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August 23, 2017

Letter to the NNA about Notary Testing

Filed under: Popular on Linked In,Popular Overall,Social Media — admin @ 12:10 am

Dear NNA,
It has come to my attention that the focus that both of our organizations have put on loan document knowledge seems to be a somewhat wasted focus for two reasons. First, the people we both have certified don’t know their loan documents that well. Second, Notaries tend to know their loan documents better than they know their Notary procedures.

When we get complaints about our Notaries, the complaints are normally that a Notary was rude, left someone high and dry after a botched signing not returning emails or calls, or that the notary made a Notary mistake (more common with beginners) or did not follow directions.

To certify someone as a loan signer who cannot function as a Notary is a mistake we have both made. I can show you many examples of individuals who have an intimate and flawless understanding of loan documents who cannot answer basic Notary questions.

For example, if you called your members up one by one and asked them the difference between an Acknowledgment and a Jurat two things would happen. First, they would be offended that you called them and second, 90% would not give a thorough or correct answer according to my findings.

Notary knowledge trumps loan signing knowledge as the most common errors that happen at a loan signing are notary errors. Notaries commonly stamp where they see the word “seal” whether there is notarial wording or not. Notaries stamp over wording. Many Notaries decline legal requests for foreign language notarizations in California. The most common misunderstanding is that in 44 states, an Acknowledged signature can be signed prior to appearing before the Notary Public. There are many other issues as well.

The main point of this letter is to let you know that we are testing people on the wrong things. We need to know if someone is a good Notary and if they have a good attitude first. If they don’t know the difference between an Occupancy Affidavit and a Compliance Agreement, that will probably not come back to haunt anyone. But, if you identify someone incorrectly and notarize someone with an ID that says John Smith as John W Smith simply becuase you are “supposed to” have the person sign as their named is typed in the document, you could end up in court on an identity theft case for months without pay, and possibly be named as a defendent in addition to merely being a witness.

Last but not least, journal thumbprints are a hot topic of debate among myself and the Notaries. Many Notaries are being discouraged from taking thumbprints simply because it seems invasive or offensive to some Notary customers. However, the thumbprint has been the one piece of information that has helped the FBI nail some really scary ponzi schemers and identity thiefs. Not all states require journal thumbprints yet, but people who lead Notary organizations should do more to encourage people to take thumbprints as a measure to protect society from frauds.

Thumbprinting should be encouraged by scaring Notaries into realizing that without a thumbprint, they might be in court for a very long time, or named as a defendent and conspirator in an identity theft ring. Unlikely or not, the truth is that the FBI does treat Notaries like suspects as a matter of practice whenever anything goes wrong that requires their attention. Keeping good records is a way to wrap up situations quickly and without being blamed as a shoddy record keeper.

So, let’s both invest more in testing Notaries better on what really matters which is the fact that Notary knowledge takes precident over loan signing knowledge, and that following directions, getting back to people and being nice in the face of adversity are the most important things! Knowing the details of the Correction Agreement is actually the least important thing to know. According to lenders I know, the POA is the only document in a loan package which they stress that I test people on!

Thanks for your support, and I recommend your Notary educational products to all although I am out of touch with what the current names for your courses are as I studied from you in 1997. I think the Notary Essentials is what people have mentioned they were studying.

.

You might also like:

My bad karma from testing people by phone
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19447

But, I’m not comfortable answering questions over the phone
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19646

10 reasons why the State Notary divisions should be nationalized
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19487

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August 8, 2017

What is someone signs in the wrong line in my Notary book?

Filed under: Technical & Legal — admin @ 9:57 am

We recently got a bunch of questions from newer Notaries about journals which were interesting. Here are the questions and my commentary.

1. What if someone signs in the wrong line in my Notary book?
If someone signs in the wrong line in your Notary journal, this poses a problem. If they signed above the journal entry in someone else’s entry, if it covers the other signature, that is a problem. Just cross out the wrong signature without defacing the signature that belongs there. On the other hand, if someone signs below in a blank journal entry, just cross the entire line of journal entry out and have them sign in the correct place. If you are doing a husband and wife notarization and you fill out your journal for all of the loan documents for each signer — and the husband signs where the wife is supposed to sign (but hasn’t yet) just cross out the entire entry, make a note of what happened in the journal and make a new entry for the one that got botched.

It is better to watch signers and use your finger to point to where they are supposed to sign as they will likely sign in the wrong place.

2. What if someone forgets to sign my Notary Journal?
If you are doing a notarization, you need to fill out your Notary journal BEFORE you stamp anything. Yes, you can fill out the Acknowledgment and Jurat forms before the notarization or before the person signs or swears under Oath. But, you cannot complete the notarization by signing your signature to the certificate or stamping until the person has signed your journal and the corresponding document.

If you make a mistake and forget to have someone sign your journal — call them up and go back. Get them to sign after the fact. That is better than not getting a signature at all. Tell them that their notarization could get “nullified” or not recognized if there is no signature in your book. In real life, a Notarization can only be “disqualified” after the fact if there is a formal investigation by an Attorney, investigator, Secretary of State, etc., who determines that the Notarization was done fraudulently or incompletely. So, you can scare them with this information and they will most likely be willing to sign your journal. However, don’t scare them unless they refuse to cooperate just to be polite!

