[vanton57]

As a mobile closer, I have closed both purchase and refi, as well as, equity loans. What allows me to be a mobile closer is that I am also a Notary Public.

As a closer and a notary, I am required to check ID and have the individual sign their name as the documents are drawn. So if the docs say E. F. Hutton, the individual will sign as E. F. Hutton. If the docs are drawn as Edgar Freak Hutton then they will sign Edgar Freak Hutton. Anything else will cause the loan NOT TO FUND. Now I have seen some very strange "signatures". I had one fellow that made a circle of some sort with another loop in it. The signature matched the ID he had provided to prove to me who he was. That was his signature. Signature does not mean it has to be legible but rather your signature and as long as you can attest to me that that is your signature and it says whatever the name is drawn on the documents, who am I to tell you different. Now if you had stated to me it is your initial, I would have made you go back and sign your full name, middle initial last name etc.

As far as the attorney wearing duel hats, nothing illegal there. You're not going to find anywhere written saying the closer (attorney) and the notary have to be two separate individuals.

Now, with all that said, you DO HAVE THE RIGHT to sit and read every single word on every single document ESPECIALLY on a purchase because there is no right to cancel. The closing attorney was not there for your interests so you should have hired your own attorney to bring with you to closing and have the documents reviewed by someone looking after your interests if you had so chosen to do so. (BUT, that attorney would have looked at it and said it was ok to sign it). I seriously doubt you would have any cause of action per se though unless you challenge the legality of how the loan was funded with your signature rather than by actual assets the lender risked.

In my last purchase closing when the closer started running the paper through rapid fire, I stopped everything by reading each document since the closer was not telling me anything except this is your note, this is your mortgage etc. My husband was on my right the closer to my left and he didn't sign anything until I told him it was ok to sign. :O) Irritated the heck because I drug that closing out for over an hour after they had me waiting over 2 hours for my closing appointment. It irritates the socks off of me to have someone think they have the right to waste my time so I chose to waste their time. The real kicker, which they didn't realize at the time, I understood most of what I was reading because of my training background.