Posted by D Oltman on 1/17/08 5:27pm
Msg #231114

What is the best CA notary & Loan Signing Agent School?




I'd appreciate your suggestions and reasons for them, as I'm currently trying to decide which course to take. I prefer the seminar format, and taking the classes together on a weekday is ideal.

Thank you!

Reply by Merry_CA on 1/17/08 5:30pm
Msg #231115

Please read the thread below!

Reply by Pier National Notary - Paul on 1/17/08 7:05pm
Msg #231126

Message Deleted

This message has been deleted by a forum moderator.

Reason: Advertising

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/17/08 7:25pm
Msg #231130

This just reeks of advertising to me. The company you suggest, Paul, is brand spanking new and just started spamming notaries recently.

Stick to the long standing, proven training courses like ones offered on this site. Click on Notary Public 101 above.

Reply by ZeeCA on 1/17/08 7:34pm
Msg #231132

what you think this is a staged question? n/m

Reply by Pier National Notary - Paul on 1/17/08 7:40pm
Msg #231136

Becca, Sorry next time I will PM. Please have Harry take down my last post if possible.

We are seeking alternative (Non-XYZ) training courses. There is no way a loan signing agent can learn what is needed without mentoring, ride alongs, etc. There are a couple of new training companies that are "mentoring" notaries through the internet, via email, and over the phone. They courses take several weeks.

As a signing service, we are tried of under experienced notaries. And we pay better than average, not $40-$50 a signing. So, of course, we look for training services that could improve the industry. I do not believe that (in CA) a notary can take a 6 hour class and a 1 day Loan Signing Training Seminar and be ready to handle closings.

Escrow Officers are certified with escrow based education. Appraisers have to under go 2000 hours of apprenticeship and education. Why would notaries/loan signing agents be any different? We are pushing for stronger regulations for training and/or certifcations to handle loan docs.

Thank you for your input and sorry for advertising.

Reply by Pier National Notary - Paul on 1/17/08 7:41pm
Msg #231137

HARRY, PLEASE TAKE DOWN MY POST THAT MAY HAVE ADVERTISED n/m

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/17/08 8:02pm
Msg #231140

I agree, Paul. Notaries can not learn all they need to know to be an NSA from a six hour course. I guess my bone of contention is that people who have no background in this industry actually believe that they can take a course, hit the ground running and make the big bucks. If people are still believing this stuff they are, in my mind, seriously defunct of any common sense.

As far as escrow officers being certified with escrow based education, I have to disagree with you. Especially when it comes to assembly line escrow operations. Paul, I have seen it first hand, I worked in it and was completely amazed. In an office of over 250 employees and 50 escrow officers, maybe 2% were actually qualified as EOs, paralegals or title examiners/producers.

I can't blame you for wanting an alternative to XYZ trained NSAs. Have you checked out the Signing Registry's program? Some of the best NSAs on this and other boards are a part of their mentoring program.

Reply by Pier National Notary - Paul on 1/17/08 8:12pm
Msg #231143

I like what they are doing there. I feel some changes need to be made regarding XYZ and that isn't going to happen with a company in Mooreville, MS. Maybe it will?? But I live in California and like Floria, we have a saturated market of notaries. And XYZ makes tons of money off them. So, that is why we back companies based out here. JMO.

We try and promote (I said it) companies that we can visit and see their efforts and motivations. I work closely with the Orange County Escrow Association and improving the notary aspect of the industry. So, I don't feel because a company is new is a good enough reason to go with an older one. We are looking for new ideas to an old problem.

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/17/08 8:25pm
Msg #231146

"We are looking for new ideas to an old problem."

I'm right there with you, Paul.

I'm glad we cleared the air.

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/17/08 8:15pm
Msg #231144

I didn't complete my thought...

Paul, I think it is perfectly fine that you post supportive comments for a company that you believe in, but maybe if you prefaced your post with who you are and why you feel they are the best it might be better received by members of this board.

Reply by Pier National Notary - Paul on 1/17/08 8:27pm
Msg #231148

Re: I didn't complete my thought...

No worries. I know it looks like advertising. But we need to get information out there some how. There is lots of negativity on this board but also some good information.

I think many notaries are re-active vs. pro-active. (Not all). And the escrow professionals that I know and still working are very pro-active. I also think this slow time is an opportunity to improve standards, add support, and build a stronger industry for loan signing agents.

Charles may be right, "the old rush is over" but there is still gold in the river and mines. It will just take better equipment (training and standards) to dig it up again.

Reverse Mortgages are not the answer (to loan signing agents and/or signing services) because as a signing service our margins are very low and that is trickled down to the notaries. We can only make money on RM if there is volume but we still have to keep personnel to take the calls, and that expense kills us when inexperienced notaries botch signings. And our clients only expect perfection, which does not and cannot exist with the current structure of the signing service industry.

