Good morning all,
I am a beginner signing agent and mostly have experience with refis. I accepted a job for “HELOC - Witness Closing - Customer has loan documents”. I’ve read the job instructions and am a little confused as to what to expect. I’m in Ohio, so I don’t believe HELOC loans require a 3rd witness. Am I accompanying another notary to witness the signing? Am I executing documents that need a witness signature but not a notarization? It’s only a $45 fee so I expect it won’t be terribly challenging and I should be able to figure it out but I prefer to not have to do that on the spot. Any insight? Thanks very much!
I performed notarizations that require two witnesses. In the state of MD, I can sign as the notary and a witness. It just so happened that the borrower had another person in the home to sign as the 2nd witness. I always like to have the borrower provide the 2nd witness rather than bringing someone along with me.
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You will be going alone. You will not need a witness. You, in the end, will probably only notarize the mortgage and theemortgage Acknowledgement. The whole process shouldn’t take more than 20 -30 minutes.
I have done 3-4 HELOC Signing of Stawart Title Services in California . I dont know which is your Title Company . Normally they Send every thing properly marked with labels . It will be only 2 Notarization documents and Borrower id confirmation document page. There will be two copy of the documents already delivered to the Borrower. Just complete one and other will be borrower copy . Best of Luck
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In the industry, phrases like “notary witness closing” use the word “witness” loosely. When the notary takes an acknowledgement, the notary notary asks “did you execute this instrument as your free act and deed”"* and witnesses the signer say “yes”.
When the notary administers an oath for a signed document, the notary asks “are the contents of this document true to the best of your knowledge, so help you God?”* and witnesses two things, first that the signer signed, and second that the signer said “yes” to the oath.
So chances are the notary won’t have to sign on any witness lines (unless that’s customary in your state for certain documents).
*or words to that effect.
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