New NSA Needing Guidance

[corey4840]

I received my notary commission in 2020, but recently decided to use it as an NSA. I am a former Loan Officer so I am very familiar with loan documentation. I have registered for several different companies its been weeks and not even one of them has reached out thus far. Any advice on how to kick start my NSA career is very much appreciated.

[earl226]

Yes sign up with snapdocs, and signing order

[cNsa5]

@corey4840 A review of this thread may prove quite beneficial to you.

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…

In addition, if you’d like an “inside view” of owning & operating a business within this business sector, review the following two threads:

Must You Complete A Training Course To Get Work?

I concur with the insights of LindaH-FL & mannie1950 (return to the teaching industry). Also, there are 2 recent posts by CherylM that leave the sugar-coating behind & Tells-It-Like-It-Is . . . 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. Best Wishes with your decision.

Low ball offers and negotiations

After working full-time as a mobile notary for a few months, I soon discovered that there are signing agencies out there that have no ethical or professional core beliefs at all. It is a jungle out there. There are no safeguards against nonpayment to notaries, and we are stuck dealing with all sorts of unprofessional conduct from some terrible signing agency. I am curious as to why there are not any business regulations in place and why using signature agencies even exists rather than employing …

Plus, you’ll find it edifying to regularly access the Search function to Research your queries as nearly ALL of the answers to repeatedly posted queries are immediately available within the Notary Cafe database of threads.

This information is a GOLDMINE!

Most members express that they find it difficult/NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to locate the Search Function in order to access the wealth of information available within the database.

To be helpful, I’ve inserted an image for you & others [see below] to help members locate it to unlock the wisdom & knowledge of other members on the forums.

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Also, over the past 1.5 - 2 years there has been an expansive development of “newly minted” Signing Services [SSs] as well as some that have been around for awhile that are CHOOSING to NOT pay the Professional Signing Agent for the services they have successfully provided. That being said, the onus is upon you to ensure that you thoroughly vet & Research potential clients PRIOR to accepting Signing Orders [SOs] from them. Utilizing the Search function, type in the keyword ATTENTION or WARNING or NON-PAYMENT, etc. & you’ll see how pervasive this NON-PAYMENT situation is at this point in time.

Also, doing that Research will arm you with the names of the business entities who CHOOSE to NOT pay . . . This information will help you to know who to accept inbound CALLS from and who to code into your phone as “Non-Payer.”

• FYI: When your accept a SO & provide the services(as you may already be cognizant) you’re, in essence, extending credit to that SS.

Accessing the database to locate information about potential clients has saved many of us an inordinate amount of time ‘chasing’ payments for Services professionally provided to potential non-payers . . .

[cNsa5]

@corey4840 Here is a preliminary listing of the companies known for non-payment as per VenBooks:

• A Step Above Signing Services
• Accurate National Signings
• Aisekal 24 Hour Mobile Notary
• All Florida Title (Heather)
• ALO Closing Services
• American Signing Connection
• Ameristar
• ASAP Pro Notary Service
• ASAP Professional Services (Eric of Georgia)
• Black Label Notaries
• C Viana & Associates, LLC
• California Professional Signature Service
• Celtic Signings
• Debt Elimination Advisors
• DMN Business Solutions
• Elite Closing, LLC
• Executive Signing Agents
• Expedient Notary
• First Title Services
• Goot Financial
• Great Lakes Settlement & Closing
• Home Affordable Solutions
• HVR Mobile Notaries
• ISGN Solutions
• Kelleys Mobile
• La Playa Title
• Land & Law Group
• Legacy Signing Service
• Legal Documents Express
• Lejeune Notaries
• Loan Processing Center of KY (Loan Pro)
• Mobile Signing Solutions
• Mortgage Specialist International (MSI)
• MortgageDocs
• National Preferred Notary
• National Settlement Funding
• Nationwide Notary Ink
• Notary Network Solutions
• NotaryLogix
• PacDocSign (Pacific Document Signing)
• Paramount Signature Services
• Precision Closing Services
• Precision Notary Services
• Premier Notary Service
• Premier Signing Service
• Prestige Signing Group Services
• Reliable Notaries
• Service 1st Mortgage, Inc.
• Signing Wiz, LLC
• South Jersey Settlement Agency
• Speedy Closing and Title Service
• Tejas Mobile Notary & Signing Services
• The Notary Diva
• The Notary Pool
• The Notary Spot
• TheBestNotary .net
• titlelogic
• TL Signing Service.Inc
• TMS Services, Inc
• Triton National Title Agency
• Truly Mobile closing
• TZI LLC
• US Notary Service
• USLG Group
• Vista National LLC
• Wealth Trackers, Inc
• William A. Stouges, Esq.
• Winterfield Funding

