Posted by Bernice/CA on 7/19/09 1:46am
Msg #296467

Did you get a call from this guy?


Received an interesting call today… guy found me on the internet needing a Notary to come notarize a contract for him. He wanted a quote so I quoted him $10/sig plus travel fee. He then wanted to know if because of the numerous signatures would I consider negotiating a flat fee? (30 pages x 2 sigs each = 60 sigs. = $600.00.) I said sure… would waive travel fee and do it for $450. He then said… actually wanted to just pay for hourly rate to take care of documents…. Was thinking maybe $50/hr… would that work? being this shouldn't take more than 1 hr. right. Now wait, would even go up to $75 - WOW. In fact, he offered to come to me if I agreed to the flat rate of $75.00.

When I suggested he go to UPS, he said, no, that wouldn’t work because the would charge me per each signature….

Reply by Cynthia/CA on 7/19/09 5:07am
Msg #296468

I didn't get a call from that guy. I have recently received calls from a few people just like him claiming their packages aren't loan docs and guess what when I get to the appt - loan docs. I charge accordinginly.

Reply by sue_pa on 7/19/09 7:23am
Msg #296469

"charge accordingly" for what!?!?!?!?

Find that old/recent post by Brenda. When will "certified siging agents" also learn the function of a notary public?

Reply by John_NorCal on 7/19/09 10:09am
Msg #296483

Are you acting as a signing agent or a notary?

There is a difference. If you are called upon as a notary public then that is how you charge. It's spelled out in the handbook plain and simple. I've had many a person come to me with a loan package and all I do is notarize with no discussion of their docs. You need to take off your signing agent hat and remember why your commission was issued.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 7/19/09 7:34am
Msg #296472

Wow - the guy is basically asking you to extend a nearly 90% discount on your services and to do the notarizations for $1.25 per signature. Gotta love it!

Reply by Michelle/AL on 7/19/09 7:47am
Msg #296474

Bernice, call the guy back and give him my name & number.

He can drive to Alabama and since I can't charge him more than .50 per signature I'm sure I quote him a fee that he will find more reasonable. ; - )

Reply by MW/VA on 7/19/09 12:31pm
Msg #296494

Sounds like someone who got "mail away" loan docs & was told to "find a Notary". I know some of these people are taking them to the mailbox stores & paying per signature or notarization. They won't negotiate fees there, that's for sure--it's $$ per notarization. Of course, the public doesn't know that a NSA would review the docs with them, etc. I know Wells Fargo is doing a lot of mail-away packages.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/19/09 1:39pm
Msg #296497

She said " notarize a contract for him." n/m

Reply by Charles_Ca on 7/19/09 10:36pm
Msg #296529

Re: She said " notarize a contract for him."

And what might a loan package be besides a contract????

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/20/09 9:33am
Msg #296547

A "contract" could be any number of things

covering any number of subjects/situations - could be a construction contract for all we know between owners and builders, but it's not necessarily a loan package....most people who call for a notary for a loan package start out saying they have "mortgage papers" or "bank papers" or "loan papers" to be notarized - start out by saying "I'm refinancing my house" or "I'm taking a mortgage" or "I'm taking a loan" - this one had a contract to be notarized....I would take from that that it's not a loan package. Which is why I always ask "what type of documents are we talking here?" Then there's no doubt.

MHO

Reply by SheilaSJCA on 7/19/09 1:19pm
Msg #296496

This does not sound like a loan signing. How could there be 60 signatures to notarize? (unless of course there were several signers and it was one of those east coast CYA type closings with affidavits for every day of the week etc.) Maybe the signer was confused in thinking that he needed all the signatures notarized, and you Bernice should have delved further. I mean really, loan signings do not generally involve 60 notarizations.

Reply by Bernice/CA on 7/19/09 2:15pm
Msg #296498

The guy knew what he wanted... a Notary Public to notarize the documents, not provide SA services. and to do this at an HOURLY rate only as he was fully aware of the per sig cost.

Reply by MW/VA on 7/19/09 3:16pm
Msg #296500

Sorry, I went off in the wrong direction here. What did you do? Obviously, the notary fee in CA is $10
(60 x 10 = 600). I can see where he offered a flat fee. Did you accept that?
Here in VA we can charge UP TO $5/notarization. That's the maximum the law allows, but doesn't prevent us from accepting less or nothing at all if we choose.

Reply by GWest on 7/19/09 3:19pm
Msg #296502

My niece adopted a baby girl not to long ago and the paper work she had just before the final adoption had 15 documents, 30 signatures, all that needed notarization. She called around no one would give her a break, full charge of $300.00. Luckily I was headed in her direction and they got it done free. It didn't take that long. There were about 6 different forms, in triplicate, that all needed to be notarized for both her and her husband. I would give someone a break on something like that, but it would be more than $75.00, maybe $150.00.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/19/09 5:58pm
Msg #296505

My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

I'd have a few more questions for him. If there were multiple signers (vs. one or two) or if the notary verbiage was all wrong and I was going to have to replace certs for all those docs, the price would go up from there.

If it was 30 variations of basically the same doc with different content, I'd allow some credit for that. But short of that, by the time you fill in all the certificates, enter everything in your journal, including possibly ID info for multiple parties, etc. it's possible that something like this could take considerably more than an hour.

Reply by Bernice/CA on 7/20/09 1:30am
Msg #296532

Re: My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

I didn't accept the offer... based on what he described 30 pages x 2 sigs = 60 notarization for
$50 or $75 for 1 hr work.

He was looking for a Notary Public to voluntary service and I choose not to spend my Saturday afternoon giving away neither my time or service for maximum of $75.00.

Reply by SharonMN on 7/20/09 9:48am
Msg #296550

Re: My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

This is what's bad about the state-mandated maximum fees. In MN, I can only charge $1 per signature and people don't usually want to pay a travel fee, which means I usually refuse general notary requests because I can't even get minimum wage for them.

However, the idea that someone would have to pay $600 for 60 notarizations seems ludicrous. $50-75 seems a little low with travel, but $600 is WAY too much - even if it turned into a total pain, you'd probably be making something like $200/hr., which is more than some lawyers charge. As another poster pointed out, you don't need to charge the state maximum and in this case, a "volume rate" would certainly be justified.

Reply by MW/VA on 7/20/09 2:07pm
Msg #296594

Re: My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

I'm sure someone was very glad to make $75 for an hours work. He also offered to come to you, so not even any travel involved.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 7/22/09 1:46am
Msg #296805

Re: My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

With CA notary certs being what they are, I find it hard to believe this would really end up being an hours work. But like you said, someone was probably very happy to do whatever it took and make that much -- at least when they accepted the assignment. I'd be curious to know if they felt the same after!

Reply by Bernice/CA on 7/22/09 1:56am
Msg #296806

Re: My thinking would be similar to yours, but...

Janet,

I agree... the thought of making some $ on a Saturday afternoon would be nice but if the job was as described... 30 pgs x 2 sig = 60 notarizations after completing all the certs, logging docs and id, etc. would take longer than 1 hr which would result in no longer enjoying making extra $ for that day. ....

But I'm sure someone did take the job... but at what cost... will never know.