I am learning from you
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I’m so new I’m always afraid to counter offer (even though I want to, not making a profit at all with these gas prices)
They do not care. This business is of numbers not people. The market changed and many companies thought it was ok to drop the fee rate and came up with excuses like swearing title is paying less now in the case I had with CX Choice. It’s insulting to get an off for 50 and 60.00 when you used to be paid 100, out of almost 100 I’ve only had 2 errors and they were 2 second, email fixes. Notaries need to get it in their minds, no matter how good you are or how many we have done for a company I have yet to find any company that treats us like we matter more than “is the job completed without errors?”
Sadly, the hiring companies are not your employers, coworkers, friends. Most don’t remember who you are much less care about your gas costs going up. it’s the hard truth I’ve come to accept in the 2 years working this. Sure the money is good but look out for yourself in a good upstanding way.
Just a tip, if your area has hungry notaries and things are snatched up quickly, is your increase worth losing the opportunity? learn to feel it out with where they are asking you for, if the job is reposted many times you may be able to haggle.
I don’t recommend that anyone take a contract for an extreme low, these companies who offer me 50-60 can keep moving, I wont waste over an hour and my printing for that. You shouldn’t either. Everyone else in this process is still making their money, make yours too.
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I recently took a close look at where most of my mortgage/loan engagements from SS were coming from. I decided that I could cut my service area by 1/3 and have less than a 5% decrease in activity. This reduces my coverage area from 2000+ square miles to about 1400 square miles.
I still cover my full area from two of my SS, my Title Companies, and Law Offices as they’re still paying my full fees.
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Sadly, it is so true.
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Hi. Since gas prices here in Calif are above $6.00/gal, I only accept signings in my town. SS will not pay extra because of gas prices.
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Happened to me several times. One was an error right after i accepted the lower fee - reverse mortgage with over 300 pages x 2 with same payment as regular refi. It was reassigned with a bit of an attitude. Next was a fairly low fee based on what i assumed was the size of the package. It was represented as a completion of an online signing. Figured 3 or 4 notories. Turned out they wanted everything with original signatures. All 150 pages! The first time they would not increase the ridiculously low fee and would reassign to some other poor mook. I kept it, but signers were told it would be 15 minutes. They had another committment so i had to go 2 times and finished at about 11 PM. Also neighbor had to show to witness! Next time after i realized the actual package size, i countered after i had aleady received the doc download. They reassigned less than an hour before the appointment time. Always someone cheaper out there and my area must have a lot of notaries willing to take less.
I now look at the assignment description. If it is a reverse, i counter and rarely get the assignment. If it says " electronic signatures completed", i either counter or call. Always seem to want a full package at 1/2 price.
I sure hope you got paid twice! If I have to do something like that I get paid 100% twice.
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You are correct, however, you guys (SS) don’t have to travel to do your job, you do it from your office, so no increase in your cost of doing business. Our cost of doing business has tripled. @dragonbkm
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I do signings and have a SS. My costs haven’t tripled. Paper/toner same discounted price from staples advantage.
I drive an EV, so no concern with gas.
However, if your costs have tripled, I guess you better cut out the middle man and go direct if you want more business and higher fees IMHO.
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Fyi, that discounted group pricing from staples that was negotiated by LSS is free to the notary community.
https://register.staplesadvantage.com/doRegister?RegFormId=rEiEah
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This is only the beginning of the gas increase.
I’m hearing it’s probably going to increase to $8 a gallon! Excuse me for saying, I think it would be common sense for companies to pay a higher rate to us LSAs knowing the cost of gas.
I live in NJ and tolls increased as well.
Just saying!
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I agree but the SS do not care about gas prices. At least not from what I’m seeing. 
There are quite a few notes taking signings at a loss just to ensure they make some kind of money. I don’t blame the ones that take the low balls since the number of signings have decreased big time. We all gotta eat!
They can eat a negative net loss and continue being foolish at their own expense but don’t drag everyone else with their failure……
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You are very wise. I keep thinking maybe the cheap price notaries will tire of all the time and expense and get out of the business. They could work in fast food or grocery store and make more money after the expenses they pay out. I use to be so busy and suddenly someone is charging cheaper pay. I don’t know that new notaries know they are suppose to bid on the job and they just take the cheap office companies always offer at first.
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And I feel even $5-$10, especially when you’ve performed error free signings for them multiple times in the past, is feasible. Throw us a bone- this would really help buffer our gas costs!!
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Def understand your perspective! 
I have acted in that way by simply apologizing and asking to reassign to another agent in similar situations. When I called, this time, to explain WHY I counteroffered, so that they could understand WHY I believed it was only right for me to ask for higher fee. You must know your worth and value. No, I wouldn’t have done that if I was a new & upcoming LSA, but after 3 yrs of exp and numerous successful closings (and some failed ones too 
), I’d be belittling myself! Why shouldn’t I give them a cost analysis…they give us a cost of analysis of what their fees entails if you read the fine print. Respectfully, I have guidelines, as a business owner, just like they have guidelines as business owners. However, it is an Agent-Client Relationship which we both have roles on each end no matter which end you are on. Also, there has been situations when I had to say “it is what it is” and take the L! Everything will not always work out in our favor, but best advice I could give is to look at what you’ve gain not what you’ve lost. Moreover, I’ve learned to stand up for what I believe in or else I will fall for anything…that’s not a cliché! For me, I live by that…fr!
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The price point that is offered is based on past experience for the SS. They know what they can get for an error free closing and they don’t really care who provides it. If they wanted one specific notary, they would call that notary and bargain with them. They don’t because they know they have ten or more notaries who want the order and they know they are going to get what they offer. If you get a phone call, you should value that, because it seldom happens anymore. I hate to burst balloons but that is how I see it.
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I’m going to be totally honest, I’m new to the Notary Signing Agent business but I have a lot of experience in Sales and in People customer service. I’m actually still in that business just started doing this Part-Time hoping at one point it will be Full-Time. It’s my believe that you have to set where you want to be and it might take longer to get there but eventually those will be the clients, you’ll have. I plan to set a minimum which will be $150, it’s not just the gas, remember the wear and tear on your car. I’m in Miami traffic is horrific and insurance is high due to collisions. I personally take all that into consideration and set a minimum, and those that accept I give 110% of service and assure I have a smooth, quick closing. I add value to my work therefore making my price reasonable. That’s just my opinion. Best of Luck
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So I’m not sure if you’re aware that Stewart Title now owns signature closers. Stewart Title is not the only company doing business on that platform but they do own it. I just saw a signing come through from Stewart Title for $75 for 150 pages with scans. If you are in the state of Oregon and you are signing up for a job at that price, you’re not only hurting yourself but you’re hurting all of us.
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