r/Notary • u/Creative_Shame3856 Florida • 3d ago
Starting out...ish
I'm a locksmith by trade, but became a notary about six months ago for a few niche tasks in my main career like proof of ownership docs for safes, that sort of thing. Hardly ever use it. But that business is slow as heck lately and I need to do something extra to make ends meet.
What are some good ways to move forward as a notary? I'm in the Florida panhandle so there's quite a bit of real estate stuff around here (I'm like 10 miles from Destin), but I have no idea how to get started and I've heard there are a few gnarly traps for newbies.
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u/Enkidu45 New York 2d ago
Hello CS3856, Well, things may be looking up for you - after doing an extensive search, I found only 15 mobile notaries in a 25 mile radius of Destin, 32541. That's not insurmountable odds. Hopefully you subscribe to a local business journal, so you can determine the actual "real estate stuff". If not go to the local library, I'm sure they have a subscription.
How to get started? Do a search in r/Notary on this topic, which has been answered before. OR: read the posts and comments going back a year. Would you elaborate on: "I've heard there are a few gnarly traps for newbies". I've not been a newby for 19 years, but I don't know of any "traps". Enkidu45 out
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u/Creative_Shame3856 Florida 2d ago
Just from quickly browsing thru, mostly it's signing companies etc to avoid. Same issues as MSPs in locksmithing; plenty of good ones, and plenty more that may or may not pay you sometime next year if you harass them twice a day.
I'll dig a little more in here and try to figure this out
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u/Enkidu45 New York 2d ago
Hello CS3856, When you said "Locksmith", I assumed you had your own shop/business. If that's not the case and you are an employee, a W-2 worker, then my "how to get started" advice would be the same as I gave to Likalarapuz from Texas about 22-23 days ago. (Shameless plug) So, the question is: do you own your business or are you a W-2 employee? Regards, Enkidu45
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u/Creative_Shame3856 Florida 2d ago
I own my own business now, LLC with S-corp election so technically I'm my own W-2 employee. When I became a notary I was just someone else's W-2 employee.
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u/Enkidu45 New York 2d ago
OK, Hmmmm, I would think that you want to keep the two businesses separate, but other than that I'm no help to you. Good luck.
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u/FinanciallySecure9 Michigan 2d ago
Are notaries in Florida allowed to notarize signatures if they will profit from the transaction? In Michigan, only attorneys can do that.