I don 't agree. I’m not going to go along with group think. JMO.
If we run all signing services out of business because some are greedy then we could all go broke ourselves.
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I don’t believe that is how we’re looked at. We’re just looked at as a group of people who can be exploited due to our lack of self-esteem or true lack of value in the overall picture. We’re certainly not looked at as wanting to do a “public service”.
@earl226 Why do you say that Earl? If there’s no middleman, it forces title to go direct to the notary in scheduling their closings. It would just take some time and take some extra marketing on the notaries’ part to get their name to the title companies - kind of like I had to did when I started in 2006.
$1700 for a POA is insane. That’s like someone’s rent or mortgage payment. I signed up for this site StampSpot recently and have gotten a few jobs there from title companies looking for notaries out of state. Their whole website claims to eliminate the middle-man, no signing services so title companies can find you directly. We need more of this as these signing services are getting out of control.
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I hear very little positive things said about signing services. You missed my point but that’s ok.
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I’m sorry, Earl, I guess I did miss your point. I guess you’re saying without signing services notaries won’t get work? If so, that’s debatable. Notaries would just have to work a bit harder to establish good relationships with title companies and work direct.
Signing Services and platforms have run the notary signing agents basically out of business…and once RON catches on across the country you can bet standard notarizations will be a thing of the past.
There will always be consumers who refuse to do things via RON, I sign with a lot of them. I’m not convinced it’s the new big thing, especially after the do a zoom with me so I can steal your biometrics and be you scams.
Why do you think signing services and platforms are running anyone out of business? That’s sort of odd, I get business from up to a dozen different platforms every month. Signing Agents simply have to stop working for fees that don’t pay the bills.
I have a lot of title companies that tell the signing service they are contracted with to hire this notary. Few have the time to call me directly. Maybe local offices can give you direct business, but busy national title companies have too many moving parts. Escrow officers have favorite notaries who are requested. I doubt standard notarizations will become a thing of the past, myself.
I happened to research attorney states (like Georgia) regarding mortgage transactions and interestingly, they do more than “get on a call for 2 minutes”. They actually prepare/reviews the docs, performs the title search, issues title insurance, handles the disbursement of funds through an attorney trust/escrow account, answers legal questions for the borrower during the signing. I just touched on the subject…lots more attorneys actually do than just answer questions over the phone or at the signing.
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Good to know…makes me feel better 
People often say, “There will always be consumers who refuse to use Remote Online Notarization (RON).” While that may be true today, that mindset is becoming less common as more people embrace online services in every part of their lives.
Consumers increasingly value convenience. They want to complete transactions on their own schedule rather than wait for a stranger to come to their home for a notarization. As technology becomes more familiar, confidence in remote services continues to grow.
Another common argument is that some lenders still refuse RON. That is true in certain situations, but it also raises an important question: how much does fraud from traditional paper notarizations cost lenders each year?
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I don’t see myself using RON. I like convenience like the next person. However, I’m also semi-retired with not a lot to do so a trip to the AAA office to get my doc notarized is a real treat, as is going to Costco or Sam’s Club. That’s about as much fun as I get these days.
Let me add to your awakening. They are charging them more using the cost of high gas prices, but they are not giving the Notary the additional pay, they are keeping it for themselves. Notaries need to stand up together and push back because this is definitely unfair practices committed by the Signing Agents. I for one do not tolerate low balling agencies. If i receive docs in at a large amount i request at least additional $35.00 Yes you will get less work because Signing Agents are all ways looking for someone who is desperate or in experienced. Eventually they will burn out and will have to result back to the experienced Notaries. please family stop accepting these low balling fees. if it comes in at 45 request $85 if it come in at $85 request $125
Do you guys realize that almost all the signing service owners and employees/schedulers were once signing agents too? Most of them will tell you they took that path because they were unable to generate enough income as signing agents. They know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re going to ride the current wave till the state legislatures finally step in.
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That is against the law. We are independent contractors not employes. So it were possible it would be price fixing.;
I agree with Earl on this one; we are independent contractors and we can’t unionize. And really, why would we? The last thing we need is another layer of wiseguys between us and the signers. Don’t you guys understand that the notary fee that the signers pay has been unchanged for decades and averages about $250? For example; signing services are the restaurants and the notaries are now working for TIPS. The prior business model that made operating a signing service profitable is collapsing, and without escrow raising the notary fees that the signers pay nationwide, then the only way signing services can continue to be profitable is by lowering compensation to the loan signing agents/workers. I think we’re at our crossroads right now, mainly caused by these online actors, convincing non-notaries who are obviously struggling to commit to the small business that’s entirely unprofitable at the current rate, and it’s not gonna get better as long as the compensation is less and less.
You hear very few positive things said about signing services because everyone focuses on how much we are paid, and signing services typically take half or more of the fee from the title company. Either that, or they take signings at dirt-low prices from the title companies just to get the business. Some signing services claim to only get $125 for a refinance package. If that’s the case, how much do you think they’re going to pay the notary?
@Executivenotarysolutions 
Understood
Excellent Topic for discussion.
@Executivenotarysolutions 
Excellent point!
Of course, that item that isn’t within the scope of our purview nor influence.
In my direct experience, I’ve only witnessed a few Signing Services [SSs] that charge predatory/exorbitant level fees . . .
Those SSs were ‘showcased’ regarding their predatory/exorbitant level fees on various forums when they initially entered this business sector.
I made note at that point in time of their business practices & chose to NOT ACCEPT Signing Orders [SOs] from them (due to the predatory/exorbitant level fees they charge their clients).
Many other Professional Signing Agents [PSAs] also made note at the time that they wouldn’t accept their SOs either for that same reason.
The Bottom Line: Caveat Emptor (for their client) as most do ‘shop’ the pricing available before contracting for the service.
.
The market will make the final determination of whether those few SSs with predatory/exorbitant level fees will thrive (or not).
I’ve actually had a service tell me they have to get a fee approved when I counter offer. I find it’s services not in this state who know absolutely nothing about Eastern WA who think 60 miles is local and no problem for a $70 fee. To which I always respond with a counter offer. I’ve even had a title company say I can only pay you $80. And I’ll say it’s a 90 minute drive one way I can’t do that for less than x dollars. It might take two hours for them to get back with me. And sometimes when they do that time slot is filled.
I’ve also been paid $150 when a service might get paid less than that. I’m not around when the title company has to get a new closing disclosure signed by a borrower because they definitely change the number on their costs. Notaries just need to understand what their fees have to be and stick to it. July has been much slower than June but I have still refused to take the low offers just to work. When you get to that point you have a chance of survival. Just hold the line.
