Posted by Dadof4FL on 9/10/07 9:18pm
Msg #210243

I now know the frustration

I have been doing closings for a year now. While reading many of the message boards, I always see complaints about not getting paid. Fortunatly, every closing that I have done until now, was always paid within two weeks. Now I understand the frustration that I have heard so many people discuss. What really tics me off about this is that fact that it was not a title company. The company is a closing agency, that I am sure works with many other singing agents around the country. I completed a closing for Star Closing Services over 30 days ago and have not received payment, a retun phone call, or a returned e-mail. I have sent many e-mails and left messages with the so called president for this company. My feeling is that companies like this give many legitimate companys a bad rep. The conformation they sent me stated that payment would be made when the title company paid. I followed all of the instructions that were listed. My feeling is that if there was a problem with them getting payment from the title company, they should at least respond to me and let me know what is going on. I know understand the frustration that I have read about so many times. Don't they understand that we incurr expenses from printing and milage, not to mention our time.
Sorry for the rambling, but this sucks.

If you get a call from Star Closing Services, beware; you may be the one paying in the end.
If you get a call from

Reply by LJ on 9/10/07 10:10pm
Msg #210248

You are a very lucky closer to always get paid in 2 weeks. Most of the time that is unheard of from signing companies. Most of us get paid in 30-45 days. Title companies sometimes pay a lot sooner than that. I don't start getting worried till after 45 days then I start calling, faxing, e-mailing. Read the confirmation again. Are you sure it says you will be paid when the title comp pays? I have never seen that in writing on a confirmation. Good Luck.

Reply by SOCAL/CA on 9/10/07 11:42pm
Msg #210252

Re: Add David Spear to the list of non-paying deadbeats n/m

Reply by NotaryGal/AZ on 9/10/07 11:51pm
Msg #210253

Hello... I hear your frustration... I have been in the industry for over 20 years and I have to ask.... Was this a refinance or a purchase transaction? There are plenty of reasons for delays in closings with regard to the current industry issues and slump at large. So I would continue your efforts but also be diplomatic in your attempts. It could be possible that the transaction had a delay in closing. In either case, I have to agree, there should be some sort of communication to you as the notary.

Reply by Becca_FL on 9/11/07 12:17am
Msg #210254

Your first red flag...

>>>The conformation they sent me stated that payment would be made when the title company paid. <<<

It is not my concern if the TC pays or does not pay. If YOU hired me, then you are responsible to pay me regardless of the outcome of your contract with the TC. Your contract is with me and my payment terms are as follows.

Don't give in to that BS mentality.

Reply by SReis on 9/11/07 7:30am
Msg #210261

I think your overreacting a bit....

Its only been 30 days. As someone else posted, I usually don't expect pymt for at least 30-45 days min & in the current times its even longer for some co.'s. With that said, I do agree that you should have at least recieved a response back & NEVER accept contig. re: pay when they get paid,

Reply by Dadof4FL on 9/11/07 7:52pm
Msg #210435

Re: I think your overreacting a bit....

Since I could not get a response from the closing service. I went ahead and contacted the title companie to find out if they had paid Star Closing yet. In deed they did 5 days after the signing.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 9/11/07 8:56am
Msg #210272

Re: I now know the frustration - Star Closing Services

Star Closing Services has been operating this way for quite a while. I did several for them in 2006 and had to go to extraordinary lengths to get paid. I had to contact People's Choice and speak to them about her delinquent invoices. Dawn Hamby got very upset about it, but who cares? Star Closing Services is listed on the HUD and so she got paid very soon after the files closed, but you know what she said? "How do you know I've cashed the checks?" I guess she's got so many checks coming in that she doesn't have time to take them to the bank. Do a search on Star Closing and you will find similar experiences with late payment. I'm sorry to hear that she is still operating in the same manner.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 9/11/07 9:06am
Msg #210275

Re: I now know the frustration - Star Closing Services

I just tried to add them to Signing Central, but they already have a notary listing under zip code 21117.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 9/11/07 11:21am
Msg #210302

I don't think it's the title company. I think the signing companies are mismanaged they take the fees from the title companies and pay their bills. They could care less about the people that performed the job.
If you are working for title companies I suggest you continue and leave the signing companies alone. Non-payment list seems to get bigger and bigger.
We need to hold out a little longer before it gets better and I believe it will.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 9/11/07 11:57am
Msg #210319

Not all signing companies are bad. Unfortunately those are the only ones we hear about.

And, I can assure you, as a signing service, I do care about the signing agents who perform signings for me. (Maybe it is because I was a signing agent myself for so long)

Reply by Dadof4FL on 9/11/07 8:08pm
Msg #210436

As a professtional in business in general, I understand that one does not represent the majority. It just seems that there are many so called closing services that are taking advantage of the signing agents. It is nice to hear from someone that cares about the people that represent them. Thank you.