Nearly half of Signing Agents surveyed this month said they have trouble actually contacting representatives of lenders and title companies during signings, even though the majority of these representatives provide after-hours contact numbers.
Because Signing Agents are not authorized to answer questions about the details of a loan, any questions or concerns the signer has must be answered by a qualified loan officer or other authorized representative of the lender.
But if the loan signing is taking place at night or on a weekend, this becomes more difficult. 86 percent of survey respondents reported that their lenders provide after-hours contact numbers if questions come up during a loan document signing. However, 44 percent said they were unable to reach anyone by phone when a signer needed additional information about the loan.
Several Signing Agents commented that being unable to get answers after business hours or on weekends from lenders is one of the most challenging issues they face.
“Finding the right, knowledgeable person is very hard and time consuming,” one respondent wrote. “After hours, folks are not always there to help.”
David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.