Posted by WINotary/WI on 4/24/07 10:51am
Msg #186692

American Title, Inc in Omaha, NE G/B/U?

Hi guys,

Heard from a new Title company out of NE today. I did a search but only came up with info from '04. Has anyone worked with them lately. Feedback would be appreciated.

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 4/24/07 11:04am
Msg #186695

Just curious

Did they offer to pay you more than $65 for eDocs? Just curious. I've never accepted an assignment from them. They just won't pony up the jack.

Reply by WINotary/WI on 4/24/07 11:10am
Msg #186697

Re: Just curious

Check your PM Lisa! That is "WAY" to low, even on a signing next door. And I don't do favors. It cost that much just to fill up my tank, lol

Reply by Leon_CO on 4/24/07 11:04am
Msg #186696

This is one of my favorite companies to work with. I have always received payment in a timely manner. I have never had any problems with them. The loan packages are well organized. Very good staff.

Good luck.

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 4/24/07 11:20am
Msg #186699

I'd like to know...

how you get them to agree to your fee, Leon? I've never had luck getting them to my base minimum for edocs. Must be that my area is far more saturated with XYZ low-ballers

Reply by WINotary/WI on 4/24/07 11:30am
Msg #186701

Re: I'd like to know...

You mean me Lisa, not Leon! I guess not, and if their was I'm still not lowering my fees or standards. Those XYZ NSA's won't be around long. Like I said it cost $65 just to fill up my tank, lol

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 4/24/07 11:34am
Msg #186704

Re: I'd like to know...

No, I meant Leon. He praised them, implying that he'd worked for them. I know from his posts that Leon is a professional ... not a $50-fly-by-nighter... and I am curious as to how he gets them to show him the money

Reply by Leon_CO on 4/24/07 11:54am
Msg #186710

Re: I'd like to know...

Lisa, this is not intended to be a teaser, but I intend to write an article about fees, because it is one of the most important issues for notary signing agents. (No, it won't be on NSA.info or my website, if that's any hint).

There are especially a lot of things that I would like to share with new notary signing agents. So forgive me if I hold off from commenting now.

One thing that I would like to say is that, even though we do this for the money, there is much to be gained if we take our eyes off the money. Those who've read Zen philosophy understand where I'm coming from.

Good luck.

P.S. It's snowing in Colorado Springs, so drive carefully all of you Colorado notary signing agents.

Reply by dionaea on 4/24/07 1:16pm
Msg #186726

What about notaries who put fee right in their profile

There is a notary who has the fee in their profile on various listing sites, and it is $25 less than I typically charge for an edocs closing. My fee is fair and reasonable based on actual cost of running this service as a business that manages to turn a profit at the end of the year, and companies were happy to pay my asking fee.....until this person put their fee in their profile. Now I'm getting considerably fewer calls.
It took me 3 years to finally get most companies that were calling me to become accustomed to a modest raise in fees, and this person has put us back to the companies expecting to pay the same fees being paid 5 and 6 years ago in this area.
Maybe you could address this problem in your article, Leon.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 4/24/07 2:33pm
Msg #186742

Re: What about notaries who put fee right in their profile

There is really not much you can do. Prices should be based on the work involved and as such vary intrinsically. However some people believe that they can buy business by taking a loss for a certain amount of time. A perfect example is loss leaders at your local grocery store or pharmacy. They can't maintain the low prices indefinitely or else they will go broke and so eventually they will either raise them to a level that is reasonable or go out of business. I believe that a lot of notaries are leaving the business because they drank the NNA cool-aid and realize that there is actually time and work involved when they thought that the money would just be beating down their door because they became a notary: its amazing that some people had no capacity for rational thought. I wish I could help but the problem is universal. I know that there are notareis who really don't care what their income is cause they only get income for mad money that they can hide from their hubby. (I'll get flack for that one) but to some notaries they have no cost of doing business they are either ripping of their employer, or they are using community funds to hide personal income or they are just plain stupid and don't know how to price. All I can say is do the work right, network (the way that some of the notaries here have set up networks) keep in the face of those who hire you, explore other niches and never rest, because once you slack off someone is going to come charging by.

Reply by dionaea on 4/24/07 2:42pm
Msg #186748

Thanks for the upbeat advice, Charles

It is pretty discouraging to have worked so hard to gradually convince all those schedulers that notaries deserve to make more than the same fees they were making 5 or 6 years ago and that the modest increase was deserved and fair, only to have another notary state right in that person's profile that their fee is the old lower fee. I know the companies will pay the higher fee and consider it fair and reasonable, but not if they know right away that notary is going to accept less. I do know 5 very good and professional notaries who have gone out of the mobile notary business during the last couple of years because of hassles and companies lowballing fees. 3 of those became good friends of mine through networking and referring work to each other. I would love to see a good network here too, but not sure it will happen.

Reply by Roger_OH on 4/24/07 6:40pm
Msg #186794

So right, Charles...

the masses lining up for the easy money Kool-Aid are living proof of the old P.T. Barnum quote
that "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public".

Reply by Lisa Prestegard on 4/25/07 9:15am
Msg #186855

Keep taking those low fees...

and run your arse off in the process, thinking the whole time you'll make it up in volume. Not me. Zen philosophy is a magnificent path, but it doesn't pay for private Cello lessons, summer camp OR tuition to Yale, all of which are in my budget.
As for me, I prefer to work smart. It's all about perceived value, baby.

Reply by TXNotary on 4/24/07 2:44pm
Msg #186750

I also enjoy working with American Title and they do pay in a timely manner.

Reply by ms/IL on 4/24/07 3:20pm
Msg #186763

I like working for them, also. Always get paid on time, and their packages are small and only take about a half hour. They are a low paying co, but rarely are e-docs involved, and if it's within 20 minutes from my home, I never turn them down.

Reply by Christine Gardner on 4/24/07 4:06pm
Msg #186776

I had a good experience with them as well. They had no problem meeting my fee and I had payment in 11 days! Package was perfect. Would do business with them again.

Reply by TXNotary on 4/25/07 12:21am
Msg #186837

I have never been offered anything in the $00 range. American Title in Omaha pays me well and within two weeks.

Reply by dickb/wi on 4/24/07 7:29pm
Msg #186799

there are several american titles.....

the ones in omaha...SUCK....they still owe me for 2 closings from july 18th 2003....i have called them, e-mailed them and invoiced them untill i am blue in the face and can't seem to get them to pay me....i did 3 for them that day and did get paid for one........they can rot in hell before i will ever do any for them......american title in illinois is very good, but watch out for omaha...