Who do you contact in a hospital to let them know you are a notary?
@ tbailey282003 and all GA notaries
Page 29 of your handbook - GA is an attorney-only state and though you think attorneys pass this work off to notaries it’s illegal for you to do it.
There have been posts that GA notaries can do loan signings for non-GA property…not sure how true that is…but making a living doing signings for GA properties? You can’t do them…at all…
Sorry but that’s the facts and has been for some time - I feel bad for all GA notaries who gave money to anyone to certify them for something they can’t do.
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Go into snapdocs
On the left click on add signing and input info so the algorithm thinks you have experience
Hi there! So Arichter is correct in what she’s saying and you are too, to a degree. To be CLEAR, those that are making money here in the state of Georgia doing “loan signing” work are likely working directly with attorneys and to be frank, they could be breaking the law. Due to COVID, there’s a lot of changes that have taken place and attorneys are able to “supervise” via telephone or virtually (that’s where a good portion of the money that’s being made is coming from); HOWEVER, technically that is not what they’re supposed to do and if caught, they could have their commissions revoked. The only caveat to this is assisting in out of state property closings.
There is money to be made but how you make it is up to how YOU want to work it out. If you want to find a Real Estate Attorney who turns a blind eye to you handling their signings, then by all means go for what you know. If you want to market your business doing GNW, you could make a decent ($1500 or more) per month doing so, but be aware that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Don’t be fooled by those that make these grandiose claims of making all of this money in the state b/c if they truly are, 9/10 times, they’re likely breaking the law.
My ultimate advice to you is to be VERY careful in what you do regarding the loan signing aspect of this business. GA by far, is the toughest state to do this business in b/c of our laws. I’m not sure what training you took but Mark Wills LSS program has a mentoring group on Facebook and there’s a wealth of knowledge there! Plenty of seasoned GA notaries that are more than happy to help you get your business off the ground! Remember this in whatever road you choose…Just b/c you CAN doesn’t mean that you SHOULD!
I hope this helps somewhat and I wish you the best on your journey! Congrats on the new business!
P.S.-I hope this translates well, as I’m NOT trying to come off as a Debbie Downer or Pessimistic Patty. I want to see you win and win the legal way! Don’t risk your hard work, time and money taking an under the table signing and ultimately losing your commission for good!
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How much did you put into thumbtack?
This is what I am trying to find out. I went on Thumbtack last night but I was unsure of how much to put in. Yesterday @J4MobileNotary mentioned that once you put your business on Thumbtack, you will be getting hits. But how much is needed to start getting hits. I am trying to make money so that I can afford to have my business name on all these social media sites. @cannonnotaryservices what do you suggest ? Have you signed up with Thumbtack yet? Please advise.
I am really confused @LindaH-FL and @Sealedthedealnotary because when I took my courses on line with NNA and they gave training on the requirements for Georgia, NEVER ONCE was it mentioned that you can not get loan signings unless through an attorney in the state of GA. PLus, why would they offer training to be a stand alone NSA on Mark Willis and NNA if this is not the case for GA? I have wasted all this money on office supplies (printer, toner, training course) and there is no way to get make the money back. WTH?
You think that’s what causing me not to get request?
You are not the first person who has done this, but the NNA has covered their rear with:
Georgia Notary Training and Handbooks | NNA (nationalnotary.org)
Note the blue print on above screen “Learn about restrictions in your state”
And ‘the restrictions’
Signing Agent State Restrictions | NNA (nationalnotary.org)
As to why they would offer training… an attorney might need training as I’m sure they don’t teach this in law school.
Climbing on soapbox now (and this is NOT directed at you, tbailey,) but mostly at the way-too-many people who watch videos & see ads for training and think they’ve found the best get-rich-quick idea and jump into it with not enough research. Which I really do understand because you don’t know what you don’t know until, it seems, too late. You’ve done all the steps to get into this field and then wonder why you’re not getting any business. Only then do you discover the forums and FB groups that tell it like it is.
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Great posts Arichter and Sealedthedealnotary
tbailey - no need to be confused - it’s very simple - the Georgia Bar has determined that only licensed attorneys are allowed to do loan signings/loan closings in the state of Georgia - notaries doing them are guilty of UPL (Unlicensed Practice of Law).
Like Arichter said - it’s not something the trainers are going to tell you because, well, they want your money. And Arichter posted the portion of the NNA site that explains the restrictions…so at least they did that. It’s up to you, the notary, to know if you can do it or not in your state before making the investment. Just like there are other states who have other requirements - Maryland and Indiana require a title producer’s license to do them; As does, I believe, Washington D.C… Virginia notaries can do loan signings but cannot collect funds at the table unless they are CRESPA certified.
In MN a notary must also be licensed as a “closer” in order to conduct loan signings. Texas requires cash-out closings be conducted in a brick and mortar title company or attorney’s office - not in the signers’ homes, which is what we typically do.
Bottom line, it’s simple - you can’t do loan signings in GA (again, as to whether you can do them for out-of-state properties is not something I’ve been able to confirm) - my suggestion to you is check with your SOS and ask them about that because, honestly, whether it’s a GA property or a property elsewhere, UPL is UPL and the SOS may prohibit you from doing them. A Georgia notary posted here that it’s on page 29 of your notary handbook - read that…see what it says - in the meantime market your general notary availability like crazy to title companies, attorneys, hospitals, nursing homes, ALFs,…join various listing sites (the free ones) and get your name out there. But it’s going to be a long road to hoe doing just GNW.
