Real Estate Tip: Be Prepared for Closing Day

One of my jobs is "notary signing agent." That means I go around to people's houses and help them with their mortgage closings. Most of the signings go relatively smoothly, but others get bogged down. Whether you sign your papers in your home or at a title agency, there are some simple ways to finish quickly and without any major headaches.

1. Gather your materials. Make sure you have three black pens and three blue pens that work. Your notary is supposed to have them, but if he's running short, you won't have to scramble. Make sure everyone who is signing has a photo ID. You will definitely need it, because the notary needs to prove that you are who you say you are.

If you are getting money back, make a decision a head of time whether you want the money sent to you overnight or wired to you in your bank account. If you choose the latter option, have all of the bank information ready. This includes a voided check and the telephone number of your bank branch, which is usually not listed on your checks.

2. Prepare the signing area. Make sure you have a nice clear table where you can conduct the signing. This should be free from food and drinks and anything else that could spill on the documents. You don't want your important papers to get ruined. Be sure to have some kind of activity for the children so that you can concentrate on your documents.

3. Put your animals away. This is a big one for me. Many people have a major blind spot about animals and especially dogs, treating them as part of the family and giving them free reign over the entire house. Remember that your notary (or any other guest in your house) may not share your affinity for dogs. Of course, the dog is going to bark like crazy at the stranger in his house. The sooner you park the dog in another room, the sooner you can start and finish your closing.

4. Be settled with your loan. By the time you sit down with your notary, you should be comfortable with the loan and its terms. There should not be any surprises when you look at those papers. Make sure everything is cleared up between you and your loan officer. You should also have a cell phone number for the loan officer so you can reach her if there are any problems at the closing. When you sit down with the notary, he should be able to say "sign here and here," and you should be more than happy to do so.

5. Be flexible. Your loan officer may have told you one time, but your notary was given a different time. He's scheduling his day according to the times he's been told. You more then likely won't be his only job for the day. Also, you may have been told that the signing process should only take but 20 minutes when in reality it may take a lot longer. Don't try to schedule your document signing in between eating dinner and going out to the theatre. It's important you take the proper time out to sign these papers. This involves the biggest assets most of us own.

6. Remember what your notary can and cannot do. He is not a bank officer and he is not familiar with the specific terms of your loan. He is just there to witness your signature. Don't get annoyed if he can't answer questions about your interest rates.

Your notary is there to make your signing go smoothly. So cooperating with him is in your best interest.