Colorado Springs Notary - Leon Austin

Question: My wife and I are in the process of getting a divorce.  We have a document that needs to be notarized, and it needs both of our signatures.  Is there some way that we can get it notarized without having to appear before a notary together?

Answer:  You will both have to appear before a notary to get the signatures notarized.  However, you don't have to appear before a notary together.  You don't even need to be in the same city.

This is referred to as a 'split signing'.

For example, Signer A appears before a notary in Colorado Springs to have her signature notarized on the document.  She sends it to Signer B who is living in Fort Collins.  Signer B takes the document to a notary and has his signature notarized.  The document has been signed by both parties and their signatures have been notarized.  They never saw each other the entire time.

Split signings can be done for many reasons.  In a real estate transaction, the wife may be in one state while her husband is in another state on business.  The wife can sign the loan documents, then have them overnighted to her husband to be signed.

Another reason for a split signing is if two people need to sign a document, but they work at different times and can't appear together before a notary.  I once did a closing like that.  I took the loan documents to the husband in the morning and had him sign them.  Then later that evening I brought the documents to the wife to have her sign them.

When two people need to have their signatures notarized, and simply can't appear together before a notary, a split signing is a solution.

But don't expect it 'immediately' after the closing.

Yesterday was a hectic day for me, and it's not even the end of the month.  I got a call to do a notarization at a law office around noon.

While I was at the law office, I got 2 calls to do closings -- one for 3:30 p.m. and the other for 7:00 p.m.  I already had a closing scheduled for 5:30 pm.

First I had to download and print all of the documents for the 3 closings.  Then the fun began.

The 3:30 closing was in the north end of Colorado Springs. 

After that, I had to get to the next closing which would be in Fountain -- south of Colorado Springs.  After that one was completed, I drove out to Falcon for the final closing. 

There was no time in between to do anything.  I was either in a closing, or in a rush to get to another closing.  I finally had a chance at around 9:30 p.m. to get on the websites and give status, do the required fax backs for one of the closings, ... etc. 

It's Saturday, so I'll be delivering the loan documents to the UPS Store and FedEx Kinkos, because I can't just drop them in a drop box.  It seems like the job never ends.

It's hard for companies to understand that notary signing agents have days like this.  It isn't as if we have just one closing, and we can devote all of our time and attention to just one company.  We're doing several closings, for several different companies.  And we don't want to be late for any of the closings because we had to take the time to fax back documents, log on to a website, ... etc.

But they will get the status.  Just be patient. 

At around 10 p.m. I had faxed all of the documents, logged on to the websites to give a completion report, made the necessary phone calls, ... etc.

You want status?  I'll give you status. ...

It'll just take a while.

A person decides they want to become a notary signing agent. Earn some extra cash.  Ride out the rough road in the economy.

Why not? There aren't that many barriers into this profession.

So they do what it takes to become a notary public.  Then they take a one-day seminar on how to become a notary signing agent. They even pass the exam to become a 'certified' notary signing agent.  After that they buy all of the equipment necessary.  They get listed on all of the major notary sites so that they can get calls to do closing assignments.

They have everything it takes to be a notary signing agent. Right?

Perhaps they do -- if they have that one main element that all notary signing agents need to be successful in this business: 

... the right 'temperament'.

Why is having the right temperament so important in this profession?

For starters, you'll be working with people.  A lot of people. Some of these people you will be working with face to face, such as the borrowers whose closings you will be doing.  And they come in all types, and from all walks of life.  Some will be cordial and polite.  Even grateful to you.  But you will also come across people who are rude, inconsiderate, crass, ... etc.  You'll need skin as thick as a rhino's.

And you will be working with a lot of people whom you may never see.  These are the people who will be calling you to do the closings.  These are the people you'll be reporting to, the ones you'll be relying on to pay you, ... etc. 

Speaking of getting paid.  That's one of the biggest issues in this business. 

You'll need a lot of patience.  You'll also need a lot of tenacity, if you want to get paid.  They don't teach tenacity in the training classes.

Whoever said that being a notary signing agent is a 'work from home' business was wrong.  You'll be working from home alright -- other people's homes.  A lot of other people's homes.  So you'll be doing a lot of driving. 

At times it will be enough to drive you crazy.

It's not a glamorous life. 

Although you will be required to dress business casual, you'll often feel like jeans and a hard hat are more appropriate.  Not all closings are done in an office.  They are wherever it is convenient for the borrower. 

Convenient can be anywhere.

Patience and understanding will be required.  Not everything goes according to plan.  You'll have a closing scheduled for 6 p.m.  You'll have to leave at 5:30 in order to get to the closing on time.  The loan documents might not be sent to you until 5:30 -- if at all.  Delays, revisions, cancellations, ... 

'Stuff happens'.  Get used to it.

Patience is also necessary because, not all of the borrowers are going to simply 'sign here'.  Many of them will want to take their time and read.  And read.  Just one word from you might be enough to push them over the edge.  Because they want to take their time, ... and read.  A closing that you thought would take 45 minutes might end up taking an hour and 45 minutes.  You have another closing to get to, and you're going to be late if you don't do something.  What you do in times like this are things that you can't learn.  Every person is different.  So as a notary signing agent you too will need to read -- read people, that is.

It's a people business. Everything revolves around people.  The best education, the best equipment, tech savvy, business savvy, ... it's all useless if you don't have that one important element:

... the right temperament.

Good luck.