3. What if I am signing two documents for two signers — how many journal entries?
Two documents that two signers will sign both of? That’s easy. That is two entries per person = FOUR journal entries. Just prepare all four journal entries with the name of each document and signer, plus all other pertinent and required information in each journal entry. Each person’s name will appear in two entries — one for each document.

Jan 1, 10am John Doe Ack Power of Attorney Address CA Dr. Lic 5553334 Exp.10-01-21 Fee… Signature Thumbprint
Jan 1, 10am John Doe Jurat Affidavit Ditto Ditto Fee… Signature. Thumbprint
Jan 1, 10am Sally Doe Ack Power of Attorney Address CA Dr. lic 1234566 Exp. 10-09-19 Fee. Signature. Thumbprint
Jan 1, 10am Sally Doe Jurat Affidavit Ditto Ditto Fee Signature … Thumbprint

You can NOT say ditto for the other signatures. Signatures must be signed. If your state law requires thumbprints on Powers of Attorney or Deeds, then do so for all entries for a Power of Attorney documents and Deeds. There is no penalty for always taking a thumbprint as it is prudent.

There is MORE… to be indicated in the journal entry than I indicated. Document Date, Notes about the signing that might help jog your memory after the fact.

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August 3, 2017

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: The Notary Manual

Filed under: Best Humorous Posts,Humorous Posts,Popular on Facebook (very),Popular on Linked In,Popular on Twitter,Popular Overall — Tags: , — admin @ 9:55 am

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: The Notary Manual

TEACHER: Hello class. We are gathered here today to talk about Notary terms, and the state Notary manual. But, first I would like to ask what the manual means to you.

SHELLY: I see a short book designed to teach the Notaries of tomorrow the rules of the road in order to safeguard the integrity of notarized transactions which protects society at large in a broader sense.

TEACHER: Very good Shelly! And very wonky.

KIM JONG “AKA Korean mom”: It’s so very difficult to understand. Half the terms don’t show up in my English-Korean dictionary. What a pain! I have to use my English dictionary and then translate the words in the definition into Korean to figure it out. How will I pass my test? I tried to use that as an excuse to get out of jury duty but they chose me anyway until they found out I didn’t understand any of the legal terms they used! Like “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

TEACHER: Okay, just let me know if there are any terms that I can explain to you. I may not understand Korean, but I can break the complicated terms down in an understandable way.

SHALONDA: I see three things. (1) I see a technical manual that teaches the state & civil laws affecting Notaries public, and more that could help Notaries deter fraud, keep transactions official, and keep paperwork straight. (2) A book that teaches the how-to of doing daily Notary work and (3) A book full of new names for black people to name their kids — you know what I’m saying?

TEACHER: Well, I hadn’t thought about it like that before.

SHALONDA: Oh yeah. I named my kids after Notary terms several years ago. Jurat and Venue… that’s short for Venuetta.

SHELLY: Do you swear under Oath you named your kid Jurat?

SHALONDA: I most certainly do (raising her right hand). But, Jurat is more of a jokester. He doesn’t have a solemn bone in his body. The tread on his boots is shaped like a Notary seal, and he was playing outside after it was raining. It looked like we had impressions of notary seals all through the house. I told him to take his boots off after that.

SHELLY: All of this studying for the Notary exam is tiring. I heard that reading too much can be bad for your eyesight. No wonder Trump doesn’t need glasses.

KIM JONG: I know. That’s why my kid Myong is forbidden to study more than six hours a night. We are recommending dropping his study time from seven hours to five hours and forty-five minutes with the last forty-five minutes mostly study-oriented games, songs or something where he is not staring at a book or computer.

SHELLY: Well we were going to increase Tommy’s study time from forty minutes to an hour and twenty minutes after we found out how hard college is. But, we don’t want him to ruin his eyes, so we’ll compromise at seventy minutes a day.

KIM JONG: How will he possibly compete with those studying five hours a day?

SHELLY’s HUSBAND: She has a point. Tommy will never survive in college unless he studies more. What he does now will affect him for the rest of his life. And if he does poorly in school like my brother, then he might get stuck driving a garbage truck for the rest of his life. Or an Uber.

SHELLY: Or worse — he might have to become a Notary. What has four wheels and flies?

SHALONDA: Ooh! I know this one! A garbage truck.

KIM JONG: No, that’s the junior high version of the joke! The answer in this context is a Notary who is late to a signing because he would be driving so fast!

SHALONDA: Good point. Not funny point, but good. But, honestly, to be a Notary you need to study too. In some states you need to study at least 30 hours to pass the Notary test and then another 30 hours to be a good signing agent. This profession isn’t for jokes — that is if you want to succeed in it. And by the way, you should say what has four wheels and screeches, because when you round those corners, you’re gonna be screeching those tires, girl.

TEACHER: Well class, we do seem to be diverging now don’t we. Being a Notary is a very honorable and noble profession and not for those who lack character. No wonder Trump was never a Notary.

