Answer? You’re listed with others who are too cheap or lazy to market their skills. Hiring services make their money by choosing the lowest bidder and closely monitoring them throughout the assignment. Do they earn their money? Yes! Is it fair to you, the error-free professional who doesn’t need a coach? No, so take yourself off that list and start marketing your skills. Error-free professionals occasionally take low-paying assignments and quickly become favorites until they ask for a higher fee. Then crickets…nothing personal, that’s just business.
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I’m not a “talker” by nature so there’s usually very little chit chat at my signings. Some signers are into chatting, some are not. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m not there to exchange pleasantries. I’m there to do a job and leave as quickly as possible.
If they call you on the phone, you can usually negotiate, depending on how desperate they are.
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@AMERICANPATRIOTGIRL Thank you for sharing such an insightful and thought-provoking post regarding loan signing time versus fees. Upon reading your post, my primary takeaway revolves around the critical importance of effectively utilizing a valuable tool known as time study and cost analysis within our loan signing and notary public professions. To further explore this concept and provide some additional resources, I would like to recommend a comprehensive article on the topic of time study. The article, titled “The 5 Most Important Standards Every Time Study Analyst Should Know,” offers valuable perspectives and practical insights. You can access this informative piece here: (5 Time Study Standards Every Analyst Must Know). It’s also worth noting that, as LSAs and Notary Publics, we each bring a unique blend of life experiences, diverse skill sets, and specialized knowledge to the table. Consequently, it’s only natural that we develop varied approaches and methodologies when conducting our business operations. Long ago, I learned this basic business formula that works for all businesses, it’s TQ=GED=GV=$$, T - Stands for time; Q - Stands for quality (This means time is exponentially affected by the choices we make). GED - G - stands for growth; E - stands for education; D stands for development; GV stands for business volume; $$ - stands for the money we will make. Yeah, my math teacher in junior high told us Algebra would become very important, and he was totally spot on! It’s been super helpful in college and with my business. Building a Notary/Loan Signing business has complexities that may not be really discussed indepth by taking the NNA loan signing certification training courses, I don’t know if these concepts are even covered by these “Get rich and make six figures” marketeers. Great thing about this forum, we may find some golden nuggets being shared and hopefully someone finds value by reading these discussions.
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I always learn something from you a several who have been in this business much longer than me. Thank you! I will definitely be checking out your recommendations!
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Lots of signing variations. I booked a purchase for this morning and title sent me a 10 page package. They indicated the Lender would have the loan package. I came in 10 minutes early and the LO was finishing up the 3-inch-thick lender package with notarizations. My 10-pager took 5 minutes, I took the entire package to scan and I was done.
This was atypical but my typical signing is 30-40 minutes at the table. If they start talking, I push the next doc in front of them and intentionally bump their hand with it.
As for rates, my rate is $125 minimum for everyone except 2 title companies. With one of those companies, I do the closing in their office and there are no scans/drops since I hand them back the package. The other TC has the easiest files and 90% of the signings are within 2 miles of their office. Again, no scans since I drop the file.
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100% agree, Bobbi. Here’s what I tell my students:
“IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS. Don’t believe the hype. Have you seen those slick online ads/infomercials with fast talking Internet hucksters trying to lure you with their “proven systems” and talk of six figure earnings as a notary? THEY ABSOLUTELY INFURIATE ME! All sales people need to be taken with a skeptical eye-rolling grain of salt, especially those smooth talkers and influencers online trying to sell you pipe dreams. Please do not buy into the hype. Be especially leery of anyone trying to sell you their proven system. Be leery of anyone making outrageous claims or promises, especially those who promise you will make fast easy money with no effort. Because it’s BS. Please be skeptical. Being a notary public or a notary signing agent is not a quick easy “side hustle” some people online want you to believe. SUCCESS TAKES TIME. SUCCESS TAKES WORK. Notary public and especially loan signing work is not something that should be entered into lightly… “
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Amen, Carmen. Say it loud and long.
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I try to get in and out and most people appreciate that. Some will chat more than sign so I have to be a bit more patient. I think the main thing is making sure they know it’s a professional person on the other side of their table. It usually goes great.
I just realize this is your first time on the forum replying. Thank you. I love hearing from fellow LSA’s. On three separate occasions this year alone I under bid a job by phone. For instance $175.00 for a seller pack and they said how about $225.00. If only those low ball accepters understood this.
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Y’all must live/work in some wonderful place where offers of $150 or more are plentiful. $225 here means three separate packages (out-of-state refi’s) or a 500+ page monster. The average deal in Southern California is roughly $85; 150 pages; 8 notarizations (often preparing 4 or more certificates); scanbacks; rush delivery; get paid in 45 days. Minimum time at the table is 35-40 minutes.
I have to be reasonably familiar with packages from Arizona (40%), Florida (10%), Idaho (10%), Tennessee (10%), Texas (10%), all others (20%). Most of these deals require preparation of notarization certificates that are legal in California; I’d say approx. 50% of these certificates I have to make up myself since other states’ certificates don’t fly here. Boo, hoo, hoo. I do OK.
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I love this quote as this perfectly sums up where I am at this point.
Those rates are unsustainable. Considering the cost of a car and printer these days, rates like that have you working for less than minimum wage.
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