Yeah, that IS crazy. They don't want to be inconvenienced, but expect you to be - for free... No thanks! I don't include that type of situation (or those types of people) in my business plan. If I lived in an area like that and happened to trip over someone who gets it, and it makes sense financially to help them, then that would just be a bonus.
I think the key point of this discussion is that we all likely have a baseline and a standard coverage area (or should), and should know what fee target we're shooting for and what we're not willing to go below in order to stay profitable. If an offer comes in that goes beyond that baseline, we have a choice to turn it down, or quote a fee that is appropriate for the different circumstances. It's not about nickle and diming", it's running a smart business and not giving away your services. This applies equally (although differently) for loan signing and GNW.
For those of you who live in an area where "what the market will bear" isn't enough to make it worth the effort, then go do something else (as Linda has done).
|