Posted by BrendaTX on 10/5/04 7:28pm
Msg #9383

Rants about Companies by "The Anonymous"

In another thread, Hugh made a very good point and I agree with him.

I am of the opinion if someone makes negative claims against any company, or rants about ridiculously low fees then they should be completely ignored while ranting anonymously.

Why? Because ravings about setting higher fees, or ranting against a company, while hovering behind a shroud of anonymity is setting a trap of reverse psychology.

Sure--raise your fees so that they can undercut you in their area. How nice for them.

Sure thing-- boycott the companies they tell anonymously tell you to so they can take all
the business from that company in their area.

I do not recommend low fees, but nothing about fees are set in stone in our business and we have to work at the level we can find work.

Turning down a $50, $55, $60 signing (which you might need to tuck away for a marketing campaign to better paying title companies) just because an anonymous ranter has recommended it is not really good business sense, in my humble opinion.

I firmly suspect, like another poster has pointed out, there are some situations wherein the person trouncing the rest of us to raise our fees is regularly accepting the $50 and $60 signings which s/he is successfully convincing the rest of us not to do.

I have not taken a $50 signing in a good while and have felt fortunate that I can get my fees up a bit. But, I might if I decide I want to. I take my $25.00 and $35.00 checks from affidavit work and put them in a special account for marketing and maybe if I decide it would be wise, I will take some $50 signings to pad that up a bit. Like a wise man here on the board said, “My dad always said if you are making money, you can’t be losing money.”

My theory is that everyone has to do a little self-applied figuring to know what they can charge. Factor the business you might have a shot at, by competition in your area, by experience, etc. Everyone, IMHO, has to test the waters of their region and work at finding a good place to set fees.

Make your own financial goals and figure out how to reach them. Don't be conned by the ravings of those who will not be upfront about who they are. If they are shooting straight they would not mind posting a link to a profile so that anyone could see who they are, what they are saying and what they will do in given situation.

Work to achieve your own financial goals and not those of others--especially those who will not set up a profile of where they are, who they are and reveal a little bit about themselves.

It's one thing to post with only a screen name when exchanging notary talk or asking questions that you are embarrassed about not knowing the answers to.

It's another to write negative diatribes about companies that the negative contributor will not prove up with fact. It's worse to rave about how to set fees without being up front enough to stand behind what they are saying with a name and location, and yes, even a profile.

Of course The Naysayer will not post a name and location because they are smugly working the crowd as The All-knowing Anonymous poster who is manipulating your thinking about fees and companies so they can scoop up what you cultivated for yourself.

DISCLAIMER: As always, this is just “IMHO” and readers should do their own research regarding anything posted or written by me, BrendaTx, because I may be a trickster and a pathological liar. On the other hand, it is also possible (as some have pointed out) I may be the lesser menace of a mere madcap dreamer and utopian fantisizer.

Reply by Liz/MD on 10/5/04 9:27pm
Msg #9387

Maybe you are right. But the last time I took less than $100 was almost 2 years ago. There are few and far around,(as in signing agents) and I like that. I am lucky to be in my market.

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 8:29am
Msg #9411

Liz/MD said "last time I took less than $100 was almost 2 years ago. There are few and far around,(as in signing agents) and I like that. I am lucky to be in my market."

The way I see it is that you have a few things going for you. First you have experience and second you are in an area that is not saturated, i.e., supply and demand.

Reply by BrendaTX on 10/6/04 10:41am
Msg #9427

Liz...Just curious, are you a licensed title producer? I have seen Loretta mention being one and I was just wondering if that was a requirement in MD. Thanks.

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 8:26am
Msg #9410

Brenda said "I do not recommend low fees, but nothing about fees are set in stone in our business and we have to work at the level we can find work."

Setting fees in stone would also be considered price fixing.

Reply by Bob-CHicago on 10/6/04 8:31am
Msg #9412

Well Said

I could not have said it better even if I did have the time.
Most of my signings are $100+, but I also regularly accept $50 signings ( mostly Helocs) from well established customers. These are usually open date signings that only take a few minutes to do. I can usually work them into my schedule to do while I am on my way to or from another signing. so as to avoid a special trip.
My $50-$60 dollar checks total well over $1,00/month, which as they say "aint chopped liver"
My personal philosophy is to maintain a good volume of signings . Some pay a little more and some a little less. Some are super easy, and some require a bit of work. It all seems to even out, and enables me to maintain a good lifestyle, even though I don't allways have the time to enjoy it.
I also maintain a network of relaible NSAs on the edges of my coverage area, That way I can accept most signing offers that I receive, and have them covered even if I am busy or it may be too far to travel at that time. . I find that the best way to get the phone to ring and to stay on the "first call list" is to accept offered signings if you can reasonably handle them. If you start turning them down too often, then they will start calling someone else first
Gotta run
REMEMBER, MONDAY OCTOBER 11 IS COLUMBUS DAY. COUNTS AS A HOLIDAY FOR RECISSION

