Posted by aanotary on 4/28/10 10:14am
Msg #333943

What is a reasonable wait time?

What do you consider a " normal" or reasonable time to wait. Say for a spouse that is on the way. Or a meeting in an office and the people are late? Also, do you leave after a reasonable time? Wait, and charge the hiring party?

Reply by BossLadyMD on 4/28/10 10:17am
Msg #333946

during peak times, 15 mins. time is money!

especially if i have other appointments, docs to print, etc.

and it depends on the client, do they send you tons of work, meet your fee, pay you on time, etc then i would consider waiting it out if i know the spouse is on the way and not even worry about a late fee

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 4/28/10 12:56pm
Msg #333968

I agree you have to call that shot depending on how important the client is to you and of course the other closings after. If I'm going to be more than an half hour late I will go to the other closings and come back later and will call client to let them know the job is covered but I just can't wait any longer I will come back.

Reply by DaveCA/CA on 4/28/10 4:36pm
Msg #334008

I will wait quite a while

In a nice way, I tell them sorry that traffic was bad, etc. Then what I do is let them know that I have another appointment at X:XX and that I must leave by X:XX (whatever times allows you to make it to next appointment) This way, I let them know how much time we have to finish the signing. If they were going to be so late that I would have to juggle everything, then I will reschedule. This has worked for me a number of times. By the way, they don't need to know that my next appointment is with Coldstone or Dairy Queen.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 4/28/10 6:20pm
Msg #334032

It depends on whether I have an appointment following the late spouse, etc.

I call the company that hired me and tell them that the borrower (borrowers, spouse, etc.) is not there and is expected to be x minutes late.

I never push back an appointment because the previous one was delayed by one or more of the signers. If I need to leave for the next signing at a specific time, I warn the people before the signing begins that I will be leaving at the specific time. If the signing is not completed, then I will return when all my other appointments have been finished.

Never penalize one person for another's tardiness.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 4/28/10 7:52pm
Msg #334046

PS: Never begin with one signer ...

... until all signers are present. If you do, 90% of the time you'll take as much or almost as much time with the subsequent signer as the first signer. Yes, there are people who will just sign, flip. sign, flip, sign, flip, but that's just 10%, in my experience.