Posted by Nitzia Chambers on 11/29/11 6:35pm
Msg #405221

New Signing Agent

I am new to the forum and I am currently a Notary Public interested in becoming a Notary Signing Agent. I was interested in finding out opinions of Agents who have been operating for 3 or months. Is this a lucrative side to the notary field and whats the average monthly income? I am just curious about the chance for additional income. I welcome any and all advice and information.

Reply by Mike Goodey on 11/29/11 6:51pm
Msg #405222

Welcome! This is a great site for training materials along with expert advice from seasoned veterans of the signing business. Yes, if you can get the work, it can be very rewarding...expect to make a lot of $$? Try something else. NNA advertizes that it is lucrative, but in all reality, it's a competitive business with many saturated markets. Your county might be different...but check it out first.
Anyway, Good luck.
Become a premier member and you will be upgraded on the list.

Reply by MW/VA on 11/29/11 9:03pm
Msg #405236

Nice reply, Mike. You presented a realistic picture with slamming the newbie. Kudos! :-)

Reply by Karla/OR on 11/29/11 11:39pm
Msg #405250

Welcome Nitzia! I have been a NSA for three months and a general notary for a couple of years. Getting business as a newbie NSA is slow for sure, but the jobs I have done have been decent money. Also on the plus side is that I've met some really nice people here on this forum and at signings. I am using the NSA job as a 2nd income so I am more frustrated with the slowness of getting jobs (and the experience) than the money aspect of it. Stay with this forum as it is priceless when it comes to education in this business. Best of luck to you. Karla

Reply by NJDiva on 11/30/11 3:11pm
Msg #405328

Hi Nitzia...welcome to NotRot...

Since you stated you are "interested in becoming a Notary Signing Agent", I'm curious to know how you found out about the Signing Agent "niche"?

There are a few things that need to be noted:

1) There is a company out there (who will remain nameless, okay, so it was mentioned in a response to your post) who is notorious for inflating the income potential of this business (in today's long term market-based on MY recent experience anyway). Because the market is so inundated with NSA's, it is erroneous and IMO may even constitute false advertising to a degree. I heard with my own ears "there is plenty of business to go around." NOT TRUE!!! (anymore)

2) It takes a while to get established in this business. There is a small boom going on right now, but by the time newbies get established, it will most likely be well past it's prime. Over 6 years ago, it took me a good 1 to 2 years to get a good client base. Unfortunately it has plummeted over the years, which demands continuous marketing to establish relationships with more companies to compensate for the loss of the ones going out of business.

3) Though the start up costs as an Independent Contractor are less than as if you're starting a large business, there is more than just the bare essentials of a computer and printers. Check out the Orange Search Button for more info on that. I myself have posted some very in depth costs associated with this business.

4) Because the market is so inundated, keep in mind that many of these companies (especially the reputable ones) already have a large data base and most of them have their go-to notaries, IMO. Unfortunately, there has been so much undercutting lately, that these people that do $75 and lower edoc signings are not only destroying the business, but they are undercutting their way out of a viable business and will not be able to sustain it. What's worse is that these, um, er, echem, "undercutters" will have already destroyed the industry as we know it by the time they realize that they are actually PAYING

Reply by NJDiva on 11/30/11 3:12pm
Msg #405329

oops... n/m

Reply by NJDiva on 11/30/11 3:30pm
Msg #405332

they are actually PAYING the

hiring companies bills with their supplies, time etc. After all, these companies certainly would pay more for overhead if they were to conduct the closings themselves. It makes me shake my head in utter amazement of the ignorance, selfishness and recklessness of these NSA's. If the shoe doesn't fit, please don't put it on, but if it does...."OH YES I DID!"

5) There are many training companies out there. The one mentioned earlier does not hold a corner on the market; although they are certainly doing everything they can to do so, whether the information they teach and profess is accurate, up-to-date, or is state specific or not. Be sure to search for other companies that give training. Many long timers have no respect for XXX because their inadequacies are so numerous.

Again, I encourage you to do a search of the orange button regarding starting up in this business. Please don't come into this business with Rose Colored Glasses on thinking it's a get rich quick kind of thing. It's just a dream. But with that said, if you have time, patience and a whole lot of resilience and relentlessness, chances are you can be one of the few that might make the "big bucks." lol Another thing you can do is to put your zip code in the notary finder to see how many notaries are in your area and if possible, try to determine if you're competing with long time, well established, very experienced notaries. That should be a step in helping you to determine if this is the "niche" for you.

Good luck.