SHALONDA: But, it is for those who lack a high school diploma. There is no educational standard for this job other than passing a test. California, Louisiana and New York make the test hard. But, the other states will just hand out seals to any fool who applies. Like Presidential Seals. Where’s the nobility in that?

TEACHER: Good point. Well, in theory it is supposed to be noble.

SHELLY: Theory doesn’t cut it when a clueless Notary assists a fraud in stealing the Title to your house.

TEACHER: You’re right. Maybe having a longer course than our six hour course would help. Perhaps a background screening too not just for being a signing agent, but for being a Notary.

SHALONDA: In California, the FBI, DOJ, and KGB all check us, but in these other states there doesn’t seem to be a system of checks and balances.

KIM JONG: Perhaps, being a Notary should be regulated federally instead of by a bunch of irresponsible states who can’t keep anything straight. And that wasn’t a reference to the gay parts of California.

TEACHER: Well perhaps you’re right. In any case, let’s practice notarizing a Jurat.

SHALONDA: You’re going to notarize my daughter?

.



You might also like:

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: Are you black or white ee-nuff?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19251

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: Comedy edition
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17455

Honey you can kiss my app
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=14902

Best virtual notary comedy compilation updated to 2018
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17693

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July 24, 2017

How does pricing work for top placements on 123notary?

Filed under: Advertising,Popular on Facebook (very) — admin @ 10:50 am

Why get a top spot on 123notary? Do you really need one?
Top spots on 123notary get more calls on average than listings below. A top spot gets 30% more clicks than the #2 spot and double or triple than listings far down the line. But, quantity of calls is not all. Top listings get better quality calls too. People offering big bucks start calling at the top of the list. They only go down the list if nobody at the top answers, or if the top people make a bad impression (which is why we try to put our best folks at the top.) You will get more high paying business if you are at the top — isn’t that what everybody wants?

But, what does it cost and is it worth it?
Experienced Notaries on 123notary average about $110 per signing. Newer Notaries make less than this and I don’t have an average for them. If you pay $300 for a listing and you get three jobs, you have paid for your listing. And yes, the listing is a business expense and is tax deductible. How much of the revenue of new sales should you put into advertising? I say between 2% and 10%. So, if you pay $300 per year, that advertising should yield you $3000 to $15000 in new sales over the course of the term of the advertising. If it doesn’t, then you should discontinue whatever you did with that advertising.

How much do top listings cost?
Top listings are not always available. But, if we don’t have a #1 in a particular area, we might have a #2 or #3. EMAIL us for a quote at info@123notary.com if you are interested.

Remote areas:
$250 and up for top spots, but we do discount if you are 123notary certified or have a good track record with us which can bring the price down to $120-200 depending on conditions. Email us for a quote if you are sincerely interested.

Moderate Areas:
$350 and up for top spots. But, we have #2, #3, #4, etc. spots for $150-$300 in most cases. Once again, discounts are given to those who passed the 123notary certification test which only 20% of people pass.

Big Cities:
$500 and up for top spots which are rarely available. However, we normally will have something available, perhaps a fifth spot, or seventh spot. If you buy a fixed spot a few notches down, if people above you drop out due to non-renewal, injury, death, moving out of state, etc., you can take their spot. The proven method for getting on top on 123notary is to slowly but surely move notch by notch up the list. Many people have done it and you can too. We recommend this method because strangers cannot normally buy a top spot straight off as those spots are almost never available, and we give those spots only to people we trust as the service given by those top people affects our reputation.

What should I do before purchasing a top spot?
123notary wants you to get your money’s worth so you will renew year after year. Most of our business is repeat business. Some of our clients are repeat users who have been with us for up to fifteen years. To get a good return on a top listing it is imperative that you pass our 123notary certification test. You should also get some reviews on your listing (ask for them and send a link to your review page.) Additionally, you need a well written notes section — ask for help and we will give you a free makeover and tips. On top of making your listing look good, you should be at the top of your game in Notary knowledge and skills. If you have the right foundation as we call it, your top placed listing will normally be a profitable investment. If you don’t do the proper groundwork, it is a toss-up.

.

You might also like:

The 24 hour icon and what it means
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19455

What directories get high paying signings?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19201

When did Notary Cafe become decaffeinated?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19238

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July 3, 2017

Snapdocs’ Business Model Doesn’t Add Up

Filed under: Advertising,Popular on Facebook (very),Popular on Linked In — Tags: , — admin @ 9:15 am

SNAPDOCS’ BUSINESS MODEL DOESN’T ADD UP

It was the best of times, and the worst of times. SnapDocs has the best technology but the worst notaries. Their business model should last as long as the careers of the accountants who gave Warren Beatty the wrong envelope. A chain of Notaries is as good as its weakest link. Just ask the crummiest McDonalds about that. So in the long run, how good can SnapDocs’ service be?

