Brenda Stone - TexNotary.com - Serving the "Heart of Texas"
NOTICE: THIS SITE IS BEST VIEWED WITH INTERNET EXPLORER.
Brazos County, Texas Mobile Notary Public
Austin County, Burleson County, Fayette County, Grimes County, Leon County, Madison County, Montgomery County, Robertson County, Wallker County, Walker County, and Washington County.
Notaries - To learn from the best notary forum online go to this post (Msg. #33325) on NotaryRotary.com - you will get input on all types of notary signing agent topics by experienced people. Read it! To download a package of loan documents, go to Msg #124662 and use the link in it." If you do these things you'll be ahead of your game.
Title company and lender personnel, if you are seeking a notary in Texas, or across the USA, you'll also find thousands of notaries across the nation at NotaryRotary.com . Notaries who are serious professionals use this listing service. Signing services do not always send the best for your loan. Deal directly with your signing agent professional. Use NotaryRotary.com to work with an independent notary. However, if you need to employ a nationwide signing service, I recommend Andy Le. Andy owns 1st Courtesy Signing Network. Notaries employed by Andy Le are of the highest caliber. I also believe he treats his notaries well, else I could not say to call him for notary scheduling needs. "
Brenda Stone (BrendaTx on NotaryRotary.com)
Car Sign Marketing Ideas
To purchase - click here. To read or subscribe to my newsletter - go here.
Click the sign to go to my personal notary website.
In the 06-06-2006 edition of my newsletter, I said that you could get a Magnetic Sign for your car. Just to keep it real, I wanted to let you know that I have one of those of my own, it works and here is a picture of mine. Here is what mine says:
Mobile Notary 979-739-2690
www.TexNotary.com
I am thinking about getting a couple more...why?
-to apply to my front door or display it tastefully in my kitchen window at the condos I live in.
-to apply to my bag I carry in and out of the office where I have my part-time job (the local chamber of commerce offices)
-to exchange with a realtor friend of mine. I'll perhaps purchase him one and tastefully display his and vice versa.
These little jewels have endless amounts of places they could be parked and go to work for you.I have a senior citizen friend who said she'll put one on her car for me. Think that's silly? Well, folks who market have lots of ideas and are not afraid of being rejected for being "out there." When you read my ideas, just keep the ones you like, and leave the rest alone.
Purchase your car sign here:
http://www.pawnotary.com/Mini-Mart.htm
(No, I don't get a kickback. I just think it's $12.00 worth of advertising that will triple it's value in one assignment.)Have a great marketing day, folks...
BrendaTx, Your Texas Notary Publisher
06/09/06
============Newsletter - Subscribe here===================
============Newsletter - Read the 06-06-06 edition here===================
Welcome to the "666" (06/06/2006)
edition of my TexNotary Newsletter!
Special note: Do not miss the article near the bottom about the rev mort notary group.
Editor's comment: Putting out a newsletter is not a thing that's easy to do if you are not getting paid for it, or unless you are passionate about writing it. I am only passionate about delivering this publication when there is "real" information to put into it. Otherwise, it only becomes a form of self-admiration and that's not exactly what I would like to be known for.
Realizing it's been a long time since the TexNotary Newsletter went out, I looked deep into my current interests to find something worthwhile for you guys to read, as well as something that I feel is worthwhile to write about related to our notary signing agent work, or to the type of readership I have.
Since the signing business has slowed for many, I decided to share what I have learned over the past month about how to get more business.
(Also, please note that the "Great Value Marketing Items" which I recommend in this letter can also be found at the bottom of this letter.)
Brainstorming for More Business
If you are a signing agent in a state which allows notaries to collect signatures and act as a
signing agent in the home, there is not going to be a wealth of refinance loans coming to you
because of the rising interest rate. Perhaps we got a little "fat and lazy" but now is a good time to double and re-double your marketing.
Without a stream of refinance loan work, right off the top of my head, I'd say that leaves us with
-purchase/sell transactions
-home improvement loans
-new construction loans
-home equity and lines of credit
-reverse mortgages
-delinquent tax loans
-non-loan work
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DISCLAIMER - PLEASE READ:I am certainly no authority, no legal eagle, or much more than just a gal from Texas who
likes to write about what she thinks she knows.I am not a lawyer, nor paralegal and I have not even
graduated from college. Okay that being said, let's go on to the first topic.
===============
For the seasoned notary signing agent, it will not be difficult to figure out how to get more
of this business. You, like me are already at it.For the "marketing-impaired" I will briefly
touch on how to get out there and find more business in the above-noted arenas. Here are some ideas as well as tips on fees, who to market to, what to watch for and differences.
