Posted by MaggieMae_CA on 7/14/05 12:20am
Msg #51908

$50 signings...

I've done my fair share of them, but due to the lack of time I have available I started turning them away as of July 1. So far I've done 15 closings this month and have billed $1,700+. I'm getting calls from 2 companies on a regular basis and referrals from those 2 companies.

Will I make $100K this year as advertised by notaryclasses.com? I doubt it, but I wasn't targeting to make that much. I'm working full time and have a husband, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 1 tortoise and a Siamese Fighting Fish. There's just so much a person can handle!

In all honesty, if I could work this business full time, I believe I could make $50K - $75K this year as a full time signing agent. But the truth is, I like the benefits of working at the university I work for full time. Nice to know I have a pension, healthcare, 401K, sick leave, paid vacation, etc. just for showing up 5 days a week. I don't know if I'll ever be willing to give up the perception of security I have working at the university.

My personal goals for the next 12 months are:
~ Mentor a new found friend of mine in this business and see her get started
~ Mentor my 18-year-old and have him as a partner in my signing business
~ Live through my 13-year-old's eighth grade school year (this may be the most difficult)
~ Spend my 50th birthday (Oct 1, 2005) at Disneyland and ride Space Mountain 10 times
~ By June 2006, purchase real estate for rehab and resale

I'm different! I know I'm different! I firmly believe that most people can be successful and make a very good living at this if they set goals, are discipline, are willing to work at it and love what they are doing.

I'm not here to prove www.notaryclasses.com's claims right or wrong. I'm not being paid by them or the NNA or anyone else to tell people to take classes, etc. What I do want to do is encourage others to take what they are doing as signing agents seriously and do the best job they possibly can. I know that hard work pays off and I encourage others to try.

Will I do another $50 signing? I would say so. This month has been great. Last month was slow for me. I hope $50 signings are few and far between. I hope that my $100 and $125 signings turn into $150 and $225 signings. Will they? Who knows.

Reply by kwink on 7/14/05 12:34am
Msg #51909

Maggie: Congratulations! What part of CA are you in?

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 7/14/05 12:42pm
Msg #52095

Re: Maggie: Congratulations! What part of CA are you in?

Sunny San Diego!

Reply by LawrenceOK on 7/14/05 9:03am
Msg #51962

It's part timers like you Maggie that will stay the profession and be a professional doing it. Good for you and happy early B-day, mine is Sept. 23.

What I can not stand is the newly commissioned, just NNA certified unprofessional part timers getting into this business not noing a damn thing, wanting the bucks promised to them NOW! When I first signed up on this board there were only about 4 notaries in my area, at last count there are 29 now. Most of them in the last year. I will still be here when 99% of them are gone, but in the meantime they are undercutting my fees by almost $25 in some cases and taking $35 & $46 signings. The good thing about it is , now those SS's that used to call on a regular basis are calling and accepting my fees to go fix they're mistakes.

Reply by droman on 7/14/05 12:09pm
Msg #52073

I agree with Lawrence. It's wonderful that you have a full time job and enjoy the security of that job. But for SAs like me, this IS my full time job. I having been a notary since 2001, and have been at this for a while, and as long as there is a need for my services, I will continue to do this. I did have the courage to quit a $60K a year secure job with the whole package of benefits to become my own boss, and while I have been fairly successful, I've not yet quite hit that $60K mark. But as a single mom raising MY three teens, putting them through a catholic highschool education and trying to finish my OWN BA degree, I've not done such a shabby job. To have my fee undercut by a newbie or part-timer just looking for the extra cash is seriously hurting the financial industry for full-timers like me who have this as their ONLY source of income. There are times when a fast $50 for a 20-page signing 2 doors down is an easy assignment to accept. But there are many notaries who are accepting that and EVEN LESS to travel great distances, witness large packages, and perform fax-backs and split packages. How do I know? Because the SS have the nerve to call me and ask me to do them. And as Lawrence indicated, I'm enjoying the callbacks and acceptance of my fees to go fix those $50 mistakes.

Reply by Tina Marie Grimes on 7/14/05 9:44am
Msg #51975

Oh my God! Maggie. I will also turn 50 on October 1st!!! Maybe we could do the Disneyland thing together. Where in Cali are you? I live just outside of Sacramento.

Reply by Cherilyn in CO on 7/14/05 9:58am
Msg #51977

Space Mountain Rocks!

I was just in Disneyland last week and they've revamped Space Mountain. It's so much fun!

I agree with the $50.00 signings. They put the #'s under my belt, but now it's time for bigger and better. Sometimes I'll take one or two from FASS near my house, but that's about it.

I also have a full time job. My benefits are excellent so I'm hesitant to quit, but would love to be my own boss 100% of the time.

Good Luck!

Reply by SamIam_CA on 7/14/05 11:20am
Msg #52049

Cool goals for the next 12 months - and an inspirational post - thanx!

Reply by Rob_NoCal on 7/14/05 12:08pm
Msg #52072

As someone new, I cant believe the lack of good training available. NNA online course and test were pretty much of a joke....I got done and thought "thats it !?!?!?" I've thought about getting my mortgage broker license just for the purpose of knowing this stuff better. Every time I do a set of docs, they all different. Maybe for those of you who have done a 1000 it may be "old hat" but for someone new, it is a little much. To be honest I am reluctant to spent a few more hundred dollars to see the same stuff over and over again, go out on another signing and think "boy, this doc wasnt in the class?!?!?" The real problem with new people (like me)....lack of available good training...

Reply by christiSocal on 7/14/05 4:58pm
Msg #52212

hey you old folks, I won't be 50 till march. Is 49 a normal

age for sa's? Or are we just special

Reply by LMag on 7/14/05 5:34pm
Msg #52225

Lack of training...you got that right. Having a friend in the business was my salvation early on. BTW, I'm in NoCal, too.