Posted by bfnotary on 10/24/12 8:48pm
Msg #440204

I didn't want to hijack the previous post about ss..

My husband is thinking about joining me in the field in the future sometime, maybe in a year or so. My question is, I know there are husband and wife teams out there. The companies we would work for, would they let either one of us go out, since we are a team? Trying to figure out a way to word my question. Ok, just say a company calls me, and asks me to do a signing. Could I inform them that the husband and I are a team, and would it be ok if either one of us went out. I have seen some forms that I have filled out where they ask if there would be other notaries in the office that will handle signings. I always say no. My main question is would companies really care, as long as they knew up front. We would make an awesome team. I would love him working in my office with me. However I would probably handle all of the accounting, even if the signing is in his name. That is kinda my thing. lol.

TIA, for any helpful advice, (especially from any husband/wife teams)

Reply by PegiT_MN on 10/24/12 9:42pm
Msg #440213

Yes you can totally work as a husband and wife team. There are a lot of husband and wife teams out there. You just have to let all your title companies and signing companies that you work for know that your husband is now working with you and he will sometimes be going out on the closings. They add him to your profile and you send in all his information to them like background check, commission, E&O etc. As far as getting paid goes.....I believe the check is made out to you.

Reply by MW/VA on 10/24/12 10:06pm
Msg #440215

Ditto to Peg's response. There should be no problem

at all. Maybe he wants to start with you on a part-time basis, and learn the ropes. I can only wish that I had someone to cover for me every now & them.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 10/25/12 3:41am
Msg #440247

Just be careful....

I don't know your situation, so I have no idea of what your expectations are, but if you're depending on this work as your sole method of support, I'd suggest you think long and hard about it first. IMO, we are currently experiencing a boom as a result of very low interest rates, but I doubt it's going to last. Just by way of example, two of the signings I did today were with people whom I've met with twice before. The lender offers no-cost loans, so if the rates go low enough, they just do it again. How many more times do you think this is going to happen? What do you think will happen to business volume when interest rates start going back up? That's inevitable at some point in time. So you may not want to have all your eggs in one basket if things slow down dramatically.

Secondly, if your husband *does* start into this business - especially if he has no background in the industry - he will have a learning curve. You might want to consider having him start out on his own with his own customers and get some experience under his belt before you begin working as a team. Otherwise, if he makes some rookie mistakes (which nearly everyone does), it could reflect on you and possible cost you some hard-earned clients if they're expecting someone with whatever level of experience you've already developed.

Just a thought...

Reply by CopperheadVA on 10/25/12 6:58am
Msg #440249

Re: Just be careful....

<< we are currently experiencing a boom as a result of very low interest rates, but I doubt it's going to last. >>

So true, Janet, and I think about this every day. I have tracked my monthly numbers since I began doing this work in 2005. In Nov 2007 things were absolutely dead and I did 7 jobs ALL MONTH - this Friday alone I have 7 jobs scheduled all in one day. When interest rates go up, this boom will indeed end.

Reply by bfnotary on 10/25/12 7:04am
Msg #440250

Re: Just be careful....

Thanks for the responses. He is working right now, and probably will continue to work, The evenings is when I could really use back up on and off, he would pretty much pick up the slack, until we get a bigger house, hopefully this spring. Then I plan on building an office, to expand on my work, such as title work, general notary work, etc. Whenever the office picks up, then he may quit his job and get one of those ups jobs in the warehouse for 4 hours a day (for benefit purposes). And work more full time with me. This is all just a thought. We haven't decided, 100% yet. But even if he ends up keeping his full time job, he may still get commissioned to help me out on evening signings. Mainly at the EOM. I think it would be so ideal to have an office that is up an running and doing well, have him quit his job, and either help in office when I am at signings, or take signings while I am at office. And someone could be with the kids constantly with no sitters needed. Well end of month doesn't count on the no sitters needed theory, lol. But to be honest, the amount of money I pay out to sitters is about half of what he makes each week,and at eom, even more. Sitters are not cheap these days.
Have a wonderful day, my day is just about to start, and may not end til 9 pm or later. we shall see.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 10/25/12 12:55pm
Msg #440319

Re: Just be careful....

Good luck..but careful here

"get one of those ups jobs in the warehouse for 4 hours a day (for benefit purposes)."

I know someone works for UPS who is looking at losing his health benefits if Obamacare continues (not to make this political at all - just a fact). He may not get benefits for part time work - I know down here even full-timers don't get benefits.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 10/25/12 3:53pm
Msg #440357

Re: Just be careful....

And what happens if in a year or two your "overflow" disappears completely and volume drops way off? What I'm saying is that it may not be wise to base future plans on current volume. I remember some months a few years back when I could hardly tell it was EOM...

Your ideal sounds great - and if it's workable in your area, more power to you - but I think you should also have a plan for what happens if things fall far below your ideal. Taking on a bigger house and considering having your husband quit a job based on the current surge could be dangerous. If you have a "plan B" in place for a worst case scenario, then you'd be in a better position to take on that risk.

Best of luck!

Reply by PA_Notary_II on 10/25/12 10:12am
Msg #440277

If you sign on with ss and tc's as "Jack and Jill Smith" you will be covered. The wife and I have been doing this for over 15 years and sometimes when I turn down a signing her phone will ring 5 minutes later for the one I just said no to.

Reply by Les_CO on 10/25/12 11:06am
Msg #440290

I know of several ‘teams,’ some husband/wife, some mother/daughter. All I know do a good job. They also have a LLC’s with tax numbers. Just let the hiring party know who will be doing the signing.JMO