Posted by bowie_MD on 12/2/06 6:43pm
Msg #163520

missed docs

Some advice please
I did a signing last week and 3 docs were not sent to me to include in initial signing.
I had to make a return trip when lender realized and called SS.
Signing was for $75. I charged them $25 for return to get 3 docs signed(short distance)
What should I charge?
thanks

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 12/2/06 6:46pm
Msg #163524

My minimm return trip charge is $25 n/m

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 12/2/06 6:48pm
Msg #163526

and I should add...

that would only be for a page or two. If it were more than a few pages, I would also charge a print fee. My usual return trip charge is $50, but bear in mind that nothing around here is 'close'... 10 lousy miles will take you 30 minutes or more in high-season.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/2/06 6:57pm
Msg #163529

First you should "read" the docs as they come to you. Second if something is missing, you call 'Title" and get it fixed. ( BEFORE you go to the signing!) Third you charge at least $125 to do ANY signing. ( the SS are charging $250 PLUS (my first today) a $ 50 e-docs fee (all paid by the borrower) Or..... play 'tag' with people who don't care.

Reply by ananotary on 12/2/06 7:00pm
Msg #163531

Not our job to "read" the docs. Unlesss there is a missing

DOT, Note, HUD or any "critical docs", how do you know everything each individual lender requires in their package, even if you do "read" the docs.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/2/06 7:02pm
Msg #163532

Re: Not our job to "read" the docs. Unlesss there is a missing

Because I've been doing this a long time, and I ain't exactly stupid!

Reply by ananotary on 12/2/06 7:05pm
Msg #163533

Ummmmmm......didn't say you were stupid, just didn't agree

with your statement. Jeeeeezzz.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/2/06 7:20pm
Msg #163536

Re: Ummmmmm......didn't say you were stupid, just didn't agree

You do it your way, I'll do it mine. These are only 'opinions' here.

Reply by CaliNotary on 12/3/06 12:21am
Msg #163577

My opinion

You say you're not stupid, but you sound kind of stupid when you say we should be expected to know every doc that every lender has in their loan package. Yeah, most packages are similar, but they all have their own variations of which affadavits and junk docs and such are included. And I'm quite willing to bet that the 3 missing docs weren't docs like the DOT or Note or TIL.

As for charging signing services $125 minimum? Ha! If I tried to do that I'd be out of business in a week. Maybe you're in an area where you and the title companies can get away with that kind of pricing, but in Southern CA that would never ever ever work. Here the signing services are charging mostly $125 - $150 to the title companies and they sure ain't gonna give that big of a chunk of it to me when they have 2000 other people they can call to do the same job.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/3/06 7:31pm
Msg #163675

Re: My opinion

Sorry I sound stupid ...to you. Yep, I really do try and read the docs as I download and print them. I usually put them "in order". That is an order that "I" like. not just the way someone shoved then into a scanner. I do understand about 'late e-docs' But what good does it do you to rush out of your office/house drive like a maniac to the closing,just to find that you don't have the necessary paperwork to complete the closing? Yeah, I'm probably stupid to take that extra few minutes to see to it that I have what I need before I leave for my appointment. As to my fees... I know I'm wrong, but I even post them on my web site. If you want me to do a signing for $50, DON'T CALL ME! You my friend, can charge what you want. I bet you are worth every penny of it. Good luck!

Reply by CaliNotary on 12/8/06 5:16pm
Msg #164874

Re: My opinion

OK, but you still didn't explain how you know that there are missing docs when you don't even know exactly what docs are supposed to be in the package. Do you call on each signing and have them tell you exactly what should be in there?

As for what good it does to rush out to the signing without the necessary paperwork, that ain't my problem. What they send me is what gets signed. If they screw up and forget something they can pay me to go out again and correct their error.

And yeah, I'm worth every penny. I just don't charge extra to do somebody else's quality control job and/or read minds like you apparently do.

