I think you’re being a little paranoid with that concern, but I agree that there’s no reason to leave notary instructions in the borrower’s copy. I have also removed them on occasion, but it’s usually something I’ll only do on large packages and there are a lot of instruction pages.
I remove them because I’d like the signer to think they have a notary who actually knows what they are doing LOL.
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I see your point, but my guess is that 90% of signers never even glance at their copy of the documents after you give it to them. Even if they do, who cares what they think? You know that you did your job right, and that’s all that really matters.
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If they don’t glance at it who cares if the notary instructions are deleted?
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Nobody cares. It’s just a question of whether you want to leave them or remove them. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to that question.
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You may want to rethink taking out document instructions and just keep loan docs in the same stacking order they send it. I just received this caution/reminder from ServiceLink:
“Dear Valued Partner,
We are reaching out as we have recently seen an increase in the number of errors on scanbacks uploaded.
Please note that not all closings requiring scans are reviewed by our post close or audit teams. Some lenders require a copy of the scans to be provided to them so they may begin their prefunding audit process, so it is essential that the documents uploaded to the portal are correct.
Please ensure you follow the below guidelines to ensure your scans are error free:
- Please ensure you are printing and scanning back all pages of the closing package, including the instructions pages for the tax forms (W-9 and 4506-C), and all pages of all copies of the Closing Disclosure.
- Please verify your printer/scanner settings are correct, and set to print to both letter and legal-size paper, as many lenders include both legal and letter size documents within the closing package.
- Please ensure that you complete a quality check at the closing table, before scanning and before uploading scans to the Exos portal to ensure errors are corrected before ServiceLink receives the uploaded scans and original executed documents.
If our audit team does contact you regarding an error on your scans, or Vendor Management follows up with you regarding an error, please ensure that you upload corrections as soon as possible.
Thank you for your attention and your continued partnership.”
When I see an appraisal in the document set I call the signers and ask them if they would like a hard copy and print accordingly. Most of them, if not all, have received the appraisal via email complete with the beautiful color photos that cannot be reproduced on a Monochrome printer. I never print the Appraisal twice. If my signers want the hard copy, they will get the one that I removed from the Bank Copy. So far, no one from Escrow or Lender has complained.
If they want the Appraisal, I print it from the bank copy (shrink to fit) and place it in a separate envelop. Many times trying to include the Appraisal with the signing copy means the envelop is not large enough or it is bulky.
I used to leave out certain pages, even on the Bank Copy such as the pages behind the W-9 and the 4506-C but now I don’t take any chances and include every single page in the Bank Copy. In the case of a Refi with a RTC, some Lenders want all three returned, others only one. I will print them and make sure all are signed regardless of some copies staying with the Borrowers. On the Borrower copy I will include at least one RTC in their set and they will have the other two from the
Bank Copy. I was once interrupted in printing and missed the RTCs completely. Never again. There will always be backup in the Borrower copy.
The notary instructions are not included in the Borrower copy, some notaries even leave out the certificates if they are not attached to the signed document. If the document set exceeds 200 pages I will ask for an extra print fee.
I saw that instruction too. I never edit a a form set like the W-9 or 4506C. But I do edit out the internal closing instructions which can be as many as 20+ pages, and has nothing to do with the signers. I also don’t include my order form, shipping label, batching sheets in the signers packet, nor do I scan them back. So far I’ve had no pushback.
I only leave all those instruction pages out of the signers copy the lender gets everything back.
I ship everything back to the lender as well. I just don’t bother with scanning them since they are not listed in the scan back list and they are not a part of the lending documents.
Right – to clarify I am not saying agents should provide a copy of the loan assignment/contract with our agreed rate to the signers either. 
Just copies of the entire loan package as provided by hiring company.
I never take the time to remove anything from the scan it takes less time to scan the whole thing and I don’t make shipping errors that way. Just my opinion.
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I made a reply comment about large packages in a recent post that I always check with the signers when I rarely see an Appraisal in the package. If included the package I conclude that the borrowers, one way or another, have paid for the appraisal (see CD or HUD to confirm), including delivery of the report. And of course the lender has the copy, as they are delivered from the Appraisal Management Company to them, first.
It is a sticking point with me, where I draw a line (without being compensated an additional print fee), and do not provide the service, at my cost to print and deliver an appraisal. I believe it is a challengeable/reportable RESPA issue of sorts, for the lender not to deliver it to the borrowers within a specified timeframe of its original completion, (unless the borrowers have signed a waiver of their right to receive in the statutory timeframe). In any regard, a lender requesting the notary provide the copy (perhaps because the borrower wants a hard copy and doesn’t have a printer, is just being cheap, not wanting to mail it (IMO) which we always did, back in the day, when I was an originator/manager/broker principal, to remain in “Compliance with Federal Law” , or just being lazy, either that or the closing agent for the lender is not thinking it through, inexperienced, and in effect taking advantage of the notary to do the lender’s job ….
I agree! I have often tried to do that, too; however, I noticed that some lenders simply look at the page count instead of going through it and if pages are missing (difference between what was sent originally vs returned number) I get an email about it. It seems like a lot of the pages that are included in the files sometimes are unnecessary. The signers don’t even see them anyway. Still, to maintain consistency I print everything as instructed. I do agree that it is wasting potential resources, but I just ask for a print fee if they ask for the borrower to receive a copy.
Yes it is a waste, and such a huge loss. When they bring their entire packet out, thinking I will be signing their package makes it even worse
They normally tell you not to print the appraisal cause the customer gets their own copy electronically anyways. I never print it.
I think I will just start asking. No one has ever volunteered that good to know.
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@johnsonps306 I would - especially in refis, back in the day the appraiser was paid at the door so homeowners are entitled to a copy of it in advance.
I think I had to print an appraisal once in all my years - I can relate to what a pain it is - and what a total waste of your resources.
This. Exactly. It is not for me to decide. I print it all, scan it all, send it all. I always print a second copy for the signer. We all know that almost every single time, the signers are there with their own set of documents they either printed or most often, were sent to them by the lender. Seems silly, but they pay me to do a job and that’s what I do, following their instructions exactly.
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Certainly, any package over 200 pages should have an extra print fee. That’s really “above and beyond”. This is especially true since they don’t price out loan signings by page count. A 200 page package is the same as a 100 page package to them. We, who do this work, know that it simply isn’t the case.