-purchase/sell transactions
I get these from Bancserv, mostly. I also hear that TitleStream is also doing a few of these.
I have not gotten one. A purchase/sell without a loan is a tiny package. Charge what you
would for a 50 document signing. These usually contain about three or four notarizations. I
Charge $75 for local non-loan purchase/sells. There are barely more documents than a HUD, a
transferring deed, and sometimes it is done with a power of attorney.
However, friends, if you have a loan attached to these there are a few noteworthy topics.(1) There will not be a Notice of Right to Cancel on a purchase/sell loan.
(2) If there is a construction loan attached to it, you are actually going to have two packages, a small one (seller) and a large one which is actually usually a pretty big package for the buyer. There
will be two HUDs in many instances. Get really good with the HUD or you'll feel very insecure
with a purchase/sell.(3) Buyer and Seller may want two different times / places - CHARGE ACCORDINGLY.
(4) Question the hiring entity closely. Do not let them hit you with two packages and two different appointments. Start with doubling your base fee, double your edoc fee and add $25 for good measure. That will be a reasonable fee for your appointment.
-home improvement loans
When I think of home improvement loans, I think of Tony Negrete's signing service, Negrete's
Notaries. Tony is a good guy, in my opinion, by the way.Thanks to him, I have done many, many decent paying loans in my area for swimming
pools. Thanks to those loan packages I have become familiar with home improvement loans and
builder/contractor paperwork. If you have never done any home improvement loans, you should
sign up with Tony Negrete at http://www.negretesnotaries.com . If you are already signed up at
www.notarycafe.com you will not have a problem getting work from Tony because he uses that
database.
In Texas, a notary cannot do many types of home improvement loans inside the borrower's home,
however. You should be aware that Texas notaries are limited to such as new pool loans and new
construction loans unless they have ties with a title company or a law office, or a branch of
the lender. You cannot close loans for such as new aluminum siding. The theory behind this is
to keep the predatory lender from accomplishing the feat of attaching a loan to a unwary
borrower's home and then foreclosing on it.
Find out for yourself what you can and cannot do in your own state legally before you jump out
there and spend a ton trying to find new business.
For a home improvement loan you should charge a decent base fee, plus consider there are a few
extra documents. Always charge additional for eDocs.
-new construction loans
I have done new home construction loans for Bancserv and Lenders First Choice. However, I would
recommend soliciting a few small local builders who are aggressive in your community. What you
need to know about this is outside of refinance work is to learn your HUD very well.
-home equity and lines of credit
If you are in Texas, you cannot do these without having the benefit of using a title company
closing room, or a lawyer's office or a lender's branch. I cannot say this enough. Texans, do
not listen to a signing service person telling you, "It's okay. Notaries do it all the time."
Other states will find this to be their mainstay in the next year.
Because of the Texas predicament I have found a lawyer who does these also. I work as an
extension of his office, so to speak. I quote what he charges and use his office. I pay him
one-half of my fee on the spot. This is not price-fixing. It is me recognizing his resource
in the office he has, and him recognizing that I bring business into his office at a reasonable
rate that way.
-reverse mortgages
I have recently written a book on how I view the closing of a reverse mortgage. If you would
like to purchase it, please go to my website at http://www.TexNotary.com and look for the link.
It is currently $9.95 and is available in "preview form." You can get more information at the
link on my site. This book will help a "newbie" only after they have closed a few other loans.
In order to find more reverse mortgages to do, you need to start using search engines and
entering your city (or surrounding cities) in your area to find the loan officers to hit up
individiually. I use this marketing piece from time to time, or create a similar one:
http://www.texas-signing-agent.com/marketing/campaign110905.htm ..
To send out my marketing pieces, I use http://www.ymlp.com which is a mailing list manager.
-delinquent tax loans
If you are interested - find companies you might be able to work for like this: Try searching this out on the search engines "making property tax loans to businesses and homeowners." I have also heard these are small packages and take little time to do. Try searching for companies that offer these. I was called last fall for two and did not accept because they only pay less than my base. I did not want to get into a big mess for little money. However, I have since heard that these may offer several in a day and that the times/days on them are flexible. I am soliciting companies which do them. These loans are limited so I am not exposing my targets, but wanted to put a bug in your ear so you could find some of your own clients.-non-loan work
TexNotary Tried and True Marketing Techniques- Magnetic Car Signs - $12.00
If you do not have a mobile notary magnetic car sign you are missing a ton of business. This
is the best deal going for this type of work if you move your car around town frequently.
http://pawnotary.com/CarSign.htm - it's around $12.00 and not only is it useful, it's cute,
too! Be sure to tell them you heard about it from me!
