Posted by Jack/CA on 4/12/05 2:26pm
Msg #31212

Newbie

I just got my commision and have taken the NNA class. I was turned on to this business by a friend who seems to be making money had over fist. He tells me to not believe the NNA and fall for their decetfullness about make $75-$150 a signing. He tells me to make money at this you need to be competitive and charge around $40 to $45. Now $40 a signing sounds great to me becuase it sure beats what I made before and if I can get two in per hour like my friend says he does than I will be doing great.
My question is this: How long do you think I can make that kind of money before I am not competitive and have to lower my fees?

Reply by Charm_AL on 4/12/05 2:29pm
Msg #31214

Grrrrrrrr....I can't post because I bit my tongue off

Reply by Jack/CA on 4/12/05 2:36pm
Msg #31215

I don't understand. Did I say something wrong? Was my question not clear?

Reply by Alan65/CA on 4/12/05 2:40pm
Msg #31217

Jack, have you been smoking those funny cigarettes?

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 2:41pm
Msg #31218

Why do you ask? Am I off base with the question I asked?

Reply by Roger/OH on 4/12/05 3:01pm
Msg #31226

Jack, first post your state abbreviation with your name so we can help you better.

Second, the reason the others are sputtering is that you should NEVER accept a signing for less than $50, as that lowers the bar for all of us. Your comment about remaining competitive at $40 only lasts as long as someone then undercutting you for $30. You cannot make a viable income at this business only charging $40, let alone "hand over fist". At that rate, the reality is you'd be as well off wroking at McDonalds. Read the previous posts from the beginning and you will recive all the education you will need to become a better signing agent and learn the realities behind the field. Sounds like your misinformed friend should read them as well.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 4/12/05 2:57pm
Msg #31223

Re: Newbie - don't follow the money

I'm not sure what you mean by "before I am not competitive..."

You will always be competitive, but not just in how much you charge. Good companies will still use you for superior service to themselves and their customers (the borrowers whose signings you do) no matter if your rates are higher than your "competitors."

Although $40-45 a signing is low, and you cannot count on getting 2 an hour, sometimes not even 2 a day or 2 a week, depending on the market, unless you're sitting at a desk in the lobby of a title company.

Focus on customer care and quality service and the money will follow.

If you think this unsolicited advice is baloney (Ken Lay probably would, too), then that tells us what kind of notary signing agent you plan on being.

Reply by Merry_CA on 4/12/05 2:58pm
Msg #31225

You are not a "newbie". You are just baiting this forum and it is booorrrrring!

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 3:05pm
Msg #31228

what do you mean? I have not gone on any signings yet, doesn't that make me a newbie?

Reply by Charisma_CA on 4/12/05 3:09pm
Msg #31229

I am seriously taking into consideration that you are new, innocent and have no idea what to expect other than what has been told to you by the NNA and your friend (two very, VERY unreliable sources from what you've said, by the way).

The amount the NNA told you that you should be making per signing was correct. $75 is even on the low end to many professional notaries. The amount that is usually incorrect and misleading that the NNA claims, however, is the $150,000+ per year amount they tell you to expect at the end of the year.

I'm going to forwarn you that the comment you made is going to agitate many people on this board. $40 per signing is a ridiculous and insulting amount to be offered to a notary for their services, as you will see when you start signing loans and find out the actual amount of time and money that must be invested. Gas, paper, fax backs, FedEx drops, cell phone minutes, ink cartridges, the time it takes to take care of all of the aforementioned items...a therapist at times. When you do your math, $40 per signing is minimum wage. I know it may not seem like it now, but when you start signing you will see.

Just do yourself, and everyone else for that matter, a favor and read as much as you can find on this board. This will be a better education than your friend or the NNA could give you by a long shot : ). By doing so you will be able to get a general idea of how much is fair to charge and why your innocent post just raised the blood pressure of quite a few people who read this board. If you need anything, feel free to email [e-mail address]

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 3:17pm
Msg #31231

I did not mean to raise everyones blood pressure. I was just going off the pile of completed signs my friend showed me he did in one month. I counted them and there was over 200 just for the month of March and none of them where for $75, almost all where for $45. He seems to be doing fine by my account.

