Posted by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 10:30am
Msg #32852

Am I obligated to do this signing?

Yesterday I received a call in my car from a mortgage company. I have worked with them once before. They found me on 123notary and my profile shows I have only done 8 signings so far. The last time I worked for this company they told me they do not send any type of confirmation. Their procedure is to have the notary fax an invoice at which point they would release/send the docs.

The gentleman caller told me he would like me to do a signing today in city Abcxyz. I explained that I was in my car and did not have access to a map; and that I was unfamiliar with the town and did not know the distance to this location. I also told him that I had never done a signing outside of San Diego County and I asked how much extra he could offer.

At this point he said I should just give him a rate and he¡¦d let me know if it was do-able. I quoted an additional $50 for travel. He called me back and said the documents would be e-mailed to me this morning. I KNOW that was a bonehead rookie move to give a quote without knowing what I was quoting for. ƒ¼

When I returned home I looked up the town and found out it is 120 miles from me ¡V 240 round trip with a driving time of two hours each way! I left the caller a voice message and an e-mail asking him to contact me. I did not fax an invoice (nor did he ask me to last night). Is it completely unreasonable and/or unprofessional of me to either a) completely back out of this signing or b) to request $150 more for the signing? What is standard operating procedure? I want to do the right thing for them and for me!

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/20/05 10:43am
Msg #32856

Sam, check your email... n/m

Sam, check your email...

Reply by Art_MD on 4/20/05 10:43am
Msg #32857

IMHO::

You have made a committment (verbal contract)- keep it.
Fax an invoice for the agreed amount and do the signing.

You made an error and have to live with it.
Look at it this way, you still will be getting $50 for an extra 2 1/2 - 3 hr driving time. You could have made worse mistakes.


Art

Reply by Simone E. Lewis on 4/20/05 10:47am
Msg #32859

If you are in Ventura County, I can help. But like Art mentioned, you have an obligation.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 11:07am
Msg #32863

Simone - city Abcxyz is Brawley (Sp?) - it is way out toward Arizona!

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 4/20/05 11:17am
Msg #32864

Brawley... In the beautiful Imperial Valley!

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 11:27am
Msg #32866

MaggieMae is this near you???

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 4/20/05 11:41am
Msg #32869

Not near me, probably about the same distance. I'm in the 92104 area code and I have 3 closings today locally. I can't help you out. Thank goodness my kids are the ages they are (18, 16 and 13). That's why I didn't go into this sooner. If I didn't have these other appointments I would help you out. My guys take the bus home and are self sufficient. No longer need the afterschool care.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 11:05am
Msg #32861

Thanx for your input. I'm waiting to see if he is going to return my call or reply to my e-mail. If they just send the docs, I will go in order not to cause trouble (for the buyer and myself). They need to do something soon - it is already after 9 here and I need to be back in San Diego by 5 to pick up my daughter from her after school program.

Reply by ColleenCA on 4/20/05 11:30am
Msg #32867

Yes, if they don't send you the docs in time then there is nothing you can do. If you have to leave, call them and at least leave a message saying that you didn't receive the docs in time, and to call you back to reschedule.

Reply by Christina Dudaklian on 4/20/05 1:43pm
Msg #32901

I used to work at a SS, and I've seen this happen before. So what I would do is find out if they would pay a little bit more but don't give up on the signing. Try to negotiate but if they dont want to pay the extra amount then just do the signing for the agreed fee but dont agree to it next time until you know where it is

Reply by BeccaWI on 4/20/05 10:44am
Msg #32858

I am really not sure, but I would be interested and finding out if you are obligated. Just in case that ever happens to me!

Reply by CaliNotary on 4/20/05 11:51am
Msg #32872

First I would say that it's a must that you have a rate sheet with you at all times which shows all of the cities that you'll cover. That way you'll never get stuck in a situation like this. I keep one by my computer, in my notary bag, and in my car.

Another option for this situation would have been to have them pull up mapquest and check the mileage between your zip code and the signing location. That would have given you an answer in 30 seconds.

If this happened to me, I would have no problem calling the company back and telling them that it was 120 miles from me and that I couldn't possibly do it for that rate. If it were the reverse situation and I had quoted them a much higher fee and discovered the signing was closer, I would have no problem reducing my fee for the signing; it's fair that I give myself the same respect as I would give them.

Mistakes happen, California has a zillion signing agents, they could have easily found somebody closer to do the signing.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 12:09pm
Msg #32881

my 1st time with CaliNotary

Here I was – after reading the 1st 21,686 posts – quaking in my boots, waiting for the wrath to come down. That wasn’t so bad after all.

Okay, here’s the deal…he even asked me for my address so he could look it up in map quest while we were on the phone. I was a total amateur and didn’t even say “so what’s the total mileage?” He saw me coming a mile away. As Napoleon Dynamite would say “…idiot”.

This is the e-mail I sent him last night:
“I just got in and found Brawley on map quest. It is over 120 miles from my location and estimated drive time is two hours each way. When we spoke earlier I did not realize how far away this job would be. Please contact me immediately so we can discuss this further. My sincere apologies for this situation.”
I never said I couldn’t or wouldn’t do the signing – maybe they just assumed that meant “no”?

