Posted by MagicLadyCA on 3/24/08 10:47pm
Msg #240540

E-Docs

Is it just me, or does anyone else out there hate e-docs? Does anyone else feel this process is being shoved down their throats, too. I ususally get the calls at the last minute and I am out on the road. It is impossible to get home, get them printed, copied and back on the road in time for the signing. Most agencies only give you an extra $25, is it really worth it? Then, some of them want you to fax back 15 to 20 pages on top of that. I am not really whining (well, I guess I am), just wondering if there is anyone out there that is finding any success without messing with e-docs?

Reply by GA/Atty on 3/24/08 11:06pm
Msg #240544

Staples is a good place to pick up docs on the road. Each store has a designated email address where you can just forward your docs and tell them how you want them printed. Though doing that really will use the $25.00 up and maybe a little more.

90% of the mobile closings I do are scheduled ahead of time though. It is fairly unusual for me to be able to fit in a request when they call on the day of closing. Even so probably 80% are edocs.

And fax backs? If you do regular jobs for certain companies that require fax backs, ask them after you have done 4 or 5 for them if they will waive that requirement for you. Very few folks ask me to fax back anything, and if they do I will charge them a lot for it (as I agree it's a huge PITA).

Reply by MagicLadyCA on 3/24/08 11:12pm
Msg #240547

Thanks. I am in a rural part of Northern California and Staples is 45 minutes from my home and there is only one in the two counties I serve. Same with UPS as I know they will print them for me also. I have been able to get some of the agencies to stop with the fax back requests, especially when I say I will charge them. Also wondering what printers are best. I have a SHARP, but it is not always reliable.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/25/08 12:37pm
Msg #240616

MagicLady, the problem is your equipment.

You need at least one highly reliable printer, a back up is suggested.

Reply by TRG_wy on 3/25/08 6:35pm
Msg #240693

Staples, OfficeMax, UPS Store, et al...
We are very rural here and very few to choose from as far as signings go. There is one that has no printer and uses OfficeMax exclusively. I on the other hand would NEVER send client documents to an outside source for my email or printing. Whatever happened to protecting client private information? Privacy of personal information? GRLB? Do these young kids working there go out of their way to preserve any privacy - no. A perfect environment for ID theft or fraud and guess where the final blame will be laid to rest. My comment here is use at your own risk. My E&O insurance is not quite high enough to cover a fraudently obtained credit card with a $30k limit charged off in one day and of course no payments made (I have been hit with ID theft and this happened to me).

Have the proper equipment at home/office to begin with. If you can't accomidate edocs due to scheduling, pass it on or see if it can be rescheduled.

Reply by notary4az2 on 3/24/08 11:08pm
Msg #240545

I do not really mind edocs - About 75% of my business is edoc signings and they are not always last minute. I have an HP 4100 triple tray printer and can print a set of 100 pages (legal and letter) in about 4 to 8 minutes.
Have you thought about printing them in your trunk of your car while you are on the road?? I charge to fax back anything and usually the title companies will pay with out asking ($15 - $20)

Reply by MagicLadyCA on 3/24/08 11:13pm
Msg #240548

Thanks for the info on the printer you use. Printing them in the trunk of my car??? Never heard of that one....

Reply by notary4az2 on 3/24/08 11:20pm
Msg #240552

You can have a mechanic set your car up to print docs with an inverter - truckers use them but you are talking about spending about $600 to install a printer, get a wireless connection and computer and get the inverter - I did this with my old car because I live about 40 miles from staples, or any other form of printing company and when docs are late and you are 25 miles away and need to get to a signing, it comes in very handy. With business the way it has been lately, I have not done this in my newer car because of the install expense.

