Looking for Direction

[cNsa5]

Before sinking any additional hard-earned funds into this type of business within a declining business sector, you truly owe it to yourself to perform some NEEDED due diligence . . .

I concur with the insights of @Arichter & @LindaH-FL in that regard as well. It’s advisable to be a REALIST and take off any tinged-colored glasses before proceeding further.

You could simply review the thread titles within the Notary Cafe Forum Database and receive an unadulterated response to your query.

In addition, you’ll best be served by performing a Search of the GOLDMINE found within the Notary Cafe Forum Database that is available for easy access for NO FEE by locating the ever-elusive, nearly invisible Magnifying Glass (see image below).

Also, there are 2 recent posts by CherylM that leave the sugar-coating behind & Tells-It-Like-It-Is . . .

My Property Inspection Experience

Well I don’t know how or why under the age of 50 youthful ladies get into NSA work because it’s a volatile industry that has no real bright future teetering out. It’s really been reduced to part time extra cash for 50+ seniors. It’s no longer the goldmine of a career prior to 2008’s collapse. Being in title and escrow jobs is where younger people need to be working if they want a stable income in this industry. NSAs are being taken full advantage of by agencies and the industry wants to pay the…

SS frustration and miscommunication

Always turn down $75. Let them get what they pay for, a good NSA would never accept such a cheap fee. I made a mistake accepting $85 a few weeks ago only to find it was a $5 million property seller package! These agencies are gouging notaries all over the nation. They commonly paid $100 11 years ago for a purchase or refi. There’s since been $25 inflation and cost of living adjustments they don’t want to acknowledge. On the other hand, DigiCert type of signings pay $75 and consist of 2pages…

This thread is also truly an eye-opener:

Temper your expectations

To preface this, I’ve been a lurker on these forums for quite some time and I’ve noticed a ton of expectations lately that seem too unrealistic. I’m a NSA out of Michigan and have been one for the past 7 years. I usually pull in at least 8k worth of business every month but it takes a LONG time to get to that point. I see a ton of newer notaries looking to make fast money or expecting SS or TC to come to them over seasoned notaries while they have very little experience. A few tips that I’d sug…

Truly, anyone entering this business sector needs to change their mindset from that of an employee to that of a Business Owner. It’s a completely different paradigm and is managed differently as well.

As a business owner, from the onset, you’re going to be pretty much flying solo; that is, unless you have a family member that is within this business sector. There are no Manuals of Desk Instructions [MDIs] as one may find as an employee nor any more experienced fellow employees there to train you.

The standards of practice are to be found by being curious and seeking training & certifications on your own as a professional business owner who strives to provide professional services to your clients.

Best Wishes with your decision.

P.S. I go into more detail about selecting a professional, reliable, honest, & reasonable Training Program within the following thread:

Best Signing Companies

@valuablenotarysolutions Thank you for sharing your experience. ====== This is what is meant when we reference that “it’s a very small world” in this business sector. Someone new can make an inadvertent (or simple) error on their initial few signings and VOILA! There name is out for publication between & among lenders, title/escrow companies [T/ECs], etc. and are avoided for possible Signing Orders. Another reason why we advocate for ensuring you receive some professional, reliabl…

NOTE: There are NO misleading “You can make a 6-figure income as an NSA” ads, promises, or inferences within that thread.

Looking for insights or a template of how to calculate the costs of providing these services? Here is a thread that should provide you with assistance:

I need help with calculating the true costs of doing business

It would be in your best interest to jot down all of the expenses associated with performing the services you provide within your service region to determine a baseline operating cost. Then, at that point, you can calculate the fees that will generate a net profit to determine if you’ll have a Profit or sustain a Loss at that rate. There are many items to consider within your Overhead calculations. Here are a few to get you started: • telephone expenses including cell phone equipment and month…

Remember that launching a business as a Signing Agent isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon!