T H E N O T A R Y N E W S Published by Victoria Ring, CSA http://www.50statenotary.com ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ Missed an issue? Read all past issues at http://www.50statenotary.com/ezine/ Send a free complimentary issue to another notary, subscribe under a different email address or unsubscribe at http://www.50statenotary.com/subscribe.html ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ ISSUE 48 � August 14, 2004
IN THIS ISSUE: ** Question from a Notary About Contacting Signing, Mortgage and Title Companies Directly ** Other Comments from Notaries ** Suggestion for Dealing with the Backdating of Mortgage Documents ** Update on How to Start a Bankruptcy Forms Processing Service ** Rate this Ezine ** Bible Verse of the Week ** Resource Links for Notary Signing Agents ** Disclaimer ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ QUESTION FROM A NOTARY ABOUT CONTACTING SIGNING, MORTGAGE AND TITLE COMPANIES DIRECTLY Dear Victoria: I have read your book about starting and running a Notary Signing Agent Business at least four times. There are so many great ideas in it that I have to keep reading it to get all the ideas. I passed my NNA test and now I'm a Certified Notary Signing Agent. My question to you is this: Should I try to work for mortgage companies, title companies, escrow companies, etc. directly or should I sign up with a signing agency? I understand that if you work for a signing agency you get paid less, but it seems that there is more work that way. Also, if you sign up with one signing agency, are you allowed to sign up with other signing agencies? I understand that if you sign up with a signing agency that you cannot market work from mortgage companies, title companies, escrow companies, etc. That's why I'm not sure which way to go. Could you please give me some advice on this matter? (Debbie W.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RESPONSE FROM VICTORIA RING Debbie: I am glad you enjoyed my book and are putting the information to good use. But you have misunderstood the fact about �being allowed� to work for several different companies. You can work for as many signing agencies as you want. However, it is a conflict of interest if you are on a signing for Company A and you try to encourage the borrowers to stop the loan process and refinance through Company B. Normally, most notaries have the common sense to know this -- but the companies must post this information anyway. This does not mean that YOU as a notary can only work exclusively for one signing company. YOU are your own boss. YOU are the owner of your own company. The signing companies become YOUR customers. As a business owner, you can have as many customers as you want. When I first started doing signings, I registered with 200+ different companies and I had work every day. It took awhile to register with them, but all it cost me was my time. To address the issue concerning whether you should start working directly for mortgage companies or not � please see Pages 125-132 of my book. As you will see � the best way to pick up title and mortgage companies as customers (eliminating the middle man) is to work for the middle man in order to get your name and reputation known. After you have reached that point, you will be presented with opportunities to advance by working directly for the mortgage and title companies. But like anything else � you cannot start working in the mail room of an organization today and expect to be an Executive Vice President tomorrow. (Victoria Ring) ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ COMMENTS FROM NOTARIES Dear Victoria: I just wanted to thank you for your book, How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business. It's a one-stop-shop and chock full of information! I agree with sharing information with others and giving people as much information as we know about a particular subject. I am a home school Mom in Florida and I provide a lot of free informational services for home schoolers in our area. Information is power! I have been looking for something that I could start doing while still home schooling my kids and then turn it into a full-time business later on. NSA is perfect! I am also taking an income tax prep course to be able to prepare taxes on the side during season and I plan to start a title search company, like you suggested. I already have my PACER account set up and ready to go! I completed the Florida notary course and applied for my notary commission and am very excited to be starting these ventures! Thanks again for all of your help! You book is worth its weight in gold! (Melonie Busch) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi, Victoria! I read your book, How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business - KUDOS!! I am a Louisiana Notary and am familiar with signing agents, but what I was interested in was the "title search" section. I like research and may look into that at a later date, as it was very insightful. I had always wondered how that was done. Again - "you done good" on your book and it was hard to put down! (Suzanne) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hi Victoria, I have received and read your book "How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business". Your book will save me money and time from what would have been some costly mistakes I'm sure. Some of your tips were worth the price of the book all by themselves. A few that stands out are the choice of fax machine tip. Who would have thought such a tip could be so valuable but it will be? Then there's the internet search engine tips: from creating a web page to paying attention to meta tags to using a different emails addresses for search engine submissions to avoid spam to not putting email addresses on business cards, the Gom Publishing tip, all good stuff and there's so much more that isn't coming to mind at the moment. Last but certainly not least -- you without explicitly having said such have made your book to the glory of God. Not to say I'm in complete agreement with all your viewpoints about religion and the Bible but without a doubt the result is to God's glory as all successes should be. (Tarrens H.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To order your copy of How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business, go to http://www.50statenotary.com/book/index.html ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ SUGGESTION FOR DEALING WITH THE BACKDATING OF MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS Hi Victoria, I have been consistently asked to have a borrower backdate a document from mortgage companies, title companies and signing agencies. My response to these requests has been equally consistent: �The borrower can sign any date on the documents they so choose. However, any documents that I notarize need to reflect the date I�m doing the actual notarization.