Posted by Calnotary on 12/18/05 3:00pm
Msg #83267

Trip Fee is ridiculous

I have a SS that send me a confirmation and at the end it explains about the trip or no sign.
20.00 dollars is very, very ridiculous amount to offer; The way they issue their contracts is
100% beneficial to them.

If I take this signing, and if the LO messed up the figures Im just getting 20.00 dollars. I dont
think so! I understand that I could be fined if I dont deliver the package on time or if I dont keep
the docs in order, but I can control the LO officer actions, and at the end Im going to be penalized
because the LO tryied to screwed up the borrower?

I told this SS, if you want to hire my services, fine, but I dont work for trip fees. If go sit down in
front of the borrower and in the middle of the signing, he found out is a variable rate, its 40 year and they
wanted a 30 year. Hey thats not my problem. I get paid regarless. Now if I screw up, I will fix what ever
I have to fix, if It was fault.

Reply by anonymous on 12/18/05 3:30pm
Msg #83268

yep it is all about the signing service, and not us....

Reply by LawrenceOK on 12/18/05 3:46pm
Msg #83269

If I have a signing scheduled in-house and the borrowers dont show, then and only then do I charge a trip fee. and I dictate what that fee is, not them ($50 + mileage) Other wise they will pay full fees. If my butt is at the table and borrowers do not sign, you can bet it will be the lenders fault and not mine. If I make a mistake, I will do everything possible to correct it on my dime. Providing the TC or SS advises me of the fact that a mistake was made. And don't tell me I lost some documents, I know better.

Reply by anonymous on 12/18/05 5:06pm
Msg #83275

Lawrence that is well and good, however some things are out of our control and for the many that do this on a full time basis perhaps they can't be shall we say have an "or else attitude" I myself do work another job and I do pick and choose who I want to work for but this isn't true of many on the board. I of course am assuming you also have another source of income.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 12/19/05 7:37am
Msg #83326

Re: To Anonymous

Yes I have other sources of income, but I also do this full time. Call it my third career. As far as my having an "or else attitude", I call it running a business, they do not set my fees, I do.
If an SS tells you they will only pay $50 are they not saying take my $50 "or else". Your Turn!

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 8:37am
Msg #83335

Are you saying that someone who has a full-time J-O-B and does not do signings full time can "pick and choose" their signings, but full-time SAs should not be in charge of their *business*, pick and choose or run their biz with their set rules for SSs/TCs to follow, i.e., or else attitude?

Reply by Beth/MD on 12/19/05 8:41am
Msg #83336

My husband has a great paying job. But I am a full time SA. Does that mean I get to charge or am I at the mercy of SS/TC in your opinion?

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 8:48am
Msg #83338

My husband has a great paying job as well. I have been self-employed since 1993. Being a SA is an extension of my secretarial biz. IMO, whether I'm dealing with my lawyer clients or SSs/TCs, I'm the one in charge and not at their mercy. I quote my rates and they can accept them or not. Being self-employed, your mindset has to be that of a business person and not that as am employee.

Reply by Beth/MD on 12/19/05 8:58am
Msg #83341

Re: Trip Fee is ridiculous Totally, agree Carolyn...n/m

Reply by Anonymous on 12/19/05 9:00am
Msg #83342

Everyone has a choice. I am full time and this is my only source of income, but I still make the decisions as to whom I am going to service, and on what terms I am choosing to serve them under. This is MY business and I will operate it on MY terms. I know the quality of my work and my worth. I am interested in working with companies that recognize this and are willing to pay for quality, accuracy and integrity. Example: Hate to 'name drop', but I have worked with Express Fin Svcs for years without problems. The last time was a 65 mile one way with
a new deed to be executed. Went through the entire closing and sent back a totally completed package, however the deed was incorrect and the loan never funded. ( Couldn't be legally done due to LO shenanigans) I was paid a trip fee for the first time in my history with this company, which has apparently undergone an overhaul of their policies. I will no longer deal with them unless the trip is 10 miles away or less. If my work is completed accurately and you get your package back on time, I expect to be paid. One other comment/observation...if an appraisal comes in under expected value and the loan cannot move forward, is the appraiser paid a trip fee only?...I think not. Am I any less a professional than the appraiser?? I think not.

Reply by Beth/MD on 12/19/05 9:09am
Msg #83346

Re: This is why I don't accept trip fees...

If I completed my work and turned in a signed package, the borrower's exercising their right to cancel or a crappy loan officer or a wrong doc handled by title is NOT my fault. It does NOT reflect the quality of my work and therefore I will NOT accept "less pay for the same work" no matter who the company is.

Reply by LilyMD on 12/19/05 9:15am
Msg #83350

Re: This is why I don't accept trip fees... me either. n/m

Reply by Anonymous on 12/19/05 9:39am
Msg #83368

Re: This is why I don't accept trip fees...

