Posted by Jackie/VA on 1/2/08 10:45am
Msg #228585

Newbie:-)

Hello all,
I have been a member for almost a year but not really doing anything with this site as I had a full time job as a site agent for a contruction company. I recently gave that up to persue doing this part time as well as real estate. I had a couple of closings last week as my first gig. I do have a back ground in real estate, settlement closing coordinator, and closer for a commercial title company.

I just wanted to say hi to everyone and if anyone has any advice, I gladly welcome it. I ordered my first printer through ebay a couple of weeks ago, it was the laset jet hp2100 dual tray. I had my first 2 closings back to back the same night. I read over all the docs numerous times not going to bed until 3 am...trying to make sure I did everything correctly.

Considering, I couldn't use my current printer...I did have to do a LOT of running around to wrap this up. I am waiting for my printer to come in before I do another, if I get another phone call. I wish I had a success story like I read in other sites that a newbie had 17 closings in the first month but I don't. Hopefully by reading these sites, I will pick up some tips and tricks and get more jobs.

I hope everyone has a prosperous year!

Jackie

Reply by desktopfull on 1/2/08 11:04am
Msg #228597

For advise use the orange search key and read!

You may wish you had kept that full time job as a site agent.

Reply by Jackie/VA on 1/2/08 12:50pm
Msg #228632

Re: For advise use the orange search key and read!

desktopfull, thanks for the advise. However, I am not looking to be rich or do this full time for financial support only for back up money and part time.

Reply by janCA on 1/2/08 1:04pm
Msg #228634

Re: For advise use the orange search key and read!

Jackie, sorry to say, you just stuck your foot in your mouth on this forum. The NSA's who have done this full time for many years have had their legs cut off at the knees by not only what is happening in this industry but by those "newbies" doing this for their play money. To many signing agents this IS their sole income. Please use that orange button as desktopfull has suggested. You will gain much knowledge as to what is happening in the NSA world and also give you insight as to whether or not you really want to pursue this on a "part time" basis.

Reply by Jackie/VA on 1/2/08 2:44pm
Msg #228672

Re: For advise use the orange search key and read!

JanCA and others,

Thanks for the advise. I probably did stick my foot in my mouth or mispeake. I just wanted to introduce myself and learn as much as I can. I am going at it part time because it is what it is. I don't have enough jobs coming in to make this full time. If it becomes full time, GREAT! Just like so many others before me. I am scared and fearful of doing something wrong even though I have gone through a rodeo or two already. I still have a lot to learn and not a lot of money to start up with.

I stumbled upon this a year ago but was not at a financial position to do this and I was working all the time. Now I am able to spread my wings to see where I land. So I understand what you are saying about newbies and part timers. I don't plan on being a newbie for long and hopefully will prosper to be full time but with today's market that will take some time. Also, so many others have other things added to there business as a notary to survive...I am sure there are numerous full timers that do something else for income.

I was reading the past blogs and I have seen people get beat up on here so again thanks for telling me to click on the orange button for words of wisdom.

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 1/2/08 9:37pm
Msg #228752

Re: For advise use the orange search key and read!

Jackie, Good luck on moving out of the newbie relm soon. The only way to do that is with experience and lately there has not been enough jobs to provide a new NSA with the experience necessary. I have been doing this for 6 years tomorrow. I only wish my business was as good now as it was when I first started out, but times have changed. I now count myself lucky and the week a good one if I can complete in one week what I used to do in one good day!

Yes, you are right that a great many of us have had to seek other ways to make an income because of the fall out in the mortgage industry. I am seeking out another way (totally unrelated to the mortgage business) to increase my income. I have been researching and studying it for over 4 months now. I LIVE on that industry's forum! There is so much to learn and believe me if I mess up in my new business it will only cost a few $100, not 100's of thousands and nothing as important as a borrowers home! It absolutely boggles my mind the numbers of people that enter this business without even a CLUE as to what the business entails. On my new venture, I spent over 1 MONTH just determining my target market! That forum is very helpful, but so far no one has gone on and said, "tell me how to get started in this business and make the most money for the least amount of effort". So why do our newbies feel a sense of entitlement to be given this information? (A retorical (sp) question).

Read, study, research and research some more.

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 1/2/08 1:11pm
Msg #228637

Re: Start with message #33325

That will provide you with a wealth of information, and then you'll have a good idea of what the important stuff is.