Posted by Claudine Osborne on 4/26/10 9:09pm
Msg #333651

need to vent..

I received a call at 8:30pm for a closing..Sure I can do this..call bo etc. I called the company back with the confirmation..They tell me its cancelled and they will inform the bo. Well it is 10:00 and the bo calls me wants to know if I am running late or not coming? Told him the TC canceled and they were going to let him know. Then he says wait someone else is here now! Well ok, good luck!

Wonder did they find someone cheaper? How about keeping the bo in the loop as to what is going on..No respect for bo or us!! The bos having been waiting since this afternoon to close!

Thanks for listening!!

Reply by Tish/CA on 4/26/10 9:25pm
Msg #333654

It sure sounds like they found cheaper notary. Would you mind sharing the name of the company with us?

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 4/26/10 9:28pm
Msg #333655

FASS

Reply by Patti Corcoran on 4/26/10 9:34pm
Msg #333657

Re: so unprofessional! that is horrible!!! n/m

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/26/10 9:37pm
Msg #333658

One of the signings I had for them (FASS) several years ago, they called me with last minute signing. I had plans for the evening, but changed them. Was told borrower had docs.
Get to borrowers, they didn't have docs. While there another notary called that she was on the way and had the docs! I called FASS and they just said OK, let other notary take care of it. I reamed them out as I had changed my plans to accomodate them, and they should have known that another notary had the docs! They did pay me my full fee.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 4/26/10 10:03pm
Msg #333665

That's just sad... so unprofessional.

It's that kid of nonsense that makes me want to get out of doing loans completely. I'm taking fewer and fewer now as it is because they think I should be happy they're offering me a pittance to drive 40 mins each way.

Nope... for me, general notary work is hopping. My local UPS store closed down, and the other pack and ship shops rarely have a notary on duty. Between that, and getting calls from attorneys and the hospital, I'm making more than I would with loan work.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/26/10 11:19pm
Msg #333667

End of a profession?

I'm sure there are some who will hang on to the bitter end, but I really think the whole NSA thing is circling the toilet at this point.

I stopped doing signings because I got tired of the low offers that didn't respect my time or experience, and didn't want to deal with the payment issues that a lot of others were experiencing. I know there are others who feel the same way - look at John_Norcal's recent departure for example...

IMO, the blame for this decline should be placed squarely at the feet of a certain unnamed organization which, in its desire to siphon money out of the pockets of notaries public, managed to turn what was a profession into a commodity by flooding the market with inexperienced "certified signing agents" and publishing a schedule of "suggested" fees. Thank you so much, oh unnamed organization, for destroying the ability of an independent contractor to set his/her own fees...

The attitude among those needing the service now seems to be: why buy the real thing when you can get a cheap knock-off at Walmart? And Walmart has that price rollback thing going on, which - if you stick with the analogy - would explain the really low-ball offers recently...

That's pretty much what it has come down to at this point, I think. What we do (or the rest of you all do, since I no longer do it) is no longer respected by the companies requiring the service - it's a commodity, and they will buy it at the lowest price.

There is an elite group of very experienced folks with well developed networks that will continue to do very well in this business - and more power to them, I hope it goes on forever for them. For everyone else, the writing is on the wall...

Reply by Robert/FL on 4/27/10 5:36am
Msg #333679

I agree

With the oversaturation of notaries (here in Florida we have 440,000 - the most of any U.S. state with 2.4% of our population being commissioned notaries), almost everybody knows a notary. Why pay for a "signing agent" when you can go to your co-worker and get it all done for free, or for buying her lunch or whatever?

I am not a signing agent but from what I have gathered on this board it does not sound like the signing agent profession is on the up and up.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/27/10 7:37am
Msg #333690

Re: I agree

"I am not a signing agent but from what I have gathered on this board it does not sound like the signing agent profession is on the up and up."

Not "on the up and up" means not legitimate. Was that just a misused phrase, or are you seriously suggesting that there's something illegal about doing this type of work?

Reply by Robert/FL on 4/27/10 8:04am
Msg #333695

Re: I agree

No, as in, the profession is going downhill, not uphill.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/27/10 6:12pm
Msg #333873

Re: I agree

Thanks for clarifying that - I thought that was what you meant, but just wanted to make sure because the phrasing you used means something totally different.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/27/10 8:03am
Msg #333694

I resent this remark

"from what I have gathered on this board it does not sound like the signing agent profession is on the up and up" - call me crazy but I don't like being accused of being anything but honest and don't like having it hinted that I'm involved in anything illegitimate.

And as to this..."Why pay for a "signing agent" when you can go to your co-worker and get it all done for free, or for buying her lunch or whatever?"

It's called paying for expertise and knowledge, among many other things. And judging by this statement you've no clue what's involved in one typical loan signing. I'm not going to go into educating you about them, but IMO that was just a stupid statement.

