The Role of a Notary at Your Real Estate Closing

The notary plays a key role at the real estate closing. Also known as the notary signing agent or NSA, this individual plays a vital role to ensure that the real estate process is completed according to the law.

Let’s take a deeper look at what a notary signing agent is and how they can help you gain the peace of mind that your home contract or mortgage is legal in your state.

What is an NSA?

The notary is a third-party person or an impartial member of the public who acts as a witness in the closing process. This person is legally authorized to notarize statements and official documents. According to the NNA, which is the official National Notary Association in the US, notaries are individuals who are appointed by the government or state whose aim is to validate important documents, contracts and mortgages.

The simple presence of a notary protects the signer from any scams and guarantees that all the documents signed are protected by the state. Know that the NSA is specially trained to handle all loan documents that are mandatory for completing the home closing process.

What is the Role of a Notary Signing Agent?

As a rule of thumb, the NSA is the last person you’ll have to interact with when it comes to your home closing. Once you finish working with your loan officer, the real estate agent and other title officials that help you choose the right terms for your loan, the notary signing agent comes as the ultimate piece of the puzzle.

Here are some tasks the NSA is appointed to help you with:

– Verify the Signers of the Contract: first and foremost, the agent will verify your identity. They will require some official identification, such as a drivers’ license or national insurance number. Note that the documents they request from you vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In certain states, you might need to take a verbal and written oath, swearing that you are the person you say you are.

– Notarize Signatures & Oversee the Closing Process: after the signers have been verified, the notary agent will proceed to revealing all the documents that need to be signed. They will give you several forms to sign, then stamp the documents using the official notary seal and then sign the documents themselves. These elements, specifically the signing, sealing and writing down the commission information on each document, is also called “notarization” and guarantees that your transaction is valid and recognized by your state.

– Educate Signers: next, the NSA educates you on your rights and ensures that you understand all your responsibilities prior the closing procedure

– Handle & Deliver the Documents: ultimately, the NSA is the one responsible for filling in your documents and mailing them to the appropriate parties for disbursement of funds and official recording. At this point, you can rest assured that the transaction is completed, and you can move into your new home/get your funds for the sale of your property.

How are NSAs Selected?

To give you the peace of mind and assurance that you can trust your NSA, it is important to understand how they are actually selected. The federal law states that they should be chosen randomly for each transaction. All NSAs have to be impartial and not choose sides. That’s why you can have complete confidence that your appointed NSA is chosen using a randomized system.

At Coast 2 Coast Signings, we do not take the notary selection process lightly. We are dedicated to providing the most convenient, efficient, and professional signing services. We make sure that you get a notary signing agent with a proven record of successfully completed jobs, because we strive to satisfy you.

Learn more about getting a notary signing agent for your real estate closing by contacting Coast 2 Coast Signings.