Plus, Coast-to-Coast AKA Coast 2 Coast AKA C2C AKA C to C are well-known on the forums to be NON-PAYERS.

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Here are 2 more threads that will benefit you greatly:

No getting an option to be assigned a job

@notarygirlny Sorry to read about your difficulties receiving Signing Orders [SOs] from business entities. Truly, launching a business within this business sector of the industry (like many entrepreneurial businesses) is a slog to get things going regarding SOs. The YouTube videos hawking “it’s EASY PEASY to make $100K/year” has been debunked repeatedly . . . Unfortunately, folks do still decide to “invest” in the used car salesman tactics of bait & switch! They tell you if you’re not rec…

Leaving the Notary Business -

@pnevarez64 & @kingdomsocietyconsulting WHOA! EXTREME CAUTION should be implemented here! You both just made my head do a ‘Linda Blair Exorcist’ 360-degree spin on my neck! You both indicated you’re ENTERING this business sector . . . Before you spend another penny or expend another ounce of energy on it, please honor yourself by performing your own due diligence & activate your critical thinking processes on the sagacity of those actions. Here are a few threads to get you go…

[corey4840]

Your responses are very much appreciated! Thank you for the guidance.

[jennjoneis]

I am absolutely greived by how long this list is …

[cNsa5]

@jennjoneis It represents the current very, very sad state of invoice collections . . .

You’ll note that this listing is identified as a “preliminary listing,” because (of course) it’s definitively NOT a comprehensive NOR all-inclusive listing.

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As you already do . . . it’s important to Research the internet & forums to check on the CURRENT posts about NON-PAYMENT, because there have been MULTIPLE business entities that have begun NON-PAYMENT within the most recent year or so.

It’s always best to vet clients thoroughly before providing professional services, especially if it’s been a bit of time from their most recent Signing Order [SO] request.

[cfletcher]

Welcome to the industry! It’s a journey towards building a thriving NSA business. It’s a lot of market research, as @cNsa5 provided you with a partial lists of companies. There’s no magic bullet or short cut. It just grinding it out with tedious list building on a constant basis, making phone calls, send out emails, and follow-up. Filling out a lot of applications to get on to those companies database for NSAs. As you reach around 100 contacts, you will start to get a few notifications. But know this, it’s a battle among your competition to get an assignment. Plain and simple, it’s a process and it requires a lot of perseverance and stick-to-itiveness. As a former loan officer, you know how it all works. Good luck on your journey and keep in touch.

[cNsa5]

@cfletcher

@cNsa5 provided you with a partial lists of companies

FYI: The listing of companies includes those with reputations for NON-PAYMENT; that is, business entities to avoid accepting Signing Orders [SOs] from & to code into your phone as NON-PAYERS.

[cfletcher]

Thanks for the clarification…

[ewing_joe]

Well, the fact that your a former loan officer might give you some insight on why you’re not getting any signings.

[lmcloser]

Depends on the area you’re in on how busy it is. It is not busy everywhere. I am a 40+ veteran loan officer as well. Did you receive something that told you that you were accepted? Keep to your price and wait. Call their vendor services department too.