Reply by Charisma_CA on 4/12/05 3:24pm
Msg #31233

6 orders per day Sun-Sat from March 1st-March 31st in California, huh? Hmm. The post is beginning to smell funny.

Reply by Kath_CA on 4/12/05 3:30pm
Msg #31234

I think "Jack" needs to stop wasting everyone's time with this fantasy friend story.

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 3:32pm
Msg #31236

Re: Newbie

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 3:34pm
Msg #31238

Are you saying I am a liar? Of all the things I have been called I have never been called a liar. I my be a little nieve and to trusting but never a liar.

Reply by PAW_Fl on 4/12/05 4:39pm
Msg #31263

Do the math, Jack

200 signings in 1 month =~ 6 signings per day, every day! (And that's over 2,000 signings a year!!)
In order to 6 signings, the ***average*** time per signing (which includes all the prep work, driving, post signing, etc.) is at least 2 hours per. So that's 12 hours per day, every day, on average. At $45 per signing, that's $22.50 per hour. Of that, subtract taxes (Fed, SE and possibly state), you end up with $18/hr. Pretty good, huh? Well, now lets deduct costs of operation... gas, insurance, licenses, etc. etc. etc. Yep, McDonalds and Burger King looks pretty appealing, doesn't it?

I'm not going to call you a liar ... but, numbers don't lie. But I was told once, that liars make up the numbers which logic will always defy.

Reply by Jack on 4/12/05 3:31pm
Msg #31235

Yes that does kind of seem absurd, but in my own defense I guess I need to not trust everything he shows me and tells me. I guess maybe he works for the NNA secretly. He did say that he did need my help because he not able to spend much time at home. While I was there his wife was answering all of his calls and I could swear the phone was ringing off the hook with business.

Reply by Jan/Ca on 4/12/05 3:52pm
Msg #31249

Jack, what part of CA are you in?

Reply by PAW_Fl on 4/12/05 4:53pm
Msg #31268

He may not be in CA at all. He is using the TransAria network (fka Cutthroat Communications) for communications, and that network is primarily in the upper North West (home in Montana), including Alaska, Idaho, Washington (state), Montana, Oregon, Utah and Colorado. I don't know if they have services in California.

Reply by LisaV_MN on 4/12/05 3:55pm
Msg #31250

Your friend could do half the work for twice as much money and still break even - - if he would not take less then $90 per signing he would only have to do 100 a month; which would free up his time.

Reply by Winston_Tn on 4/12/05 4:01pm
Msg #31251

Newbie Jack/CA states;
"little nieve and to trusting but never a liar."

I'm not sure that I have ever seen a 'neive', but I believe you think members of this board may be naive. I also believe you dropped the "/CA" off your name once you realized that your IP stems from Bozeman MT and that it came thru a proxy server called 'cutthroat.com'.
Liar ??? The jury is still out.
Instigator ??? No question.

On the positive side, there was some good info given....LOL

Reply by Jack/CA on 4/12/05 4:11pm
Msg #31254

Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

Is this a joke?
I have been born and raised in Simi Valley and have no idea what cutthroat.com is. Been here 20 years. Brent was right, you are a bunch of sharks.
He used to post on here as an anon., but stoped because everyone blasted him for everthing he said. I should have listened to him.

Reply by Susan/CA on 4/12/05 7:07pm
Msg #31311

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

Jack there is no way if you are anywhere close to Simi Valley California that you or your friend would be getting that kind of buisiness...

Reply by Jack/CA on 4/12/05 4:11pm
Msg #31255

Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

Is this a joke?
I have been born and raised in Simi Valley and have no idea what cutthroat.com is. Been here 20 years. Brent was right, you are a bunch of sharks.
He used to post on here as an anon., but stoped because everyone blasted him for everthing he said. I should have listened to him.

