NOTARY: Hi, my name is Captain Ronnie, and I’ll be your notary signing agent today. I’m experienced in the airline industry and will make sure your loan lands safely.
BORROWER: I’m more concerned that my loan gets off the ground at this point. By the way, love the captain’s hat.
NOTARY: Well, don’t worry. We’ll begin boarding procedures momentarily. They’ll make an announcement. I’m sorry that I couldn’t have been earlier, but, I was standing for five minutes in the parking area waiting for a shuttle. Then it dawned on me that there are no shuttles servicing your driveway with direct service to the check in area. Silly me!
BORROWER: That’s okay. Which way is the gate? We’re in the hallway now, so should I go into the living room or the dining room?
NOTARY: I think the living room better be the gate, because the dining room will be the plane.
BORROWER: I think I better go out for a cigarette before the captain turns on the no smoking sign.
NOTARY: Good point. I didn’t think of that.
BORROWER: I was instructed to show my identification and boarding pass when boarding the dining room table, and that the names on both must match. Is that true?
NOTARY: Yes, let me see that? I’ll record that information in my journal. Okay, now please remove all metal objects from your pockets and let me scan you.
BORROWER: What about my pen that says Chase Financial?
NOTARY: You are allowed to use that pen, but I’m not allowed to bring a pen with the name of the bank. By the way, I can’t let you into the dining room until you explain what that huge chunk of metal is in your head.
BORROWER: Oh, I had an accident as a kid, and the rest is history.
NOTARY: Got it!
(5 minutes later)
BORROWER: I’m back and all nicotined up — ready for take off. I hope I don’t get jet lag after this signing.
NOTARY: I wouldn’t worry too much about that unless you’re going to a different time zone. But anyway, first let’s get our luggage in the overhead compartment.
BORROWER: This is my dining room. There are no overhead compartments and I have no luggage.
NOTARY: That makes it all the easier.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The captain has turned on the seat belt sign. Please return to your seat and put on your seat belt.
NOTARY: The emergency exits are (making hand gestures) to the rear of the plane and also to the front. In the event of an emergency, calmly walk to whichever exit is nearest to you. If those exits are blocked, please move immediately to the closest window and jump out. Please bring one of the safety cushions below your seat to break your fall.
BORROWER: There are no safety cushions!
NOTARY: Feel under your chair.
BORROWER: Oh my god! There really are safety cushions. You might as well put a barf bag in the folder to my right, just to be true to your profession!
NOTARY: I brought my own safety devices. See this? It is a self-inflating notary seal. Great for crash landings as well as no-signs! Ooops…
(the self inflating seal popped and inflated itself as fast as an airbag.
BORROWER: Wow, that’s huge. I haven’t seen anything inflate so fast since I visited my neighbor’s teenage son’s bedroom and he showed me his… never mind.
NOTARY: I brought you one too. Yours is an oversized rubber ducky. You can ride if we have an emergency water landing. The experts say we are due for a tsunami sometime in the next few years, so it never hurts to be prepared. But, let’s not accidentally inflate yours too. They are so hard to fold back up.
BORROWER: Gee — thanks. Not exactly what I was expecting, but it is the thought that counts.
NOTARY: Now, we’re ready for take off.
BORROWER: Are you like that comedian who did a take off on take offs?
NOTARY: That was funny. I never thought of that.
BORROWER: This is hillarious… ha ha ha ha ha
ANNOUNCEMENT: The captain has turned off the no laughing sign. You are free to laugh around the cabin.
BORROWER: You are too much.
NOTARY: You think I am too much, wait until you see your APR. It is up in the stratosphere.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The captain has announced that we have successfully taken off. Please grab your pens and commence by looking over the Deed of Trust.
BORROWER: I think I need to use the bathroom. I hope there isn’t a line!
NOTARY: If there is, just use the bathroom towards the cockpit. It’s usually empty.
BORROWER: Okay, I’m looking at the Deed. It has my address correct, the lender information is correct, and the loan amount is correct. I feel like I am on stable ground.
NOTARY: Well, we’re in the air now, but glad you feel stable. I need you to initial each page on the small line in the corner, and sign at the end.
BORROWER: If I don’t like my rate, I’m going to make a paper airplane out of my Note, what do you say?
NOTARY: I think that is a bad idea, as Notes are not up to FAA standards.
BORROWER: I never thought of that.
NOTARY: Now, you’re beginning to sound like me. Now, let’s look at the Truth in Lending
ANNOUNCEMENT: The captain has announced that there will be turbulent weather ahead. Please firmly attach your seat belt and finish your drinks.
