Posted by cawest/PA on 5/4/10 10:18am
Msg #334782

*Volume* enough but ...

at lower fees than ever ... Is anyone else getting the feeling that a majority of the companies are trying to lower their fees to an average of 70 to 85 dollars?
I am getting plenty of calls (and not all from ND) but barely none meet my fees?
Anyone else noticing this *drop* in pay?

Reply by Grammyzoom on 5/4/10 11:25am
Msg #334789

The fees can only be "dropped" if someone is accepting the low fees. I don't believe in "price fixing", but like the gal in Hawaii, we need to set our policies and no matter what stick to them.

I will, on occasion and depending on the client, have a little bit of flexibility in my fees but for the most part I know what I am worth, I know what the competition is and I stick to my fees. There are times, under certain circumstances when I will raise the fee also.

I do tell my students when they ask, that they are well educated professionals and have every right to expect to be paid accordingly and that they do not need to feel that they are worth less because they are new to the business. And, it is the kiss of death to take fees like $50 and $60 for signings. Once you set that bar so low it is impossible to raise the bar later on. I think we all know that those who value themselves at $50 for a signing are usually worth their value and they will not be successful and they will not be around very long.

Reply by cawest/PA on 5/4/10 11:52am
Msg #334791

and I agree with you however I am wondering how many work for the low fees as they do not call back after telling they need approval ... and I just do not understand how some working for the low fees think they make profit ...
I am pretty sure that 5 or 6 *good signings* bring me in the profit that the ones that have had a high volume at low pay and they have been running all over town.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 5/4/10 12:01pm
Msg #334794

"think they make profit" / Only THINK they are making profit n/m

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 5/4/10 11:59am
Msg #334793

Agree with Carol. No "Blue Light Special" here. n/m

Reply by Calnotary on 5/4/10 12:07pm
Msg #334795

The last few I have refused because of low fees are as follows:


50.00 for a single document with fax back. Total miles 69 miles
84.00 refi with fax backs 46 miles(on this one I don't know if it's a 220 or 250 page package)
30.00 loan modification with fax back 21 miles.


All my signings I calculated at one dollar per mile. My competition can get all these if they want them, I make more than my competition by not accepting them. If you think you can make a profit out these examples good for you!!

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 5/4/10 12:27pm
Msg #334800

Agree 100% n/m

Reply by cawest/PA on 5/4/10 12:36pm
Msg #334802

oh I got the loan modification at 30 dollars as well ... the argument was : It is only 2 miles from your home!!!!

Come on!

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 5/4/10 12:52pm
Msg #334808

IMO, you should have expected more fee reductions once you began accepting them.

The reasoning goes something like; You accepted a fee reduction for X number of loans, now we are sending you double that so we can lower our fees even more. Never mind that they want the same level of service, or even more. Best not to even begin playing the game IMO.

Reply by Notarysigner on 5/4/10 2:08pm
Msg #334819

Yes...it's just one mile from your house,..you can walk and save the gas.. LOL

Reply by Lee/AR on 5/4/10 1:00pm
Msg #334809

True examples

No volume here & not much competition so MANY times I am called either multiple times by same co. or get multiple calls from several companies for the same signing. Eventually, one of them accepts my fee, tho' all said they'd need to get approval. Even if there are many notaries in your area, it could just be that they've heard either the same, or higher figure from others and eventually just run out of time & approve the current notary/fee. Think about it--if you called 5 notaries & heard the same (or higher) fee, would you bother calling the first one back?

Reply by C. Rivera Chicago Notary Services on 5/4/10 4:02pm
Msg #334841

dude where have YOU been...that's been the talk

for like years on this board, and most recently in the last 6!

Some nsa's delusionally believe that if they get more VOLUME, that it will equal MORE pay...WRONG!

All it does for the nsa is run up the mileage, pay MORE for gas, and supplies, and IMO, wastes the nsa's time and traps them in a downward spiral.

Reply by HrdwrkrVA on 5/4/10 4:36pm
Msg #334846

Low-balling NSA**You are working yourselves out of business!

You can't make up the price w/ more volume...there's only 24 hrs in a day - 7 days in a week! Why do you WANT to work for less than min wage??????
ND calls me min 20 times a day!!!! Obviously, if there were more low-ballers in the DC area, they wouldn't call me AT ALL!!!
When I have to take 40- 60 for edocs, I will be homeless. On an average day, I make $300 (1-2 signings)- somedays I have no signings. If I had to take $40-60 signings, I would drop dead & STILL be BROKE - HELLOOOO!!!!