Posted by BLE on 6/16/05 10:59am
Msg #45129

refusing low fees again.

Reply by BLE on 6/16/05 11:00am
Msg #45131

I just emailed a "fee schedule" to this SS that wants me to go cross country for $50. bucks. And it's E-docs!!!!!!!

Reply by Candy on 6/16/05 11:08am
Msg #45134

Why?

I take any work I can get.

Reply by Ogdoad on 6/16/05 11:29am
Msg #45148

Message Deleted

This message has been deleted by a forum moderator

Reply by Candy on 6/16/05 11:35am
Msg #45153

Re: Why?

How vulgar. Just because I'm not afraid to work for a lower fee doesn't mean I need your crap.

Reply by Master Wu on 6/16/05 11:11am
Msg #45137

Stick to your guns grasshopper... Your true value is far greater than $50. And E-Docs no less - OY V eh!!

Reply by Lily on 6/16/05 11:25am
Msg #45142

I have a fee schedule as well. I have been known to email it to cheapo companies. I stick to my schedule. If everyone did this for $50 or less a pop the quality of the work would become so low the business would just cease after lenders would decide it was not worth a cheapo fee for all of the careless screw ups.

Reply by BonnieD/MD on 6/16/05 11:26am
Msg #45143

You get what you pay for.

Reply by Clive Stevens on 6/16/05 11:27am
Msg #45145

Interesting concept - the more you pay the higher quality you get!!

Reply by BonnieD/MD on 6/16/05 11:34am
Msg #45151

No, the higher pay does not make the quality go up. The valued education, knowledge and experience makes the price go up. DUH.

Reply by J in CA on 6/16/05 11:37am
Msg #45155

Where I live it has nothing to do with quality or experience. I take what I can get, meaning $50.00, if I ask for more, they tell me to forget it, and move on to the next Notary who will do it for $50.00. I have to make money to survive. I can't afford to not work based on principal.

Reply by BLE on 6/16/05 11:39am
Msg #45156

My attitude is I can stay home and sell on Ebay and make peanuts.

Reply by Annie on 6/16/05 11:39am
Msg #45157

I am a beginner at this business. I admit to taking $50 fees for local work. As a result I have gained valuable experience and knowledge. I did not screw the assignments up. I assume if I did I would have received angry phone calls from SS instead of a check.

Here is a quote I ran across in an article by Thomas Sowell dated June 12, 2005: "Back around the time of the First World War, a young black man named Paul Williams studied architecture and then accepted a job as an office boy at an architectural firm. He agreed to work for no pay, though after he showed up the company decided to pay him something, after all.

What they paid him would probably be dismissed today as "chump change." But what Paul Williams wanted from that company was knowledge and experience, more so than money.

He went on to create his own architectural company, designing everything from churches and banks to mansions for movie stars -- and contributing to the design of the theme building at Los Angeles International Airport.

The real chumps are those who refuse to start at the bottom for "chump change.""

Reply by BLE on 6/16/05 11:43am
Msg #45162

The real chump is those who find it offensive that someone with years of experience and know how, in 3 different states, should work at entry level after years of being paid a fare fee.

Reply by Derrick/MT on 6/16/05 12:01pm
Msg #45173

In main steam business that works great to start at the bottom and earn a small wage and get valueable experience, but when you are in the data base as a $50 notary it is very hard to get your base fee changed once they have you at the $50 rate.
Once they have you in the system they do not change your rate just because you have worked for them for a long period of time. You have to understand they are looking out for themselves and not you.
Stick with companies that pay a minimum of $65. The work is out there, you just need to market yourself continually.

Reply by BLE on 6/16/05 12:04pm
Msg #45177

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Reply by J in CA on 6/16/05 12:18pm
Msg #45184

Easier said than done. Try making a living here before you judge me. Most folks I know are extremely envious of the money I make while living here. The main business's here were Lumber and Fishing. Both are in big trouble. Very high unemployment rate, depressed area.

Reply by ColleenCA on 6/16/05 12:23pm
Msg #45187

I think J in CA is correct in that it depends on where you live. In a small town you have to take what the market will bear. It could go both ways however if in that small town there are only a few notaries available. Then you can ask higher fees and probably get them. It's tough in a small area where there are more then a few and the competition is very stiff. Even where I live which is not considered a small town by any means, it is saturated and calls only come in when the "regulars" are busy.

Reply by Sheila Meinecke on 6/16/05 12:33pm
Msg #45190

I agree, if you are just starting out,and do not have a solid loan or real estate background, starting with the companies at $50 a pop is what works, once you are confident in your abilities you can ask for more and get it, if they say no, say what are you willing to pay, then negotiate. It will work more often than not.

Reply by Eatha/PA on 6/17/05 9:13am
Msg #45484

Re: I agree, Annie. . .

There is a place for everyone in this business, $50 jobs to get experience, $125 jobs to make a living at it. Just because you take a $50 job doesn't mean you will screw it up, just as taking a $125 job doesn't mean you will do it perfectly. Do what you must and don't apologize.

Reply by Sheila Meinecke on 6/16/05 12:30pm
Msg #45189

You are in california and do signings for $50? I hope this is not e-docs!!! It is very expensive to live here, how can you justify $50? I am in the bay area, lots of notaries and lots of work, you are worth more aren't you?

Reply by J in CA on 6/16/05 12:33pm
Msg #45192

I don't do e-docs for anything less than $75.00. It is a heck of a lot more expensive to live in the Bay Area. A lot of those folks are moving here, and making the price of housing unaffordable for the locals.

Reply by FL-signaway on 6/16/05 2:48pm
Msg #45244

I have many years experience as a Real Estate Agent and an A.A. as a paralegal, I do local signings for $75 -$100 (e-docs) and then I also do locals for $50 (non e-docs / half the paperwork), this is when I drive to an office and sit in their room, having somebody available for questions, (even with my background it is illegal for me to answer questions acting in this capacity) so basically if your comfortable with your fees and it pays your bills and MOST important you enjoy what you do go with it........

Reply by Eatha/PA on 6/17/05 9:17am
Msg #45487

Re: making the price of housing unaffordable for the locals

"A lot of those folks are moving here, and making the price of housing unaffordable for the locals."

We've been hearing that argument from California for 30 years. I used to live there and said it myself.

Reply by CarolynCO on 6/16/05 10:00pm
Msg #45382

It may be an interesting concept, but it's certainly not new in the business world.