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I am a
Certified |
When you
need a Notary
Public
in the Memphis
area, |
I
am a Traveling Notary Public |
LINKS
(Useful Websites for the Notary Public, Mobile Notary, or Signing Agent)
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National |
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Published by the NNA for all Notaries Public and the public they serve. An attempt to create nation-wide ground rules for what it means to be a Notary Public, the Code is not legally binding -- but it has been used in some States to help them revamp their laws. |
The Signing Registry Also called the Mobile Notary Signing Registry |
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123Notary.com - Find a Mobile Notary |
Become A US
Notary |
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GoGetNotary -- spiffy looking
websites in minutes Also an excellent source of information about the Notary Signing Agent business -- check out their free newsletters on their site, along with other Resources for the Notary and NSA. |
Here is a |
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Notary Rotary Get their
Modern Notary Journal --
it is the
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Paul Williamson |
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Here is a website that gives tax and business info for the home-based business. They also have a book for sale and links to many forms and such.
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A topical search engine |
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American Society of Notaries |
American Notary Network |
The Federal Reserve Board has a website about Adjustable Rate Mortgages -- well worth a look if you want to understand this very popular form of home loans. It is here: Fed on the ARMs Or, you can download their brochure here: Fed ARM Brochure |
The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association has a website covering this new and growing way to get cash out of your home. (Be aware that their site is written from the lenders' perspective, so you will want to visit HUD's site and AARP's site and others to get more info before deciding if a Reverse Mortgage is right for you. I offer this link just to give some info on the topic.) http://www.reversemortgage.org/ |
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Click on the thumbnail to go to my
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United Notary Association
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Traveling Notary Public Network
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If you are serious about being a Notary Signing Agent, it pays to know everything you can about real estate and the housing market. See the National Mortgage News and their Mortgage Industry Resources links for government and non-government websites. |
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Getting Started
Right now, I am NOT recommending that anyone get into the Notary Signing Agent business who is not already involved with real estate and mortgage lending.
This is because a large portion of the NSA business was sub-prime lending and that is going through major upheavals right now, with lenders, title companies and signing agencies closing their doors or pulling back to re-examine how they do business. That is on a national level -- all the big players in this business are under financial strain due to the high rates of foreclosures in the sub-prime markets.
Here in Tennessee, we have the additional burden of this new law that went into effect on January 1, 2007, regulating so-called "high cost" loans, which is making it harder for Tennessee borrowers to qualify for loans, even if they are not sub-prime.
So, now is not a great time to be entering into this business and competing with those who are already established in it. Many NSAs are now diversifying, adding loan orginations, field inspections, title abstracting or other services to their business just to stay in business.
If you are determined to get into this business despite my advice, please read the following.
Before you can be a Notary Signing Agent, you must first be a Notary Public. In Tennessee, that involves filling out an application, signing it before a Notary Public, and turning it in along with the fee to the County Clerk in your county of residence or business. Then you will need a Notary Bond from an insurance company and a Stamp from a stamp or office supply company. The application and a bunch of information about what it means to be a Tennessee Notary Public is in the Tennessee Notary Public Handbook, which you can reach from the Secretary of State's Notary Commission page here: http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/bus_svc/notary.htm. You need a copy of the latest handbook, anyway, because one of the things you agree to do is abide by the handbook.
Next, once you have your Notary Public commission, there are all sorts of places online you can go to get information about getting started. One good source is Brenda Stone, who does the marvelous Texas Notary website and who now has an online "book" called the How to Start Notary Signing Agent book that is recommended. Here is the link to that: http://www.texas-signing-agent.com/free-notary-book/book.htm
Another good source is the National Notary Association. While I have some real issues with some of the actions taken and advice given by the NNA, they are the only company in the business of selling educational materials to Notary Signing Agents whose materials have been accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training, which is the body that generally accredits institutions of higher education. ACCET accreditation is recognized by the US Dept of Education. The NNA also has the largest list of signing services (and a good list of title companies) of any site on the web. So, for those starting out, I would say joining the NNA and its NSA Section and taking their courses to get their Certification is a minimum requirement to being seriously involved as an NSA. Once you have that certification, market to the list of companies available on their website (don't just wait for them to find you on the list of NSAs there and don't just use the site to sign up with the companies listed -- do real marketing to these potential clients) and you will be on your way in the business.
I also suggest visiting all the sites listed on these pages and reading everything on those sites to get much more information and training in this business. Some of these sites will require that you pay a membership fee to gain full access to them; usually that gets you a listing in their database, which can be a good way to get your name out there and make yourself more visible for potential clients. Most offer discounts on any products that they sell once you become a "member" of that site. You WILL need a website of your own if you are serious about doing this business and these other sites can contain links back to your website -- the more links you have going to your website, the easier it will be for potential clients to find you using google and other search engines.
You can also get information in the forums on 123Notary, NotaryRotary, the Traveling Notary Public Network, and many other sites where Notaries are listed and where they congregate to compare notes and chat. Also, the signingagent@yahoogroups.com email list is a good, free resource (but very chatty). Just be sure that you don't believe everything you read on any of these forums or websites. As always with anything on the internet, check the info you gather and compare it with other sources before relying upon it. Some folks know what they are talking about, some just think they do, and some have less-than-charitable motives for saying what they say.
Finally, if you have done all these things and still feel that you need more training, I may be available for one-on-one mentoring in the Memphis area for a fee. (You don't expect me to actually train my competition for free, do you?)
I have dropped my link to 50 State Notary, the website of Victoria Ring for several reasons. (You can email me if you want to know what they are.) Unfortunately, because of her marketing success, Ms. Ring's materials may be the first thing some NSAs ever see about this industry.
I urge you, if you are brand new to this business and still learning to distinguish good information or advice (about being a Notary Public or about being in this business for yourself) from questionable materials, please consider starting with other sources, such as The Signing Registry or the National Notary Association, the American Society of Notaries, or the American Notary Network . Also, many Notaries speak very highly of 123Notary and Notary Rotary. (I really like the Modern Journal of Notarial Events that Notary Rotary sells -- it makes being an NSA much easier than any other Journal I have seen and it costs less than the NNA Journal.) Most of those sites have message boards and/or email lists you can join to network with other members. One free-standing email list (probably the largest list for those Notaries who are actively pursuing the Signing Agent business) is maintained by yahoogroups: SigningAgent@yahoogroups.com. You can also visit the social networking sites for Notaries that are hosted on the ning.com network -- the one from the United Notary Association is particularly good, and I would like to have you visit the Traveling Notary Public one which I set up.
As with EVERYTHING you may see on the Internet, just because it appears online that does not make it true. Caveat Emptor ! (That is ancient Latin for "let the buyer beware!" ) Study before you do, study again before you buy, study some more before you use what you buy in ways that will affect other people.
I have dropped my link to NotaryOne from here, too. This is for several reasons and you can email me if you want to know what they are.
As required by Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 16, I hereby provide the following NOTICE: "I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY LICENSED TO PRACTISE |
This page was
created on Thursday, March 10, 2005.
Last
Updated Saturday, September 13, 2008.
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This page is part of Tim's Link Site.
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