- Check that the name on the application is the same as the one on your form of ID. If the names don’t match, notarization at the closing could be delayed or even denied.
- Bring all the loan information to the closing, such as the list of loan terms, interest rate, and loan type. This way you can compare them to the terms you agreed to when the documents were drawn.
- Don’t assume your lender has an accurate account of your personal information. Check your information against the loan documents to guarantee its accuracy.
- If a loan document contains blanks, don’t sign it! Documents with blanks make you vulnerable to fraud and should not be notarized!
- Be familiar with the right of recission period and check to see if it applies to your loan. If you have a right to rescind, you have 3 days to do so. However, if you do rescind, be aware that you may face other unexpected consequences, such as losing your locked-in mortgage rate.
- Know what you are signing. It is the notary public’s job to serve as an impartial third party witness, but he or she cannot give you legal advice and will most likely not be able to answer specific questions about your loan. Be sure to clear up any questions you may have with your loan officer before signing any documents.
- Make sure you are in front of the notary when you sign and notarize your documents, even if you have exchanged the documents electronically.
- Only work with a notary who can communicate in your own language. Do not rely on an interpreter. You may use a bilingual notary if you speak a language other than English.
- Do not use an untrained notary. Only use a professional who has been trained by the National Notary Association and holds current NNA membership. A trained local notary is best equipped to help prevent and detect fraud.