How Mobile Notary Services Simplify Real Estate Transactions

Buying or selling a home is already stressful enough.

Last thing anyone needs is a drawn out closing process that takes weeks. Between juggling schedules, signing reams of paperwork, and unexpected last-minute delays…

It can feel like a nightmare.

Fortunately, mobile notary services are revolutionizing real estate. By bringing the notary directly to buyers and sellers — wherever and whenever — mobile notary services take the stress out of real estate closings.

In this guide, we’re going to cover:

• Why Mobile Notary Services Matter in Real Estate
• Problems with Traditional Notarization
• How Mobile Notaries Help Speed Up Closings
• How to Find the Right Mobile Notary Service

Why Mobile Notary Services Matter in Real Estate

Real estate transactions require mountains of paperwork. Contracts, agreements, disclosures, deeds, amendments, guarantees — you name it, the transaction likely involves it. And all of these documents must be signed, witnessed, and notarized in a particular way to be legally valid. An improperly notarized document can derail a real estate transaction.

Deeds, mortgage documents, trust agreements, title transfers — these and many other documents require a notary’s stamp to be legally valid. If a document is missing a signature, or if notarization is skipped on a single document, the entire closing can be delayed.

According to the National Association of REALTORS, 11% of real estate contracts were delayed in the first quarter of 2024. Missed or invalid notarizations are a big cause of delays. Mobile notary services fix this problem by dispatching a certified, experienced notary to meet the signer wherever they are located. Home, office, hospital, coffee shop — the mobile notary comes to the location of the signer.

Mobile notary services are a total game-changer for real estate. The added convenience and flexibility they provide has a major impact on the ease and speed of closings.

The Problem With Traditional Notarization

Traditional notarization processes have long been a source of delays and headaches in real estate.

The issues with traditional notarization are multi-fold:

• Most notary offices operate during standard business hours. Buyers and sellers must take time off work, rearrange schedules, and make the time and travel to a central notary location just to sign documents.
• Scheduling conflicts arise when multiple parties are required to be present for the signing. In real estate, it is often the buyer, seller, real estate agents, lenders, title company representatives, and other parties that all must be coordinated into one physical location at the same time. Delays in scheduling can cost days or even weeks of time in fast-moving real estate markets.
• Traditional notarization is inconvenient for those who are home-bound, elderly, disabled, or otherwise unable to easily leave their homes to sign documents.
• Traveling to a centralized office increases the chance that last-minute notarization needs will occur after hours or on weekends when the notary office is closed.
• What if the seller is out of state, or the buyer works nights and can’t make it during office hours? Worse yet — what if the buyer or seller gets sick on closing day? All of these common scenarios can cause delays with traditional notarization methods.

Traditional notarization can turn real estate closings into a scheduling nightmare. These delays are frustrating and costly to everyone involved in the transaction.

How Mobile Notaries Help Speed Up Real Estate Closings

Mobile notary services bypass the scheduling madness.

Instead of dragging everyone to an office, a mobile notary comes to where the signing needs to occur. A simple change that has a dramatic effect on speed.

The benefits of mobile notary services for real estate closings are clear:

• Flexibility — Signings can occur evenings, weekends, or holidays, as needed.
• Convenience — Buyers and sellers don’t have to travel to notary offices.
• Speed — Documents can be notarized immediately, with no need to wait for an appointment.
• Accessibility — Elderly clients, people with disabilities, and busy professionals love mobile notary services.

When working with established remote online notary service providers, real estate transactions have the greatest chance of moving smoothly and quickly from start to finish. Mobile notaries understand the time-sensitive nature of real estate deals and provide a valuable service that saves everyone time.

Real estate is the number one use case for mobile notary services. Property transactions, mortgage refinancing, lease signings, and other real estate-related work generate the majority of mobile notary work. Title companies and real estate agents have long relied on mobile notaries to keep closings on schedule.

Here’s an interesting factoid:

Mobile notary services are just the beginning. Digital solutions are on the rise in real estate and notary work. Industry data shows that digital notarization adoption surged 57% in recent years. Consumers are looking for convenience. Mobile notary services provide it.

What Documents Require Mobile Notary Services?

Real estate closings require notarization of many key documents. All of the legal paperwork involved in a real estate transaction typically requires a notary stamp somewhere. Without notarization, these documents are not legally valid. Missing a notarization or having an invalid notarization creates problems.

Common documents in a real estate transaction that require notarization include:

• Deed of Trust or Mortgage — This document secures the loan using the property as collateral.
• Promissory Note — This is the actual loan document that contains the borrower’s promise to repay the loan.
• Closing Disclosure — This document outlines all costs and fees associated with the real estate transaction.
• Affidavit of Title — The seller of the property must complete this to confirm they legally own the property.
• Transfer Tax Declaration — Required for recording the deed.

If one of these documents is missing a notarization, or if the notarization is invalid, it creates problems. Best case is a minor delay, worst case is the transaction falling through entirely.

Mobile notaries specialize in real estate transactions and know exactly how to handle these documents correctly the first time.

Remote Online Notarization: The Digital Evolution

Mobile notary services have gotten even more advanced with remote online notarization (RON).

RON services allow notarization of documents through secure video conferencing technology. Buyers and sellers can complete the entire signing process remotely, from the comfort of their own home or office. No travel required.

47 states have now permanently approved remote online notarization.

This technology is a perfect fit for:

• Out of state buyers who are buying property remotely
• Military members stationed overseas
• Investors juggling multiple properties
• Anyone with limited mobility

Mobile notary services combined with remote online notarization give real estate pros multiple ways to complete deals fast.

Finding the Right Mobile Notary Service

Not all mobile notary services are created equal.

When selecting a mobile notary, there are a few things you should look for:

• Certification — The notary should be certified and/or a Notary Signing Agent with training in real estate.
• Experience — Real estate documents are specific. The notary should have experience with real estate transactions.
• Availability — 24/7 availability, or at least flexible hours, is crucial for a mobile notary.
• Professionalism — Communication and reliability are important for on-time service.

Title companies, lenders, and real estate agents all work with preferred mobile notary partners. Building relationships with trusted notaries in the area prevents scrambling for last minute signings.

The real estate industry needs more mobile notary services than ever before. With home prices high and competition strong, any delays can cost buyers their dream homes.

Wrapping Things Up

Mobile notary services have revolutionized real estate transactions.

Eliminating scheduling conflicts and making it easy to notarize documents. Mobile notary services take the notary directly to buyers and sellers wherever they may be located. Instead of wrangling everyone to an office location, a mobile notary makes real estate closings easier for all involved.

A quick recap of what we covered:

• Mobile notaries come to the location of the signer.
• Real estate transactions require notarization of multiple documents.
• Mobile notary services bring flexibility and convenience.
• Remote online notarization is the latest digital evolution.

Real estate moves fast. Mobile notary services help everyone keep up.