Question Specifically for Signing Companies

QUESTION FOR THE SIGNING COMPANIES.

Most of the signing companies are very well aware of the time, effort, money, hardwork and challenges of being a mobile notary…(some started off doing the same thing we are doing as notaries) …so why is it that you, as a signing company, continue to present us with low-ball fees, take 30 - 90+ days to pay out, and make us feel like we have to beg for money earned?

I would love to hear a signing company give the reason for very low fees and taking forever to pay. (This not for the signing companies that pay good and on-time.)

Guilty signing companies, I dare (and invite) you to answer :grinning:

2 Likes

Although we are not a “guilty” signing agency, I do appreciate the opportunity to reply. Not ALL signing agencies pay low fees. We are often limited by what the each title company will pay us, the signing agency and have to work within that guideline. We are all in the business to make a profit, right? Many signing agencies do blast emails, but many do not. Our office emails and texts notaries individually to fill each signing. We also call, but that is not as time efficient. We pay a fair fee, rarely less that $100 for a closing. For small packages that require scanbacks, we pay $110 and for larger packages, $125. As a signing agency, we would much rather NOT ask for scanbacks, but more and more title companies are requiring them for funding and, also, to review documents to prevent errors. Our standard practice is to issue payment the Friday after the notary’s invoice is received. Having said all that, we often have to BEG for notaries to scanback docs in a timely manner. When we make a request, we are clear that if scanbacks are required, we need them immediately following the closing. Often notaries will agree to that, but then take other closings after ours and do not scanback as agreed. The title companies are under pressure to fund and are left hanging when a notary does not scanback in a timely manner, and it makes the signing agency look bad. There are always two sides the the story. We appreciate your taking the time to read our message.
Nan Leigh Brandt
Concierge Notary, Inc.

5 Likes

Thank you, Nan, for your reply…and you are definitely not one of the “guilty” signing agencies (yay for that!!), and your two-sided insight is appreciated, as there are notaries that may not hold up their end. Yes, we are all in the business to make a profit, but you must agree on the the balance of things, across the board, that most notaries are not getting paid even fair market rate for their services AND wait months and months to get paid, if at all (especially when everyone else involved in the transaction seems to get paid more timely and at their (more than likely) requested/agreed upon rate.

All in all, the low-ball fees are an insult. I don’t expect any “guilty” signing companies to chime in, my question (and low-grade venting) is nothing short of the continuous issues most notaries are concerned about. We don’t expect to get rich – but we also do not expect to sell our services, ourselves, and our time short. AGAIN, thank you for your reply. :slight_smile:

Well stated. I point out to some lowball signing companies… Majority of mobile service companies, i.e. Plumbers, HAVC… won’t pull in your drive for less than
$60 to $70, and you want my services for $40-$50. Seriously?

3 Likes