Posted by snowflake/PA on 3/10/09 4:32pm
Msg #280194

JMT offered $50.00 for O/N docs. Shame on the notary who

takes this signing. They would not meet my fee of $xxx. Shopping around for cheapest notary.

Reply by LauriecPA on 3/10/09 5:02pm
Msg #280195

Re: I had a $50 offer from them last night.

The scheduler was very polite, though. She asked if she could call me back if went through her list and couldn't find anyone to accept the $50 fee. (Usually, I just get a grunt and a hang up!)

Reply by Birgit A. Mitchell on 3/10/09 5:29pm
Msg #280198

Re: I had a $50 offer from them last night.

I think they are the EASIEST!-I LOVE JMT!! they usually have quicken loans which take 30- 40 minutes to sign at most and they pay 50 for a local signing and 75-100 if I have to go to neighboring towns( 25-50 miles). they are sweet and ORGANIZED!!

Reply by sue_pa on 3/10/09 6:00pm
Msg #280202

Re: I had a $50 offer from them last night.

just curious - with docs to the borrowers, how does it take you 30-40 minutes at the table on these?

Reply by LynnNC on 3/10/09 6:02pm
Msg #280203

I am happy to handle their closings

Quicken loans...the documents go to the borrower...they have a chance to look at them ahead of time and the closing is 30 min point and sign. They only call me if the closing is close...usually less than a 20 min drive. $50 for just over 60 min is OK with me.

Reply by LindaD/NJ on 3/10/09 7:16pm
Msg #280209

takes 20 minutes to close a quicken. I take them when loca

they are a great filler.

Reply by SharonMN on 3/10/09 7:21pm
Msg #280210

Re: takes 20 minutes to close a quicken. I take them when loca

Whether or not $50 is enough or not is an individual decision - but I will say I wish all jobs were as easy to bid as these. It's nice when everybody has their act together and you can count on things to go smoothly - then you know what to charge because you know how much time and effort it will take. A $50 JMT job might "pay more" than a $150 job for someone else that involves 10 phone calls, 3 reschedules, and hours of waiting around for e-docs that turn out not to be final.

Reply by LORNA DENT on 3/10/09 7:30pm
Msg #280211

I have been doing their loans for over 4 years, they are one of my favorites. They may not pay alot but then the work you have to do for them takes very little time or effort. They are very organized, most of the time the borrowers are very satisfied and they usually dont send you more then 20 -25 miles out of your way. When I do their signings they usually only take 20-30 min for a couple and only about 10-15 for an individual. JMT also keeps me in business, I get a lot of signings from them....last month I did about 20 jobs for them. I wish all my customers were that easy and gave me that much work every month.

Reply by jba/fl on 3/10/09 7:37pm
Msg #280213

My loan was Quicken and one of the nicest things: all docs sent to me by email before anyone came to house. All disclosures in advance of closing so we were just doing main docs, not all the junk. Just pulled out my HUD, bottom-lined it, began signing. No surprises. Easy all the way around, me and notary who came.

Reply by ChristineHI on 3/10/09 7:53pm
Msg #280215

Re: JMT offered $50.00 for O/N docs. Shame on the notary wh

Actually, I agree, these signings are very easy. They take me no more than 15 minutes typically and the borrower has the docs already. I will only go close by though as they don't pay more for distance and if it is not close by it is not profitable. They pay me a bit more than $50, but I would actually probably do it for that price if it was near by if necessary. They really are very easy closings.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/10/09 8:08pm
Msg #280219

It may be a ridiculous offer, but I think it's too much to tell another notary "shame" on them for accepting work. Those companies have the right to shop around and other people have the right to contract with them without you interfering. We may not like it, but it is against the law to force other independent contractors to accept a certain fee, or minimum fee. Oh, sure... it may be ridiculous, but it's their right to do it.

That's the beauty of being free... just as we can say no, others can say yes and don't deserve to be brow beaten over it, even if we think they lack good business sense.

If you were looking for a new fridge, would you just walk in the store and pay $2700 for a fridge because that's what the price tag was and the salesman insisted that was the best fridge out there? Perhaps some would.... but others will not. In fact, most consumers will evaluate their needs for a new fridge, take measurements, research features and find models that fit within their parameters. Only a snobby salesmen turns up his nose and says as you walk out the door, "Oh, they're just shopping around." Imagine how it would look if that salesman posted in a fridge salesman forum and said, "Look out guys... Mr. and Mrs. Jones only want to pay $900 for a fridge. What cheapskates, they're actually shopping around! Can you believe the nerve? They didn't want to pay $2700 so shame on the guy who actually sells them a $900 fridge."


