Received an signing order assignment that had 15 pages of notary instructions and aides. To top things off, the loan package had 11 notarial certificates and 8 of the certificates had errors. Guess what? The signing service only wanted to pay a signing fee of $85. They require two sets of documents to be printed, which totalled 184 pages. Oh, the order required total loan package to be faxed back, which they were only paying $5. So, I had to proofread their documents, attach loose certificates to correct their errors. Oh, I did not mention mileage or signing time at the table. I accepted the assignment, after they raise the fee to $105. Itās getting old, being āknocked upside the headā. I love meeting people and in this business you get to meet the most interesting people. Today, my morning assignment was for real estate investors, who prepaid me $200 that required no notarial acts, only 4 pages, and one signer. I did have to travel 52 minutes one way. But I got to meet an interesting elderly couple, learned the wife was a musician that played the bass guitar. We shared a great conversation and the whole assignment took a whole five minutes. I guess we spent more time talking, so I was at their home for about twenty minutes. Guess Iām going to have to step up my game and develop more general notary work.
I never print a 2nd set unless itās under around 25 pages. I always ask for a print fee for the packages that are over 200 pages, on top of the fee they are already paying and they always pay it.
Thank you for sharing how you operate your business and much respect to you. When a signing service, title company, or customer hire me to use my services, prior to acceptance we all come to terms and expectations. I have worked with very few title companies that require the printing of only one set of the documents. Most times the title companies require two sets of documents to be printed, one to be processed and a copy for the customer. I have on many occasions requested an increase in the signing fee, due to a large loan package. Usually the hiring companies accommodate my requests. For those companies that are not willing to meet my requests, we both are agree the assignment needs to be reassigned. This particular signing assignment, I had originally accept their $85, it was 5 miles from my location. When I realized the amount of preparation needed to correct their errors and the additional printing of loose certificates. I requested a fee increase of $20, which they quickly met. The point of my āmake it, make senseā, was due to all the additional notary instructions and aides added in the loan package, plus all the errors.
@Dianna ā Are you accommodating real estate packages? Are your hiring entities aware that your signers are not receiving a copy of what theyāre signing?
I only do real estate packages. Half of the time, the companies have sent the signers the paperwork and the companies I work with, give them the option for a digital unsigned copy. I do not print 2nd sets without being compensated. Itās worked well all these years.
Can definitely be frustrating at times.
Yes, Indeed! Thatās what makes being an LSA so valuable, being able to navigate and solve these companies problems with the loan package.
Morning Fletcher,
11 notarial Certificates is starting to sound like a Texas package. When to we get to start charging the SS/Title for each of their error like they do to Notaries?
Absolutely agree Dianna. And most people are happy with a digital copy of unsigned documents anyway. The title company can send them a paper copy with all signatures included 
I do charge the companies, when I called back to request an increasement in the signing fees. They either agree to my fee increase request or I remove myself. For me it always a two-way street.
I am surprised that companies would work with you if you are disregarding their instructions by not giving the signers their unsigned copy of the docs. Even with the crazy reverse mortgage signings I do that. Usually because they have the 3 day right to cancel and they feel comfortable having the paper documents to review. Also, if they make really bad signing errors I can replace it with their copy - this has helped in many instances.
It just seems a disservice to signers. Even if I do not have to print an extra copy I always do because many people do ask for and want their copy of the closing documents.
I am surprised that you would say something rude like that. And, I do not appreciate the implication that I do not do my job. How else, would I stay so busy if I didnāt. And, maybe you misread my post. A lot of my signings do not require a 2nd set. Some that do, the TITLE COMPANY, NOT ME offers the option for a digital copy and I am required to ask if they want that. When the clients hear how many pages they are getting, 10/10 times they opt for digital. Those that do require a 2nd set are large enough to justify me asking for a print fee to cover the excess printing, which was my point in my reply. Iām glad that you print a 2nd set just to cover yourself for errors, thatās saying you are not very confident in your work. Iāve never had really bad signing errors happen, on my part and a client. Iām glad I have a printer in the car to cover me if I ever ran across that issue. Enjoy your weekend!
My apologies if you found my comment offensive. I am super confident in my work - have completed over 5k closings - it is mainly for customer satisfaction - they feel happy and at ease to have the closing package. They are also the one that may sign in the wrong place or want to change their wire instructions details and if it looks really bad I swap it our rather than having multiple cross-offs, initials, but then again I may be a little OCD, but at the end of the day good reviews and customer satisfactions is what keeps me as a favorite with the companies I like to work with.