Two out of three notaries interviewed can’t stand them. And these weren’t SNAP decisions! Will SnapDocs’ ship come in, or did it never leave the docks? Hold on – I’m getting a text. Let’s see… thirty dollars for a signing a hundred miles away, with two hundred pages and 120 fax backs… no thanks! Four out of five notaries surveyed agree that one out of five notaries… is an idiot! And recommend sugarless gum for the borrowers who step in it on their way to a signing.

On the other hand (apologies to the amputees) one out of three notaries (and I was never great at fractions) really like the convenience and quantity of work they get from SnapDocs. And the signing companies love the technology and the convenience. But the love won’t last any longer than the rescission period if they don’t maintain critical mass. The question is… with such a small number of notaries who like them, can this business model last over the long haul? Another factor to consider is that out of SnapDocs’ roughly 6000 notaries, only about 800 of them have logged in in the last thirty days. SnapDocs’ technology can text dozens of nearby notaries, but if each area averages only 7 notaries that actually log in, how effective can this technology be if a critical mass of notaries aren’t cooperating with it?

We also notice SnapDocs’ web stats were down 70% in December, while 123notary was only down 25%.How long before their business model SNAPS?

Whoops, I’m getting another text. Can’t you see I’m driving??

.

You might also like:

If everyone complains about Snapdocs, why do they continue to grow?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19034

The Uber principle at Snapdocs — new blood
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18868

When did Notary Cafe become decaffeinated?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20770

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June 9, 2017

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: Are you black or white ee-nuff?

Filed under: Humorous Posts,Popular on Facebook (A little),Popular on Linked In — Tags: — admin @ 8:42 am

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries: Are you black or white ee-nuff?

We got a very disrespectful comment about my rebuttal to comments on Black Notaries vs. White Notaries Comedy Edition. This was the most popular comedy post we have written in years, yet the comments were hateful. I guess Americans have nothing constructive to say about race relations. There is either an imposed silence reflecting a social restriction on freedom of speech — or, there is downright hatred — but, very little in between.

So, this commenter claimed that Chris Rock reflected black Notaries poorly because I depicted him as having bad grammer. My rebuttal to his comment on my rebuttal is — Chris Rock is far more talented than any Notary on 123notary: black or white. The post in question was not supposed to be realistic of real Notaries as real Notaries are rarely funny, and would not be good characters in a blog article unless they are brilliant or outrageous. Let satire be satire and don’t try to overanalyze it. So, to appease the aforementioned commenter, we will make an equally erudite man named Sedric Watkins who happens to be black as the star of this blog.

TOMMY: So, why did you become a Notary?

SEDRIC (Black Notary): I became a Notary to supplement my bustling Real Estate management career.

TOMMY: But, isn’t being a Notary a low paying side job?

SEDRIC: I assure you that it is as high or low paying as you make it. I set my minimum at $90 because I have other things of value to do that compete for my limited time resources. Like reading Shakespeare. Or inventing a vaccine that can cure Bill O’Reilly.

—–

SAM (White Notary): (ring ring) Hello?

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Hi, this is Samantha from ABC signing service. We have a job in Compton where you will need to print out two sets of documents 300 pages each, do 65 fax backs, and notarize twelve signatures for a family of six. Can you do the job for $45?

SAM: I’d love to do the job for $45, but I’m afraid of going to Compton.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Figures… Hmmm. We need to find someone who isn’t afraid of going to the hood.

(ring ring)

SEDRIC: Punctilious Signing Services, this is Sedric.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Hi Sedric, let’s cut to the chase. And that wasn’t a dated reference to OJ. We need a Notary to go to the hood. We’ve tried twenty other Notaries, but they are all chicken. Mmm, chicken! Can you do the job?

SEDRIC: Why certainly. Ah yes, I remember the days of my impetuous youth when South Central used to be a black neighborhood.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Oh, it still is, where we’re sending you. The signing is for a higher up in the Crips who started a business. It’s 300 pages, 65 fax backs, and twelve signatures per person for a family of six. Can you do it for $45?

SEDRIC: Yes — $45… per signer with a $90 minimum for single document signings and $150 minimum for loan signings.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Hmm. So, you’re asking for $270.

SEDRIC: My time is in limited supply, and with six signers, if even one doesn’t show up, the whole signing is delayed.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Oh, so you’ve done this before…

SEDRIC: Of my 2500 signings, seven were for multiple signers and those were prolonged to say the least.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: How about $150

SEDRIC: You’re paying for experience and a flawless track record.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: You folks do have quite a record when it comes to track.

SEDRIC: How patronizing of you.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Thank you. Okay, $155

SEDRIC: $200 paid in advance via Paypal. I agree to stay there up to 75 minutes just in case a signer doesn’t show up or doesn’t have ID.

ABC SIGNING SERVICE: Done…

SEDRIC: (ring ring) Hello, this is Sedric from Punctilious Signing Services. I will be seeing your party today at 3pm for a signing. Please have appropriate and current identification.

CRIPS BOSS: You got it. Oh … and one more thing. Wear light blue.

SEDRIC: I’m wearing a black suit today, but I’ll wear a blue tie to show solidarity with your movement.

(In the hood — Sedric parks his car in a busy commercial area to go up to the office.)

