Posted by BetsyMI on 9/28/05 10:58am
Msg #67775

$46 fee

Just received an email from a company asking me to fill out their notary sign up packet. All for a whopping $46 fee! They included a 16 page packet for me to fill out, and a 24 page "signing agent guide" that even tells you how to conduct the phone call to the borrower reconfirming the appointment, and it tells you that YOU have to put post it notes next to each signature space so they know if it's blank you didn't intentionally miss it! It also cautions you not to bring a "friend, a child, or a pet" with you to a signing!

Reply by Becca_FL on 9/28/05 10:59am
Msg #67776

OMG...............n/m

Reply by Anonymous on 9/28/05 11:00am
Msg #67777

Re: $46 fee ROFL.... N/M

Reply by BetsyMI on 9/28/05 11:03am
Msg #67778

It also states "Try not to take originals. If the borrower has not made copies and only has originals, forward them. Make a note on them to copy and return, letting the borrower know to whom their originals are going. If the customer disputes this process, have them follow you, after the signing, to a local copy facility, make copies and forward them along with the balance of the documents. "

Good luck in some areas having the borrower follow you to a copy store!

Reply by LilyMD on 9/28/05 11:10am
Msg #67780

Re: $46 fee...I'm ROTFLOL and then some...n/m

Reply by Giselle_CA on 9/28/05 11:12am
Msg #67783

Re: $46 fee Wow! ROFL n/m

Reply by Mindy_WA on 9/28/05 11:11am
Msg #67781

I'm gonna have to bring "my child" to the closing 'cause I won't have enough money to find someone to take care of them.

Reply by BetsyMI on 9/28/05 11:13am
Msg #67785

AND..I just finished reading...they want a $40 "membership fee deducted from my first payment. AND they want permission to do a criminal background check on me.

I didn't even print the thing out........on to the next thing.......

Reply by Anonymous on 9/28/05 11:24am
Msg #67790

Come on is this true?? Who is the signing service?

Reply by BetsyMI on 9/28/05 11:47am
Msg #67797

It's Transnation. I emailed them back, telling them what my fees are, and that I had to decline filling out their forms. They replied back that I should just put my fee next to the word "Exception" to their default fee, and why. I do see other posts where various Transnation offices have paid higher than the $46 fee, but I still think 16 pages to fill out is ridiculous on the off chance that they'll ever call me. And I don't see any reason to pay a $40 "membership" fee.

Reply by LawrenceOK on 9/29/05 9:49am
Msg #67921

My first guess is TransUnion

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/28/05 12:50pm
Msg #67816

Re: $46 fee - never, ever do it...It is time to DO or DIE.

My philosophy: It is time to do or die.

Throw ALL caution to the wind and state your price where you can PROFIT - not just hang in there. I am sorry if the SS did not, or the TC did not, charge enough for their own profit because I am going to make enough to profit. This is so dumb to be in business and just hang in here.

If you cannot get enough, get ready to HANG IT UP and find another job/business until the fees get reasonable again for notaries. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Find out how to do something else. Get some other form of income and do not compromise your business's health!

This is not a charity or a hobby for me. And, if the biz isn't there..I'll know sooner and get on down the road. I am not in love with signing...I am in love with working for myself. I can do something besides notarize!

I am not leaving my county for less than $125.00 / $25 for edocs. I will be going 40 miles for a very "cheap" company on Friday for $150. I am done with the shaving down my profit to nothing. Done, done, done. And, I think staying within a reasonable price range has kept me afloat and my competition has stopped running over to my county for $50.

Did I say that I am done? Well...I am.

I am not cutting deals, I am not working cheaper for old time's sake...I am not anyone's friend (except mine). This business will either go or it will stall out into a dead heap.

If I go 60 miles it's $175.00 - $200.00 ... Did I mention that I am completely DONE cutting my profit for title companies wearing SS hats...cheap lenders...or for signing services...my fee for an SS is the same as a TC or a lender.

For the great signing services I work for - I love you guys! But, some of the SSs are really a terrible PITA at EOM. They step on my attitude bad!

One just called me after I got the okay from them to skip the fax backs...and to skip the baby sitting. I will not answer my phone again if they call because I freaking do not have the time today. (It cuts into my posting...naw, just kidding...lotsa work today and waiting on their edocs which are actually not edocs as it turns out!)

Okay...all better...gotta get my car into the shop for some maintenance and rent one for the rest of the week and for today's signings...probably need a new transmission, but I have the warranty and enough of an attitude to make the service dept. cry if they don't play this straight - I like watching them cry. I can be very mean and forceful in person when people mistreat me or my kiddos and in this town they are so used to dealing with students whose parents pay whatever that they get really bad about over charging everyone...NOT TODAY FOLKS... I am done with them, also.

Reply by Judith_VA on 9/28/05 1:29pm
Msg #67828

Re: $46 fee - never, ever do it...It is time to DO or DIE.

You go Girl! And Amen too! Take No Prisioners!

I have laughed at only a few companies with their pitiful offers!!!! It will be interesting to see what happens in the market in the next few months.

Reply by James Renfrow on 9/28/05 2:33pm
Msg #67841

Re: $46 fee - never, ever do it...It is time to DO or DIE.

You are right.This kind of stuff is getting very old.I had a call to do a signing 50 miles from me one way for $50.00. I told them no way and the guy said that someone else will jump at the chance. You know that this guy is right. Why do people do these cheap signings? Don't they know that they are not making any money.This is truly a sad thing that is happening.Hopefully these people will learn that they don't make money doing these signings and stop. I won't work this cheap ever!!!!!

Reply by caroleMI on 9/28/05 1:23pm
Msg #67826

That's even better then the phone call I just got. SS wanted me to do a closing tomorrow at 6 p.m., over 47 miles from me, with edocs, $85. You know I told them no.

Reply by Anonymous on 9/28/05 2:50pm
Msg #67844

I think I know why SOME notaries take the $50 signings...


Because they "fell" into this industry by chance and they have NO CLUE as to the vast amount of information available to them online in the message boards, etc. They don't have a clue that if they took some pride in what they are doing they might not have to work the M_F 9-5 job. And they could actually have WAY more time to enjoy life when they want to and not have soemone tell them they only have 3 days of vacation time so it doesn't look like you can take advantage of the deal for a week in CA under the sun. Because they ony do it part time for spending money, and they could care less about doing a good job and being professional.

jmo

Reply by CA_Violet on 9/28/05 3:08pm
Msg #67850

Re: I think I know why SOME notaries take the $50 signings...

I think you are right. I am really trying to get to the point where I am earning 1 1/2 times what I make at my 9-5 job so that I can quit and spend more time doing other things like taking those vacations when I want. :o)