Robert, how you manage to stick your foot in your mouth on a daily basis is beyond me but you do manage it very well.

Reply by Robert/FL on 4/27/10 10:45am
Msg #333729

Well Linda, I don't know about others, but if I

were getting some kind of loan, I would rather read the documents myself, direct my questions to the lender, and have a friend notarize the documents, then add $150 to the loan for a "signing agent" to come explain the documents to me.

But that's just me. Maybe others like the convenience of having a signing agent come to their house. For me the $150 would not be worth the convenience.

Reply by jba/fl on 4/27/10 10:59am
Msg #333737

Robert

When it comes time for you to get a loan, you may not have that choice. That will depend on the TC and/or lender. They don't all just let a person get who they want to come get their docs signed. Sad truth - but that is a truth.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 4/27/10 11:07am
Msg #333739

Re: Robert

That's true - I fought with Ditech when I did my refi in 2007. Told them I did not want to pay a $225 signing fee because I understood loan docs and could print, sign, and get them notarized without involving a SS. The processor WOULD NOT BUDGE - told me it was a "conflict of interest". They did, however, reduce their fee by $225, but leaving the separate signing fee in place.

Oh and by the way, Ditech now advertises on TV that they will send your documents directly to you! I guess it's no longer a conflict of interest???

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 4/27/10 11:11am
Msg #333740

When I ref'd years ago the attorney I worked for

handled my closing - when Provident called to set it up and they found out it was my loan they wouldn't speak with me any longer - all future calls went straight to the attorney (he LOVED that since I did all the real estate in the office..) - it was against their policy to have the borrowers handle their own loan docs.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/27/10 6:15pm
Msg #333875

Re: I resent this remark

"I don't like being accused of being anything but honest and don't like having it hinted that I'm involved in anything illegitimate."

Linda, read his reply to me. It was just an unfortunate choice of words...

Reply by MW/VA on 4/27/10 11:35am
Msg #333746

"I am not a signing agent.....does not sound like the

signing agent profession is on the up and up". That remark is just plain ignorant to make, Robert, and it is offensive. You have showed disdain for the NSA's on this board ever since you came on board. Please stop attacking something you obviously no nothing about. FYI we do perform a valuable & cost-saving service to the public.

Reply by mwm143 on 4/27/10 4:10pm
Msg #333797

Mike I couldn't agree more.

I have said repeatedly that this profession has become so devalued. Many TCs opened their own Signing Agency divisions and put many of the smaller companies out of business. Very much the Walmart mentallity. Since they are their own biggest client and pay closers so little they can afford to spend extra time and effort getting docs corrected and getting the loan funded.

Couple that mentality with some of the larger lenders overnighting packages to borrowers with instructions to find a notary........

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/27/10 6:24pm
Msg #333878

Re: Mike I couldn't agree more.

Exactly... Those willing to hang in for the long haul may see a turnaround eventually - it depends on the pain threshold for errors these companies have. I think the mail-away "find your own notary" is going to be a growing trend, for a while at least... The pendulum may eventually swing back the other way once the lenders realize that cheaper is not necessarily better, but that might take a while...

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 4/27/10 7:06am
Msg #333684

"Nope... for me, general notary work is hopping. My local UPS store closed down, and the other pack and ship shops rarely have a notary on duty."

Same here. Lots of people going to the local pack and ship place for a notary, and for the past 10 years they give them my business card and so they come to me. It is steady and cash immediately. Plus banks will only do some notary work, so I get several clients coming from their bank. And there are the title companies that send the docs to the borrower and tell them to find a notary.
So, general notary work is hopping here

Reply by JulieD/KS on 4/27/10 8:36am
Msg #333704

Marian

Everything you say resonates with me. I decided a couple months ago to start targeting general notary work and move away from loan signings. I'm in the process of creating a new website and I have ordered business cards. People need notary work all the time...and I've been told it's hard to find a notary. Okay...well, here I am!

Reply by Notarysigner on 4/27/10 9:37am
Msg #333717

I got two jobs yesterday from people working in the FedEx shipping center. General notary business in up for sure, Marian.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 4/27/10 6:42am
Msg #333682

figures

Reply by DD/OR on 4/27/10 8:27am
Msg #333700

I missed a call yesterday from FASS. I know it was FASS because on my caller ID it showed 'anonymous'. FASS is the only company that shows 'anonymous' when they call. I'm glad I missed it. They give the close assignments to someone else in my area. Then they call me to go further away, like in another county for a low fee. I don't think so.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 4/27/10 2:17am
Msg #333672

Be sure to update SC w/ most recent info :-) n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 4/27/10 11:31am
Msg #333745

That was a lousy thing to do, especially at EOM. BTW, when

there is a cancellation, I always call the borrower to make sure they know not to expect me.