BORROWER: No offence, but how come you didn’t offer me a choice of root beer or Pepsi and those airplane peanuts.
NOTARY: Oh I do, I usually wait until we have been in flight for about twenty-five minutes.
BORROWER: Okay, the TIL is not that bad. Why is my APR higher than my rate?
NOTARY: That is because of FAA regulations which require APR’s to fly at a higher altitude unless it is a loan that doesn’t include fees.
BORROWER: I never heard it explained that way, but I must say that I like your explanation.
ANNOUNCEMENT: We will be serving drinks and refreshments in a moment. Please adjust your seat to an upright position.
BORROWER: Okay, now it is time for peanuts, right?
NOTARY: We offer a snack pack for five dollars. Due to tight profit margins in the airline industry, we can no longer afford to give free peanuts.
BORROWER: No free peanuts? What kind of a Notarial airline is this?
NOTARY: Just kidding! Here are some peanuts, and pretzels. I brought some lemons and sugar too for fresh lemonade!
BORROWER: You are the best.
NOTARY: And don’t forget not to spill your drink on the loan documents! Keep it on a separate tray or chair as a safety precaution.
BORROWER: I would if the guy in front of me would put his seat in its upright position. BTW, Is that FAA mandated?
ANNOUNCEMENT: We will be landing in twenty minutes. Please finish your loan signing by the appointed time as the captain has another appointment immediately after landing.
BORROWER: Well, I don’t like to be rushed, but I do have a three day right to cancel if I find any issues with the loan after we are done.
NOTARY: Correct, and your borrower copies are in the overhead cabinet or under your seat.
BORROWER: Got it. Above the safety flotation device. Okay, the other documents seem pretty straight forward.
(10 minutes later)
BORROWER: Okay… I’m done signing.
NOTARY: Just sign my journal here, here and here. I’ll put the journal on your tray once you get the remains of your peanuts off.
BORROWER: Okay, here we go. (bump) Ooops. There was some sudden turbulence, and my signature went off the page.
NOTARY: That’s okay. It’s my journal. Just sign again above it. The county clerk only looks at your recorded documents, not at my journal.
BORROWER: Got it. Okay, done…
NOTARY: I need a thumbprint for the recorded documents as well.
BORROWER: I’m all thumbs. Here we go.
ANNOUNCEMENT: The captain has announced that we will be landing in one minute. Please return your seats to their upright position and keep your seat belts on. Please refrain from visiting the bathroom at this time. In the event of a crash landing, please lean forward.
BORROWER: Okay, thanks for the signing. Can I go home now?
NOTARY: You are home. We’ve landed at First American International Airport, and I have to go to my next gig. Enjoy the rest of your lemonade!
BORROWER: Thanks!
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How to become a successful mobile notary from scratch
Anyone can become a successful mobile notary. The field is wide open. On the other hand, since it is so easy to become a mobile notary, many people do it which causes a lot of low priced competition. However, those who are very good at this profession seem to do well with it even in bad times. As of 2014, business is slow, but you can still have a nice part time income doing mobile notary work. Additionally, eventually the industry will pick up, and you might find yourself earning more money than you expected!
Step 1. Become a Notary
If you are not a notary, you can easily become one. It is a bit harder in CA, NY, LA, and FL where there are examinations, but talk to your state notary division about how you can become a notary for your state.
Step 2. Learn the ropes: Jail, Hospital & Mortgage Signings
Being a mobile notary is more than just hauling your stamp around with you in your car. You need to know how to handle typical situations that mobile notaries have to deal with. Mobile notaries who do well typically are experts at jail signings, hospital signings, and loan signings. Notaries who work in an office don’t need to know much about jail signings, because inmates can’t come to you, and neither can those with an IV tube stuck up their arm. But, if you are on the road, these are situations you have to know about. There are many identification and communication issues associated with jail and hospital signings that can get you in trouble if you don’t know. On the other hand, you can make a huge travel fee doing these types of specialized mobile notary tasks that the other notaries don’t know how to do (or want to.)
Mortgage signings
Signing loans can earn you big bucks. Signers make anywhere from $50 to $150 per signing. Fees fluctuate with the market and depend on who you are doing business with and how good you are. If you have a lot of experience and have many loyal contacts, you can set your minimum fee at $100 or $125 per loan signing if you are any good. You will need to know some basic Mortgage terms, and know the basics about 10-20 basic documents. You need to know where to look for the Rate, APR, prepayment penalty, when the first payment is due, where the fees are, and other basic information. You need to know how to handle name variations, initialing and borrower objections to problems in the loan. You need to know who to call when a loan signing is on the rocks. Signing loans is not rocket science, but there are concepts you need to Master.
