Posted by CekimonCA on 7/5/05 1:44am
Msg #49819

question for new notaries (less than one year)

Just kind of curious for those of you who recently got into this business.... How long did it take before you got your first call and how aggressive were you in terms of signing up with different companies?
Kind of interested in what some other new notaries have experienced within this past six months or year.

Reply by Charm_AL on 7/5/05 9:19am
Msg #49828

I started in December and did a few in January. After Febuary, it started picking up and this has been a good year so far. It's from aggressively signing up with all the companies I could find in the beginning. There are still very many that I haven't signed with yet and many companies find notaries here.

Reply by nezzie on 7/5/05 9:21am
Msg #49829

I have been in the notary business just 4 months. I signed up with all the signing companies and business for me has picked up tremendously. I will be riding down the street, coming from a signing, and get phone calls for more signings. I teamed up with some friends and we network together. In one week I got 5 signings.

Reply by Sam I am in CA on 7/5/05 10:35am
Msg #49844

Took the test in December and received my commission the first week of February. Started signing up with SS at the end of the month. Two weeks later I got my first call.

In April I did 11 loans and have about double that for May and double May for June. I try to sign up with at least 5 companies a day. Now that I am over the 50 loan mark I sign up with everyone I can get a contact for - not just the SSs.

Reply by Anonymous on 7/5/05 12:03pm
Msg #49862

I recieved my commision Feb. 28. It took me 6 weeks of signing up to get my first call. No it hasn't picked up yet. I'm only at 4 signings. I've signed up with about 125 companies. I've googled my brains out. I've gone thru 10 pages of 37.com. I've been on fallguy, 50state, notaryrotary, tritonstrumpet, 123notary, and others. I feel like I'm hitting a brick wall when it comes to marketing. I need to get to the 50 mark so I can register with more than just ss. I think my biggest gripe with signing up with ss are the ones that want 2 years experience but only pay a base of 50 (not just for HELOC's). On a good note I have had repeat calls from one of the ss I worked for, too bad they are a $50 company, but they do overnights. Do I think it's worth it to work for $50, no not really. The only good coming from it is experience. I feel that the time alone spent to do the signing is worth more than $50. I've only accepted $50 one time and I did make money after all expenses were concerned, but I still feel that it was too cheap.

Am I giving up... No way! I will make this work. But I need to get some more work so I can put a little more money into marketing. I would really like to upgrade to premier membership. But I really need to work a little more to afford it.

Reply by Megan on 7/5/05 1:39pm
Msg #49883

I rec. my commision at the end of May. 1week later I had a signing. In June it picked up to 4signings and in July I already have some scheduled. It's going ok.

Reply by Experienced 4 years on 7/5/05 2:30pm
Msg #49894

To Anonymous

I still do signings for $50.00, as well as others. Don't be such a snob about working for $50.00. I would rather work for $50.00 than not work at all.

Reply by Anonymous on 7/5/05 2:45pm
Msg #49900

Re: To Anonymous

It's not about being a snob. It's about having a profitable business. One that profits more than just minimum wage. I don't have a problem with $50 if it's worth my time after expenses. Now that is quite a statement because is it really worth ones time to spend 2 1/2 hours total (1/2 hr drive, 2 hours at signing because borrower has to call lo 2 or 3 times to ask questions) for $50. That may be alright for some. With 4 years experience I think your shortchanging yourself. After reading the many posts on the boards I've come to the conclusion that you can weed out the lower paying clients, accept jobs that will pay your fee, and you can and will make more money on fewer assignments.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 7/5/05 3:00pm
Msg #49902

Re: To Anonymous

Ok, just so you know I am the anonymous poster in this thread. I did it because ss read the boards and I only tell them my level of experience when they ask. This is due to all the basic notary questions that get asked. I don't want to get lumped in to the group of don't know diddly's. I take this business venture seriously, and I strive for this to become a profitable business that I can be proud of. Sorry for the anon. That was a bad decision, one that is now corrected.

Reply by BrendaTX on 7/5/05 3:51pm
Msg #49909

Re: To Anonymous

** I don't want to get lumped in to the group of don't know diddly's.**

By the way you present yourself, IMHO it is clear you are not a "don't know diddly"
no matter what your level is at this time.

Reply by AngelinaAZ on 7/5/05 8:02pm
Msg #49936

Re: To SarahBeth

Don't get discouraged... your perseverance will pay off.

