Posted by CopperheadVA on 7/3/06 4:32pm
Msg #130601

Charging extra for late night appointments

I tried using the orange button on this, but couldn't find anything. I'm interested in finding out what time in the evening many of you begin charging extra for late night appointments? A notary friend told me he charges an additional $75.00 fee for anything past 10:00 PM, but I don't know if that's in line with what others are charging.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 7/3/06 4:41pm
Msg #130604

I advertise 24/7 so I don't charge extra if an appointment is late in the evening. I only charge additional fees based on mileage.

Reply by Calnotary on 7/3/06 4:56pm
Msg #130608

Of course you can charge extra if you want to. You are an IC, if they wanted late and your regular fee is 125.00 and you negotiate at 175.00. Every single signing is at a different price, unless you have a set price with the SS. Remember you set the price, Not the SS. I have done signings early in
a Sunday morning I ask for a higher fee, if they dont hire me, good! I will stay longer at bed that day.

Reply by MichiganAl on 7/3/06 5:33pm
Msg #130614

I am a 24/7 signing agent. My fee is my fee. n/m

Reply by HisHughness on 7/4/06 3:45am
Msg #130675

Re: I am a 24/7 signing agent. My fee is my fee.

I agree: My fee is my fee. However, MY fee incorporates matters such as distance, usage of an attorney's office, and the lateness of the appointment. There is no way I am going to charge the same fee for a midnight appointment that I would for a noon appointment. It is no different from a dry cleaner charging extra to expedite delivery of your clothes. Being available 24/7 does not mean that you have to charge a uniform fee for each of those 24 hours and each of those 7 days.

Reply by Joe Ewing on 7/3/06 6:06pm
Msg #130619

You do remember that notary fees are negotiated in advance so they can be presented to the borrower on the settlement statement. With that said the only late fee you can tack on would be to a Signing Service that is paying you a percentage of the renegotiated fee listed. This is awfully hard to collect. My own experience on this subject is primarily with late night Notary calls and I do tack on extra fees that get paid at the point of service. Working late is part of the job and just be thankfull that you don't have to spend another hour in front of the fax machine after you return.

Reply by SharonMN on 7/3/06 7:02pm
Msg #130632

I don't charge extra, but I do ask if the late appt. is the borrower's idea, and so generally I like to have them booked ahead of time. If Ms. Borrower is only in town one evening between business trips, or Mr. Borrower works at a restaurant until 10 pm and wants to sign afterward, no problem. However, back when the lender or title closer had to be present at the signing, the documents didn't "have to" by signed by midnight, and I won't be part of bullying a sleepy borrower into signing at 11 pm when it could just as well be done the next day or the next week.

My favorite time for a signing is 8:30 or 9 pm. Generally I actually get a little time to look over the docs before the appt.!

Reply by ananotary on 7/3/06 7:23pm
Msg #130636

I don't do late night signings but I could if the price was right. I would charge extra and I don't think $75 is unreasonable. I charge an additional $25 for Spanish speaking services.

Reply by lonestar_tx on 7/4/06 9:20am
Msg #130684

I helped train a new notary last Wednesday on mortgage closings. She had done 86 transactions on regular notary work, in her first 3months as a notary (she really knows how to advertise!), but not loan docs.

The very next day, Monica got her first call to do a closing. When she called to ask how much she should charge, I told her: $100 first loan, $50 on second (TC said they would print docs).

The original signing was scheduled for 4pm. TC kept changing the time and moved it to 7:30pm, but Monica had to take a test at school. TC offered Monica another $50 to ensure the loan would close, but she could not do it. She ended up giving the signing to me, with TC approval. I had 30minutes notice, and would have to leave immediately for the signing - the TC was happy to pay the additional $50.

Happily, I was available and made $200! The borrower was a Police Officer and we signed just as he went off duty.