And I, too, am sorry you were not told.
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@LindaH-FL and @Arichter are absolutely correct in what they’ve stated here. As a Post Closing Paralegal for a real estate law firm, I couldn’t even notarize closing documents due to the laws here in Georgia that STRICTLY PROHIBIT this very thing. This law has been challenged but upheld several times over the years! The rationale has to do mortgage fraud if my memory serves me correctly.
I understand the feeling of seeing YouTube videos or people on social media making these posts about how they’ve cleared $10k-$12k a month doing this and again, that very well could be the case; however, they are participating in UPL in this state by doing so. Here’s a golden nugget for you: DO NOT market yourself, in ANY capacity, as a Loan Signing Agent/Notary Signing Agent to attorneys here in the state. I can all but guarantee you that you will get several phone calls about from angry attorneys telling you how you’re breaking the law. In Georgia, we’re simply Notary Public’s and referencing yourself as anything else could be problematic for you.
If you haven’t already, check out the Georgia Notaries Group on Facebook and have yourself a good read to answer the questions you currently have. I’m sure you’ll enjoy that thread bc it is quite informative. I know Mark Wills probably hyped you up about agents making money in “attorney only” states and as I previously stated, that is partially true but at what real cost are they making this money? The law is not ambiguous and they make it VERY clear about what you CANNOT do in GA.
All hope isn’t lost, you just have to pivot! There IS work available but you may need to be creative about HOW you plan to work it. Courier services, wedding officiant, document prep are the first three things that come to mind. You’ve got this!
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Go easy on Thumbtack. Some have had a good experience, but I sure didn’t and quit the site.
It may have changed since I used it, but, tho’ I did get a couple of inquiries, there just wasn’t enough info provided for me to make an intelligent, reasoned fee quote. And most calls for a mobile notary are for 1 or 2 documents, so we’re hardly getting rich on these. Most people don’t like paying a travel fee and will blow you off, but the fee Thumbtack charges for the ‘lead’ must still be paid. The thing I didn’t like about it was all communication goes thru them and it seemed that they edited ‘what I need to know prior to giving a quote’ into…well, I don’t know as I never saw what they sent to the inquiring party, BUT never got the info I requested…it just sorta died on the vine with no response at all. But I was charged for the lead.
Honestly, the best &, by far, the cheapest (like FREE) inquiries come from Yellow Pages, Yelp/very good, and similar sites. Most of whom WILL try to get you to pay for ads, but I never have and never will as General Notary Work with 1 or 2 notarizations is really only pocket money–won’t be a liveable income, by itself.
You have a hard row to hoe and will have to produce many different income streams to make this worth doing. Hospitals, nursing homes, sr. living, maybe a few lawyers who do Living Trusts.
It’s going to take a lot of RESEARCH and work and I wish you the best of luck…but don’t give up your day job.
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Yes, it’s like applying for a job, everyone lies on their resume this should be no different!
Worst advice I’ve heard yet - so lie to companies that you want to get work from? Where’s the integrity in that?? And believe me the lie will come out and the inexperience will show.
No, everyone does not. Again, where’s the professionalism and integrity in doing something like that.
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Go look on my snap doc profile, I am getting hits on all types doc. I put this on my profile, Please be advised that Georgia Notaries may NOT act as a ‘notary signing agent’. Georgia notaries may notarize documents related to a conveyance of real property ONLY under direct supervision of an attorney So you can help with notaries on real estate doc but it not as easy as the flashy YouTube video. I call real state attorneys, I go to ‘old folks homes’ etc. I also have home inspections that I got from being a notary and GNW. Thumbtack I sign up but I didn’t use it, I don’t like paying to play. But if help getting more work I don’t mind paying.
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Maybe you guy have to move to California because we get tons of signing all days. From direct escrow and signing companies.
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As a signing agent who does 25+ signings a week and have been doing them for years, I think the issue now is the market is very over saturated. Snao Docs like many work on a seniority basis. Once people are the top of the list declines it go to the next person. You will eventually get an order just be weary of some companies will try to low ball most new notaries, and may not pay. Good luck
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Strike a nerve, did I? Look in the mirror - Your suggestion to others to “lie” about their credentials on a platform used by title companies and signing services was, in your words, “classless and egregious” - what has you upset is I called you out on it.
You may be able to get away with lying about abilities in a run-of-the-mill job and fudge your way through, but when you’re dealing with possibly the most important financial transaction of someone’s life, and their money, you can’t bull your way through. Not to mention a Notary Public is held to a higher standard of integrity and honesty…at all times.
Sorry, but that’s how it is…and I am done with you. And please, no more private messages.
Thank you and have a nice day.
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It appears to me that most of the newbs already have jobs and have been lured into this by hype videos that make it look easy to make a lot of money with little work and even less knowledge.
I’ve said it in other threads here…if you fudge your experience, you will make a rookie mistake and then your honesty and integrity are in doubt & down you go. I see the really super basic questions from newbs on FB groups … yep, the course-takers & graduates of this or that training ask questions & post answers that make me cringe (& also understand why doc packages continue to grow with way too many instructional pages).
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I thought about moving to non attorney state, I am getting signings. But
I know I would do lot better in different state.