PASSERBY: Hey man, what-chu doing in our hood dressed like that? Are you going to a funeral or something?

SEDRIC: No, I happen to be a businessman.

PASSERBY: So, what is it with this uppity lingo you’re using. Are you sure you’re even black?

SEDRIC: “Uppity” is code I don’t appreciate. I assure you that I am black. Must we speak in this dialect?

PASSERBY: You’re the one with the dialect my brother. So, what’s up with you?

SEDRIC: To put it in your vernacular, I’m a “high brow brotha!”

PASSERBY: I heard that. But, you ain’t black ee-nough.

SEDRIC: What prey tell do you mean by black ee-nuff? I’m sure that your definition comprises using incorrect grammar, being opposed to the powers that be, failing out of high school, having an addiction and being a minimum of two months behind on your alimony. You just described a white acquaintance of mine, but I digress. I pay no heed to your juvenile and grievously preposterous sense of cultural sensibilities.

PASSERBY: You got it all wrong man. I never finished junior high school, and they couldn’t find my legal address to make me pay any alimony because I don’t have one — so the joke’s on you! Basicaly what I’m saying, is that there ain’t nothing black about you. Can you dig it?

SEDRIC: My definition of blackness is based purely on genetic lineages tracing back to West Africa. my dear friend. Culture is not a well-defined science you see and therefore not a logical characteristic for racial classification.

PASSERBY: Well you seem like an Uncle Tom.

SEDRIC: Thank you. My Uncle Thomas, much like myself, drives a Ferrari, studies karate, and has a fine lady friend. Here’s a photo of my lady.

PASSERBY: Damn!!!! She got it going on!!! Honeylicious!

SEDRIC: And my mother likes her too, because in addition to being visually appealing, she is a nice person.

PASSERBY: Nice honey, but you’re a mamma’s boy.

SEDRIC: If your mamma looked like Halle Barry, you would be too. Be that as it may, I’m a very well paid mamma’s boy.

PASSERBY: Well, yo mamma’s an auntie Thomassina! A female uncle Tom!

SEDRIC: What did you say about my mamma? (kick, crash, bash, crunch, smash, chop, knock, clash.)

PASSERBY: That wasn’t karate. That was jujitsu — Okanawan style. When I said there was nothing black about you, I take that back. There is something black about you — but only one. You don’t like it when nobody says nothing about yo mamma. Can you tell me… ummm..

SEDRIC: The GPS coordinates of the nearest hospital so that you can heal the damage that I just did to you? I would, but I have an appointment to go to. Oh, and one more thing. Your Theory about Uncle Tom’s cabin has a hole in it — in the roof!!!

CRIPS BOSS: Here’s our man… We have our ID’s ready and we’re ready.

SEDRIC: I’ll be here for 75 minutes. I just hope that that statistical probabability of one of the six of you getting arrested in the next 75 minutes is low so I don’t disappoint my new client.

CRIPS BOSS: Here are our six ID’s. I’ll just lay them out on the table Vegas style — like a fan. Oh, and don’t worry, we alerted the police to your presence, so they won’t bother you.

SEDRIC: You make it so easy.

CRIPS BOSS: What happened to the side of both of your hands?

SEDRIC: I had to take care of some business on the way over here.

CRIPS BOSS: Another appointment on such short notice. I sure like the way you do business. You know something. You should join our operation.

SEDRIC: Not in this lifetime. But, call me if you need a Notary Public, Real Estate Manager, or Okinawan Jujitsu teacher.

CRIPS BOSS: I know you claim to be Okinawan… but, are you Okinawan eee-nuff?

SEDRIC: It’s not me… it’s the Jujitsu that is Okinawan… never mind…

(ring ring)

SAM (White Notary) I just got this job in Beverly Hills. They have good Chinese food here too if you can find a parking spot.

SEDRIC: Good for you. I hope you charged them enough or should I say, “ee-nuff.”

SAM: Oh, I charged them $100. I’m learning from you. But, you’ll never guess what the job is about. There’s a guy from the hood in the Beverly Hills hospital who says he got beaten up by some uppity Notary who thought he was too good for the brotha’s.

SEDRIC: Did he have a huge bruise on his upper right temple?

SAM: Why yes.

SEDRIC: Never seen him before in my life! Just out of curiosity, after you told him about the Chinese food, did he tell you that you weren’t “white ee-nuff”?

SAM: I think he only says stuff like that to you. But, after your little interlude, perhaps from now on he’ll make his flip remarks to people like me.

SEDRIC: It’s a distinct possibility.

.

You might also like:

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries — the notary manual
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19322

Black Notaries vs. White Notaries – comedy edition
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17455

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May 30, 2017

Is it better to be “Bilingual” or speak Spanish?

Filed under: Your Notes Section — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:52 am

Carmen and I both agreed on this. We both think that being “bilingual” is like being “certified.” Certified by whom? NNA certification? The standards are completely different from Notary2Pro or 123notary.com, so without knowing the agency who certified you it is meaningless to us. But, bilingual? Bilingual in what language? And how bilingual are you? Are you someone who took high school Spanish and can barely ask where the bathroom is or are you like Hector, a smooth Latino from Miami who is “single, bilingual, and ready to mingle?” Carmen and I were both WRONG — as hell.

