Msg #651961
4 replies | Interest rates | By  Yoli/CA on 1/15/26 11:44am
I had a investment property purchase earlier this week. It was for a condo in Lake Tahoe that purchaser is planning to use personally and also use as short term rental (ie. Airbnb). Interest rate is at 6.50%.
His current residence he purchased in 2021. He has an interest rate of 2.45% on his home. He has not intention of letting that one go. His plan is to pay off the Tahoe property asap and slowly work on his primary residence.
Would sure like to see those 2%s come back! We were busy as all get-go. 
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Msg #651956
2 replies | My first refi !! | By Clem/CA on 1/14/26 6:42pm
Well my first refi in about two years with no cash back. Some one refied with a lower interest rate than their loan of about a year ago... Good thing for you folks out there that want to be a little more busy.
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Msg #651953
3 replies | Hammermill paper | By Yoli/CA on 1/14/26 5:46pm
Watch out for what you get.
I've always purchased Hammermill Copy Plus and had no issues whatsoever.
A while back, I purchased Hammermill Business paper (it's been a while so don't recall where I purchased). I finally got around to using it. Wow! What a difference compared to the Copy Plus. The Business version tends to curl up on the lenghth-wise edges. It'll straighten out after a while of laying flat with weight on it; gotta watch it while it's spitting out of the printer. Can't wait to be done with it! 3 more reams and it's gone!! <whew>
My next case is Members Mark brand from Sam's Club.
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Msg #651952
1 replies | Turbotax Home & Business 2025 -- best price? | By Yoli/CA on 1/14/26 3:26pm
I've been using Turbotax since before becoming an NSA. Shopping for this year's version now. What's the best price anyone has found? The best I've found thus far is a Sam's Club for $95.99.
Appreciate your sharing this info!
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Msg #651945
6 replies | Mortgage Connect | By Debra Cox on 1/13/26 12:55pm
Why do so many notaries accept closing from Mortgage connect they pay so little for a full refi with scans they are offering $75. I always put in a counter offer of a minium of $90 and I never get it. Actually $100 is standard for a refi with scans. People please stop accepting such low offers if everyone stops they will start paying more
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Msg #651943
0 replies | EAGLE NOTARY SERVICES | By Marina Hernandez on 1/13/26 10:22am
Does anyone have a pending invoice with this company?
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Msg #651937
0 replies | Continued from WTFNNA | By Yoli/CA on 1/11/26 11:40am
Thread starting with Msg #651866, in particular Msg #651885.
According to the NNA website, their certification is geared for newbies. Excerpt from their website:
"NSA Certification Training & Exam
Ideal for new Signing Agents, this self-paced online course helps you master loan signings and understand key documents, followed by the required certification exam. Both the training and exam are essential steps toward earning your NSA Certification." http://www.nationalnotary.org/signing-agent (scroll down and click on NSA Certification Training & Exam)
Notice the word "new"? Third word in first paragraph.
I've been a NSA since January 2006 -- no longer a newbie. After carefully reading all the requests/reminders from my hiring parties, the only one that mentions certification is Mortgage Connect. For the past 4-5 years I've only worked with them maybe a couple of times a year as that's how often they "deem" it possible to meet my fees. This year, I only ordered the BGC and skipped the certification. If I get any backlash from the "biggies", I'll rethink my position and (much to my chagrin) order the certification.
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Msg #651920
12 replies | Mortgage Connect | By Carol Ann Horne on 1/8/26 3:50pm
Why do so many notaries accept closing from Mortgage connect they pay so little for a full refi with scans they are offering $75. I always put in a counter offer of a minium of $90 and I never get it. Actually $100 is standard for a refi with scans. People please stop accepting such low offers if everyone stops they will start paying more
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Msg #651919
5 replies | Offers on Notary Rotary | By Voyager Notary Services - Voyager Notary Services on 1/8/26 3:47pm
How long did you take before you get an offered from Notary Rotary? I created my account on 12/17 and haven't gotten any offers as yet. I have received several offers from Snapdocs and Signing Order
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Msg #651915
1 replies | Alabama House Bill 97: Absentee Ballot Affidavit | By Michelle/AL on 1/7/26 8:35pm
This is another bill that would become effective 10/1/2026, if approved and signed into law.
