Just had an appointment, a spouse was a non borrower but appeared on the Deed of Trust and had to sign a Signature/Name Affidavit and some other documents.
Right off his last name is not spelled correctly. I confess, I sometimes forget to verify spelling of everyone’s name when I confirm an appointment. My bad.
So I called Title because when a Deed of Trust last name is spelled wrong, it usually kills things until it can be redrawn.
Today, Title said he already held the Deed with the wrong spelling. So I could have him cross out re-spell and initial all last name spelling correction and I could correct the notarizations.
I never argue with Title. But I bet there has to be a Quit Claim Deed and a new Deed of Trust drawn. You can’t spell stuff wrong on a Deed of Trust and correct it like that. But I never argue, I did it exactly the way they wanted it.
I just told the signer if it had to be corrected down the road, we’d do that. I won’t be surprised when I hear from them again.
Since when does “well it was wrong last time too” fly as an excuse for bad docs prep. And oh yeah remember the best practice of verifying signer name spellings during the initial appointment confirmation conversation.
On a lighter note, it’s way busier in February compared to January for me. Days with more than one - YAY. Lordee. Anyway. Hope the week is ending well for you. It’s going to be winter weather here.
Concur to provide the correction as directed (as long as it is in concurrence with the laws of your State).
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The other item that I’m always cognizant of & double-check is: ANYTIME the middle initial is IDENTICAL for each of the signers.
I’ve only had one instance that their middle initials matched - ALL the others had to be corrected.
If you’re confronted with items within the document package that are within the scope of the project/within your bailiwick, DO apprise the hiring entity of your discovery.
Here are a few suggestions for items I routinely monitor:
An unusual spelling of the signer’s name. I initially query the signers during the confirmation call. I’ll then present the potential item to be Edited to the hiring entity
If the couple have the same middle initial. I initially query the signers during the confirmation call. I’ll then present the potential item to be Edited to the hiring entity
If the County identified on the documents differs from the County verified during the confirmation call to the signers. I’ll then present the potential item to be Edited to the hiring entity
Even when you verify it in advance, it can still be botched up when the docs arrive. And it will get worse in the future with the “creative” names that parents will name their children.
Agree! Makes me think of some of the crazy names listed on one of the Signature Name Affidavits I did. How do they get such an important thing so wrong? Then the name follows the signer for the rest of their life. It’s cuckoo.
I had a signing where the husband had an original deed filed with an incorrect spelling of his last name and it was never caught until I found it at the signing table for their refi. I was shocked the notary from the original deed never had the signer check the spelling of his name as I always tell the signers to double check since this will be recorded. But i was also shocked that title didnt catch it. Needless to say the signing had to be cancelled.
Title hires docs preparers. Just like notaries or loan officers or anything else they aren’t all perfect. NNA says verifying spelling should be done at confirmation but that doesn’t make sense when we confirm an appointment before we get documents. Correcting a deed requires more than one document and probably costs money. I don’t know.
Well, it is up to the notary to make sure the name(s) on the recordable document match the ID of the signer. If you ignore the discrepancy, the mistake carries on uncorrected.
The names on those documents…especially documents being recorded at the courthouses should be perfect and error free (period). Verified before going to a notary.
Yes, I agree on the crazy names on the signature names affidavit pages. At a recent signing, the signer’s parents’ first letter of their first names were used with the signer’s unmarried name, so most of the names she had never used and left them blank.
@lisahaggblom – You posted: “At a recent signing, the signer’s parents’ first letter of their first names were used with the signer’s unmarried name, so most of the names she had never used and left them blank.” Were your instructions to leave blank whatever names have never been used? I was taught to have signer write in that signature space “never known as” and then initial that short statement or, in the case where there’s just various names listed one after the other, to have signer circle the incorrect name(s) and write below/next to that incorrect name “never known as” and initial. Never leave it blank.
In my experience preprinted variations require a reference signature or never known as. I have worked with one company that wanted each variation signed and didn’t want to see a strike through if any kind.
Sometimes it depends on the hiring company.
If no names are listed I usually ask them to write the full one from their drivers license and sign that.
Did one Monday with three pages of variations. He did them all.
