How to find a notary: power of attorney, agreement, will, home visit
The nearest notary is not always the best choice
Many people go to the first notary office near home. But the cost of some acts depends on the value of the transaction, and the rest is made up of stamp duty and legal and technical charges that can differ from one notary to another. So it is worth comparing a few replies.
On BlaBlaPrice you describe once what needs to be notarised, and notaries in your city reply in the chat: what they will do, on which day and how much it will cost. The service is free for the buyer.
What to put in your request
- Notarial act — power of attorney, sale or gift agreement, will, copies and signatures, consent for a child to travel.
- Subject — flat, car, plot of land, share in a business, and the approximate value.
- Home visit — whether you need a notary to come to your home or a hospital, or you will go to the office yourself.
- City or area — where you need the notary.
- When — date, time or urgency.
- Parties — how many, and whether any are foreigners who need an interpreter.
- Documents — which ones are already ready: title documents, valuation, extracts.
- Budget — if you want to state one.
Example of a good request
“Woodlands. I need a power of attorney for my brother to manage my car, plus attestation of copies of three documents. I will come to the notary myself tomorrow before lunch. I have the vehicle registration papers and ID documents. Budget up to $23.”
How to compare replies
Ask the notary to break down the amount: what is the notary’s fee and what are government charges. Then you can see whether the offers are really comparable. Check a few more things:
- whether checking the documents and any registration steps are included, if they are needed;
- whether there is an extra charge for a home visit, a weekend or out-of-hours work;
- which documents you must bring, so you do not have to make a second trip;
- when the earliest free slot is.
The platform shows the offer with the best overall terms first, and reviews are visible next to it. Notaries can see where they rank and can improve their terms. Your phone number stays hidden, and only the one you choose gets your contacts.
Common mistakes
Before a deal on property or a car, ask the notary to tell you straight away which certificates and extracts you will need, because some of them expire.
The biggest mistake is turning up without the full set of documents and wasting a day. Another is not clarifying who pays the duty and charges when there are two parties. And do not leave it to the last day: before you travel abroad or close a deal with a buyer, there is no time to fix errors.
If you need legal preparation before a deal, look at property and land registration. For matters involving inheritance, see inheritance and probate. How the platform works is explained on the “How it works” page.