I'm not saying some of our services aren't worth more than $50... we all know that's far from accurate in most cases. What gets me are those who feel entitled to belittle other businesses for winning a client. This is a free market and we're allowed to conduct business free from interference from third parties -- within legal and regulatory rules of course. Ours is not a very regulated industry so people are free to charge as little or as much as they want for their services, and that's THEIR business decision, not yours.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/10/09 8:11pm
Msg #280220

Ooops, I also forgot to mention, like that others... JMT's assignments are generally quick and easy and $50 is actually a pretty fair fee in many cases.

Reply by LynnNC on 3/10/09 8:14pm
Msg #280221

I am not saying "shame" on another notary for not taking JMT closings, it is a personal decision, but Quicken loans are quick and easy and worth it for me as long as they are close by. Now, give me a 120 page refi with edocs, 30 min away, I want $150.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 3/10/09 8:19pm
Msg #280222

I agree... those are easy and I'd do them for $50, too. As you said, it's all a matter of personal business decisions that are unique to each one of us because we all have different expenses. What one notary can do for $85 another may need $125 to do. I just don't think we should be shaming other notaries for taking lower fees for a job when circumstances are so variable, especially in this case because JMT Doc Svcs are usually really easy assignments.

Reply by firegirl on 3/10/09 8:41pm
Msg #280226

Hear, Hear! You said exactly what I was thinking only nicer. n/m

Reply by BobbiCT on 3/11/09 7:12am
Msg #280278

In defense of JMT ....

It depends on Each Individual NSA or notary's cost analysis. My fee analysis is "per job," not a fixed rate. A $50 job does not make financial sense for many, particularly those working regularly at $125+ or who have to travel a distance. However, with thousands of NSAs out there and more part-timers (unemployed mortgage processors, closers, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, real estate secretaries and paralegals), there's bound to be a "notary" within a few miles of the borrowers willing to do this.

I have done a number of these and can make a profit at $50, particularly the one I could walk too. The document that takes the most time is the notary identification certification form. My criteria: Only a few minutes from my home, borrowers have READ documents and ALREADY called loan officer to discuss questions (had package at least two full days). I walk in and it's a simple "good old days" get documents initialed and signed in the correct place and notarize.

Reply by sue_pa on 3/11/09 8:01am
Msg #280286

jeepers, where were all these cheerleaders the other week when I took grief for posting about this company ... although I didn't post their name, the $50 fee I said I worked for seemed to shock so many.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 3/11/09 1:49pm
Msg #280330

Quicken loans take less than 1/2 the effort of an average

loan. I have done a few for the $50 that were in my neighborhood. Where I have a problem with JMT was their unwillingness to pay a larger travel fee when they were asking me to travel when gas was $4.60 /gal last year. Sometime back, I posted about a company that wanted me to travel 300 miles round trip for $75. This was JMT. They didn't seem to understand that in my area, two points in neighboring zip codes can be 200 miles apart and accused me of lying to them about the distance. After I turned that down, they called again in about an hour, said they couldn't find anyone and they will pay me $100. My lowest bid was $200 and that was proabaly too low for an all day job. We could not agree and they have not called me since.

Reply by LEWIS PRINE on 12/19/09 3:14pm
Msg #315037

They pay, but are slow (an average of 40 days in 13 assignments). I TELL them what I'll do it for; they meet it or get somebody else. I get about 90% of them, and that's enough, since I have to wait so long to get my money.

Reply by pan/nd on 3/11/09 11:35pm
Msg #280392

I've never been afraid to swim up stream or go against the crowd.

I did Quicken loans for many years. Everything everybody says about them is true...easy and quick.

It's JMT I have the problem with....call with this ...call with that...call with the other thing...call when you go to the bathroom.

I finally got so annoyed with their rigamarole that I told them to go to heaven.

They must have because they haven't called me since.

GOOD RIDDANCE.

It's a free country and you're all entitled to my opinion.

Reply by CCountry on 4/22/09 5:05pm
Msg #285958

I have accepted signings from JMT for $50, but only when I am not extremely busy and if it is in my own town. They pay about 30-40 days later. No faxing back, but they do have this "babysitting" method of calling an automoated line to make sure you called the borrower, call again while sitting outside of the signing, etc. If they are Quicken loans, the doc package is sent to the borrower usually several days in advance. They even supply "blue" pens in the package.