I compared stats on 123notary.com. Overall, those who were “bilingual” got more clicks than those who were not, especially if they put that at the top of their notes section. But, in Southern Florida, being bilingual counts a lot more as the majority speaks Spanish. You can get by without English in Miami, but you won’t survive without daily Spanish. In most parts of the country you might get 10-20% more clicks by speaking Spanish, but in Southern Florida it can be up to double in many cases. But, how do the stats compare?

Those with 4 or more reviews who were bilingual in Southern Florida got 3.2 clicks per day while those who spoke Spanish and had 5 or more reviews only got 2.2. Of course the rest of their profiles and notes sections were not equal, so we are comparing apples to oranges, but the stats are very different.

Those with 2 or less reviews who were bilingual in Southern Florida got 2 clicks per day while those who spoke Spanish got 1.5 clicks per day.

So, what’s the deal with this buzz-word “Bilingual?” Why do people like it so much? It is vague, indescript, and leaves a lot to the imagination. So, Carmen and I agreed that we would test a lot more listings with the word Bilingual by putting the word at the top of their notes section and measure their stats over a month or two. Finally — Carmen and I agree on something!

My writer thinks that “Bilingual” has a more three-dimensional meaning and portrays the Notary as being multi-cultural, sophisticated, having international skills. So, maybe there is something to this bilingual thing.

Oh, and by the way — Hablamos Ingles!

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You might also like:

Notary Marketing 102’s guide to your notes section
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19788

How to write a notes section if you are a beginner
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16698

2014 Excerpts from great notes sections
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=13613

Where can I find a Spanish speaking Notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18824

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May 23, 2017

How to negotiate signing fees like a pro!

Filed under: Business Tips,Comprehensive Guides,Popular on Facebook (very) — admin @ 10:43 pm

There are several ground rules when it comes to negotiations.

1. The first offer rule
The person who makes the first offer will never get an optimal price. If you start the bidding first with a high price, you might just get declined without being given a chance. If you ask too little, you will miss out on more pay. If you let the other person make the offer, you will end up with more on average.

2. Whining ruins your image
Notaries are notorious for whining. “You only pay $70….. OHHHHHHH, why can’t you pay more?” Who needs this behavior? If you are such a great notary, you would have plenty of people offering you $125 to $150, and you would just hang up on these low-balling fools. But, if you whine like a baby, nobody will want to work with you even if you accept their pathetic offer. Most notaries are so bad, they are probably not even worth what the low-ballers offer them. Most notaries refuse to study to become fastidious professionals.

3. Take it or leave it
Sure, nobody likes fax backs, but don’t complain. You either accept the job or you don’t. If the signing has 300 pages per set of documents, don’t complain. You either say yes or no. When I do my billing, people always ask me, “What did I pay last year?”. My comment is that it doesn’t matter because last year is over, and that doesn’t effect what this year’s price will be. They want to waste my time looking something up for their emotional gratification which affects nothing. What a time waster. Don’t behave like this. If someone makes you an offer, you take it, leave it, or negotiate. If someone wants to politely negotiate with me instead of whining, they will get a lot farther. First of all I will value them more as a long term client. Second, I will know that they will behave professionally with the people who use my site — and I value that much more than how they treat me. Third, it is not a headache to deal with them. If I ask for $200, and you want to offer a polite counter offer, then go ahead. $100 would be rude because it is out of the ballpark. But, what about $150? Try it. I will probably say no, since my prices were computer generated using six inter-connected formulas. But, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

4. Getting companies to up their fee by $35 is possible
But, I know some very fancy notaries who are at the top of their game who get $50 companies to pay $85. These smooth operators get close-by jobs for $85 that are only a few minutes away. They have fast printers that print 45 pages per minute, so the double set of documents takes less than 10 minutes. They buy their toner or ink wholesale. They don’t whine — they PLAN, and they negotiate! So, in a little more than one hour, these seasoned Ninja Notaries get the call, print the documents, go to the job, get it signed, and get back home, and send the invoice. After expenses they probably made almost $70 per hour. Not bad! So, how do they do it?

5. How to impress the client
A seasoned notary will explain calmly how they are famous for doing clean-up jobs after notaries who didn’t know what they were doing ruined a loan. Why not start with a pro and get it done right the first time? How much did you say you offered again? $60? I understand that you are on a tight budget, but my minimum is $100. I can help you out for $85 today though, since I have a little more extra time than I normally do. Wouldn’t it be worth it to you to hire someone who has signed 4000 loans, and who is meticulous? I have state of the art machinery such as an HP 250,000 printer with quadruple trays, and I can explain all of the documents. Would you like to drill me and ask me a sampling of your hardest loan signing questions to see if I am up to your highest standards?

