After years of working as an escrow officer, I have seen firsthand how one mistake—one missed signature, one unreliable notary—can derail an entire mortgage closing. A mortgage is a carefully orchestrated process involving loan officers, underwriters, processors, escrow and title officers, and many others who ensure that everything is in place for a smooth closing. But all that hard work can fall apart in an instant if the wrong notary-signing agent is chosen.
The Risks of an Unqualified Notary
Many mortgage closings have failed not because of the loan terms, but because an unprofessional notary got involved. Here are some of the most damaging mistakes I’ve encountered:
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Notaries Giving “Advice” on Loan Terms – A signing agent’s job is to facilitate the signing, not to offer opinions on the mortgage itself. I’ve seen notaries tell borrowers that their loan is “not good” or that they “shouldn’t sign,” despite having zero authority or understanding of the borrower’s financial situation. This has led borrowers to back out at the last minute, creating a nightmare for all parties involved.
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Notaries Who Don’t Know What to Do – Some notaries show up to a signing completely unprepared, fumbling through documents, not knowing where signatures or initials are required. This creates confusion, frustration, and worst of all—errors that cause costly delays.
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No-Shows or Last-Minute Cancellations – A notary who fails to show up for an appointment can throw off the entire mortgage process. Borrowers may be traveling, moving out of state, or unavailable for days or weeks. A single missed appointment can push back closing dates and disrupt financial planning for everyone involved.
The Cost of a Single Mistake
A single missing signature can cause major issues:
- Best-case scenario: The notary has to return to the borrower for the missed signature. If the borrower is unavailable, this could take days or even weeks, delaying the entire loan process.
- Worst-case scenario: The borrower gets frustrated with the process and refuses to sign at all, leading to a canceled loan and lost time and money for all parties involved.
For escrow officers, loan officers, and mortgage professionals, delays and failed closings mean lost revenue, missed commissions, and, most importantly, a damaged reputation.
Cheap Notaries Can Be Costly
Some companies claim to have tens or even hundreds of thousands of notaries in their network. But what they don’t tell you is that many of these notaries have little to no experience. They are simply hiring anyone with a notary commission—no training, no accountability, no guarantee of professionalism.
Saving $100 by hiring the cheapest signing service could end up costing thousands in lost deals, extended rate locks, or, in extreme cases, legal issues. In a business where reputation matters, cutting corners on the notary can lead to long-term damage that isn’t worth the small upfront savings.
Choose Quality. Choose Loan Signing Solutions.
At Loan Signing Solutions, we do things differently.
- We Vet Every Notary – Our signing agents are experienced, trained, and held to the highest standards of professionalism.
- No Missed Signatures – Our notaries understand the importance of accuracy, ensuring that every document is properly executed the first time.
- No Loan Advice – We train our notaries to stick to their role: facilitating the signing, not discussing loan terms.
- Guaranteed Punctuality – Our notaries arrive on time, every time, so there are no unnecessary delays.
- Strict Confidentiality – We uphold the highest standards of privacy. Our notaries do not discuss, disclose, or share any details about signings—not with borrowers, not in forums, and not even with their own spouses.
A Trusted Partner in Mortgage Closings
The last step in a mortgage transaction should be the easiest. When you choose Loan Signing Solutions, you’re choosing reliability, professionalism, and peace of mind. Don’t let an unqualified notary risk your deal.
Choose wisely. Choose experience. Choose Loan Signing Solutions.
By Hannah Chen