Reply by Elaine Sedlock on 3/24/08 11:11pm
Msg #240546

I rarely get asked to do anything other than e-docs. I know there are those out there getting the overnight jobs, but I'm not seeing it. I have had to turn down the few overnight signings because of conflicting schedules which I HATED! But, if you stick by a decent fee schedule (one that you've spent time developing and know is sufficient and worth the work and ALL the overhead) you will have your answer. I've lost a lot of business because of my determination to stand behind my fees -- but I'm not going to PAY to go to work and if I'm not going to come out w/enough profit to justify doing the work I won't do it. Hopefully over time I'll find myself getting the overnight signings more and more. For now I take what I can get if the price is right. Hope this helps! You're certainly not alone in feeling this way.

Reply by MagicLadyCA on 3/24/08 11:15pm
Msg #240550

Thank you so much. What luck are you all having with taking the e-doc signing and then scheduling it at your convenience because it comes in so late?

Reply by GA/Atty on 3/24/08 11:20pm
Msg #240553

I feel like when my docs deadline passes and they havent come, I have to make a choice. I have to either cancell immediately or set an absolute cut off time when closing will be considered cancelled and inform the title company of that time. When I do that, I stick by my word to the minute. If I say 3:00 - then docs come at 3:03 that is just too bad (unless it is convenient for me to do it anyway).

Reply by notary4az2 on 3/24/08 11:24pm
Msg #240554

It isn't a matter of being crazy or lucky when you take an edocs signing - just call the borrowers and explain your situation and 99% of them understand and will not have a problem with you being late for the appointment because they probably just got a call to sign about a half an hour (or less) before you got a call.

Reply by MagicLadyCA on 3/24/08 11:37pm
Msg #240555

Really appreciate the input. That is a hoot printing in your truck with an inverter. I actually am familiar with inverters. We had owned a frozen food delivery service and ran our truck freezers with an inverter. I am having trouble imagining that printer cranking out docs without any glitches in the trunk though. Heck, I have trouble getting everything to print smoothly even when the printer is in my home office!!

Reply by notary4az2 on 3/24/08 11:56pm
Msg #240557

It is actually great to print as you are going down the road - the problem bumpy and dirt roads or generally bad roads (pot holes). My Hp 4100 did a great job for 2 yrs this way.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 3/25/08 11:42am
Msg #240606

Re: E-Docs n/m

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/25/08 11:46am
Msg #240608

For me, the last six months or so (since things have slowed down) e-docs have not been the problem they used to be. It used to be that every appointment, the e-docs were late - messing up your schedule - and it was actually a surprise when they came in on time or early. Nowadays, I seem to get the e-docs early, sometimes even a day early, and most companies are scheduling me a day or more in advance.

With that being said, however, I'm doing a WAMU today at 4 PM. The TC booked me last Friday and it was supposed to be o/n docs. I just contacted TC since the docs haven't shown up, and they replied that they have not yet received them from WAMU!

I have said in the past that I believe lenders have really abused the concept of e-docs. As a borrower, I would not want my loan package, with all my sensitive info, flying around the internet. I personally feel that o/n docs are much more secure and that outweighs the benefits (to the lender) of using e-docs.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 3/25/08 12:01pm
Msg #240610

A lot of my new business lately

have been edocs that another notary turned down either because they had problems printing or did not want to bother with them. I service the High Desert of Southern California. I use to have a "mobile office" setup, but even when my volume was heavy, I only used it a couple of times and I did not feel all the fuss was worth it.

As far as late edocs. I learned early that late docs can really cause chaos on a busy day. I began requesting that I set my own times with the borrower after I get the documents. Usually, when I get a job requesting a signing at a specific time, I have found that that time is usually a number that someone at the title company or ss thought up and the borrower is actually open to a flexible time especially if they realize that we are still waiting for docs. I will call the borrower, introduce myself, tell them that I a waiting for the docs and I will call back as soon as I get them to set an appointment time. Works almost every time. Don't let late docs early in the day screw up the rest of your day. If they are late, then move the late docs to the end of the line, call the borrower on the next job you have and see if it is ok to come early. Most of the time you will get a yes.

Reply by LkArrowhd/CA on 3/25/08 2:38pm
Msg #240642

Nope not usually a problem, this is the business

Clients are often understanding, last minute appointments are ok but I generally have time in between. Yes, business is picking up nicely. Have a great busy day!