signing Registry website.

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.

I do a lot of closings for a lender who sends the documents to the borrower by overnight courier. Everything has to go into that one envelope: the original documents, the borrower's copies, and the return envelope. Not much room for a classy looking folder for the borrower to keep their copies. Actually, there is nothing for the borrower -- just the set of documents.

I make up for this by bringing my own materials. It isn't a classy looking color folder with the lender's name and logo on it, but at least it's something. And the borrowers appreciate getting it.

This is all part of the impression that the borrower has of their lender. Notary signing agents represent the lender, even though we don't work directly for them.  We are perhaps the only face they will see in the entire loan process. What we do and say influences how that borrower perceives the lender.

Yes, it costs extra to do these types of things, but the borrowers should be treated like royalty.

Not only do we want to make a favorable impression for the lender, but we want to do the same for ourselves.

Good luck.

I got a call yesterday to do a closing in Canon City on Friday. I was in my car, and on my way to a closing, so I wasn't able to determine exactly where the address was located. I told the company that it's about 50 miles away, and that I'd have to charge extra for travel. They were aware of the distance, but said they couldn't find anyone else. We agreed on a fee, based on the approximate mileage, and I accepted the assignment.

When I was finally able to locate the address with Yahoo! driving directions, I saw that the total distance was 47.6 miles. No surprise. What I didn't factor into my fee was the time that it would take to get there: 59 minutes (1 hour). That's a total of 2 hours of driving, plus the time it takes to do the closing: close to 3 hours. Not to mention the time spent on other tasks associated with the closing.

It's not likely that I will get any more money from the company. They are already paying me as much as they can, and it's well over what I normally charge.

Why travel 50 miles to Canon City to do a closing, when I can stay in Colorado Springs and not have to travel more than 10 miles to a closing?

I could have told them, 'pay me more money, or I won't do it.'  That's a bad attitude, and a bad way of looking at the situation. There is no one else to do the closing in Canon City.

The title company is in Wheat Ridge. Why not have the borrowers drive 133 miles to do the closing at the title company?

One of the reasons that notary signing agents exist is so that borrowers don't have to do that. We make it possible for them to do the closing in the comfort of their home, or wherever it's most convenient for them. We are in the service business. And you can't always put a price tag on customer service.

So why not charge the borrowers more money in closing costs to cover this kind of convenience?

Aren't they paying enough money already?

You received a set of loan documents that were sent by overnight delivery. They arrived on the same day as the closing. You notice that there is only 1 copy of the Notice of Right of Rescission. There are 2 borrowers. You have to leave soon to go to the closing. It is early in the morning, and the title company is not yet open. What do you do?

A) Go to the closing anyway with just the 1 copy of the Right to Cancel.
B) Lay a guilt trip on the title company by sending them an email letting them know that they only sent you 1 copy of the RTC
C) Keep your mouth shut and make the copies yourself.

If you answered (C), congratulations. You have what it takes to be a good Notary Signing Agent.

Each borrower is entitled to 2 copies of the Right to Cancel. No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs about it.

As the notary signing agent it is your responsibility to see that the borrower gets those copies. In other words: Make it Happen.

If they were e-docs, all you would have to do is go back into the file and print out sufficient copies.  But these documents were overnighted to you. What do you do?  There are actually a couple of solutions, and I used them both.

1. If you have a laser copier, you can simply make the copies that way.

or

2. You can scan the document, then print sufficient copies with your laser printer. 

I have a laser copier and made a copy using it. I wanted to see if there were other solutions.

I also have a HP OfficeJet 5610. It's not a top of the line all-in-one, but it gets the job done. It is capable of scanning documents and converting them to PDF format. You could possibly make inkjet copies and give them to the borrowers, but it's best if all of the documents in the package are printed in laser quality.

Anyhow, that is the situation that I was faced with this morning.