Take our course!
http://www.123notary.com/loan_signing_courses.html
How can you learn about all of these complicated and scary types of signings? 123notary offers a comprehensive loan signing course that covers all of these issues in detail. Additionally, you can get free detailed information in our blog about all of these topics. Just browse around the categories on the right and read to your heart’s content!
Step 3: Active Marketing
Getting work as a mobile notary is a bit hard at first, but you can do it. Contact a dozen or more signing & title companies each week and get on their list. They will want copies of various types of information and a signed contract, so ask them what they want, and give it to them. You can also give your business card out to local nursing homes, hospitals, Real Estate offices, law offices and anyone else you can think of who might need a mobile notary.
Step 4: Passive Marketing
Advertising on the major directories is a good practice. Notaries often ask on Linked In which directory they should join. My standard answer is to join all of them, but not necessarily to pay for all of them. The strongest players in 2014 are 123notary.com, NotaryRotary, NotaryCafe, and SigningAgent.com lost a lot of steam recently, but is still in the game. If you join other directories, I don’t recommend paying for them as they don’t have a good track record. You can go on Linked In to research what the notaries say are the better notary directories too for an unbiased point of view. Hard copy yellow pages for your local area may or may not get you work — it is worth a try if you are serious though.
Being listed on the big directories is not enough. You need to maintain your listing like a pro. Fortunately for you, I am here to offer you free mentoring by email, so don’t panic! You need a well written notes section, a company name helps, reviews from your satisfied clients, and try to pass as many certifications as you can.
Step 5: Who to get certified by?
My rule is that you get certified by every loan signing directory that you pay to advertise with — even if that means that you get certified five times. I am currently recommending:
(1) NNA’s certification as it is an industry standard
(2) 123notary’s certification if you get paid advertising with us as notaries who get this get 2.5x the work from our directory
(3) notary2pro’s certification (although not an industry standard) is very high quality, they offer hand holding, and the learning you will get from it justifies the cost.
Step 6: Screen companies you work for
Many signing agents drop out because they worked for the wrong companies, didn’t get paid, and suffered financially. Don’t let this happen to you! Use our list of signing companies (which includes reviews) and avoid working for signing companies with a high ratio of negative reviews. Additionally, don’t do too many jobs for a particular company until they have paid you for previous jobs. Decide ahead of time how much credit you are going to give them and don’t let them run up a bill beyond your limit.
Step 7: Become an expert at scheduling and negotiating
You need to be constantly refining your skills to do well in this business. Although there is a lot of competition, few of them have refinement. Scheduling is a hard task, and you need to juggle when the e-Documents are supposed to come, when your signing is, and when the next signing is. e-Documents don’t always come on time, so learn to juggle well. Negotiating good fees is also an art form, so pay attention to our blog articles as from time to time we have articles about how to negotiate.
Step 8: Get a high spot on 123notary
We make our money selling high spots on our directory. We generally discourage people from getting a high spot until they have passed our certification test and have at least a review or two. But, if you are serious and want to get ahead, call us and ask how you can get a high placement in your area. We are often very flexible and offer six month trials to those just starting out. The Title & Escrow companies who use our site know that those who purchase high spots on our directory are serious, and those notaries generally get a lot more quality jobs from our site than those with low spots.
Professional backgrounds that help
If you have a background in Mortgage, Escrow, Loan Origination, or Lending, this can really help you do better in the mobile notary business as you will be working a lot with Mortgage documents. However, don’t fool yourself into thinking you know more than you know. Many Mortgage Brokers assure me that they know their stuff and don’t need my test. When I ask them simple loan signing questions over the phone, they can only answer half of the easy ones. Go back and study and master the art of the signing. Your background does help you, but your over-confident attitude can really ruin your career. Additionally, it is very different being on the Notary side of the table than it is being on the Lender or Broker side of the table. Try to learn this profession from out point of view.
Real Estate backgrounds do not help as much as Real Estate Brokers claim. You are not anywhere near as familiar with the documents as you claim. As a matter of fact, those with Real Estate experience cannot answer simple loan signing questions any better than those with no Mortgage or Real Estate experience. Approach this profession as a beginner and learn the ropes one by one. The people skills you learn from being a Realtor on the other hand, can really help you. General business skills and being businesslike help more than any technical knowledge you may have acquired in your former professional life.
Don’t be afraid to ask if you need help
And as always, 123notary is there to help! If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask!
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