If your closing is handled by a notary signing agent, there is a lot borrowers can do to prepare and make sure the closing goes smoothly.

• Have your loan officer’s contact information: The first thing borrowers need to understand is that the notary signing agent does not work for the lender or title company. Notary signing agents are independent contractors who work for many different companies and sometimes several different lenders in a day. In many cases, the signing agent has received the loan documents only an hour before closing, so their knowledge of your loan is limited to the information found in the loan documents themselves. So, keep a phone number for your loan officer handy so that if you have any specific questions about the terms of your loan, financing, etc., you have someone you can direct those questions to.

• 3 day right to cancel: If you have a 3-day right to cancel, you will reduce the amount of time your closing takes if you use those 3 days to read your documents more closely, get answers to any additional questions you have, resolve any issues, etc. . No need to waste time reading every word of every document during closing. There is a lot that can be accomplished during those 3 days. Errors can be corrected, problems solved, etc.

• ID: In most cases, it will be necessary to provide a photocopy of your identification (ie driver’s license) to be returned with the loan documents. This is something you can do in the days leading up to closing. On the subject of identification, make sure you have at least 2 current forms of identification. There is usually a form that the notary signing agent must complete that requires the information of 2 forms of identification. Some of the forms that are acceptable are a passport, military ID, birth certificate, social security card, valid voter registration card, employee ID,…to name a few.

• Cash owed by you: If there is money you will have to pay at closing, be prepared. Know the amount and know to whom the check should be made out. Also know what form of payment is acceptable. A personal check may not be acceptable.

• cash for you: If money comes to you, decide in advance how you want to receive it. Have your bank account information and possibly a voided check handy. Typically, you will have the option of receiving funds by mail, overnight delivery, or transfer to your bank account. Find out what you will be charged for bank transfers.

• stipulations: There may be additional information you will need to provide on closing day. Contact your loan officer to find out if you will need to provide insurance information, homeowners association information, etc. In short, find out all the things you’ll need to have on closing day. This will not only ensure that your loan can be funded on time, but will also reduce the amount of time it will take to close.

• potential problems: Inform the signing notary of any potential problems. For example, if you have a physical disability, be sure to mention it. There are many ways he or she can make the signing process much easier for you. If the signing will take place in a location that does not have adequate furniture or lighting, this is something you can mention as well. In other words, don’t hesitate to inform the signing notary of any potential problems. It lets them know how they should prepare.

• information statement: Sometimes there will be a form included in the loan documents that will ask you for a lot of information, such as dates of residence, employment, marital history, next of kin, etc. Try to have this information handy in case you need to fill out this form.

• find the location: The notary signing agent needs to know how to get to the location. Usually they will have located the address using a locator tool, but not all addresses can be found. So be prepared to give instructions to the signing agent. If you live in a gated community, let them know how to get access. If it is a business, let them know the name of the business, office number, etc. Usually, the only information the signing agent has is an address. It also helps if he can give a brief description of the location or any landmarks. If it’s in a rural area, knowing the mile markers where you need to slow down or turn is helpful.

• contacting you: Make it easy for the signing agent to contact you. Please provide a cell phone number if you have one so if they experience any issues they have a way to contact you.

• Cooperation: Try to understand that the notary signing agent has a difficult job to do. He or she may ask you to sign the documents a certain way or give you other instructions. These are usually instructions that come directly from the lender. You may want to sign with his favorite ink pen. But if it’s the wrong color ink, don’t be offended if he has to use the one you provided. There may be other things that will be asked of you. The signing agent will also want to spend some time after he has signed all the documents so that he can review them to make sure everything is signed correctly. This usually takes just a few minutes. The signing agent is just doing her job and doing the best he can to ensure that your loan closing goes as smoothly as possible.

That, in a nutshell, is why notary signing agents do what they do. We want to make your closing as convenient and comfortable as possible for you, and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Good luck.