6. Ask them to ask you their toughest question
Most signing companies don’t ask notaries questions. They should. If you ask notaries questions, 90% fall on their face because they don’t have a clue what they are doing. So, if you do know what you are doing, tell the signing company to shop around, but to ask each of the notaries they talk to how they would explain the APR to a non-borrowing spouse. If you don’t get a good answer after 45 minutes, then call me back! No notary with fewer than 5000 signings can do a graceful job of answering this question even though it is ridiculously simple. It requires study, and most notaries are opposed to that idea!

7. Don’t say anything that sounds phony
Please notice that all of the points I made sound real. None of this, “I’m professional and accurate and do error-free signings.” That sounds phony. Make real selling points because you are selling yourself to people who have been in this business for years and have dealt with thousands of notaries — most of them bad ones at that. Figure out what to say that proves that you are the logical choice to hire, even at an inflated rate. After all, the extra pay translates into less aggravation after the fact. How much aggravation and potential re-drawing fees is the $20 savings worth to you anyway, you tell me?

8. Having a pricing formula sounds impressive
If you don’t like to negotiate, but like to use pricing formulas, that will make you look good. People who understand distances, time involved and other expenses are true professionals who know their business inside out. You might not always get the highest possible fee with formulas, but you will get respect and repeat business.

9. Negotiation points summarized:
I do clean-ups for other notaries who make mistakes; 5000 loans signed; ask me your hardest loan signing question and then ask the other notaries who you are calling; I have an HP (name) printer that prints 45 pages per minute. I have a mobile office — beat that. I’m ready now — let’s do this! All work guaranteed or your money back!

A comprehensive guide to Notary pricing
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16504

Can you negotiate prices with SnapDocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16236

Negotiating with aggressive callers
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16278

Notary Marketing 102 – Negotiating Fees (a thorough guide)
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19784

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May 21, 2017

How to Explain Accrued Interest

Filed under: Other Guest Bloggers,Popular on Facebook (A little),Popular on Linked In — Tags: — admin @ 10:51 am

Let’s talk about interest and how to explain it to a borrower during a loan signing.

What you’re about to watch is exactly how I would explain to a borrower if they thought the closing statement is wrong because they made their October payment.

(Insert YouTube Video)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PknYiNUNJ4
Embed Code:

Allow me to dive into it deeper now.

First understand that this is important is because interest is a line item on the closing statement and without fail, questions comes up during a loan signing about interest. In my Loan Signing System course, the closing statement is the first document you should review with the borrower so you should be sure to understand this concept.

Once again, To make interest easier to understand let’s talk about the difference of renting and paying a mortgage. When you rent, you pay on the 1st and the covers you for the next 30 days. You’re paying those 30 days in advance. Essentially you pay rent and you are good for the next 30 days.

A mortgage is different. You pay in what is called, arrears. Meaning when you pay on the first of the month, you are actually paying for the previous 30 days that you lived in the home. Essentially you live for the 30 Days then pay for the 30 days behind you. Hence why it is called arrears.

So, let’s say you paid your september mortgage payment, you are actually paying for the month of August. And That is where it can be a little confusing for a borrower because most borrowers don’t know that.

Remember when your explaining it, when you rent, you pay for the 30 days in advance. When you have a mortgage you pay for 30 days in arrears.

So why is this is important to understand as notary loan signing agent? Because when you go over the closing statement with the borrower, they almost always will have a question on the interest they owe their current lender they are paying off.

Frequently, If the payoff says that the borrower owes interest for October 1st to October 16th, a lot of borrowers will gawk and tell you they made their October payment and the closing statement is wrong.

Remember, the first part of this video since their October 1st payment is paid in arrears, they’ve paid interest for September, NOT for October. So they still need to pay owe to the current lender for October that hasn’t yet been paid.

And since the closing statement does not say they owe interest from September 1st to October 16th, you know that escrow has accounted for their October payment being made because there is no september’s interest showing on the closing statement.

On that same vein, if you see that the closing statement says interest they owe on their payoff from September 1st to October 16th, you should be able to come to the conclusion that have not made their October payment.

But now, let’s talk about interest on the new loan.

Regardless if it is a purchase or refinance, there will be interest that is being collected on the new loan on the closing statement.

Now that you understand that interest is paid in arrears, this should be easier to understand. Using the same dates above, if the new loan is going to close on October 16th, the borrower will have to pay interest from October 17th to October 31st. At closing is the only time the borrower will pay interest in advance. The reason this occurs is because the lender does not want to collect a partial payment in arrears on November 1st.

That’s why the first payment is a month out and this example it would be December because that is the first opportunity to get one full month in arrears. Remember that the December 1st payment is for all of November.

If they collect a November 1st payment, it would only be for October 17th to October 31st. They don’t want that. Therefore, they have the borrower pay the October interest upfront and set their first payment date for December 1st.

So, if you see that the lender is collecting interest for October 17th to the 31st on the closing statement, you should be able to conclude that their first payment is December 1st.

sometimes when you go over a closing statement you will notice overlapping interest on the closing statement. Let’s say you see interest being collected on the old loan for October 1st to October 17th and interest on the new loan being collected from October 15th to October 31st. The borrower may ask why they are paying double interest on the overlapping days.