O.K. then, question....what if you,ve done more than one for this company and they send you a ckeck paying for all you've done in the prior month and one of them is listed as a trip fee only...do you return the check...or deposit it and start trying to collect the rest of your fee?

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 9:45am
Msg #83372

Re: Anon

It is impossible to keep track of the Anon players. Identify yourself in some way other than Anon and I will go into more detail how I would handle the situation.

Reply by Anonymous on 12/19/05 10:40am
Msg #83383

Re: Anon

There are 2 anons in this thread, I posted as Anon with a capital "A". The only reason I posted as Anon at all was because I identified a TC in my post. Sorry for the confusion.

Reply by Anonymous on 12/19/05 11:19am
Msg #83392

Re: Anon

It doesn't matter if you are an uppercase Anon or a lowercase anon -- now I'm an Anon, as well -- all wearing paper sacks on our heads. Have you contacted the TC about the shorted payment? If not, that's the first thing you need to do. Find out their position and then go from there.

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/19/05 3:39pm
Msg #83447

Re: Anon - anon nka Anon

**It doesn't matter if you are an uppercase Anon or a lowercase anon -- now I'm an Anon, as well -- all wearing paper sacks on our heads. **

anon nka Anon:

You are out of line this time.

I wear a paper sack on my head while posting but that's just for fun! It's good for me and the sack.

When I wear a paper sack to make things more festive, it has nothing to do making this forum harder to read or less enjoyable for others which is what you intend to do.

Therefore, I submit that your deep insights on bagging your head, as well as your paper sack logic is unfounded and baseless. You have pulled innocent paper sacks into your little game

--paper sacks have done nothing to harm you. And, they are so good at taking care of their responsbilities...
...they do their job in society
...they hold things so we can carry them
...they have done their time as trash sacks
...they fill out garbage compactors
...they are earth friendly
...they make great party hats
...they are always glad to see you come home.


Yet that's not enough to stay out of your way, is it? You cannot be pleased on any level.

I don't know what you have harmed more, this forum because you like to be mysterious and post your advisories and judgements without a handle, or paper sacks because you tarnish their reputation and try to make them a party to your passive-aggressive arrogance and obvious goal of putting down posters on this board while making this a harder forum to read.

You can continue to trash me all you want to, but I demand that you leave the sweet and innocent little paper sacks of this world out of it.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 4:29pm
Msg #83458

Re: Brenda, Brenda, Brenda

It was *I* who posted the paper sack Anon post to simply show the upper-cased Anon, who pointed out to me that they were differentiating themselves from the lower-cased anon that anyone can be an Anon or anon.

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/19/05 5:33pm
Msg #83471

From Brenda, Brenda, Brenda To Carolyn, Carolyn, Carolyn

Okay, but the same goes for you.

No more lurid talk about paper sacks.

Leave them strictly out of the sordid Anonymous postings debate.

They don't deserve it.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 6:21pm
Msg #83483

Re: From Brenda, Brenda, Brenda To Carolyn, Carolyn, Carolyn

If you say so, but I strongly disagree. These no-name, no-face Anons feel as though they are the only one using the Anon posting, and that we should be able to identify with each particular one.

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/19/05 9:49pm
Msg #83519

Carolyn, cont'd

C:

I do not think we are in disagreement.

I agree 100% that anons are a problem. I was being ridiculous.

Reply by CarolynCO on 12/19/05 9:54pm
Msg #83521

Re: Carolyn, cont'd

I was being a PITA. I did, however, get out my scissors and colored markers and drew different faces on my paper bags, so depending on whatever personality I'm trying to convey at the time/post, I can wear my appropriate *face*

Reply by TitleGalCA on 12/19/05 10:18pm
Msg #83527

A new game! Paper puppets v. sock puppets

I vote for the paper. At least you can draw faces on paper without ruining your socks.

Reply by BrendaTx on 12/20/05 9:53am
Msg #83617

Re: A new game! Paper puppets v. sock puppets

Sometimes I just use lipstick and eyeliner to draw a face directly onto my hand.

Reply by Nate_MN on 12/19/05 1:02pm
Msg #83410

Actually, appraisers face the same payment issues as signing agents. If the appraiser is not paid at the door, then they are getting paid thru the funding of the loan, and if the loan does not fund sometimes they get stiffed. Just like signing agents appraiser have to pick who they work for, how that company treats it's vendors, and what that companies policies are.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 12/20/05 7:49am
Msg #83560

Re: Appraiser Fees

You are so right Nate! As a retired appraiser I have been stiffed more then once by the LO because a loan did not close. The borrowers could not always afford to pay me at the door.
But here in Oklahoma the appraisers fee cannot be contingent on the outcome of the loan, so it becomes the LO's responsibility to pay the appraiser. (and here is were you get stiffed)