Posted by DianeB on 11/18/05 7:53am
Msg #77328

Standard Pricing

Good Day,

I am a little confused about the norm amount being charged for signings. I hear different amounts from all over. One company told me a base of $60 was a little high and another asked if this was all I was charging. I want to be competitive with everyone else in my area. (Orlando, FL).

Any suggestions would be grateful.
Thank You

Reply by DeeB/Fl on 11/18/05 8:08am
Msg #77333

Diane, whoever told you that is full of crock!!!! that is NOT the base fee for the Orlando area. My sister is in that area and does signings. Per the CAT...even for the Orlando area average is about $85-$105 as it is in my area and I'm two hours south.

I often do work in Orlando when my son is ill and in hospital so I carry my work with me. I've done worth with her and she told me that even that base fee is low. So for whoever told you that the base fee of $60 is a little high...they must be referring to new notaries who are NOT certified notary signing agents (someone with no or very little experience).

Just a thought!

Reply by BetsyMI on 11/18/05 8:12am
Msg #77337

DeeB,

As mentioned yesterday, the figure shown in the CAT is what you have put in your own profile as your fee. It's not a figure that NotRot has come up with.

Betsy

Reply by BetsyMI on 11/18/05 8:20am
Msg #77344

Try changing your fee in your own profile and you'll see that the CAT figures change when you change your fee. Harry hasn't gathered this info from anywhere to give us standard fees for others. This is your own fee.

Reply by DeeB/Fl on 11/18/05 8:27am
Msg #77347

I understand that Betsy...as my billing office is in Orlando even if I work in Highlands...either way...the "average" base rate is for that area cuz any notary that is in that zip code area is charging this average base rate in that area.

CAT pulls as a default from your profile your zip code and it matches with all the zip codes for that area (from other notary profiles) and it pulls what they charge as a base rate is- which basically /mostly the same (more or less).

I just commented to her cuz she commented how some SS said that the $60 is "high" for a base rate when it is not. I'm informing her- for her area it is higher then that... from the info that I've obtained for my own records...and since she is in the same area...I gave her the "average base rate" from what CAT pulled on the (profile zip codes) for that area. (average=estimate)

Reply by BetsyMI on 11/18/05 8:35am
Msg #77355

Deeb,

I disagree with you. Here's what it says at the top of the CAT page:

"Are agencies asking you for your coverage area? If so, we'll give you a great start on meeting their request. Simply tell us how far you're normally willing to travel, and we'll build you a custom report containing adjacent counties, nearby ZIP codes and nearby cities. From there, it's just a matter of Copy and Paste! "

My impression is that it's putting in the base fee from your profile for how far you want to travel.

Again, go into your profile, change your fee from say $100 to $10, redisplay the CAT tool, and you'll see $10 come up next to all those zip codes. No one is charging $10 are they?

Reply by CaliNotary on 11/18/05 3:59pm
Msg #77508

"..they must be referring to new notaries who are NOT certified notary signing agents (someone with no or very little experience)"

There are a lot of factors that go into determining what your fees should be. Having a meaningless certification certificate from a signing agent course is not one of them. I'm not certified by anybody, yet I have quite a bit of experience and charge accordingly. And I never charged less because I wasn't certified, nor has it ever been an issue with any company I've worked for.

Saying certified signing agents deserve more per signing is nothing but propaganda from the people who want the signing agents to pay for their certification classes. The value in those classes lies in what they teach, not the stupid certification at the end of it.

Reply by Anonymous on 11/18/05 8:25am
Msg #77346

Just charge the fee you want and don't worry about what the Signing Service says are standard fees. Clearly they have an interest in getting you to take a $60 closings.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 11/18/05 8:34am
Msg #77354

$60 is not high! $75 is about the norm.

Reply by DianeB on 11/18/05 8:59am
Msg #77361

Thank you all for responding and all the information, it makes me feel better that I did not change my price to conform to the company requests.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 11/18/05 9:05am
Msg #77367

Diane
Please click on my link and send me your information. As you may know I do have a signing service and I have very few trusted signing agents in the Orlando area. (I know the area is saturated, but I am very particular about the agents I use)