"Under existing law, an absentee ballot may not be removed from the affidavit envelope if the affidavit envelope is defective. This bill would allow a voter a certain amount of time to correct the defect that would otherwise prevent the ballot from being counted."
A defect could be a variety of things. So what does this have to do with notaries? According to one Absentee Election Manager, notaries often make mistakes when notarizing the Affidavit. Currently, there are no options available so the voter's ballot cannot be counted. If this bill passes, the voter will be notified and told that they have X number of days to either go back to the notary and have the error fixed, or request a new absentee ballot and start over.
My take away is this...if I notarize an Absentee Ballot Affidavit, the notarization needs to be perfect. And if I get a phone call informing me that I messed up, I need to high-tail it to the voter or election office and fix my mistake. The clock is literally clicking. (Granted, this should be my response for any notary error.)
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Msg #651914
0 replies | Alabama House Bill 73: Commission Term and Notary Seal | By Michelle/AL on 1/7/26 8:09pm
This is only a bill. The legislative session starts next week - January 13th. I've been told that the winter session will be a short one because of mid-term elections. If you have an opinion about this HB73, you should contact your legislator sooner than later. The the bill passes and gets signed into law here's how it will affect notaries:
1. Commission term would change from 4 years to 2 years.
2. Only the Secretary of State would be authorized to issues notary seals.
3. The notary seal would be revamped to include: - full legal name; commission number; jurisdiction
4. Notaries using an unauthorized version of the seal may have his commission suspended or revoked with civil penalties.
5. Anyone using a fraudulent notary stamp in a real estate transaction will be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
If the HB 73 passes, it is scheduled to go into effect on 10/01/2026.
I'm hosting several free Zoom Calls to discuss the bill. If you're interested in attending, send me a DM/PM and I'll provide you with the information to register and a link to download a copy of the bill.
In case you're wondering, Delaware is currently the only state with a 2-Year notary commission term.
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Msg #651905
6 replies | Premier Notary Does NOT Pay! | By Abigail Ferris on 1/7/26 8:34am
I did a signing through them for Chaffin Title who typed the signers' name incorrectly all throughout the documents. When the Signer called title from the table to discuss it, the owner (Scott) told her on speaker phone that I should cross out and correct the spelling, which I did against my better judgment. They sent me a scathing email saying "Now we have to get another Notary!" instead of sending me back with the corrected docs. Scott has lied, denying he gave those instructions and Premier has refused to pay me.
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Msg #651898
4 replies | Forms, Templates, Guides & More | By Charles Huggins on 1/6/26 2:37pm
Over time, I’ve found that having ready-to-use templates, step-by-step guides for loan signings, business spreadsheets, and even marketing resources like flyers or social media content can make a huge difference. These tools not only save time but also reduce stress and give you confidence when offering new services.
Check this out below if interested:
https://www.superpromovideos.com/collections/frontpage/products/notary-mega-bundle
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Msg #651897
2 replies | How a Set of Simple Tools Transformed a Notary’s Workflow | By Charles Huggins on 1/6/26 2:30pm
Hi everyone!
Running a notary business efficiently can be challenging, especially when trying to grow and add new services. Many notaries I know struggle with:
Landing clients consistently
Staying organized with templates, certificates, and appointment tracking
Expanding services like field inspections or fingerprinting without feeling overwhelmed
Creating marketing materials and social media content
Over time, I’ve found that having ready-to-use templates, step-by-step guides for loan signings, business spreadsheets, and even marketing resources like flyers or social media content can make a huge difference. These tools not only save time but also reduce stress and give you confidence when offering new services.