Hi Dianna, I think when you said you never print a second set, you left out the part that you are dealing with Title companies that do not require it. In the past, Rocket Mortgage would typically require only one set. In my experience 95% of the companies require you to print a second set unless a set was mailed out to the signer in advance.
If the package is a jumbo (in my world that is over 2oo pages or includes all Legal) I ask an extra print fee. If I donāt get it, I ask them to reassign.
Some Title companies have a document called āGo Greenā where the signer is asked if they would like a soft copy or hard copy of the signed documents. Unless it says specifically that a second set is not required, a second set must be given to the signer even with the Go Green page in the set. There are some times when a person signed in the wrong place or used the wrong date. Seals sometimes do not print clearly. In those instances, I will use the Borrower set to try to present an unflawed document.
Locally we have one very fortunate notary who used to pick up the signing packages printed by Title, both sets. When she has to print herself, she only makes one copy and I have overheard her say āTitle will send you a copy.ā She is very efficient and competent but once she was in the middle of a signing and noticed a whole section was left out. She left her signer standing at the FedEx counter and dashed off somewhere nearby to print the missing documents. Apparently, no in-car printer.
She has a huge advantage over the rest of us because her overhead is much less. We canāt really complain to Title without looking like sore losers. My theory, she used to work for Title but went Notary. They keep her busy out of loyalty.
In this forum, we have seen everyone does things somewhat differently. We are independent contractors and each have different points of views as well. Sometimes in these forums, there are times various posted comments may bring up other various concerns and thatās great. I truly enjoy the passion and contributions that our fellow colleagues bring to the these discussions. In my perspective, companies pay us to perform a service based on their expectations. For instance, Rocket Mortgage most of the time require one loan packet to be printed. Whereas, majority of the other title companies may require two sets of documents to be printed one for the client and one to be processed and returned. Some companies tells us to never email signers copies of the loan package, if the signer wants digitals copies. The signer must request the digital loan package from the lender. Just the other day, I received notification of a company database being hacked and people personal information being stolen. With that being stated, if we email digital copies of the loan package to signers. We may put their personal protected information at risks and be subject to various fines and legal consequences. Of course some of us may have the ability to encrypt emails and provide such security measures. Even if we do and something bad happens, our E&O policies may not cover our actions, if our actions doesnāt adhere to those companies policies. Just my two cents and that will not buy a cup of coffee 
I am CONTINUALLY surprised by the pressure on notary pricing. In my 17 yrs, the decrease in our fees is staggering. Everyone else gets an annual bump up (FedEx fees - hello??? Gas and bread? price of housing?) while we are offered $45 or $65 for a LOT of work. Crazy!
Proofreading documents? and then attaching loos certificates? wow, in all my years as a Notary Public / Signing Agent, on signing packages, I never done that, I just show at the signing place, identify myself, identify the signer/signers collect IDās if they are required, then proceed with the signing making sure that all the Notarial certificates are correct and properly signed by the borrower/borrowers, then proceed and Notarize them, review for everything that can be missed, ready to ship them, I never proofread documents, and correct them, I do not think that is my job, simple as that.
#mannie1950, I do not read the content of the loan packages. I only take a few minutes to review the loan documents for defects, signerās misspelled name(s), incorrect addresses, or blank fields/spaces (for documents that has to be notarized). In the state of Florida since thereās been a change in the notarial block of our certificates as of Jan. 01, 2020. Itās not uncommon to find the standard loan documents templates used by these title companies or lenders are not in compliance with the current Florida Notary statutesā¦ In order for me to complete the signing, the companies have to make the required correction or authorize me to attach loose certificates.
We have to do our own due diligence making sure the loan documents are properly notarized. For myself, I want to reduce the chances of any lawsuits, fines, or any type of legal consequences.
If the term āstand your groundā has any meaning, it truly applies in the situation concerning fees. I have taken the position of establishing my breakeven point for performing loans signings. I have given my fee schedule to various companies. The outcome has been a dropped in volume of loan signing orders, but I am getting assignments based on my fee scheduled. For example, this past week my gross revenue was one grand for six orders. I have seen signing orders averaging $55, it would have taken over 18 signing orders to produce the same gross revenue. I am not a math genius, but I am happy with my decision.
Nothing is worse than agreeing to a $75 or $85 signing and then losing out on a $175 signing that comes along for the same time slot. Learned that lesson a long time ago. Let someone else clutter up their schedule with the low paying jobs and I can focus on the better opportunites or at least have quality time to myself. My 2 cents. Way too much time spent for little pay otherwise.