Concur & validate that utilizing a Laser printer is required for Signing Agent document packages.
This is normally found within the instructions on the Signing Order. All training programs that I’ve undergone for this industry [multiple] ALL emphasized that laser printers are required.
“Why?” one might ask . . .
County clerks (who record these documents) perform a ‘smear’ test to determine if the document was printed on an Inkjet printer. Smear => REJECTED document and subsequent delays negatively affecting the recording & loan completion. Not worth the risk to your reputation.
Even if there is no Industry standard requiring laser, Laser printers are far more cost effective for volume printing. Average print job with laser is 2-3 cents per page. average inkjet is 8-12 cents per page.
I have the FP 428 LASER JET, I didn’t think mine printed 2 sizes but it does. what I did i set tray 1 for letter and tray 2 i put for legal paper. and when go to print when print pg comes up I mark actual size and mark choose paper source by PDF page size.
It works great. I was so happy when I found it does to both size.
Tons of useful input! Thanks everybody. And please take a minute to read my response to Noble on the “Haven’t Received Any Work Yet. Why?” post. I covet your feedback.
I had the same problem at first. Then I watched YouTube and found out how to fix it. It’s simple. Download and install adobe. When you go to print pull it up in adobe and print from that screen. Make sure to check the boxes for all pages, fit to paper and choose paper by pdf source and it prints correctly everytime. Hope this helps.
Same unit I use. And no matter what people think, I ALWAYS use HP toners, not aftermarket. I use a 58x and get close to 10,000 pages from each one.
I still do not understand this laser printer is “required” thing, nor the notion that county clerks do some sort of smear test to see if a doc is printed on laser or inkjet. I’ve never seen such a requirement in any loan package I’ve handled–and that means THOUSANDS of closings. And in my county–as well as EVERY ARIZONA COUNTY–docs are recorded electronically, so I don’t know how some clerk can do anything except smear some butter on their morning bagel.
Please remember - they may be recorded electronically - but in the event of a problem with the loan (foreclosure) or sale of the loan, the original mortgage/security instrument and Note will be required. - if this occurs years down the road the integrity of the print may be compromised.
I’m sorry you don’t agree with this and this is bothering you so much - it is what it is - and has been a requirement for a very very long time. And now that you’ve stated publicly that you don’t - well, hope your companies don’t see it.
P.S. BTW - I work in a law firm and everything here is filed electronically too - but we have to keep the original documents for future reference as you just never know - we don’t discard originals - and neither do lenders.
Number one, I do use a laser printer, always have, always will. My clients have as much respect for my efforts as I do for the relationships I have developed over the past 5 1/2 years as a signing agent. I produce high quality packages and am neat to the point of being sometimes neurotic in what I send in as “complete.” I’ve seen my share of work from other notaries and it is sometimes appalling, but thankfully, not my problem.
Number two, I have scoured every loan package I have had in recent weeks, every set of instructions, and not once have I seen any requirement for a laser printer. I’ve seen instructions for minimum paper weights–20lb bond–and I’ve seen language about no smears, no lines, legible and clear, etc., but nothing regarding the the actual piece if hardware.
Number three, the comment made elsewhere about county clerks performing “smear tests,” is absurd. I’ve been around this escrow business since 2003 and have seen much in those years. Docs are recorded electronically most everywhere. The originals are sent to the lender and when properly stored will last forever.
Number four, once the ink is set, it’s dry and unlikely to smear unless the paper is truly soaked. The important thing to remember is one must choose high quality ink, not the cheaper aftermarket stuff which often contains a higher water content and a lower pigment amount than OEM ink. This should be coupled with a paper which is specific to inkjet printers. Some papers are only suitable for laser printing.
What bothers me is people spreading mis-information.
Many Newer HP lasers have a setting deep in their system that when checked tells the printer to only accept HP cartridges. You have to find that setting and turn it off. It is set to on as default when the printer ships.
regarding whether the HPMFP428 will print on multiple sizes, it will do so if you have two paper trays. However, if you are using the automatic document feeder as one of the trays, HP printer will absolutely not print on multiple sizes of paper. You have to print through Adobe. Finding a second tray for that printer is so hard to do, they are out of stock everywhere but there is a way to print using Adobe.
Can I ask why you always use OEM HP cartridges?? If you are interested, I can send you the link to the one I buy on Amazon. I promise you, the print quality is just as good and they are about $45-$50 per cartridge for 10,000 pages. That’s almost $200 less and with the volume you seem to be printing would be $1000/month savings! Worth trying.
A few reasons, Angela, leading off with “I’m stubborn.” I’m a former HP sales rep, commercial side, printers–by the truckload. Using an aftermarket cartridge voids the warranty should the cartridge blow up. It’s infrequent, but it does happen. The savings per page from using aftermarket is minimal, really. I pay right about $220 for an HP cartridge, versus maybe $50 for aftermarket. $170 savings over 10,000 pages is maybe a penny seven per page savings. Not enough to convince me to use anything other than HP.
Like I said, I’m stubborn, but I do appreciate your looking out for me just the same!!
Frank, since you sold HP for forever and a day maybe you can answer a question…I have the MFP 428fdw…I use the ADF as tray 1 and have it set to legal size paper and then the drawer itself as tray 2 set to letter size.
I was told by HP that this printer is NOT Capable of printing on multiple sizes of paper and that the workaround would be to use Adobe as my default PDF printing program. This has worked fine, however many people have said that they figured out a way To make the printer automatically choose the right size. I have spent hours on this, because I would rather print directly from the signing platform then have to save the documents to my own system, then re-open them in Adobe.
I have changed the settings both in the HP program and by going to the IP address for my printer, but it will not select the right size paper automatically on its own-even with the little box checked to automatically select the correct size paper.
I’m thinking that these other folks might have two drawers and that the printer will select if it has two drawers? I would be forever grateful if you could give me an answer and tell me how to do it if it’s capable!
It’s a great printer, and all-in-one. You say you are using the paper drawer as one paper source, and the ADF as tray 1. Are you sure you don’t mean the flip down bypass tray, that opens up in front of the printer? I’ve never heard of the ADF being a paper source, and honestly cannot understand how it can be a paper source since it shouldn’t be feeding sheets down into the laser unit. Paper that passes through the doc feeder should only be passing through the narrow strip of glass where it scans the ORIGINAL and then spits out a print.
I know of no reason that printer can’t print on two different size papers unless the settings are wrong on your print menu. I’m also pretty sure you can buy a third paper drawer for that unit, as one can with other 400 series HP Lasers. I have an M405, essentially the same unit as yours except it’s just a printer, not an MFP. the unit sits on top of the added paper drawer. I don’t bother with the bypass tray, have one paper drawer–the built in one–that holds 250 sheets, and the second add one, that holds 550 sheets.
Hi Bobby4913, I had a similar issue with my HP printer dual tray…what I do now it this:
I purchase a page separator app which separates the letter and legal pgs and creates a pdf file for each, I have an old Samsung laser that I use only to print legal and my HP only to print letter. If you have one dual tray printer, you can print the files one at a time letter first and then legal or vice versa…
As I review the docs, I then put them back in order based on the original file from the title company.
