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Tasia Synder
Update: Finally got it through! Turns out there was a single extra space after 'Manufacturing' that was causing the rejections. Took forever to spot that.
Tasia Synder
•No problem! It's amazing how one tiny character can cause so much trouble. Hope yours goes through now.
That spacing issue would have been caught immediately with automated verification. Those tools are lifesavers for finding the tiny errors that cause big headaches.
Edwards Hugo
SUCCESS! Got mine filed after cleaning up the debtor name formatting and removing some hidden characters. Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. This forum saved my deadline!
Alfredo Lugo
•Glad you got it sorted out. California's system really needs better error messages to help people fix these issues faster.
Congrats on getting it through! Nothing beats that feeling when a stubborn filing finally gets accepted.
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Been there! Last time I had this problem I ended up using that Certana verification tool someone mentioned earlier. Uploaded the company's articles of incorporation and a few old contracts that had name variations, and it flagged some potential matches I would have missed. Really took the guesswork out of whether I was being thorough enough with the name variations.
How does the document upload process work? Do you just scan in whatever corporate documents you have?
Yeah, you can upload PDFs of any documents that contain the company names - charter docs, old loan agreements, whatever you have. It extracts all the name variations and cross-checks them. Pretty straightforward.
Don't forget to check for any federal tax liens or state tax liens too while you're at it. Those databases sometimes have different name entries that could give you clues about variations the company has used over the years.
Good point - I was so focused on UCC filings I hadn't thought about using tax lien searches as a way to discover name variations.
Exactly, plus you want to know about those liens anyway for your due diligence. Two birds with one stone.
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Equipment financing deals always make me nervous because there are so many potential lien sources. Beyond the UCC-11 search, make sure you're also checking for mechanic's liens, tax liens, and any equipment leases that might not show up in the UCC records. Michigan has some quirky rules about fixture filings too if any of the machinery is permanently attached.
Fixture filings should show up in UCC-11 searches but they're also recorded in real estate records. I'd check both just to be safe, especially for permanently installed equipment.
Michigan requires fixture filings to be recorded in both the UCC records and the real estate records where the property is located. Don't assume the UCC search will catch everything.
Update: Finally got through a complete search by breaking it down into tiny chunks like everyone suggested. Found three active UCC-1s that weren't showing up in my previous incomplete searches. Portal is still terrible but at least I got the results I needed. Thanks for all the advice - definitely going to look into that Certana.ai tool for future searches.
This is exactly why thorough UCC searches are so critical. Those three filings could have derailed your entire deal if you'd missed them.
Alicia Stern
•Definitely check out Certana.ai for your next search. Really makes the verification process much easier and more reliable.
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StarSeeker
For continuation filings, you might want to consider doing them early rather than waiting until the last minute, especially if you're having search issues. I always file continuations at least 2-3 months before the expiration date to avoid any last-minute problems with the system being down.
StarSeeker
•Yeah, it's saved me several times when there were portal outages or filing backlogs during busy periods.
Plus it gives you time to fix any rejections or problems with the filing before the deadline.
Zara Ahmed
I wonder if this is related to the state's recent system upgrade? Sometimes when they migrate to new platforms, there are temporary issues with search functionality. Might be worth checking if they posted any notices about system maintenance or upgrades.
Zara Ahmed
•Yeah, sometimes they bury those notices in obscure parts of their website.
I checked their website yesterday and didn't see anything about ongoing maintenance, but that doesn't mean much.
Chloe Green
One more thing - if any of your equipment has been relocated since the original UCC-1, you might need to update the filing address. Equipment location can be important for perfection in some states.
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Arjun Kurti
•Everything is still in the same location so that shouldn't be an issue.
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Harper Hill
•Lucky you. I've seen UCC filings become ineffective because equipment was moved to a different state.
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Caden Nguyen
Bottom line - start the UCC filing process now, get your equipment appraised to determine fixture status, and make sure all documents use consistent debtor names and collateral descriptions. Your mortgage closing will go much smoother with everything in order upfront.
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Arjun Kurti
•Thanks everyone for the advice. Sounds like I have a clear action plan now.
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Avery Flores
•Good luck with the refi. These commercial deals can be complex but you seem to be on the right track.
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