A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is the FHA-insured reverse mortgage that lets a homeowner age 62 or older draw on the equity in a primary residence as a lump sum, a line of credit or monthly payments, with no monthly mortgage payment while living in the home. In El Paso the request often comes from a retired couple in a paid-off house in the Lower Valley or the Northeast, or from adult children helping a parent stay at home. QWIK Mobile Notary Public is the loan signing agent: we bring the lender's package to the borrower's kitchen table, go through the signature and initial lines page by page, and notarize the documents that require it.
Texas permits a reverse mortgage lien on a homestead under article XVI, section 50(a)(7) of the Texas Constitution, and HUD's HECM rules require every borrower to complete a session with a HUD-approved housing counselor before applying. At the signing our notary takes the acknowledgment on the Deed of Trust (a HECM records two, one for the lender and a second for HUD) and on the other instruments the lender marks for notarization, and administers the oath on the lender's affidavits. Every signer appears in person with unexpired government-issued photo ID and must be aware of what they are signing. A family member may sit in but cannot sign for the borrower without a lender-approved power of attorney.
Most reverse mortgage signings in El Paso are ordered by the lender or title company, which sends us the package and schedules the appointment with you; borrowers and families are also welcome to call or text (915) 302-0902 and we will coordinate with the closer. We come to the home, or to a hospital or nursing home when needed, including evenings and weekends. Have an unexpired photo ID ready for each signer (many lenders ask for two forms) and plan on about an hour, since a HECM package is thick and we never rush an older signer. We present the documents and show where to sign; we do not explain or advise on loan terms. Those questions go to your loan officer or HUD-approved counselor, and HUD.gov describes the program.
Documents we notarize
- HECM Reverse Mortgage loan package
- Home Equity Conversion Note and first Deed of Trust (to the lender)
- Second Note and second Deed of Trust (to HUD)
- HECM Loan Agreement
- Counseling Certificate acknowledgment
- Repair Rider (when the appraisal requires repairs)
- Non-Borrowing Spouse certifications
- Notice of Right to Cancel
- HUD-1 Settlement Statement
- Occupancy Affidavit
- Signature and Identification Affidavits
- Borrower's Certification and Authorization
A signing built around the borrower, not the clock
Reverse mortgage borrowers in El Paso are often in their seventies or eighties, and many prefer Spanish. We schedule enough time, set up at a well-lit table, identify each document by its title before it is signed, and take breaks when the borrower needs one. If the lender supplies a large-print copy, we work from it. Adult children or a caregiver may sit in, and we conduct the appointment in Spanish or English. If a signer does not appear to understand that they are signing loan documents, we stop and notify the lender rather than proceed; a notary may not notarize for someone who is not aware and willing.
Common issues that delay a reverse mortgage closing
A handful of things hold up HECM signings in El Paso: a non-borrowing spouse who is not home when the package needs their signature; an expired ID, or a name that does not match the vesting on the deed, which usually calls for a signature or identification affidavit; property held in a living trust, where the trustee signs in that capacity and the lender needs the trust papers first; a counseling certificate missing from the file; and Notice of Right to Cancel dates filled in wrong. Tell the closer about a trust, a power of attorney or a recent name change when the appointment is booked, not at the table.
What to bring
- Unexpired government-issued photo ID for every borrower and non-borrowing spouse (many lenders ask for two forms of ID)
- The lender's or title company's closing instructions and appointment confirmation
- Anything the lender asked you to have ready, such as a voided check for disbursement or proof of homeowner's insurance
- Reading glasses, a well-lit table and any family member or caregiver you want present
- Trust documents or a lender-approved power of attorney, if anyone signs in a representative capacity
How a mobile appointment works
Text or call to book
Title companies and lenders send the order and package to qwikmobilenotary@gmail.com or text (915) 302-0902; borrowers and families can reach us the same way. We confirm the flat signing fee, the address and the time, and print the documents.
We come to you
Your notary arrives at the borrower's home anywhere in El Paso County with the complete package, checks each signer's ID, and goes through the documents page by page at the borrower's pace, in English or Spanish. Questions about terms go to the loan officer.
Signed, sealed, done
We check every signature, date and initial, notarize the documents that require it, and return the package by scan-back and courier the same day per the closer's instructions. For most HECMs, funding follows the three-business-day rescission period; the closer confirms the date.