Posted by HereinSOCA on 1/30/06 11:51am
Msg #92326

Advice Please!

Due to a work injury I can no longer return to my old job (a decent salary of $3500 month plus full benefits).

Therefore, as a new Notary/Certified Signing Agent, is it realistic to be able to make that amount (working full time) just starting out? Of course each signing service or escrow company pays differently, but is there steady/daily work available?

My concern is that if I sign-up with 150 companies (for example) and 100 call me (daily or every other day), it will be way too much! However, if I turn a signing down, the company may never call again! But on the otherhand, if I sign up with only 50 companies and no one calls me, then I'm still not working!

All Opinions are Appreciated!

Reply by Mike_IA on 1/30/06 11:54am
Msg #92328

Re: Advice Please! - No, look for other work if you need $$

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 1/30/06 12:00pm
Msg #92330

Re: Advice Please! - No, look for other work if you need $$

Mike is right this isn't a big bucks quick job no matter what line of crap the NNA or other notary educating entities may feed you. It takes hours and hours to get to where you are making a little money. If you want to try it on the side along with another full time job to support you while beginning the journey then go for it. But it takes time, don't let anyone fool you.

Reply by LilyMD on 1/30/06 12:02pm
Msg #92332

Re: Advice Please! - No, look for other work if you need $$

I agree with Mike_IA. This is not a quick turn around business. It takes time to cultivate clients. You need a steady working relationship with more than just a couple of signing services or title companies. That means that every time these companies need someone in your area, it's you they call first. That type of set up just doesn't happen overnight. If you need a steady income, I urge a full time job with a steady paycheck that you can bank on every Friday.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 1/30/06 12:01pm
Msg #92331

Re: Advice Please! I think that you need to add some

things to your equation. You need to know the population in your are that needs your services, then you have to factor in how many other providers there are and see what percentage of the business you believe you can get. I know for a fact that in my area if Iws the only notary in town I would never be able to achieve $3500 a month, but I never came to this business thinking to make it my living. It would be intersting to do some studies to see what population density vs service provider is necessary to make a living. You figure that roughly in my town of 6000 people assuming that half own their own home that 3000 and typically in California people wind up refinancing every 5 years that's 600 people a year that might need my services. If I averaged $75 per singing the best I could do is $45,000 gross annual income and I know that I'm not the only notary here.

Reply by davidK on 1/30/06 12:06pm
Msg #92333

Unfortunately it sounds like you fell for the NNA's lies about "Big, Easy Money". The truth is that California has thousands of NSA's competing for a limited number of signing assignments.

This means as a new NSA you may have to accept the lower price assignments (like $50) to get any work at all since the SS and Title Companies already have a big list of experienced Notarys that they usually will prefer to call first. The SS/Title Companies want the job done right the first time, and until you can prove your cababilities you are an unknown factor.

Good luck, but please recognize the reality that you were sold a bill of goods by the NNA, and that to be able to earn what you were paid at a full time job is going to be very difficult if not nearly impossible to accomplish.

Reply by CaliNotary on 1/30/06 12:36pm
Msg #92349

"My concern is that if I sign-up with 150 companies (for example) and 100 call me (daily or every other day), it will be way too much!"

OK, I nominate this for funniest post of the decade.

I don't think I've had 100 companies total call me in the 3 years I've been doing this. It took me 2 months from the time I started signing up with companies to get my first call, and that's when there were a hell of a lot less signing agents in Southern CA. Any company you sign up with very likely already has a bunch of people they use in your area.

You'll have much better luck with monster.com or craigslist then you will trying to support yourself full time as a new signing agent. Heck, you'd probably have better luck with the lottery than trying to support yourself full time as a new signing agent.

Reply by CarolynCO on 1/30/06 12:57pm
Msg #92358

Re: I hate to burst your bubble

I don't know what you've read or who told you, i.e., NNA, that you are going to receive 100 calls every day or even every other day, but it just *ain't* so.

Being self-employed you have absolutely NO BENEFITS, so if you are in need of medical care, you have no employer health coverage. You have no 401k. You have no sick pay. You have a vacation, only if you've saved throughout the year from such.

Working for yourself is not as glamorous as it's made out to be. The days are long -- some are 12-14 hours.

Reply by Janlee_MI on 1/30/06 1:07pm
Msg #92364

Re: I hate to burst your bubble

Boy I wish your example would be true. But there is no way that you will get that many calls. I have been in this business for 10 years and you are lucky to get 30 to 40 a month in most metro areas.