TexNotary Tried and True Marketing Techniques - Book / Laura Vestanen - $10.00
Ms. Laura Vestanen has written a wonderful little book on the subject. You MUST her book on
non-loan signings. Go to http://www.profesionalnotary.com or email Laura at
professionalnotary@yahoo.com. Be sure to tell her you heard about it here.
TexNotary's Free Tip - My best personal tip on non-loan work is to go to the places who will
need your services. Tell them you will come for free and do the work IF they will give you the
name of the company who is sending them the paperwork to be notarized. Nine times out of ten
you will find yourself being able to quote $25 to $45 for a quick job. Hmmm...that's about as clear as mud. Let me try this again.It's a multi-step process. (1) Solicit employment agencies, doctors, pharmacies, and medical related
industries. You need to prepare a folder with your card and a fax-the-notary sheet. You can
find "fax-the-notary" sheet to use here - Go here: http://texnotary.com/notary-rx/index.htm where you will see the forms I use to make up my folders for soliciting business. (2) Now, drop those off in a medical building by going door to door. (3) You get a call or a fax from one of these people. Now, what you do is find out who wants the job done, pick up the phone, call them, and ask them if they will pay your fee. 100% of the time I get a "yes." (4) Go do the job, send a bill and get paid.
Other Independent Contractor Opportunity
Subpoena Services: I have been serving "professional office" subpoenas. It's easy work. Seek legal sites to spread your service information to. I charge the going rate of $45. Usually, I get two in the same medical office. 20 minutes, $90 - simple.
Real Estate Photographer: I am sending pictures on properties to realtors as I see their signs out front. I propose to them that I will go take those pictures for them for a price. It's
good work and I have one steady client. It saves him from having to go take the pictures
himself.
Inspections: Join Fitalk (Field Inspector Talk at Googlegroups.com)
Once you are a member, you can download a very good set of my notes on how to get started which will include a zip file of inspection links, forms you need to get familiar with, training tips and more. Go to: http://groups.google.com/group/Fitalk - You will need to be granted access before you can peruse the group's archives. Look for a post which says "The H Files"
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:: Great Value Marketing Tools ::
These are very good value marketing tools
5000+ lenders and escrow mailing list
go to http://1netsuites.com - purchase for $15.95
From TexNotary/BrendaTx
It will be emailed to you.
Mobile Notary Magnetic Car Sign
go to http://pawnotary.com/CarSign.htm around $12.00
From PaulFl (aka PAW)
Marketing Non-Loan Notary Services - purchase for $9.88
go to http://professionalnotary.com
From LauraV of Washington State
Once you learn this information, you can feel confident to do Reverse Mortgages. Market yourself!!
My own notes in a Reverse Mortgage Notebook
go to http://texnotary.com - find the link - purchase for $9.95
From TexNotary/BrendaTx
It will be emailed to you.
Reverse Mortgage Notaries -
Do you do, or are you interested in reverse mortgages? I have a group set up to start putting together notaries who do rev morts. If you will join it and help me spread the word, I will send you a package of docs to help you get more familiar with the docs in a rev mort package.
Okay - that's a come on. I have a secret mission for the purpose of this group and it is not to start another notary database. Quite frankly, I believe rev morts are the next wave. It may be a year, or five before we are there, nonetheless, I am selfish in this maneuver. It's to benefit me by knowing notaries all over the US who do reverse mortgages and do the RIGHT.
I have had great success with my network efforts at Texas-Signing-Agent.com. A network of nationwide reverse mortgage notaries who refers business to the group which will be located at http://www.reverse-mortgage-notary.com is my next exciting adventure. The link will not work today. I have just ordered the site.
This is not about being a signing service. I just know that networking works. It may take awhile, but we'll get there. The googlegroup I am asking you to join is just a place to get started collecting information and people who are interested, willing to learn or already know the way.
Join me at http://groups.google.com/group/revmortnotary
(June 9 Update - I don't why, but the http://www.reverse-mortgage-notary.com site is not up yet. I have sent Winsave.com a message asking them to step it up. Thanks for your patience. In the mean-time, just join the google group above and I will be able to contact you.)
You can always find these newsletters at my blog:http://texnotarynewsletter.blogspot.com
You can remove yourself from the mailing list by going to the link at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Until next time...I remain, your humble notary publisher!
Brenda Tx
The owner of this site highly recommends the above referenced link over other signing agent classes for California Notaries who desire to become notary professionals. I have come to know the teachers there and believe they care about the students and will provide more than just a quick overview of your desired profession.
Professional training is the key to keeping the standard of our industry where it should be.