It's not hopeless. There are a few solutions to our problems but corporate ideas are not openly accepted in the notary world. JMO

Reply by Becca_FL on 1/17/08 9:45pm
Msg #231161

Re: I didn't complete my thought...

Reverse Mortgages may not be the answer in many areas, however, 60% of the population in my county is 60+ and RMs have proven to be a great income source in a declining market. I'm very aware of my market here, I used to sell advertising and was privy to many demographic reports and still am. The demo here has shifted a bit, but still mainly 60+. I've done 80/20 RMs to refis in the past 30 days.

The rush is over, but thankfully my general notary work is booming. Thanks be to google. More people find me via google than any other source. If you don't have a website, you need one. If you don't make page one of a google search in your area, you need to and you can achieve it for FREE. I'm averaging 5 calls per week because of my google ranking and I average $75 per job with little to no printing, no advertising fees and no waiting to get paid.

Paul, I'm glad you are interested and invested in the future of this business. I think what you are doing is wonderful and I would hope that more escrow professionals will stand up to the fake certifying agencies, as you have. You're right about corporate ideas not being openly accepted by the notary world. I think we have the XYZ to blame for that...Many still have a bad taste in their mouths.

Peace!

Reply by BrendaTx on 1/17/08 10:25pm
Msg #231169

Re: I didn't complete my thought...

I believe there will be a short period of slight decline in reverse mortgage applications. The media is doing a lot of focusing on senior citizens being aware of the creeps who are getting in the business of RMs to team up with annuity brokers.

I have been reading about this for awhile now online. However, today at my noon phone call to Mother I found out it has hit the mainstream. All the old folks are hearing is "reverse mortgage = bad bad bad".

Let's face it, the older generation perks their ears up like a proud peacock's tail any time they can get a little bit of news straight from NBC, ABC or CBS which tells them that the world is going to hell in a handbasket and seniors are going first.

Bad news is a premium with some folks. My parents have always delighted in delivering the worst. Today, at my evening phone call to Mother Smith she tells me, "Did you know Mr. Jones from the credit union?" No, I said, why do you ask...did he die? (She delights in telling me the latest from the obits.) "No!" she practically yells at me. I realize I have stolen her thunder...just not sure how. Okay, I say, what happened then?

"Well, he had a little car trouble and stopped to add transmission fluid and his car blew up. His daughter and grandbaby were with him." Was he hurt, I asked--even though I don't know Mr. Jones. "Yes, he's going to be okay, though."

I said that was good. I was glad to hear that. And then she told me that his daughter and grandchild died in the explosion.

I am not making light of Mr. Jones' family. Not at all. I am sad for this, but good grief...was that really newsworthy? Was it really necessary? So sad.

Tomorrow, I swear I am going to open up the police blotter when I get up and make a list of all the bad news I can find so I can cheer up my mother.

Reply by Pat/IL on 1/17/08 10:49pm
Msg #231176

Re: You sure have a way of telling a story, Brenda. n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 1/17/08 11:13pm
Msg #231179

Re: You sure have a way of telling a story, Brenda.

Aw, thanks ( I think. )

I just had to get it off my chest. I get frustrated with the media for their inflammatory way of presenting things so that it scares the pants off of less critical thinking people, targeting the senior citizens eating their tomato soup and tuna sandwiches while watching the news at noon.

The other day Mother Smith got mad at me because of another horror story from the news. "They said on the news today that the government is letting our social security numbers out. They [note: whoever the heck "they" is] found Colin Powell's social security number! It's rampant!"

Now, understand the insinuation by mainstream media is that the dastardly Dubya and his minions are the root of all evil and is letting your SS numbers "out there". (See http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/02/government_websites_yield_personal_data/ for a sample.)

The reality is that local county governments have taken property records online and are still not completely error proof in redacting social security numbers from days gone by when ID theft wasn't rampant...and, it's a bad thing...I don't disagree with that. In fact, I feel that property records should not be online...only the index of the records. I feel that anyone who looks at property records should be required to be registered with the county by proper ID so that abstractors can go about their abstracting business book by book...not so that anyone can peruse the records on a whim.

However, the way it is presented all Mother Smith hears is "The world is going to hell in a handbasket and I better go to the bank and get all my money and bury it in the back yard."

Mother Smith was gravely disappointed when I explained how the numbers came to be online. Somehow I think my mother must have enjoyed ghost tales when she was a child...there's just something kind of exciting about being scared out of your wits.

Reply by Pat/IL on 1/18/08 12:21am
Msg #231183

Re: 'Twas sincere, Brenda. n/m

Reply by LCS_CA on 1/18/08 12:55am
Msg #231184

Not *all* escrow officers in California are certified. The professional designations program is administered by the California Escrow Assn. There are experience requirements, an all-day three part test, and continuing education requirements for Certified Escrow Officers and Certified Senior Escrow Officers. In times like this, many companies will not support their professionally designated escrow officers with the cost of membership in the CEA or attendance at dinner meetings, educational seminars and the annual education conference. It is a great program.