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 12/2/06 7:26pm
Msg #163539

In fairness...

there is often not time to "read" the entire package prior to closing. More often than not, my packages are still warm when I get to the Borrower's home.
Second, you cannot always discern whether or not something is missing in a loan package.
And third, the $75 fee she charged may be the customary fee (or even considered high) for her particular area. I've heard of areas where the low-ballers are charging $45 for eDoc signings due to the NNA saturating the market, and in that case, $75 would be outrageous.

As for me, I care not what the TC is charging.... my fee is my fee (as I have had the occassion to explain to LandAmerica recently) and I have a large enough client base to support that fee. While I agree with the whole 'perceived value' idea, I cannot pass judgement on the poster for taking a $75 signing.

Reply by Les_CO on 12/2/06 7:39pm
Msg #163545

Re: In fairness...

As I said "Just my opinion" I believe that you Lisa, having been in the business for some time sort of know what really NEEDS to be in the 'package'. AND I would BET that you do look at the docs when downloading/printing. Yep! I had some 'hot docs' myself today. Just made to to the signing/closing (lucky have 4 weel drive) on time. If someone/anyone wants to make 16 trips, what do I care? It's JUST ADVISE!

Reply by Genkichan on 12/3/06 7:31am
Msg #163591

Re: $75.00 in MD is NOT customary...

It is down right rediculous, anywhere in this state. I've said this before and I'll say it again. Bowie_MD, you are undercutting every other NSA in this state with the rates that you are charging. I don't care if it's a signing service or not, you need to charge the going rate to compensate for your business expenses around here. You keep charging like you are...a year from now when you have to start doing continuing education, re-licensing, paying another round of surety and fidelity bonds and some E&O, etc., and you won't have any money to cover the expenses. You'll be out of business. Please, do yourself a favor and GET REAL.

Reply by Larry/Ca on 12/2/06 6:58pm
Msg #163530

$25, that's what I charge. n/m

Reply by Sharon Taylor on 12/2/06 10:12pm
Msg #163567

That's a problem with late and last-minute docs

I got a call yesterday around 2:00 to do one last night, borrowers would be home around 4, it's over an hour drive away, and no they didn't have docs yet. Called borrowers who said they'd be available anytime after 4:30 and hoped we could meet around 6 or 6:30. No docs, no docs, no docs, no docs. Finally got docs at 6:30, printed them as fast as possible, called borrowers, grabbed my coat and briefcase, and hit the road. I did check for a HUD, but there was no time to browse through some 150+ pages for other documents, and besides there were docs from a broker, docs from a title company and docs from the lender in the packages, and all of these parties were ones I had not worked for before. I can't and should not be expected to know every single document that is to be in a package from every single broker, title company and lender I work for or will ever work for. And when they are late, I barely have time to print and run!

Reply by bowie_MD on 12/4/06 8:42am
Msg #163712

Re: That's a problem with late and last-minute docs

AMEN!
This is the real world situation.
thanks

Reply by Joe Ewing on 12/3/06 11:25am
Msg #163607

$40 is my basic fee for mobile notary service. That's $30 travel and $10 for one signature. I complete the acknowledgement at the time my signature and seal are attached, collect my fee and leave. One phone call is all that's necessary and that one is incoming from the signer. Signers don't care how you look, smell, dress or how you got there just that you got there on time. Being at the agreed location at exactly the agreed time is the #1 issue. However the $40 basic fee has nothing to do with the Loan Signing adventure. Your Loan Signing fee is what you decide is fair for ALL the services you provide when you agree to carry paper for a Mortgage company and my travel fee is a gurantee that I will be on time if necessary. Not the same thing.

My opinion is of course not highly regarded here but I place a high value on my time since I don't have as much of it as I used to. I also see a lot of bored housewives, house husbands and retired people with lots of time on their hands become Notary Loan Signers that would probably do this work for free just to get out of the house. Unfortunatly those are the ones that are driving the Signing agent fees down.