Posted by Elizabeth Soliday on 2/6/07 11:58pm
Msg #174443

Joke's on Me

Before I spill my guts on this incredibly stupid experience, please give me a little credit for having the humility and integrity to do so.

Tonight I received the first call I've had in weeks from the infamous SOX. I reluctantly quoted my $100 fee and thought I would look very thoroughly at their contract again.

So they accept and send me the docs. I printed them all out and they call me again stating they may have to cancel because they "double booked the signing and there MAY be another notary going out to do it". So I am like, okay, that's weird...they better pay me my Edoc fee anyway (and they agreed to *hey, stop laughing*)

So next thing you know, I get a call from Nations Direct for a signing in the same small town for $60. I am like $60? I will do it for $75 (cause I am thinking I will probably be right in the same area and can knock out two, and even if I don't do the other signing at least I will make some money tonight) So they tell me they will get back to me on the $75. They call and say $70, so I am like, fine $70.

So then SOX calls and tells me that they are cancelling my signing and the other notary is going to do it. (do you see where this is going?)

Two minutes later I get the email from Nations Direct and to my surprise, it is the same borrower's loan package as the SOX borrower! HEEEHAWWW!! Boy do I feel like a Jacka$$.

I don't have anything else to say...I am going to bed.

Reply by ZeeCA on 2/7/07 12:23am
Msg #174455

well at least you made that little ole $70 instead of

donating to the SOX notary signing charity... or having to spend any time other than collecting a print fee

what small town are you?

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/7/07 2:00am
Msg #174464

Let me guess, Liz; Toledo. No wonder ND never sent

the confirmation.

This probably won't be the first time I'll be bidding against you and you, and you'll be bidding against me and you. (But you'll *always* get the SOX gig, because they know better than to call me)...EOM ought to be interesting.

Too funny.

Cheers!
Susie

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/7/07 2:21am
Msg #174467

I don't get it

You know SOX is infamous for not paying. Why in the hell would you accept a signing from them no matter what their contract says?

The double booking isn't the stupid part, the fact that you are well aware of SOX and STILL took a signing from them is the idiotic part.

Seriously, how many threads about them do you need to see to make you turn them down flat? 5 or 6 a week isn't enough to convince you?

It's stupid decisions like that (as well as accepting an edoc signing for $70, which is an insult even if it's for your next door neighbor) that will put you out of business faster than your head can spin.

Humility and integrity are great, but common sense is even better.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 2/7/07 6:54am
Msg #174472

I'm with CaliNotary all the way.

Oops! Let me rephrase that!

I agree wholeheartedly with all of CaliNotary's excellent points.

Keep charging $70 for each edoc signing and you'll soon be the former NSA. You're doing yourself and the rest of us a disservice.

Reply by Sharon Taylor on 2/7/07 10:55am
Msg #174509

Never accept less than full fee for 2nd closing in same area

And this is an example of why that should be your absolute rule. Too often you accept a 2nd closing in the same area, and the SA or title company will try to get you to take it for less than your full fee "since you're going to be there anyway". If you accept the lower fee, and the 1st closing is cancelled for any reason, you will be left with just the low-paying 2nd closing. It happens often enough that you shouldn't take the chance. And the closings where you make a little more money by spending less driving time make up for some of the awful closings where you spend a lot more driving time.

Reply by Les_CO on 2/7/07 11:28am
Msg #174517

Joke's on US!

For all of those out there that wonder "How does SOX stay in business?" Ask Elizabeth!

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/7/07 11:57am
Msg #174523

Re: Joke's on US!

I don't think Elizabeth has time to answer, she's working too hard to undercut herself on the signings she gets.

Like they say, you can't rape the willing.

Reply by ZeeCA on 2/7/07 12:07pm
Msg #174525

I had no prob w/ yr message until the last sentence

and I am sure that you will disagree w/ me

but jmo

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/7/07 12:13pm
Msg #174526

Just so, Zee. n/m

Reply by ZeeCA on 2/7/07 12:17pm
Msg #174528

Re: Just so, Zee. Not sure what you mean? n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/07 12:29pm
Msg #174529

Re: Just so, Zee. Not sure what you mean?

Rape = an act against one's will.
If you agree, it cannot be rape.
That's factual, it is not being nasty.

Reply by ZeeCA on 2/7/07 12:34pm
Msg #174532

I think it is not a good choice of words MO and I know

what the word means...

I was not clear what Susan meant by the statement she made of just so.

I never said or thought Calinotary was being nasty

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/07 1:23pm
Msg #174542

Re: I think it is not a good choice of words MO and I know

Yeah, I guess I should stay out of translating for Susan, but I read it as, "it is just the truth of the matter." Be interesting to see if that's right.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/7/07 4:14pm
Msg #174580

Spot on, or as my grandmother used to say, "Just so."<g> n/m

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 2/7/07 1:41pm
Msg #174548

OT: An act against one's will

You can agree if the alternative is having your throat slit, and it's still rape.

That's me talkin' not USNA.

Marlene

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/07 1:55pm
Msg #174555

Re: OT: An act against one's will

You hate doing it and yet you do it for money? Is that rape? Or is it prostitution?

(E. Soliday - this is now 'cussing words - NOT YOU!)