To add fuel to the fire, I was told by another person in their office that they needed me to do a signing at 11am. I called her back at 9:15 to let her know that I hadn’t received the docs yet. She has not returned my call either.

It is starting to look like what began as two jobs today has turned into a big zero. Not much I can do if they don’t either call me back and/or e-mail any docs. True?

Reply by CaliNotary on 4/20/05 12:22pm
Msg #32884

Re: my 1st time with CaliNotary

I'm sorry. Would it help if I called you a @$&%ing idiot? I'd hate to think I denied you the complete Cali experience.

I'm just glad you didn't suck it up and spend 5+ hours working for slave wages. Especially when they had the mileage in front of them and weren't ethical enough to tell you the distance. Hopefully you'll keep this in mind and keep a close eye on this company because it's obvious they'll take advantage of you if given the opportunity.

And, ummmm, you're a butthead!

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 12:46pm
Msg #32887

Re: my 1st time with CaliNotary

And now, my friends, I am an official member of the NotRot message board.

Looks like the 11am signing is definatley a no go. I'll be reading messages >21687 until noon - when it will be too late to drive 2 hours each way to this loan. Such a shame.

Reply by Reggie on 4/20/05 5:14pm
Msg #32961

Re: my 1st time with CaliNotary

Your situation is the very reason I carry a map in my truck all the time.

Reggie
Kansas

Reply by ColleenCA on 4/20/05 11:06am
Msg #32862

I agree, I would conduct the signing, invoice them for the regular fee plus the $50.00 that you quoted and remember next time they call to double check the area before you commit.

Reply by Cherilyn in CO on 4/20/05 12:01pm
Msg #32878

He sure got a bargain and he knows it!

It states right on 123 Notary how many miles away it is. You should have asked him when he called.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 1:29pm
Msg #32897

The doc sender is not even in the office...

I just got off the phone with my 'gentleman caller'. I told him the drive will take two hours each way - I let him know I had to be back by 5 so I'd need the docs now. (it is 11:20am here). He told me to drive really, really fast. Then I asked if he could go $150 for travel instead of the $50 I had asked for. He said he would call me back and let me know.

When he called back he said the woman who e-mails out the docs wasn't even in the office. Her mother was in a car accident and they didn't know when she would get in. Of course the borrower is going out of town tomorrow so this has to be done today and no one else there can e-mail the docs. What can I say - it looks like a FUBAR all around. I feel bad for the borrower - but this company seems a bit disorganized...
Sam

Reply by Christina Dudaklian on 4/20/05 1:45pm
Msg #32904

Re: The doc sender is not even in the office...

hey if it's in LA or Orange county i'll do it lol. but dont stress yourself out because of that.......if they cant get the docs emailed to you on time then it's on them.

Reply by ERNA_CA on 4/20/05 2:05pm
Msg #32912

Re: The doc sender is not even in the office...

I have a list with me at all times of all the towns i cover. If its not on my list I don't take it on. I get calls all the time about areas too far away. List of towns or zip codes will tell you at a glans if its in your area, makes it easy to say sorry that is out of my area. We live and learn.Presuming they know is a mistake. You will be ready next time

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/20/05 2:13pm
Msg #32916

The end result...

The mortgage company told me they found a notary who is closer to the borrower so they will have more time to figure out how to get the e-docs out. (and so they don't have to admit that I was getting hosed for blurting out $50 for travel) Lesson learned - get on that melissa data site, do the zip code spreadsheet and keep it handy at all times.
Sam

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/20/05 2:31pm
Msg #32920

Stress for Nothing...Dire Straits

Isn't there a Dire Straits song about that???
-----------

Now look at them yo-yo’s that’s the way you do it
You play the NOTARY on the MTV
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
STRESS for nothin’ and kicks for free

Now that ain’t workin’! That’s the way you do it!
Lemme tell ya them notaries ain’t dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb

We gotta close lotsa of them HELOCs
Custom Re-fi deliveries
We gotta move these documents
We gotta move these mobile nota-reeeeeees.


---------------
...Maybe that's not it. Okay, back to uploading inspection pictures...

Reply by Christina Dudaklian on 4/20/05 2:33pm
Msg #32923

Re: Stress for Nothing...Dire Straits

lol see all that worked out.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 4/21/05 12:41pm
Msg #33151

Re: Stress for Nothing...Dire Straits

thanx Brenda - my husband caught me singing your little ditty and now thinks that I am whacko or smelling too much fingerprint ink...

Reply by BrendaTX on 4/21/05 1:43pm
Msg #33153

Re: Stress for Nothing...Dire Straits

We gots ta laugh or we'd cry.

Going to take my younger dog to see his "real" mother. She's in an assisted living center. Night before last he said he wanted to go see her and take her a picture for her room.

So, that's what we are going to do today. I expect two signings between now and tomorrow afternoon, both from title companies...both trying to get their respective borrowers and acts together.

Whadda ya bet they both call with red alerts about the time Foxy and I get in to see his mommy?

Stress for nothing and the kicks for free!