Posted by Cyndi Rodriguez on 6/19/08 9:29am
Msg #251990

New to the Biz

Good Morning!

I am new in the industry and I need to work. I realize I should attend a loan signing agent class. Does anyone know of a good place to take this class? I live in the inland Empire area and with cost of gas these days...Also once I attend this LS class do I just contact loan signing companies? Is there any business possiblilities for me in the meantime?
Thank you in advance

Reply by Loretta on 6/19/08 9:40am
Msg #251995

I wish you the best of luck, Cyndi. First thing you need to do is use the "find a notary" button and type in your zip code. This will give you a list of how many notaries are in your area and what your competition is. This is the absolute wrong time to get in the business. I never took a signing agent class but I am sure that you can find a ton of them in California because they want to take your money.

You have to sign up with every title company you can find. This business is so bad that no one will tell you who to call and what to say. Depending on the list of ntoaries in your area, if you get one closing a month, you will be lucky.

Reply by Loretta on 6/19/08 9:44am
Msg #251996

In the 91730 zip code alone, there are about 60 notaries within 10 miles. Oh My!

Reply by ZeeCA on 6/19/08 9:57am
Msg #252002

According to j. bergstrom Msg #251758 there is a shortage

of notaries in the great state of Calif and it is only going to get worse.

I strongly disagree. I am the first to admit if I am wrong so would be very interested in hearing from fellow CALIF notaries that due to the lack of notaries in Calif that you are working so much and turning down work?

thx all

Reply by Loretta on 6/19/08 10:13am
Msg #252004

Re: According to j. bergstrom Msg #251758 there is a shortage

I just can't believe that someone would actually say that CA needs more signing agents. What rock have they been under? 60 notaries within 10 miles of one zip code would be an automatic turn off for me. I wouldn't even waste my time buying a $500-$800 printer (which is really what you need to spend to get a good quality one) and all of the other costs we have in being a signing agent.

Reply by CaliNotary on 6/19/08 1:01pm
Msg #252031

Re: According to j. bergstrom Msg #251758 there is a shortag

Joan was saying the exact same thing at the height of the loan signing craze, that there weren't enough notaries in CA. The woman has no credibility, she is completely full of sh!t.

Reply by kathy/ca on 6/19/08 10:24am
Msg #252005

I turn down 3-5 a week because of the low fees offered & I

accept 7-8 a week but that includes general notary work too. BUT, if that seems like its not bad, its because I have been in the business for a few years and have built up a client base. Prior to this year, I was doing a lot more, things have definitly slowed down this year.

Reply by Dave_CA on 6/19/08 10:30am
Msg #252007

111 within 10 miles just on this site... n/m

Reply by rengel/CA on 6/19/08 12:18pm
Msg #252025

I'm sure glad there are fewer notaries in California,

I wonder how many more than 71 within 10 miles of my zip code there would be.................

Reply by MichiganAl on 6/19/08 3:53pm
Msg #252086

Re: I'm sure glad there are fewer notaries in California,

I think we all recognize that there are one or two people that post here who have their own personally interests at heart. Even if it's all wrapped up in something that looks like helpful advice.

Reply by CaliNotary on 6/19/08 5:44pm
Msg #252114

Re: I'm sure glad there are fewer notaries in California,

"Even if it's all wrapped up in something that looks like helpful advice."

You mean all those "hey gang, here's a helpful tip about xxx" posts aren't genuinely altruistic? Next thing you'll tell me is that there's no Santa Claus.

Reply by christiSocal on 6/19/08 2:16pm
Msg #252052

96 within 10 miles, 411 within 20...

I've been in the biz 5 years, I market and have a client base and NO, I am not so busy that I have to turn down work! Lowball offers, yes, I do turn down those. I've had nothing this week, 11 for June so far and 11 total for May! Business is waaay down, I wouldn't want to be starting out now.
It may be true that class size is down, but since the markets been flooded with Notaries for quite some time, it will take awhile before things even out.

Reply by christiSocal on 6/19/08 2:16pm
Msg #252053

Just on this site... n/m

Reply by CaliNotary on 6/19/08 5:42pm
Msg #252113

162 within 10 miles of me, 541 within 20

And I'm only about 6 miles from you

Reply by christiSocal on 6/20/08 12:05am
Msg #252170

Ouch! n/m

Reply by Calnotary on 6/19/08 10:43am
Msg #252010

According to the notary rotary "find a notary"there are 376 mobile notaries in a 20 mile area from Joan Bergstrom zip code. She claims that she get quite a few signings per day so maybe she is doing all those signings available in the whole county. Come on Joan leave some signings for the rest of us!.

Reply by Loretta on 6/19/08 11:17am
Msg #252018

I am not sure if there are 376 notaries within 20 miles that anyone is getting full fee for doing them. I bet you that signings are under $75 (email docs) in CA with that amount of people available in one zip code. JMHO

I use to believe that most title companies and signing services will use a "preferred" closer, someone who they are used for a long time and are "committed" to. I think those companies are few and far between. Most of them use closers that are the cheapest to pad their pocket more.

Reply by LisaWI on 6/19/08 4:19pm
Msg #252092

Something Else.....

to take into consideration when looking at this site and other sites for how many notaries are in a given area, is the unknown notaries that dont advertise. They are usually Realtors who have been doing it for awhile for extra cash.

I live in a small town and there are 4 right here. And you wont see them advertised anywhere on the normal sites we list with, but they are doing the loan closings just as we are.

And I as I recently found out, they tend to do the closings for real cheap.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 6/19/08 11:58pm
Msg #252169

Out of curiosity, how did you end up being "new in the industry" and why did you choose this work? You said you haven't yet attended a loan signing class and you apparently don't know how to go about finding work, so it looks to me like you might be going about this backwards. Wouldn't it make sense to first determine if this is even a viable business -- especially given the current market environment? (Naturally, that's why everyone's talking about the number of notaries in your area.)

Before you invest too much, I highly recommend to do some serious research to find out. You've been given a few basics here, but this business has become highly competitive and it's not realistic to expect your competition to share their business strategies with you. If you do your homework (on your own...) and study this board -- and whatever other information you can get your hands on -- you will find lots of helpful info if you decide to pursue this anyway.