Can a notary answer a borrower's questions at a loan signing? Yes, up to a clear line.

You can feel it the second you walk in. The borrowers are sitting up a little too straight. One of them is holding a pen they haven't needed yet. They're about to sign for the biggest purchase of their lives, and the stack of paper in front of them looks like a test they didn't study for.

So the questions come. Is this rate right? Should I sign this? What happens if I don't? Some of those you can answer. Some you can't. Knowing the difference, and handling it warmly, is a big part of what makes a signing go well.

What can a notary signing agent tell a borrower?

Here's the line I work by: explain what a document is, not what it means.

• You can tell them what a document is called, where to sign, initial, and date, and roughly how long the signing will take.
• You can point to where a number appears on the page so they can read it for themselves.
• You can't tell them what a document means for them legally or financially, whether a term is good, or whether they should sign.

The National Notary Association gives signing agents the same basic advice. The exact rules depend on where you're commissioned, so check your state's current rules and follow the instructions from the title agency or lender on each file.

Who should answer the questions a notary can't?

Every question at the table has a place to go. When a question goes past the line, point it to the right person:

1. Questions about the loan, rate, or fees go to the lender or loan officer.
2. Legal questions go to the attorney.
3. Questions about the title or the closing go to the title agency.

That isn't dodging the question. It's making sure the borrower gets the right answer from the person who's allowed to give it. Practice one simple line until it comes out naturally, like "That's a great question for your loan officer."

Before the signing, ask the title agency for a number for the loan officer and for someone at their office who will pick up while you're at the table. Then you're never stuck with a question and nowhere to send it.

How do you calm a nervous borrower before you start?

I never jump straight into the documents. I take a temperature check first. Who's nervous? Who's in a hurry? Is there tension between the signers? That minute tells me how to run the next hour.

With nervous borrowers, I usually lighten it up. I tell them they should have already seen most of the numbers by now, and most of what's left are documents that get recorded. Then I tell them that if something looks wrong, no problem. We'll call the loan officer and straighten the loan officer out.

That almost always gets a laugh. And once they laugh, they relax. They realize they're not alone at that table. The attorney may be there. Sometimes the loan officer is too. And if not, someone is a phone call away.

If humor doesn't fit the room, skip it. A calm voice and a clear plan work just as well. Tell them what you'll be doing and that they can ask questions any time.

What if the borrower is upset or doesn't want to sign?

The hardest moments are often ones nobody at the table caused. A problem from the final walk-through. Something broke, or something the sellers were supposed to fix wasn't fixed. The room gets tense, and people want answers from whoever is sitting in front of them. Usually that's you.

When that happened to me, I stayed calm and explained how it works. Walk-through issues are where the attorneys step in, and they handle it outside of the closing. In almost every case, the loan documents don't change because of it. Once people understood that, the signing could keep moving while the right people worked on the problem.

A few things keep you on solid ground:

• Stay neutral. Don't take sides, don't guess at answers, and don't promise outcomes.
• Know when to pause. If a signer is confused, upset, or not sure they want to continue, it's okay to stop. Call the agency, explain what's happening, and follow their lead.
• Never push. A short pause is better than a rushed signature someone regrets.

Why does this matter to the title agency?

The title coordinator isn't in the room. She can't see the nervous borrower or hear the argument about the broken dishwasher. All she knows is whether the file comes back signed and on time. When you keep the room calm and send every question to the right person, you're protecting a closing she worked on for weeks. She may never know exactly what you handled. But she'll notice your signings just seem to go smoothly, and she'll keep calling you.

This is Chapter 4 of the notary side of Closed Together. Flip the book over and Chapter 4 on the title agent side shows what an agency can tell you before you walk into the room.

This article shares general practices and personal experience from real signings. It isn't legal advice. Notary laws, fees, and requirements vary by state, and lenders and title agencies set their own instructions, so check the current rules where you work.