As to applying to certain SS's that require 2 years experience, try this approach. Once you get to where you know you are doing a great job and feel very capable (and are capable) in a signing... (I say this because 10 is probably not enough... but two years???? Girl by that time you won't even give those SS's the time of day for those fees!)... my advice is to put together a professional package on yourself and the experience you do have and mail it to them. Showcase the great work that you have done... give a few references if you have to ... and guarantee your work. I have not been doing this for 2 years but I do a great job and I don't let a time requirement stop me if I want to work for them. I get a ton of repeat business. Deep down, what they want is a professional, error-free signing that leaves the borrowers, TC and Lender happy with your performance. Let them know that you can bring this to the table and don't even mention the length of time you have been doing this. If they ask... be honest but then say two great things about the work you have done. Let them know how HAPPY they are going to be with your performance. Perseverance is a great thing!

By the way... if you are in a saturated area.. don't let that fact stop you from trying to be seen! Judging by the posts on this board alone... we all know that there is a BIG difference in quality. Knowing this... think about the percentage of substandard work there is in an area that is highly saturated. BE EXCELLENT, and NEW, and EXCITED, and DRIVEN... and you'll blow their socks off!

Reply by BrendaTx on 7/5/05 3:00pm
Msg #49903

Anonymous

Nice recap Anon.

If I were poster "four years" I'd keep my lip zipped about the $50 signings if they were that good for me. That post did not make much sense...unless you are a $50 SS...

Reply by CarolynCO on 7/5/05 3:23pm
Msg #49905

Re: To Experienced 4 years

Refusing to take $50 signings has nothing to do with being a snob. As Brenda pointed out, I'd keep my mouth zipped about the $50 signings, and she is right, your speech could very well be from that of a SS.

As for $50 is better than nothing at all -- after figuring in costs, expenses and time, many times that's what you've got with $50 signings is NOTHING AT ALL, and you should be the first to know that with your 4 years' experience.

Reply by CekimonCA on 7/5/05 4:27pm
Msg #49914

thanks to those of you who responded. I'm just at a point right now where I need some encouragement. Your time is appreciated!

Reply by Experienced 4 years on 7/5/05 6:13pm
Msg #49925

I make a lot of money. Most of my $50.00 signings are a 10-15 minute drive, and take 1/2 hour or less!!!

Reply by BrendaTX on 7/5/05 6:45pm
Msg #49930

**I make a lot of money. Most of my $50.00 signings are a 10-15 minute drive, and take 1/2 hour or less!!!**

Excellent--Less than an hour, and yes I'd take those all day, but you surely realize that anonymous was commenting on not taking large refi packages for $50? Or perhaps not taking a small package with a long drive attached?

Reply by Experienced 4 years on 7/5/05 7:02pm
Msg #49931

"MOST of my signings..." There are some that end up being longer, but that is the chance I am willing to take. I have lots of competition here that will work for $50.00, and probably less, (that really pisses me off). I've been very successful doing this full time, so I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face.

Reply by Experienced 4 years on 7/5/05 7:15pm
Msg #49932

Lowballed again

As I just wrote, my competition works for peanuts. I just got turned down because I tried to get a reasonable fee of $125.00 for an e-doc signing that is an hour drive thru the mountains 1 way. Now do you understand what I am dealing with?

Reply by BrendaTx on 7/5/05 7:20pm
Msg #49933

Re: Lowballed again

Yes, I do. There is someone a county over from me that will drive 50 miles to my town to do jobs I will not take for $50/$60.

The way I see it, and I mean this in all sincerity, is I have to set a price and work for what I can profit at. If I cannot profit then I have to stop this and find other income.

This past month, I referred the $50 jobs to this lady. At EOM, I was available to take $100 to $125.00 jobs.

Reply by Nicole_NCali on 7/5/05 8:34pm
Msg #49942

Brendatx..referring the $50.brilliant n/m

Reply by BeccaFL on 7/5/05 9:58pm
Msg #49953

I have been a notary for about 3 years, but I have only ever done closings for the mortgage co that I work for. My tc pays me $75-$150 and the buyers come to my office and she couriers the package. I have never done any out of office closings. My TC told me that getting on notary rotary would help me make extra $$. I have only gotten one call off of it so far and because of the last minute notice I did not accept the closing. I am hoping that calls will pick up but I have not yet marketed any other sources. I don't think that I would accept a job for $50 either, but if it was all I was getting I guess to get started you have to take what you get. Good Luck to you!

Reply by AandK_CA on 7/12/05 12:20am
Msg #51135

The day I received my stamp, I signed up on Notary Rotary and SigningAgent.com. I've had three calls the past week; one week after signing up on the two sites. Haven't signed up with any SSes yet. This is a part-time gig for me, so two or three calls a week is plenty. So far, so good.