Posted by 101livescan on 3/9/13 3:36pm
Msg #460296

United We Stand or Together We Fall/Fail

If newbies continue to come onboard accepting $50 fees from low ball companies, our industry will keep slowly eroding. Each week I receive at least 3 or 4 requests to go out and have a deed resigned, or a note, or a TIL, a RTC...something got missed by the first notary. I charge $75 for one document assignment. The transaction will not fund/record without it. Lender is desperate, rate lock is about to expire. Hence, there are a lot of inexperienced, novice notaries coming online.

People, please get up to speed on the importance of the NSA's role in getting these documents signed in a timely, accurate fashion and on what you should be earning. DO NOT FALL PREY to these lowball companies who are riding on your backs, making hundreds. You know how much work and focus is involved, yet you're willing to sell yourself short by accepting work below market rates. Practice with someone on negotiating your fee to a higher, competitive rate.

You never pay sticker price for a car. You should never accept the first offer for a loan signing. Get your fee based on your time, materials, equipment, expertise, travel distance, size of package, logistics.

At the end of the day, I enjoy feeling like a champ, not a chump! We all need to feel that way...get on board with being a professional NSA, get paid your worth and for the scope of work you are performing. Do not work for cheap!

Reply by Gilda Murray on 3/9/13 4:02pm
Msg #460299

AMEN !!!!! WELL SPOKEN

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/9/13 4:08pm
Msg #460301

I agree that not just any notary can do this job. My son had a friend's mom notarize a DMV form for him today. I couldn't do it because I was named in the document (transfering vehicle title to him - he was certifying the transfer was a gift from a parent so he is exempt from paying vehicle taxes to the DMV.)

Well, she notarized it alright, but she put her own name in the acknowledgment! So she basically notarized her own signature. She has mentioned to me that she wants to do loan signings and I think she did a few as the office notary where she used to work. She may have sat there and notarized while someone else conducted the closing and the docs were printed at the office, but no way could this woman do what I do without some extensive training, both as a notary and as a signing agent!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 3/9/13 4:10pm
Msg #460302

And my point is that this notary friend probably thinks

$50 or $60 per closing is good money.

Reply by MW/VA on 3/9/13 4:18pm
Msg #460305

I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

where a new notary was told by an instructor to work for lower fees to gain experience. I still can't believe anyone would actually give that kind of advice. :-(
We don't need to wonder what's hurting this industry.

Reply by Alice/MD on 3/9/13 4:36pm
Msg #460306

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

I am shocked also to see that Title Companies are involved in these type of circus operations. They end up calling an experienced person to do the job right anyway. Why don't they just have a scheduling person and save themselves the headache?

Reply by 101livescan on 3/9/13 4:42pm
Msg #460307

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

Shocking...no wonder we've got a bunch of blind leading the blind, it seems. I love it when someone comes online to ask "who we get the most work from", "looking for work" or "need more clients". Like, okay, I have a list for you, send me $100,000 and it's yours. My client list is worth way more than that, it is gold! Priceless. You can't afford it. Get your own!

This work is not a cake walk. The rules change daily. We're regulated, we're adjusted, modified, retrofitted, undercut, compromised, dismissed, double booked with another NSA for the same client, same day, same hour. No two days are the same. Docs grow and grow, never shrink. Expect the unexpected. Those of us who have done this for the past 10-12 years know what it takes, everything we've got. I don't think many people know what they are getting into when they hear they might make $100 to $150 a package in their loan signing classes. There is much more to it than meets the naked eye. We at least know the battery of questions to ask when we get the calls, and once we get the documents we know in a flash what to look for, what's important, what's not.

Do you think some of these newbies even know if they have or don't have a complete package. I've received Wells, BofA and Chase packages missing integral critical documents. Loan would not have closed if I hadn't called it in and requested the note, a TIL, RTC, Name Affidavit, 4506T, all PTF condition documents.

I'm getting the clear message that there are a great many notaries out there sitting around waiting for their phone to ring and not marketing themselves at all, hoping someone on this board will respond with a nifty list of companies to work for, and meanwhile saying yes to $50 work...go for it. Schedulers, you get what you pay for...have at it. If you want the best in the biz, call a Pro. You know who they are. Don't nickel and dime us, though.

Reply by Tudi/CA on 3/9/13 5:12pm
Msg #460310

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

AMEN!!!

Reply by Brenda/FL on 3/9/13 6:26pm
Msg #460314

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

AMEN!! p.s. can you all pleeeaasse PM me your favorite, best paying, fast paying clients? Thanks

Reply by 101livescan on 3/9/13 6:37pm
Msg #460315

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

Upon receipt of your $100,000 deposit for golden five-star companies, we will email you our list.

Reply by leeinla on 3/9/13 7:29pm
Msg #460325

Cheryl you are the best.

The industry is still reeling from that flyer that came out from XYZ years ago advertising the signing agent business. The damage it has done to borrowers because the first notary screwed up. I've been there correcting errors from the first notary. I've seen pissed off borrower(s) at signings because there loan did not fund. Why can't they hire the right notary the first time.

Reply by Brenda/FL on 3/9/13 7:48pm
Msg #460327

Re: I was shocked the other day to read msg. 459418,

I hope you saw my wink face and know my request was just in fun. I have my list, a great list, and am thankful for that. Newbies need to work at getting work like the rest of us!! It's not easy but well worth the effort.

Reply by Roger_OH on 3/9/13 7:27pm
Msg #460324

It's not what they offer, it's what I charge... n/m

Reply by FormerEO on 3/10/13 1:10pm
Msg #460394

101livescan, don't you ever get tired of posting the same old rant over and over?

Reply by Lee/AR on 3/10/13 1:45pm
Msg #460398

With the constant flow of newbs, NO, it can't be overstated! n/m

Reply by Notarysigner on 3/10/13 2:02pm
Msg #460400

Ditto Wow n/m