Reply by Loretta Reed on 10/6/04 9:18am
Msg #9418

Re: Well Said

Bob,
I am lucky to live in an area where I do not have to take $50 or $60 (or even $70) for a closing because we are not saturated with licensed title producers "yet". They can choose to call or not because I charge more. I live in a rural area where alot of the calls are 20-30 miles from me. I am not going to drive that far for less than $100, most of the time. If I am already in the area and I can get a $75 one, I'll take it, but not $50 or $60 and I am not that lucky to get a call regularly that would put me in the same area as a closing I am already scheduled for. It is not worth my time, the drive is too long. After I pay for email docs and driving, I have taken 3 hours to do a closing and made $25.
I am very fortunate to live where I do and I will continue to take advantage of being able to charge more until I can't anymore. Then I will start to compete agressively.

Reply by Anonymous on 10/6/04 10:33am
Msg #9423

One, i'm way too busy to respond to each and every point in your lengthy remarks. You, like everyone else is certainly entitled to your opinion, however, note this: I stand by what i said regarding those ridiculously low fees,not because i am dogmatic but because of the obvious truth in what i have said. When i was new to this bisiness i was quite ignorant in terms of the kind of money changing hands, and so i set out to learn fast, while taking a few low paying assignments. "School " is now over, and i have learnt well: it's time to get paid fairly for my hard work. My time is extremely precious to me. I cannot understand why you are so challenged in grasping such a simple principle. I do practice what i preach. One by one, i started raising my fees in a firm manner,while explaining why it is fair,and certainly has worked. My argument to them is cogent, quite compelling;so they relent. Half the times we'll bargain, the rest ot the times i get exactly what i demand. Net result? FAIR TREATMENT AND RESPECT! Yes, it takes some guts to say no to insulting fees, and to bargain, but it certainly is worth the effort! And especially when the checks start rolling in .

I might add that just about ALL of the assertions you have made about me simply do not hold up. Though i do excellent work , i continue to learn everday from different people;in fact, that is precisely why i prosper: when in doubt, i find the answer before i proceed. Pride and ego always lead to disaster. Now i should not think that it would be necesary to reveal my name just to say what is so obviously correct. Even when i'm offering help i use Anonymous. I'm simply low key in my everday life. I dont need to sign my name to every piece that i post to be helpful, or to make a point, nor show just how knowledgablele i am. My name is NOT important. The substance of what i have to say is, and it will be judged by any and all intelligent agents out there. Truth is truth. As the legendary Bob Marley said in one of his songs:" Wake up, and live!!!

Reply by BrendaTX on 10/6/04 10:36am
Msg #9425

Anonymous responded: "I might add that just about ALL of the assertions you have made about me simply do not hold up."



I was not referring to any specific Anonymous poster.

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 1:07pm
Msg #9436

Brenda said "

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 1:10pm
Msg #9437

Sorry - I meant to click my "paste" and hit the "post"

***Brenda said " was not referring to any specific Anonymous poster"

That's the problem with posting anonymously -- All of the *Anonymous* posters can either take the credit or refute the the post as their's

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 1:34pm
Msg #9438

We could use Carly (sp?) Simon's que in referring to *The Anonymous* as "You're so vain you think this post is about you"

Reply by BrendaTX on 10/6/04 1:45pm
Msg #9442

Carolyn, brilliantly said: "We could use Carly (sp?) Simon's que in referring to *The Anonymous* as "You're so vain you think this post is about you"

LOL. Good one, Carolyn! LOL!

Off to Navasota to see the total eclipse of the sun... or for a quick appointment.

(Navasota, Tx. is about 15 miles from here.)

Reply by CarolynCO on 10/6/04 4:38pm
Msg #9455

Brenda is "Off to Navasota to see the total eclipse of the sun"

We could be having a total eclipse of the sun here today, and I wouldn't even know it -- it rained all night and hasn't stopped. Have fun.

Reply by HisHughness on 10/6/04 10:46am
Msg #9429

You are free to post anonymously all you wish; that is permitted on this forum. However, when you solicit my participation in an action directed at a company or individual, I expect you to have enough courage of your convictions to either post your name or sufficient identifying factors that I can ascertain your name. Otherwise, with me, you start off with a credibility deficit -- assuming I will even pursue the matter beyond the anonymous posting.

Reply by Dotti_CA on 10/6/04 1:06pm
Msg #9435

BRAVO!!!!!