No getting an option to be assigned a job

[cNsa5]

@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 receiving SOs to just launch a Signing Service & you’ll be living in a McMansion next week . . .

UGH!!

======

This segment of the business industry has been in a strong downward spiral regarding volume of SOs and increasingly LOWER fees for many years, but especially since ‘post-COVID-19,’ etc.

I and the other sages on the Notary Cafe forum regularly endeavor to help new forum members grasp the reality of the unadulterated truth of the current state of this business sector - myriad variables in the financial & real estate markets are negatively affecting this industry.

======

I’ll share a few helpful threads to provide you with excellent insights & guidance to help you make a viable business decision at this juncture. The data within these threads is not only helpful, it’s valid & has held true to many members across the entire US.

Here goes . . . as you’ll easily see there is clearly a plethora of data immediately available to assist in this regard. Here are only a few of the available helpful threads:

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…

Starting to hate doing this work

I am just beyond frustrated with this industry. I do this as a part time gig to pay bills, I teach full time, but this industry is just asking for too much and pays too little. They really want me to do a refinance for 100 bucks that has 200 pages and want me to travel there. ALL the signing services are paying less. A refinance no matter how big should be no lower than 100 but these services constantly yelling me te the average is $80. Gas prices in my area are $3+. What idiots are out here doi…

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…

Finally..a reality check as to how much a notary earns

The NNA has completed a survey of income. Here’s the link: How much can I earn as a mobile Notary or Signing Agent? | NNA

2023 Notary Survey Results: In a slow market, Notaries stay strong by...

My Initial Tips/Advice to New People

I hope the following helps you getting started If you’re going to set yourself up as a business, go to irs.gov and get an EIN - takes 5 minutes - NEVER NEVER NEVER give your personal social security number to anyone - use your EIN for all your notary work, including using it to report your notary income on our tax return; Set up a separate checking/banking account for your notary income - keep your personal finances and your business finances separate; Get some business cards and start …

Not Receiving Signing Orders & Wondering How to Check the SATURATION in Your Region?

Success (or the lack thereof) is HIGHLY dependent upon the location/region of the US for your home base. It’s a really GOOD idea to Research the “Find a Notary” segment of this website for the existent saturation in one’s current region. Here’s an image of that component of the Notary Cafe navigation ribbon: [image] Remember to access the EXPAND section for defining additional details: [image] The results from this Research you perform will be of great assistance in your business decisio…

Assignments

@realtydocusigning No, you’re not doing anything “wrong.” As with most businesses that are starting out, it’s a SLOW process. In general, most do find building a business within this business sector to be a MARATHON, not a sprint. Well, that is unless you live in a region that isn’t already saturated with Trained, Certified, & experienced Notary Signing Agents [NSAs] who are also seeking out Signing Orders OR if you have a family member who works at a Title/Escrow Company [T/EC]. …

I found a list of MISMO approved RON, RIN, and IPEN providers for emortgage closing!

Touche! What we’ve been saying over and over again here. It’s not that we don’t want to help - but each “newbie” (hate that term) has to help themselves.

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.

.
.
.