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/7/07 4:02pm
Msg #174578

Re: OT: An act against one's will

I would hardly say that's an example of agreeing to be raped. That would be a choice between the lesser of two evils. Agreeing to it would mean you had the option not to do it in the first place.

Reply by KathiAZ on 2/7/07 12:51pm
Msg #174533

I think you all missed the point!

She was booked by two companies for the same borrower. The SOX order got cancelled, because Nations Direct got the job done cheaper.
At least that is how I read her post.

Reply by Les_CO on 2/7/07 2:28pm
Msg #174565

Re: I think you all missed the point!

The POINT is: NEVER WORK FOR DEADBEAT SIGNING COMPANIES! EVER!!!NO MATTER WHAT!!!!
We cant kill 'um! We can't regulate them! We can't legistate them out of business! We can't (for all practical purposes) sue them. But we sure CAN NOT work for them!

Reply by hcampersFL on 2/7/07 3:20pm
Msg #174574

I think you all missed the point!- I think you missed the

point.

If NO one would work for these company's then the title company would have to call around and then maybe you would get work for them directly. So starts the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

I know it’s hard to turn down work when you haven't been getting any calls, but really if you’re working for free anyway what's the point.

Elizabeth showed a lack of judgment born out of desperation. She then brought it out on this forum to say she had learned her lesson. At least she has the balls to admit she took the assignment.

Give her a break. How many others out there are working for them everyday but you only hear from them when they want to cry about not being paid???

Reply by BrendaTx on 2/7/07 3:50pm
Msg #174575

Re: I think you all missed the point!- I think you missed the

Whatever Elizabeth did...I like her.

Reply by Les_CO on 2/7/07 8:48pm
Msg #174601

Re: I think you all missed the point!- I think you missed the

I have nothing personally against Elizabeth..... It's just that she said that she KNOWLINGLY accepted an assignment from SOX, after hearing about how they purposely cheat people they contract to. Yes one can be "new" ..."inexperienced"... even "desperate, for work or experience". However if someone has 'found' this board, and perhaps others, and has been informed about some of the sleezy deadbeat SS's out there. How can they, why would they, take an assignment from someone that they "know" won't pay them? And in doing so help these scum stay in business? Part of the burden of all those unknowing, gullable, notaries that WILL be cheated by SOX in the future falls on Elizabeth, as she has helped them in their efforts to cheat the working notaries that are doing this because they too need the income.

Reply by CaliNotary on 2/7/07 4:00pm
Msg #174577

Re: I think you all missed the point!

I got the point. She undercut her own fee by $30 bucks, a move she freely admits was boneheaded. My point was that she should have never ever ever agreed to the SOX signing in the first place, that was the bigger boneheaded decision she made.

Reply by Amalia Contreras on 2/7/07 4:11pm
Msg #174579

Re: I think you all missed the point!

Elizabeth , Thanks for your honesty!!!! I'm sure you have learned your lesson.
READ, READ, READ this forum, alot of good help here. I have also learned my lesson

Reply by Christine Best on 2/7/07 5:58pm
Msg #174589

Don't feel so taken, I have learned that MANY companies will play each other off for the better rate with us mobile notaries. My first experience at a closing was $50, 25 miles from my home, and I had NO idea I'd be the ONLY one there (they never disclosed their process or what was expected of me even though I told them it was my first signing...) AND the poor folks doing the re-fi had no idea what a balloon payment was -- needless to say, I haven't accepted a closing from that company since. Hee-Haw, I felt like a jack@@@ too...

Reply by MikeC/NY on 2/8/07 8:49pm
Msg #174809

You can still say no

It's obvious that they were jerking you around, but you're still the one in charge of your business.

The fact that they sent you a confirmation doesn't obligate you to anything - once you see that it's the same assignment at a lower fee, there's nothing wrong with declining. Look at this way - their "confirmation" doesn't guarantee that they will pay you, so why should your verbal acceptance guarantee that you will do the job for them?

I would not advocate just not showing up (because then you would be screwing the borrowers), but it's perfectly OK to call or email them to decline the assignment. And if that's last minute - not your problem. They're trying to play you to their advantage, there's nothing wrong with returning the favor.

You need to decide who runs your business - you or your clients.

Reply by Mary_CT on 4/5/07 11:27am
Msg #183793

This post made my day...I laughed and laughed

I can't tell you the number of times a SA calls and "has to get back to me." I always get their name and number so I can follow up.

And several times I have gotten two calls within minutes to go to the same town. I have wondered if the lenders were utilizing multiple SAs (these tended to be emergency signings...like print like a gazelle and fly to the borrowers...NOW, no wait, leave 20 minutes prior to the call kind of emergencies)

Then when I call back to follow up on this emergency- the loan signing has been miraculously cancelled.

Now I know....signing agencies are rushing to find the cheapest - fastest signing agent.
I am the fastest...lol...but NOT the cheapest. (multiple systems printing so I hardly have time to brush my teeth and it is all printed out.)

You confirmed what I suspected.

Mary

Reply by Stephen tz Schultz on 11/2/07 9:40am
Msg #219426

SOX and Nation's Direct working together? Gee, now you'll have 2 companies that pay lousy and/or not at all. Won't work for either one now at ANY price.