Posted by CarolynCO on 3/29/05 5:13pm
Msg #28359

$50.00

I was just offered an 80+ mile RT signing for a whopping $50.00. Not to worry though -- if they haven't yet, there will be someone right behind me who will gobble it up, if for no other reason than to get their foot in the door thinking that they will be able to increase their signing rate with this SS for their next signing.

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 3/29/05 5:27pm
Msg #28368

Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

Reply by LaToyaMA on 3/29/05 5:31pm
Msg #28370

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

Good Korey i'm new to this. Youre saying that the going rate for Mass notarys is $75?

Reply by Korey Humphreys on 3/29/05 5:36pm
Msg #28372

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

No... I can't say it's the 'going rate'. Anything beyond ten miles of travel should not be under $75.

FYI:

0-10 Miles = $45.00
11-25 mi. = $75.00
26-35 mi. = $100.00
Beyond 35 mi. = between $130 - 175.

The above however is because I have some expirence. Set a fee schedule for yourself and stick with it. Don't do anything less then 50.00. JMO

=======
Korey

Reply by immanuel6_CA on 3/29/05 5:42pm
Msg #28373

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

Korey, you are a wealth of knowledge! Thanks for the heads up!

Reply by Loretta Reed on 3/29/05 8:32pm
Msg #28400

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75...Korey

I noticed that you stated a base fee for 0-10 miles is $45. I thought that most of us agreed that $45 is too low. My base fee is $75 (heloc) and a refinance or 1st is $100 plus the email doc fee.
I know in Maryland, we have a good argument about charging more, but I think that someone setting their prices that low are selling themselves short. Experienced notaries should charge more, my companies pay for my experience and I rarely ever, maybe once in the last year, missed a signature.

Reply by anon on 3/30/05 12:24am
Msg #28440

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

You're telling her not to go less than $50, but you are doing $45. You are contradicting yourself.

Reply by Anonymous on 3/29/05 5:43pm
Msg #28374

Re: Definately not worth it!! Nothing under $75 I say!! n/m

80 miles rt & gas over $2/gal and I wouldn't touch it for anything under $100 min.

Reply by Mysti_FL on 3/29/05 6:48pm
Msg #28386

I got more, but still feel I probably undercharged myself.....again. I was driving in the car when I accepted the assignment and then later, when I realized the miles, sort of wanted to back out gracefully.

I am doing an assignment for $125, INCLUDING DOCS and my trip tomorrow is about the same length! This was through a signing agent and they located me on NNA's SigningAgent.com. They said that they didn't have access to any notaries in this area (yeah, duh) and they would use me in the future.

What was good however, is that this will be the first non-notarizing doc signing I do and the paperwork is about 20 pages in length. Also, it is at 10:00 AM (I am NOT an earlybird, although I have a daytime job). This means I must leave the house at about 8:00 AM. Ugh.

Oh well. It is down in the Keys which is mostly a pleasant ride, when there are no accidents to back you up!

Mysti

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/29/05 7:04pm
Msg #28390

Mysti,
Living in Colorado all my life, I pretty much know where the areas are and have a pretty good estimation of the mileage plus I've created an Excel spreadsheet of areas/mileage/fees. Living not far from the foothills, but not exactly smack-dab in the mountains either, the counties in some of the flatland suburbs can extend into the mountains. When SSs look at the counties I cover, they are oblivious that 40 miles (one way) *could* take an hour's drive. When I quoted my fee, she was quite surprised saying "I didn't think it was that far."

Reply by Mysti_FL on 3/29/05 7:22pm
Msg #28393

Re: What a beautiful state you live in!

So, did she give you the higher amount? Or did you answer that already?
Mysti

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/30/05 9:47am
Msg #28489

Re: What a beautiful state you live in!

No, she didn't even say she was going to have to get approval for a higher fee and call me back.

Reply by Teddog on 3/29/05 7:58pm
Msg #28395

Hi! Carolyn,

I live in Colorado as well, Monument, CO. And I agree with you, rest assure I sure wouldn't take that job. I charge by the distance and have a schedule like your's. The people that call us have NO Idea what the area is like they may "think that's not to far" it's what we drive thru that causes us problems. If they don't want to pay you what you ask for "don't do it" in the long run at least we're not "losing money" and anyone that takes that job for $50.00 will learn very quickly they are making nothing, but they are paying for the gas @$3.00/gal it's no bargain.
My Best to You fellow Mountain Climber
The Teddog

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/30/05 9:56am
Msg #28493

Thanks for the response Ted. I've got a county map on my site, but I'm trying to find a topographical/relief county map to show just how close the mountains are -- especially when dealing with Jefferson County. I'm just a hop skip and a jump to Boulder, Red Rocks, Genesee ... I've heard several people that don't think Monument and the Springs are in mountainous terrain, either. When you come up North, feel free to call.