A notary friend of mine recently put all of these strategies together and it completely changed how they run their business—they were able to take on more clients, stay organized, and feel less stressed.
If anyone wants to learn more about the types of tools and strategies that helped them, check out this below:
https://www.superpromovideos.com/collections/frontpage/products/notary-mega-bundle
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Msg #651896
2 replies | Tools & Resources to Save Time and Grow Your Notary Business | By Charles Huggins on 1/6/26 2:20pm
Hi everyone!
Running a notary business efficiently can be challenging, especially when trying to grow and add new services. Many notaries I know struggle with:
Landing clients consistently
Staying organized with templates, certificates, and appointment tracking
Expanding services like field inspections or fingerprinting without feeling overwhelmed
Creating marketing materials and social media content
Over time, I’ve found that having ready-to-use templates, step-by-step guides for loan signings, business spreadsheets, and even marketing resources like flyers or social media content can make a huge difference. These tools not only save time but also reduce stress and give you confidence when offering new services.
If interested, the link is below:
https://www.superpromovideos.com/collections/frontpage/products/notary-mega-bundle
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Msg #651887
4 replies | ADA provisions for DMV accommodation | By Cheryl Elliott on 1/3/26 11:07pm
To assist seniors/homebound citizens to renew IDs.
Today I visited a family of four adult children assisting their 88 yo mother who was very recently widowed with her trust certification and durable POA for her bank. Her CA ID had expired so we used her US Passport. When her passport expires she will need a CA ID.
I gave them the DMV number so that they may arrange for DMV to accommodate this renewal by paying them a visit to her home. Mother is frail and doesn't need to navigate long lines and waits or hard plastic chairs.
I have added this number to my contacts. Some folks here might find it helpful too.
800-777-0133.
I personally didn't consider this a big ask. But I did go home with a huge box of avocados and much gratitude!
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Msg #651866
26 replies | WTFNNA | By VenturaCA on 1/2/26 10:27am
Has anyone tried to get a background check through NNA lately? I did it last year at a lower cost and without all the bull**** hoops to jump through. Firstly, I had to buy the certification training WITH the background check which costs $199. Last year, I did the renew basic package, which included the background, which was $85. The Renew package is now $199. I've been a signing agent for 13 years and did not need all this hand-holding. I thought I would be able to just answer the questions and click through all the stupid politically-correct diverse inclusion questions and absurd scenarios, but I couldn't because the system won't let you. Just the training alone took up hours of my time. My title company accepts other vendors such as HireRight, Sterling Info Systems, Cluso Investigation, but there was nowhere on their websites to request an individual background report. When I finally heard back from HireRight, they said that the contracting company would have to send me a link, or I could use their sister company backgroundchecks.com, but I'm not sure that would be acceptable to my title company. I was under a time-crunch because my last background check expired, and so I went ahead with NNA, but I will never do it again. The cost is ridiculous, and the lessons are a joke.
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Msg #651861
4 replies | Merritt Services, Inc. | By rp/WI on 12/31/25 10:02am
I completed a closing on October 15, 2025 for Merritt Services. When I called on December 31, 2025 to inquire why I hadn't been paid, Brenda seemed sincere and sent me my e-check within 15 minutes.
This company has been in business since 2007 and I appreciate working for them.
Even though it took over 2 months to receive my check, I still would give this company 5 stars as they are easy to work for and very kind and considerate.
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Msg #651850
8 replies | Lost document concerns | By Merkaba418 on 12/29/25 1:41pm
Hey all,
I woke up this morning to a flurry of emails that the documents for a closing I did right before the holidays were not tracking. After investigating the FedEx location, they were unable to account for the documents. The lender and title company are now telling me the loan will have to reclose, and lock extension fees may be required. Fortunately, I obtained the shipping receipt and uploaded a copy to their portal immediately upon delivery of the documents. My concern now lies with liability and whether or not the borrower/TC will come after me for any fees due to the missed closing date. This is my first time dealing with a situation like this, so any advice is welcome!
Thanks,
M
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