Here's a question?

[cfletcher]

Do you have enough info to decide if you should take this signing gig?

" Hi Carl A.,

Are you available on 7/14/2025 (Monday) at 3:00 PM for a closing in Orange Park (32073)?

If you are assigned, you will be contracting this Refi closing directly through ClientFirst Title. ClientFirst Title is using Signature SYNC to manage the closing. The accepted rate for this closing is negotiated between you and ClientFirst Title, however, payment will come from Signature Closers based on your payment preference.

IMPORTANT NOTES
Before accepting or declining, please consider the following:

Typically, these closing packages are 115 - 145 pages.

Signing agents are not to discuss loan figures with the borrower. If the borrower has questions you MUST contact the loan officer.

Click the following link to review and ACCEPT or DECLINE or PROPOSE AVAILABLE TIME OR RATE the closing:."

You know, I didn’t see the fee or how far it went. I think we really need to know the fee, mileage, how much was printed, and stuff like that. What do you reckon?

[johnsonps306]

Personally my reply would be I am available for x fee.

[LindaH-FL]

If you know you have to go to Orange Park, that should be enough info to let you know how far it is and how long (approximately) it would take round trip, so you should be able to quote your fee to them for that signing. I agree with @johnsonps306 - reply to accept with YOUR fee…but also let then know if that fee includes scanbacks or not.

JMO

P.S. You should research the title company first too just to play it safe.

[Arichter]

For me, no. NO offered fee? And, most folks around here live in the rural areas surrounding town NAME, so odds are that it is more likely 5 - 30 miles outside the named town. The omission of exact signing location is something I’ve been complaining about to SD for years. Nothing has changed. Sure seems deliberately devious. Sadly, when they do provide mileage, it’s usually ‘as the crow flies’ and way off actual mileage/drive time.

I often wonder what is wrong with notaries as business people, because every other IC wouldn’t give a quote without knowing the exact scope of the work required, while we seem to be so desperate that we go off chasing a rainbow.

[cfletcher]

Yeah, I agree. It’s tough when they don’t give all the info right away. If we say yes first, it’s harder to haggle later. And if we guess on the fee, we might not get paid enough.

[cNsa5]

@Arichter

every other IC wouldn’t give a quote without knowing the exact scope of the work required,

@Arichter Precisely Accurate.

It’s sagacious to avoid compromising the negotiating position until the FULL scope of the project requirements are revealed.

[cfletcher]

#LindaH-FL, Yeah, that’s one way to do it. But, even with that zip code, figuring out the mileage and travel costs can be tricky. Orange Park, FL (32073) has a pretty big radius – like 30 miles. For me, it’s already a 21-mile drive just to get to that area. So, we still don’t know how much further the signer lives. If signing agents don’t keep track of their numbers, soon they’ll be in trouble. Just my two cents.

[alice2uworld]

Speaking of zip codes ~ offer was for unusual zip code to me ~ turned out to be Hawaii. I emailed back and asked if they included air fare due to location.

[cfletcher]

Ha ha ha how crazy was that

[Arichter]

That’s AI (ai) for ya’… Total GIGO moment.

[jennifer.shaffor]

This looks to bean email from Signature Closers. Am I correct? I never look at the emailed offer. I always read the offer via the Signing Catch app. It gives all the details including full address.

[thenotariusgk]

Many red flags on this one. Too many entities to approve fee, payment or to shift responsibility if something goes wrong.

[lindas12]

I totally agree. One company I think got over on me. Said it was a reverse mortgage application and if I had known I had to print 700 copies, which was all in one attachment, I would never have agreed to the amount. Plus scanbacks.

[cfletcher]

#lindas12, Indeed, I have encountered comparable circumstances. Consequently, I have found it beneficial to renegotiate the fee in such situations.

[lindas12]

Carl thanks I didn’t think about that. I had one today and I received a message afterwards because it was buyer and seller they increased my pay.

[cNsa5]

@cfletcher

renegotiate the fee

@cfletcher Absolutely! Anytime the scope of the project is altered from the parameters defined during the scheduling call/text blast message . . . Reach out to the hiring entity & engage in further discussion of defining how the scope of the project has been altered & the now necessary revision of the Fee for the added Professional Services that are required due to their scope changes.

The initial time you encounter this activity, it may seem a bit daunting; however, remind yourself as a business owner you owe it to yourself to ensure that you’re being accurately compensated for the Professional Services you’re providing.

Just know that it becomes easier with each one that you renegotiate!

.

[dcdupont64]

I always renegotiate fees with signature closers and sometimes I get them and sometimes I don’t.

[TIME2SIGNSTACYNOTARY]

It’s kind of difficult with new signers because, they are still trying to get their first or second assignment, I have been having trouble as well, when an assignment pop up on my phone, my heart starts racing, I’ll accept, then I get told someone else got the assignment, so now I started calling the company to see what I need to do to get assignments from them, they started sending a couple my way , but I didn’t take it because of its low fee and the distance I’m not willing to travel, I need to learn how to negotiate as well.

[jeff.perks.notary]

I’ll try to clear this up for all.

Signature Catch is an app (and website) that is basically a Signing Service platform. Some Title companies use this platform directly.

Just like any other Signing Service platform, they send out emails and/or texts to their first tier signing agents, and then down the list until someone accepts or negotiates a mutually agreeable fee.

Typically, they don’t list the notary fee in the emails and texts.

If you click on the link they sent you it will show the particulars of the signing. Notary fee, date/time, and even the actual address of the signing location. (Super helpful for decision making,especially for areas with large zip codes)

If you click on the link and you get a message like “Order has already been assigned” or something similar to that, you will not see the original fee offered, as the order is already gone.
If you click the link (or open the SigningCatch app) and the order has not been taken already, you can click “Accept” at the offered fee, or “Decline” and bid a higher fee.

Helpful Hint: If you click “Decline”, be sure to add a reason why you are bidding a higher rate. This could be something like “Rush hour traffic to this signing will take extra time”, “This signing is way out in the country side and will take extra driving time”, etc.

One thing to keep in mind, the Title/Escrow companies that use Signature Sync with the SigningCatch app are VERY particular about the NSA’s that they choose to work with. They expect (and get) perfection on EVERY signing. So if you are a newer NSA and/or don’t have enough signings with many, many 100% positive reviews from other Signing Services (and Fidelity Approved directly from Fidelity), you will never even see the notary fee as it will already have been assigned to a preferred notary.

That being said, if you can manage to get on their preferred list, the signing fees are lucrative as you will be dealing direct with Title/Escrow companies. Just triple check your work for every signing! If you do a few error-free signings on that platform, you might get on their preferred list.

[cNsa5]

@jeff.perks.notary Thank You for the clear delineation of the processes & types from your direct experience. Your experience mirrors my direct experience as well.

Notary Cafe members who are new to this business sector will benefit from your Helpful post.