Reply by Teddog on 3/31/05 8:38pm
Msg #28987

Hi!! Again I sure will give you a call when the weather gets a little better! Same here give me a call when you're in my neck-of-the-woods<and that's a statement of FACT Woods. I will always wonder what "people" are thing about when they call us from The Flatlands. Oh Well that's people for ya!! Our state really needs to advertise the local mountains more Ha Ha! I've been getting a lot of calls for Teller county<I only work up there in the Summer & Fall, mostly because I Do Not have a Death Wish! You're quite a ways up-there yourself, I'll bet we could swap some great (heart in your throat) stories. Hope you had a Great Easter, and are keeping busy. Things are picking up now, hope it stays that way! Great idea with the maps. I've been using The local maps and Rand McNally, it's growing so fast here it's hard to keep up. Our Best to Carolyn!! The Teddog

Reply by CA_EJ on 3/29/05 10:20pm
Msg #28409

Carolyn,
I live in an area of northern CA just as you described in CO. We live in the foothills and everything we do involves a lot of driving. My husband is retired and travels with me for safety reasons, and we decided at the beginning of this business, that $50 would never pay our expenses for such assignments. When I have described our situation to the ss, they too are surprised because we live in CA....but urban...rural...mts...etc also exist in CA.

Reply by DellaCa on 3/29/05 10:31pm
Msg #28411

Re: $50.00 ca_EJ

Where do you live it sounds like we may be close.
Della

Reply by ERNA_CA on 3/29/05 10:45pm
Msg #28418

I have the same situation here in the high desert S. California. I have to trawel dirt roads, no street lites in some locations, on one ocation the borrowers were out side of their house with a flashlight waving it around so i could find them.

Reply by Cherilyn in CO on 3/30/05 10:37am
Msg #28520

ACK! I was just going to post about this!

I have a hard time judging distance. Last night I did a signing in Loveland. I thought I'd charged enough, but come to find out it was on the outskirts of ESTES PARK!

Northern Colorado, for me, is hard to gage. I need to get working on a spreadsheet too.

But do you call them back when they ask how much? This is where I fail. I immediately throw out my fee without considering the drive! I think I'll post this question.

Cherilyn

Reply by CarolynCO on 3/30/05 11:01am
Msg #28529

Re: ACK! I was just going to post about this!

Cherilyn,
I do pretty good with the distances, except when it comes to Jefferson County, especially Golden which is butted up against the foothills. And then you have 9-Mile Canyon which is also considered Golden. In one direction Jeffco goes almost to Central City, but in the other direction, Jeffco goes clear down to Teller County. As I told Ted, I'm trying to find a topographical/relief map that hopefully will help us.

If you have the address, you can use Mapco to get an approximation distance/time, and you probably would have seen how much closer Estes Park was to the signing than Loveland, itself. I usually just shoot my price out there. I only called back once, and that was for a Golden address up 9-Mile Canyon. Distance wise it was only 15-16 miles one way, but the drive one way was just under an hour. They ended up getting someone from Gilpin County, which was about the same distance for her, but took less travel time.

Reply by Teddog on 3/31/05 8:51pm
Msg #28988

Re: ACK! I was just going to post about this!

Hi! Cherilyn, I SURE would call them back!!! Or you can do what I do if I'm not at home and get a call on my cell, Ask them to look on Mapquest and they can give you the mileage from the directions(always check) the directions on Mapquest it's not always accurate. When you call the customer ask them the best way to their home (out here in Colorado people are very used to being asked) I lived here (Colorado) for 30/yrs and I still check distance and directions to every place I go! Rand McNally maps have been my best source!! And some local maps are good, they have a lot of details. I charge over my base fee $65 for anything over 10/mile area. Remember your cars upkeep and gas is $3/gal. insurance so and so forth. Hope this HELPS!!! Best to You!! The Teddog

Reply by Mike/NJ on 3/29/05 8:28pm
Msg #28399

No way... Once you established a rate don't expect more. N/M