Posted by kathy/ca on 5/23/13 7:04pm
Msg #471057

Survery: Do you prefer doing loans or GNW & why? a comment

that was made got my curiosity up especially for California notaries but would like to know what notaries from other states think as well. Thanks in advance for participating.

Reply by BossLadyMD on 5/23/13 9:26pm
Msg #471078

prefer loans n/m

Reply by LKT/CA on 5/23/13 11:03pm
Msg #471086

Cash on the spot, quick appt 10 - 20 mins, no printing, no shipping....just show up, notarize, collect my fee and leave. Plenty of varied: docs, requests, people, situations, ID issues, and excuses from customers - that gives me the well roundedness and experience to ask the right questions, set the right boundaries and expose the TRICKS people come up with. Because of that, there are practically NO surprises at the appt.

The questions a caller asks ME reveals whether or not the appt will be a P.I.T.A. I know when to book the appt and when to refer a caller to a UPS Store. I feel much more experienced in my craft when GNW has been my primary focus.

Reply by ananotary on 5/24/13 8:28am
Msg #471107

LOVE GNW for the same reasons ask LKT. Very lucrative in CA n/m

Reply by VT_Syrup on 5/24/13 8:47am
Msg #471110

I only got one call for this, and referred her to her town clerk, who will do it for free and usually has convenient office hours. My police chief knows I'm a notary, and said he may be coming to see me if he needs to swear to some law enforcement document in the middle of the night (our police often only have one officer on duty, and late night week nights, not even that). If anybody's sick or injured, I'm likely to be there anyway, since I volunteer as an EMT.

Vermont's fees are confusing. The SOS manual says there are no set fees. Long ago, perhaps in the 1930s, the fee was set to 50¢ for a certificate under seal. Then in 1984 or so the requirement for a notary to use a seal was eliminated. I deal with it by just charging for travel and/or printing, and don't charge for the notarization itself.

Reply by snowflake/PA on 5/24/13 10:01am
Msg #471117

loan work. I am too rural for GNW unless it's in my town - fees won't be cost effective. Also, with GNW - I try to extract as much info as possible before appt. Folks don't always know what it is that needs to be notarized. Had to turn someone away when we met, because the document presented needed to be notarized by the Register of Wills office. And yet - I asked all the pertinent questions. I'll stick with closings.

Reply by HSH/WA on 5/24/13 11:18am
Msg #471129

Re: Only had a few calls on GNW and nobody wants to pay

the $25 driving fee plus $10 per notarization. One call was for a "quick come now" signing of a QC Deed by his ex wife while she was still willing - not interested in being a part of that and the law suit to follow. Been busy enough with loans to make my $ goal - so will probably never be much of a GNW guy.

Reply by SharonMN on 5/24/13 11:38am
Msg #471133

Loans. I can only charge $1 for GNW in MN, plus a travel fee if applicable. People rarely want to pay a travel fee (which is at least $25) so I send them to a bank, UPS store, etc. when they call. Or, if they are really cheap, they can cross the border into Wisconsin, where last I heard, notaries are allowed to charge a whopping 50 cents!

Also in favor of loans,
- the person is less likely to be a serial killer that preys on notaries because they've already gone to all the trouble to apply for a loan, and I have all of their personal info.
- the request is usually straightforward and legal - with GNW, you never know what the person is going to produce, where the signer is going to be (i.e. not in front of me!), or what they think a notary can do for them.

Your situation may vary.

Reply by kathy/ca on 5/24/13 12:27pm
Msg #471141

My main focus over the years has been loan work but I am

considering changing my focus to GNW. However I have felt a sense of security that the title co or lender has had some previous involvement in the process......but that doesnt insure that there isnt something fraudulent going on. None of us want to get caught up in a bad situation.

Reply by LKT/CA on 5/24/13 1:41pm
Msg #471149

Re: My main focus over the years has been loan work but I am

In my experience, the only area where my *antennae* are up is when notarizing for the elderly when I'm dealing with the family. Sometimes, the family has waited too late to "take care of business". The elderly person isn't aware, too medicated to be aware, cannot physically sign, etc. Then I have to tell the family that the situation is beyond *any* notary's scope and they must contact an attorney. They aren't happy, but oh well, there's nothing I can do for them.

Other than that, the majority of GNW is straight forward. I notarize at businesses for executives, doctors, attorneys, people at work that need something notarized but can't leave work or people who get off work late, after the UPS Store closes, but need papers notarized. Others who aren't elderly but housebound. I notarized at a home of a 600 lb person, who was in a recliner. Immaculate house and immaculate person. I notarize for people at all the fast food places or coffee shops. You meet interesting people and get *collateral* benefits, too. You'll gain steady clients. They'll prefer your notary service to the UPS Store. And they'll refer you to their friends and family. I get calls 4 out of 7 days for GNW.

For safety's sake, you do as you do with loan signings - leave the info with family. If I'm on the road and get a call to stop by a home or business to notarize, I'll pull over, get the info and text the details to several people - spouse, both sons, and two friends, one's in law enforcement. Someone always knows where I am when I'm notarizing.

Reply by Robert522TX on 5/24/13 7:28pm
Msg #471193

No one wants to pay a travel fee around here; they want something for nothing, so I'd have to say loans....