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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.
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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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Don't forget to check the date ranges on your search. DC's system defaults to recent filings only sometimes. Make sure you're searching all dates, especially if you're looking for older UCC-1s that might have been continued.
Dylan Baskin
•Yeah the date filter has caught me before too. It's not always obvious that it's limiting your results.
Avery Saint
•The DC system interface is really unclear about what filters are active. Other states do a much better job with the search interface design.
Lauren Wood
Update: tried the wildcard searches and found three additional filings that weren't showing up before! Thanks for all the suggestions. Still going to look into that document verification tool mentioned earlier since manual checking is getting pretty tedious with our current loan volume.
Glad the wildcard search helped! The document verification definitely saves time when you're dealing with multiple filings per loan.
Ellie Lopez
•Good to hear you found the missing filings. These search quirks can really mess up your lien priorities if you're not careful.
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I had a similar issue with a different state last year. Turned out the original filer had made a typo in the debtor name and nobody caught it until we were doing due diligence. Had to file a UCC-3 amendment to correct the name before we could proceed. Check if any of these variations might be typos that need correction.
In WV it was pretty quick - filed electronically and got confirmation within 24 hours. But you'll want to verify the corrected name matches your loan documents exactly.
Make sure to keep the original filing number when you amend. Don't file a new UCC-1 or you'll lose priority from the original filing date.
Rajan Walker
This thread is so helpful. I'm bookmarking it because I know I'll run into this issue again. The WV system really needs an overhaul to handle these name matching problems better.
Agreed. It's frustrating that we have to work around these system limitations instead of having reliable search functionality.
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.
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Tasia Synder
•No problem! It's amazing how one tiny character can cause so much trouble. Hope yours goes through now.
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Sydney Torres
•That spacing issue would have been caught immediately with automated verification. Those tools are lifesavers for finding the tiny errors that cause big headaches.
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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!
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Alfredo Lugo
•Glad you got it sorted out. California's system really needs better error messages to help people fix these issues faster.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Congrats on getting it through! Nothing beats that feeling when a stubborn filing finally gets accepted.
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