They are not. The escrow company has to estimate the closing date of escrow. So in order to not be short interest (for the payoff or the new loan), they show overlapping interest.
When the loan closes, the dates will match up perfectly and the borrower will get returned any unneeded interest directly from escrow.

Lastly, sometimes the borrower knows that the loan is suppose to close on the 15th. But yet the closing statement shows interest to the 18th. This is done on purpose. While the loan should close on the 15th what happens if it closes on the 17th for some unforeseen reason. If they didn’t over estimate they would be short interest. Just like the overlapping interest, if escrow over estimated any interest the borrower will get it back at closing from the escrow company.

Accrued interest is a topic that comes up frequently in your loan signings. Knowing how quickly answer simple questions will separate you from other signings agents who can not. Not to mention it will cut your signing time in half.

Remember our job is to be impartial not uneducated.

I’m Mark, I teach the Loan Signing System, and I’m looking forward to helping you become a top loan signing agent.

If you’re interested in learning more about these concepts, go to www.loansigningsystem.com!

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May 18, 2017

10 ways Female Notaries can protect themselves

Filed under: Best Practices,Popular on Facebook (very),Popular Overall — admin @ 10:40 pm

Life as a signing agent is generally very safe. I was a signing agent for seven years without incident. The worst thing that happened to me was being barked at by a little dog whose owners were a bunch of jerks. But, in the history of 123notary.com, there have been some creepy and dangerous things that have happened.

A list of dangerous things that have happened to Notaries:

1. One Notary was pushed down a short flight of stairs by an angry borrower that didn’t like his rate.
2. Another Notary got locked in a house while a borrower was taking a shower.
3. One Notary did a signing for a guy who had a room full of mannequins.
4. On another occasion a signer said, “You will be all alone with me.”
5. One guy had was a hoarder and had no place to sit other than a disconnected toilet in the middle of the room.
6. One signer came out of the house with a gun — however, he was not after the Notary, he was after a pit bull running around the neighborhood.
7. There are borrowers with AK-47’s in their house and weapons of all sorts.
8. Additionally, there are homes that just aren’t safe to go into due to mice, hoarding, bacteria, etc.
9. One of our New York Notaries went to a tenement building in the South Bronx where low-lifes were hanging around and making inappropriate comments to the Notary.
10. Sometimes a signer will get to a signing in the middle of an ice-storm, hurricane, or other bad weather.
11. One signer was invited into a guy’s bedroom to see a picture.

So, as you can see, being a Notary can be hazardous to your health. One was physically injured, but, nobody has been killed. Only two Notaries we have heard of have been sued: one by the Massachusetts Bar Association for doing signings without being an Attorney. The other one got sued because the Lender screwed up and the borrower was suing everybody. The most common problem Notaries face is not getting paid by signing companies. So, research who you work for before you do anything!

So, how can lady Notaries protect themselves in this dangerous world we live in. Here are some ideas!

1. An escape route
When you enter someone’s house. Sit in a place where you have a view of the door and who is coming. Also sit in a place where you have an escape route where you cannot be cornered.

2. Text your address to your hubby
Let your significant other know where you are going to be. Text him/her the address and schedule so they can call the police if you don’t get out of there alive. Keeping in contact with the signing company can also be a way to protect yourself assuming you have a close relationship with their reps. If they are generally unresponsive, then they would not constitute a security feature!

3. No hood after dark
Know your territories and don’t go to bad areas at night. Taking precautions is the most effective form of self-defence!

4. Bad weather is a lot more likely to harm you than bad people. Think twice before going out in an ice storm, or in other really inclement weather as you could get stranded, or in a very dangerous crash. You need to know how to distinguish between unpleasant and dangerous weather.

5. Going to remote areas where you could get lost on long dirt roads or mile long dirt driveways at night is not a great idea. There are rarely street lights in these areas as well. Seasoned Notaries refuse to go to these types of places at night.

6. Learn self-defence.
Women need to know how to get out of choke holds, and how to defend themselves from people who grab them. Do you know how to stomp on someone’s foot who is holding you from behind? Do you know how to elbow someone hard? You probably will never need these skills, but what if you do?

7. Carry a taser.
If you want to temporarily disable a person without harming them too badly, a taser can be the way to go.

8. Carry mace.
You are much more in danger from dogs than from humans. But, in either case, if anyone messes with you, they get a face full of mace!

9. Distress button
Some people have a little button on their person that they can press for distress. This is more something that spies or military would use, but it might be possible to get one. The question is, who will hear the distress signal?

10. Carry a loaded gun.
You can keep it in your car or take it in with you to the signing. But, if you shoot someone, you’ll be in court for a very long time, face jail time, and be in huge trouble. So, think about whether it is worth it or not ahead of time. If you don’t know how to use a gun, you might get yourself in even more danger. Knowing how to shoot is half the battle. Knowing how to get your gun out of your bag or glove compartment before the bad guys get you is the bigger half.

You might also like:

Lady Notaries need to show caution
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17469

I’d rather stop being a Notary than carry a gun
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15896

Notary pushed off stairs by borrower
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=1097

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