Posted by AnnaCA on 9/14/05 3:08pm
Msg #65203

Maximum Distance

What do you consider a reasonable maximum distance you're willing to travel to take a $50 signing/$25 e-doc fee? I'm still in the research stage of this business and want to know where I should cap my travel radius so I don't get killed on gas and traffic. I'm in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County) of So. Cal.

I tried doing a search but couldn't find a definitive answer.

Reply by Lee_AR on 9/14/05 3:15pm
Msg #65206

What I would consider reasonable distance in the hills of Arkansas as compared to the wide open spaces of say Wyoming as compared to the traffic in L A county.... Sorry, this is one you have to figure out for yourself because you know how long it takes to drive X miles & what your cost is. I wouldn't do edocs for $25 unless it was a real short heloc. This is YOUR business--not theirs. Please remember that.

Reply by AnnaCA on 9/14/05 3:39pm
Msg #65211

Thank you for the response. I realize I ultimately have to set my own fees and maximum distance, but that's why I mentioned my location, so I could get a general idea from CA notaries of what people in the So Cal/Los Angeles area consider a reasonable distance given the peculiarities of this area.

The regulars here say a newbie shouldn't bother to approach a TC for the "real" bucks unless they have 100-200 signings under their belt. For me, that would take about a year to accomplish, possibly longer, if I did one signing a day, the maximum I can handle while also working at my current full time job and raising a family. The regulars also say that, as a newbie, I should probably take the $50 signings from SS to get the required experience.

So let me rephrase my question and direct it to the So Cal notaries on this board: If I'm going to have to accept primarily $50 signings from SS for the next year before I have enough experience under my belt to approach TC, then what is considered a reasonable driving distance in Los Angeles county? I'm just trying to get an idea what others consider reasonable, so I have a starting point in determining my own acceptable distance.

Thank you.

-Anna

Reply by B on 9/14/05 4:02pm
Msg #65214

Again it depends on how far you can travel in a reasonable time. I lived in the Riverside County area and served all the surrounding counties. Now if I was in your area, I might want to stay within 25 miles, because of the traffic. It also depends on what you are driving and how much it will cost you in gas. It doesn't make any sense to travel 75 miles, have it take you 3 hours to get there and you only get 10 miles to the gallon.

Approach any one you want to for work. When I first started out I was approached by a realtor to do closing in office. I just had to notarize the pages that need notarized and I was out of there. Sure there is alot to learn, but spend your time reading these boards and it will help you with the knowledge that you need. Also get as many of the books from the different courses that you can afford. When you can't find an answer in one, you'll find it in another.

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/14/05 4:19pm
Msg #65216

Anna,
Ae you one and the same Anonymous asking about fees? The posts are very similar, so I was just curious. No one can tell you [used as a general term] what charge rate to accept or the maximum distance to travel -- there are so many variables. Only you can determine what your time is worth, whether it be sitting in freeway parking lot traffic to travel only a few miles, or whether you are driving 50-75 miles in the open, free and clear. Is your car fuel efficient? What is a signing actually costing you in time, equipment, supplies, taxes, fuel, maintenance?

You won't find a definitive answer to your question. However, instead of searching, take the time to read past posts completely through and you will find a lot of food for thought.

Reply by AnnaCA on 9/14/05 4:57pm
Msg #65219

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I'm not the anon poster who asked about fees. Although I only officially signed up with a fixed "handle" about a week ago, I've never posted anon on these boards. I know how everyone dislikes it.

As for distance, I've already determined it's going to be between 1-25 miles, but in LA traffic, even 25 miles is a bit much for a signing, no matter what time of day it is. I was curious what other So Cal notaries do in the case of those $50 signings. Do you cap it at 10 miles for maximum benefit? 15 miles? Or are you willing to go the full 25 miles for $50? I work in Beverly Hills, live in Tarzana and have in-laws in Santa Clarita who would be able to watch my 4 year old if I did signings in their neck of the woods. So I'm thinking of servicing an area from Beverly Hills to Santa Clarita. However, I'm trying to determine if going to Santa Clarita (about 55 miles round trip from my job in Beverly Hills) would be worth it if my min fee was, say, $75 with $25 e-docs, and save the $50 signings for locations within 10 miles of either my job in Beverly Hills or my home in Tarzana. I get off of work at 3 or 4 pm and it would take about 45 min-1 hour in traffic to get to Santa Clarita, whereas I could get to a 10 mile location in Tarzana or Bev Hills in about 25-30 minutes. Here, it's all about the time it takes you to get from point A to point B, so we speak in time rather than miles. But 25 miles = about an hour here, whereas 10 miles is about 25-35 minutes depending on how many accidents and contruction zones you hit along the way [grin].

-Anna

Reply by Anna Nikander on 9/14/05 5:00pm
Msg #65220

I drive a Honda Civic. EOM

Reply by AnnaCA on 9/14/05 5:02pm
Msg #65221

That's weird!

My last message posted with my full name instead of my handle. I wonder why it does that? I didn't manually change it and the default is supposed to be AnnaCA.

-Anna

Reply by CarolynCO on 9/14/05 6:15pm
Msg #65231

Re: mine does that every once in a while ...

I try to catch it, but sometimes I miss.

Reply by Anonymous on 9/14/05 5:06pm
Msg #65222

Anna: When I started out 1 year ago, I did $50/25 edocs but,

only within 5 or 6 miles and at that time, gas wasnt as big an issue as it is now. In the area you are in, you should have no trouble getting enough calls within your local area. I am in Soth Orange County.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 9/14/05 6:02pm
Msg #65230

For $50 + edocs you should stay within a 20 mile rt radius. Beware however, there are companies that will want you to go a lot farther than that.

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/14/05 8:50pm
Msg #65256

In this area you really have to base your fees on travel time, not distance. I would suggest keeping travel time at 20 minutes or less, one way, for your base fee.

Reply by mimurrayFl on 9/14/05 9:02pm
Msg #65260

Anna...that is a tough call for you. I am in Florida but I go out to California a lot to visit friends in the Thousand Oaks area and one of your biggest problems isn't distance as much as it is just sitting still in traffic. When I get in to LA and you get on the 405 it will just come to a complete stop. It's getting pretty bad here too on I-95. There really is no easy answer to this question.

Mike

Reply by Mike_NJ on 9/15/05 12:18am
Msg #65296

For me it's time. For $75.00 that buys 1.5-2.0 hours of my total time (travel, printing docs, signing and sending out docs). If you can do all of that within 2 hours then it maybe worth it.

So for longer distance and even traveling during rush hours adds time, late docs and borrowers that have many issues. Now add the increase in gas and other products.