What to Expect if Your Lender Sends a Notary to Your Home

Wow! You have gotten financing for your home and done it all at your convenience, on the Internet and over the telephone! Now, a person is bringing them out to your home for you to sign them. Will the wonders of technology never cease? Yes, they will and here is what you, as the borrower(s) need to understand before that person arrives: 1. The person is a Notary Public. They are not employed by your lender or Title Company. 2. The Notary Public is not a lawyer. They can not give advice on the loan, its terms and conditions or the legality of any of those documents. Now, for the things you need to do before the notary public arrives: 1. Go out and drive into your home and make note of street signs, mileage, etc. Not all addresses are listed on mapping sites and some are listed incorrectly. The notary can not find you without accurate directions. And be brief in your directions. Giving too many details can become confusing.  2. Make a copy of each borrowers’ picture identification. 3. Speak to your loan officer and ask if there are any stipulations that you need to prepare to give to the notary to be sent back with the documents. Some stipulations might be:  i. A certified check ii. Copies of previous deeds  iii. Copy of last survey iv. Copy of divorce or marriage papers  v. Copy of a death certificate 4. Have both spouses present at the time of the signing. Even though only one of you is considered a borrower, in some states, Tennessee being one of those, requires that the non-borrowing spouse sign certain documents concerning transactions with real property. (Please consult your legal advisor for further information on this.) 5. Have a table with sufficient space and seating for the borrower(s), notary and anyone else that needs to be present such as others with a vested interest in the property, anyone that may be signing a Quit Claim Deed, or your legal advisor. 6. Please have the table clean. Grape jelly on the back of your documents is not a good thing. 7. Understand that the notary will bring pens in the color of ink specified by your lender, title company or by state law. 8. Please turn the television off. You are signing very important legal documents and as a notary I need to know that you have read and understand to the best of your knowledge, information and belief. With your attention on the television, I can not know that. Also, clients sign in the wrong place because they are watching television instead of listening to the instructions the notary is giving. 9. You can, and should read your documents before signing them. Feel free to take the time to do so. 10. Call your loan officer and make sure they will be answering the telephone number they have provided you, during the appointment time. This way, if questions do arise at the table, you can reach the loan officer. 11.  Understand that the notary has other appointments and has scheduled between 2-3 hours for your closing. Try to keep all distractions to a minimum. This is to make sure your attention is on the documents and that you know what you are signing and so that the notary can do their job accurately. The closing will go much faster if there are fewer distractions. 12. Decide how you want to receive your loan proceeds. If you want these direct deposited, have your banking information handy and a voided check.