I say Good-luck to you in this venture but it is a lot of work.

Reply by Beth/MD on 1/30/06 1:17pm
Msg #92366

Re: I hate to burst your bubble

As one or two before me said, this business requires a working relationship with companies. It takes time and marketing and patience to develop those relationships. I don't think this is for you. If you don't have the time and resources available to wait at least a couple of months to start getting calls, nope this isn't for you.

Reply by HereinSOCA on 1/30/06 2:10pm
Msg #92395

THANKS to All of You!

THANKS to All of you for Responding!

Yes! I did fall for the $100,000 in your first year hype! This information was told to me, by an instructor, at a local college, when I applied for the original notary test! She asked the students "Who wants to be a Loan Signing Agent?" Everyone raised their hands but me. I had never heard of the position. She then asked "Who wants to make $100,000 the first year notarizing loan papers?" I quickly raised my hand!

After I received my notary commission, I promptly signed-up for the Certified Loan Signing Class! Easy as 1-2-3!

Afterwards, I joined the NNA and then took their test( it was required to join their loan signing section). And Yes! The NNA hyped the message too!

I've purchased just about every book there is on being a Notary and Signing Agent! And thought that i was good to go! However, after I begin reading the 'Notary Rotary', 'Notary Board' and 'Notary Beware' it didn't seem quite so easy! It seemed downright scary! There were many obstacles for which neither the instructor or reading materials had not addressed! I learned "real life" notary experiences, just by reading the various notary websites!

With your Very Helpful replies, I will now sign up with the various companies and know that it will take both time and effort to build a successful business! Financially I'm okay (for now), and can wait until I receive my first loan signing check. However, I needed insight as to what to expect overall! Now I know!

Fortunately, when I left my previous employer, I was able to take all my benefits with me!

THANKS AGAIN!

Reply by MichiganAl on 1/30/06 1:33pm
Msg #92378

Yikes, you've been drinking the Kool-Aid

Your concern about 100 companies calling you made me chuckle, but I remember signing up with about 500 companies myself and I did have a momentary flash of "oh my God, what have I done? I'll never keep up if too many call me." Sadly, that was never a problem. If you sign up with a 150 companies, consider yourself lucky if one calls you. I think I got sporatic calls from three of my 500. No, it's not realistic to make $3500 a month starting out. It's POSSIBLE to make $3500 month at some point a year or two down the road depending on your area (but probably not in SOCAL, where they have more notaries than botox patients). Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear.

Reply by BrendaTx on 1/30/06 1:35pm
Msg #92380

The problem you are concerned with will not happen. Perhaps you got that message from the dozen or so previous posters who told you this. You seem like you can handle it so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and hit you while you were down. I am too much of a sissy and a wimp to attack people when they are standing.

J/k.

Now that I had fun at your expense, let me tell you what I really think - sign up with as many as you can. Do at least 20 a day for five days if possible. Then do five or ten a day. Use the list here on Not Rot.

Do not limit your searching for companies to google.com

Try: Clusty.com, Dogpile.com, and Yahoo.com as well. You'll get a lot different feed back.

Reply by RE on 1/30/06 1:57pm
Msg #92388

Re: Advice Please! BrendaTx

It would have been nicer had you just said that in the first place. Was it really necessary to be the class clown at that person's expense? I'm sure I'll be your next target but I have to wonder why you feel the need to do this.

Reply by CarolynCO on 1/30/06 2:36pm
Msg #92402

Re: What are you talking about ??

I know people get tired of hearing that you better toughen up your skin -- but you are an excellent candidate for doing so.

Reply by CarolynCO on 1/30/06 2:37pm
Msg #92403

Re: RE - the above post is for you and not Brenda!

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 1/30/06 2:41pm
Msg #92404

Re: Advice Please! BrendaTx

RE, don't you ever refer to the Queen as class clown. Although she is one of the best writers here. She should be writing for SNL. Good grief if you are so offended by such a lighthearted post then you need to go back to the sandbox for a time out.

Reply by Beth/MD on 1/30/06 5:59pm
Msg #92450

Re: Advice Please! BrendaTx...SarahBeth

Shouldn't we be calling her Queen Mom???

and

RE you obviously haven't been hanging around long.

Reply by John_NorCal on 1/30/06 8:12pm
Msg #92468

To: RE --- Lighten up dude! or dudette! nm