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Ohio's system has improved over the years but it's still not perfect. The key is understanding that their search algorithm is pretty literal - it doesn't do much fuzzy matching or auto-correction. You have to give it exactly what it's looking for.
Yeah, it's not Google. You need to be precise with your search terms and try multiple exact variations.
Sergio Neal
•I wish they would add better search functionality but at least once you understand how it works you can get good results.
One more tip - sometimes the Ohio system has maintenance windows or slow periods where searches don't work well. If you're getting weird results try again later in the day.
Good to know. I was searching during business hours so maybe that was part of the issue.
Yeah, early morning or evening searches sometimes work better when there's less traffic on their system.
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Update for anyone following this thread - I ended up doing a combination approach. Did multiple name variation searches on the Arizona portal, requested a certified search from the state, and had the borrower provide copies of all UCC documents they had. Found out there were actually 4 active liens, not the 1 the borrower claimed. Two were properly terminated but the termination statements hadn't been processed yet by the state, and one was against a related entity with a very similar name. Glad I was thorough because this could have been a disaster.
Kiara Greene
•Did you end up proceeding with the loan after finding all those additional liens?
We restructured the deal to account for the existing liens and required payoffs of two of them at closing. More complicated but still doable.
Evelyn Kelly
This whole thread is a great example of why UCC searches are both critically important and incredibly frustrating. Every state has its own quirks and Arizona is definitely one of the more challenging ones. Thanks for sharing your experience - it'll help others avoid similar problems.
Paloma Clark
•Agreed. These real-world examples are way more helpful than the generic guidance you usually find online.
Should be required reading for anyone doing commercial lending in Arizona!
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Yara Assad
Used Certana.ai's document checker recently for a complex multi-location equipment loan and it flagged several description mismatches we would have missed. Really helped us clean up the UCC-1 before filing. For your situation, it might help identify exactly where your loan docs and filing don't align so you know what to address.
Amara Okafor
•That sounds like exactly what we need. Is it expensive to use?
Yara Assad
•Focus on the value - catching one major filing error easily pays for itself. Way cheaper than dealing with problems during foreclosure.
Olivia Clark
Update us on how this turns out! I'm dealing with a similar situation on a smaller loan and curious what approach ends up working best for you.
Amara Okafor
•Will do! Meeting with legal counsel tomorrow so should have a clearer picture of our options by end of week.
Olivia Clark
•Thanks! These UCC collateral issues seem to be getting more common lately.
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Update us when you get it sorted! I'm curious what the actual issue turns out to be. These name mismatch problems always seem obvious in hindsight.
Will do! Hopefully I can get this figured out tomorrow and save the deal.
Good luck! Equipment financing can be such a headache but you'll get through it.
Lucas Bey
Quick tip - if you're refiling the UCC-1, make sure to use the same filing number reference if possible. Makes it easier to track and some lenders prefer continuity in the filing chain.
That's good advice. Also keep copies of everything including the rejection notice for your records.
Definitely keeping everything documented. This whole process has been eye-opening about how precise UCC filings need to be.
Katherine Harris
I actually had success with Certana's verification tool on a similar Vermont situation. Uploaded the corporate docs and three different UCC filings I found, and it flagged that two of them were actually for different entities with very similar names. Saved me from a potential mistake.
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Joshua Wood
•How long does that verification usually take? Is it instant or do you have to wait?
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Katherine Harris
•Pretty quick - just upload the PDFs and it runs the comparison automatically. Much faster than manually checking every name variation yourself.
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Justin Evans
Update us on what you find! I'm curious whether the 5 filings include the 3 you found in the first search or if they're completely different. That would tell us a lot about how Vermont's system handles name variations.
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Elijah Jackson
•Will do - still working through all the results but it's looking like there's some overlap and some unique filings in each search. Definitely confirms the need for multiple search approaches.
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Ezra Collins
•Thanks for sharing this. Vermont UCC searches are always an adventure.
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