What Kind of Responsibilities Can a Notary Signing Agent Take?
A Notary Signing Agent is a state-authorized person who has received special training in handling and notarizing loan documents. A Signing Agent is virtually a legal freelancer to ensure that the borrower signs, notarize, and returns real estate loan documents on time.
Millions of borrowers across the globe have benefited from the Loan Signing System. It has encouraged people to become professional signing agents and find the job as a decent source of income. However, becoming a notary public loan signing agent is not at all an easy task.
Difference between a Notary Signing Agent and a Mobile Notary
The key distinction between a Notary Signing Agent and a Mobile Notary is their nature of work. Notaries deal with a wide range of documents, but Signing Agents specialize in home loan documents.
Both Signing Agent and Mobile Notary receive a notary commission in exchange for their services rendered. However, NSAs must go through a stringent BGV (background verification) test every year. Some states have strict regulations on real estate dealings, which may necessitate the procurement of professional licenses for Signing Agents.
Income Source of Signing Agents
Notary Signing Agents are self-employed who set their rates for signing services. Signing Agents work as independent contractors and they charge by the assignment. The signing fee will be determined by the number of assignments one can complete in a single day.
The commission receivable also depends on the budget of the contracting company (a lender or an escrow office). Signing Agents are also free to reasonably charge for courier services for printing and delivering the completed loan documents to the contracting company. It is in addition to the actual fees.
Tips To Become a Successful Loan Signing Agent
Active License:
Having an active notary license is the first step toward becoming a successful notary loan signing agent. The best part about it is that no degrees or professional experience are required. All you need is a state-issued notary commission (license) that is currently active. Some states don’t even require a test to grant a notary commission. Filling out an application form does the rest!
Job Execution:
The next step in becoming a prolific notary signing agent is to ensure that you can confidently perform a quality loan signing. Before your first visit, you should be well aware of the space where the borrower signs, the implication of the documents, and how to formulate a loan signing document.
Listing in Relevant Databases:
There is a host of signing service agencies that exist solely to find people to fill pre-scheduled loan signing appointments in exchange for nominal fees. Your job is to simply enter your name into the premier loan signing databases to receive responses by way of telephonic calls, emails, or text messages offering loan signing jobs.
Certification:
Becoming a certified notary loan signing agent is the next step. It will enable you to receive loan signing authority in a normal course. Now, you are presumed to have a basic understanding of the loan signing intricacies.
Learning Loan signing as per Escrow Standards:
Even seasoned loan signing agents believe that their sole responsibility is to verify that all documents are duly signed and notarized. That, however, is not the case. The Signing Agent represents the escrow officer to act as a loan signing authority. It is in your jurisdiction to ensure that the borrower is at ease when signing and filling out the loan documents. The loan documents should be discharged as per escrow guidelines. Learning these tactics will make you float above the water and you will leave other competitors far behind.
Packaging Loan Documents:
Simply put, packaging loan documents means assorting them in such a way so that the various stakeholders (lender, title, and escrow) receive their documents on time. If you have the rare skills to package documents (which only about 10% of loan signing agents are capable of), you’ll set yourself apart from the remaining group. It will raise your chances of a consistent flow of loan signings in the future.
Suggestions from Mortgage Specialists:
The people who decide which loan signing agents get loan signing appointments are escrow officers, loan officers, and real estate agents. Understanding what to say to a mortgage professional will assist you in acquiring more loan signing assignments. The escrow officials will be more confident in hiring you as their principal signing agent, provided they are satisfied with your performance in the long run.
Setting Targets:
It’s about time to conceive how much you desire to earn per year once you have the expertise to perform a loan signing initiative according to escrow standards. Besides, you should know how to package loan documents in the interests of stakeholders. Then you can work backward to figure out how many loan signings you have to accomplish to achieve your preset target.
Conclusion:
You’re one milestone away from becoming a Notary Signing Agent if you’ve already been chartered as a traditional Notary Public. If you’re not already a Notary, you’ll need to meet the eligibility criteria and abide by the rules for Signing Agents in your jurisdiction.
It’s never been a cakewalk to schedule a loan closure. DocitPro’s technological edge segregates itself from other signing agencies. It optimizes relevant communication channels, allowing you to focus on the specifics.