Reply by Winston_Tn on 4/12/05 4:49pm
Msg #31267

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

Yes, KH, its a joke! One that you instigated and got caught at.
As far as 'Charm' goes... I find her to be quite helpful and informative. She seems to be professional and well respected in this forum, and I can only think of one person who felt
the need to make illogical and inane attacks against her and others on this board.
Yes, KH, you should listen to Brent...or any of your other made-up friends. It is obvious that
you are here every day as different aliases. What is going on in your head that drives you
to be so disruptive and destructive. Life is to short to expend all of your energy here trying to 'fool' someone. What does it buy you? Happiness, that hard working Notaries respond to your drivel? Excitement, that you can con someone? Is the world a better place due to your contributions? As KH states "Yeah Right"

Reply by Jake/CA on 4/12/05 5:05pm
Msg #31273

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

What is or who is this KH. Is he from Bozeman, Montana or Alaska or Oregon or Washington or...., Paul what where those other states that my IP address was from.

Reply by Jake/CA on 4/12/05 5:06pm
Msg #31274

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

What is or who is this KH. Is he from Bozeman, Montana or Alaska or Oregon or Washington or...., Paul what where those other states that my IP address was from.

Reply by Becca/FL on 4/12/05 6:29pm
Msg #31299

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT

Hmm...did you forget your name OR did you just forget the allias you were using at the time?

What is it? Jake or Jack?

GET A LIFE!

Reply by Donna CA on 4/12/05 7:50pm
Msg #31328

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT On a different note...

Reply by Donna CA on 4/12/05 7:52pm
Msg #31330

Re: Never Heard of Bozeman, MT on a different note...

I have heard of and been to Bozeman Montana. It is a beautiful place but there is no money to be made there. I lived in Livingston which has even less money making potential. Livingston is over the pass from Bozeman, which is how far I had to travel to get to the closest Wal Mart.

Reply by Charm_AL on 4/12/05 4:16pm
Msg #31257

Hey Winston...

what a clown ey? That was entertaining, now hopefully, he'll listen to his friend and go byebye.

Reply by Jack/CA on 4/12/05 4:19pm
Msg #31259

Hey Charm

Hope you don't burn yourself. Maybe you should be nicer to people and you may get some signings, ya right. LOL

Reply by Reggie on 4/12/05 5:02pm
Msg #31271

you want be in business long with those kind of fees because your office supplies, equipment,
and start up costs plus the gas and wear and tear on your car, and equipment will put you out of business at that rate. Also you are undercutting most of the other Notaries in the business at that rate. You will cause other Notaries to scream at you in there posts. The base rate I am chargeing is $75 but I will take $65 just to get work. It's your business so you can do as you please with you fees.

Reggie
Kansas

Reply by Jake/CA or ID or AK or MT on 4/12/05 5:08pm
Msg #31275

Didn't mean to start such an up roar, was told I could not get that much for closings in my area.

Reply by Becca/FL on 4/12/05 6:19pm
Msg #31296

This MUST be a joke. Please, tell me this is a joke.

Reply by Donna CA on 4/12/05 7:49pm
Msg #31326

Jack, what part of CA are you in? If your friend is making money "hand over fist" I am sure he is making more than 40 dollars a whack. So who should you not believe?

Reply by ColleenCA on 4/12/05 10:16pm
Msg #31360

Re: Newbie- Hey Jack or Jake or whoever you are....

What part of Simi Valley are you from? Just curious. Do you live near the Linens and Things part of town, or do you live in the section where Sears is located?

Reply by Jack/CA on 4/13/05 10:28am
Msg #31430

Re: Newbie- Hey Jack or Jake or whoever you are....

The only Linen and Things I know of is over in Moorpark and the only Sears I know of is over in Thousand Oaks. So I guess I would say that I live by neither one of them.
I live on Milltrace Way.

Are you planning on stopping by?

Reply by ColleenCA on 4/13/05 10:43am
Msg #31437

Re: Newbie- Hey Jack or Jake or whoever you are....

No thanks, I would't think of stopping by, but thanks for the invite. I had my stores mixed up I meant Bed Bath and Beyond or Walmart. Please tell your friend and consider this yourself, do all of us other notaries that are within the same area as you a big favour and to PLEASE not take 40.00 or 45.00 signings. The competition is terrible as it is, and when you take these lower paying assignments, the ultimate result is that they will get lower and lower and no one will be able to afford to go out and do this anymore. I am new myself and while it is hard to turn down anything, I refuse to lower my prices just to take anything. Please, I ask that you and your friend re-think how you are doing business. Thanks.