� I am then told that they do it all the time and they would pay a higher fee for me to do it. When I refuse again, I say, �It is illegal for me to do that and I�m unwilling to jeopardize my commission by backdating the documents.� At this point they apologize and say they will get another notary to do it. It doesn�t cost me future assignments, the company respects my morals and principals, and I respect my commission, my work and most importantly, myself. However, herein lies the major problem: there are other notaries willing to do this. Do they realize if the borrower disputes the signing for any reason, and then �exposes� the fraudulent notarization, the notary will lose their commission and can be sued? Is this really worth the extra $50? I don�t think so. Whether or not it is common practice for some companies, it�s against the law. By accepting a commission to become a notary public, the notary has taken an oath to uphold the law. If the notary cannot abide by those terms, they should relinquish their commission. (Desiree) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Excellent advice Desiree. Thank you for submitting this information for other notaries to utilize. (Victoria Ring) ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ UPDATE ON NEW BOOK: HOW TO START A BANKRUPTCY FORMS PROCESSING SERVICE Dear Victoria: How much does it cost to start a forms processing service? (Mary B.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mary � As a notary, you probably already have all the equipment you need to prepare bankruptcy petitions for attorneys. The main items you need are a good computer connection, a working knowledge of how to upload and download PDF files and a fax machine if the attorney faxes the Client Intake Forms to you. (By the way, the Client Intake Forms are included free in the back of the book.) The only other cost would be purchasing a bankruptcy forms software program. If you do not have the money to buy the software at this time, you can also download the Federal Forms from the government web site in Word format and fill them in. This method is much harder but it can be done. In my book I provide a list of many different bankruptcy software programs. For my business I used Best Case http://www.bestcase.com � but I realize the cost is high for many beginners. Therefore, you can buy one of the lower-cost software programs I mention in the book and when you have processed two or three bankruptcy petitions, you should be able to afford the best � which is Best Case software. SPECIAL OFFER FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Notary News subscribers still can take advantage of the $20.00 SAVINGS on the ebook version of How to Start a Bankruptcy Forms Processing Service by going to http://www.50statenotary.com/special/index.html This low price will only be offered until the paperback is delivered from the printer. Once the paperback is available, this special discounted offer will no longer be offered. So make sure you get a copy now. You can print the ebook out on your printer or wait for the paperback version which should be available for sale within the next 2-3 weeks. ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/vote.html?pub_code=thenot ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ BIBLE VERSE OF THE WEEK Proverbs, Chapter 10, verse 19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. Read online at http://www.servantofjesuschrist.com/kjv1611/proverbs/chapter_10.html ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ OF INTEREST TO NOTARIES: Get listed in the Nationwide Notary Directory http://www.50statenotary.com/directory/order_getlisted.html BOOK: �How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business� ISBN: 193296603x http://www.50statenotary.com/book/index.html EBOOK: �How to Start a Bankruptcy Forms Processing Service� http://www.50statenotary.com/special/index.html FREE: 50 State Notary Desktop Guard Dog http://www.50statenotary.com/freegift/index.html 50 State Notary Affiliate Program http://www.50statenotary.com/join/index.html Join the National Notary Association http://www.nationalnotary.org/supplies/index.cfm?referID=A23039 Locate a Notary: View the Nationwide Notary Directory http://www.50statenotary.com/directory/index.html View previous issues of this ezine: The Notary News http://www.50statenotary.com/ezine/index.html Jobs for Notary Signing Agents (updated weekly) http://www.50statenotary.com/directory/company_listing.html Free Introductory Signing Agent Training Course http://www.50statenotary.com/training/index.html My Notary Story � Tips from Experienced NSAs http://www.50statenotary.com/mystory/index.html Free Download of the King James Bible http://www.servantofjesuschrist.com/kjv1611/download.html Visit Victoria Ring�s other websites http://www.victoriaringconsulting.com/ http://www.graphicopublishing.com/ ________________________________________________ ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������ DISCLAIMER The purpose of The Notary News is to pass along important information to notary signing agents to help them do their jobs better and increase their income. Opinions expressed in The Notary News are not intended to supercede any state notary regulations. Because regulations vary from state-to-state and even county-to-county, you are encouraged to contact The National Notary Association at 800.876.6827 if you have any specific questions relating to notary regulations in your state. The publisher of The Notary News, Victoria Ring, is a Certified Signing Agent in Columbus, Ohio. She is unable to answer specific questions concerning your notary state laws. Therefore, you are also encouraged to network with other notaries in your state through the Nationwide Notary Directory located online at http://www.50statenotary.com/directory/ -------------------------------------- Victoria Ring Certified Notary and Paralegal http://www.50statenotary.com Phone: 614-491-9831, Fax: 614-491-9832 _____________________________ Unsubscribe: http://www.ymlp.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] Hosting by http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com ------------------------ Yahoo! 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