Today I've learned that I will not accept no signing under $125

if you want the full fee market to the title company. cut out the middle man. it’s that simple.

4 Likes

I did have one signing where the all caps special instructions were to scan a certain doc at the table (pic with phone) and send before leaving.

Of course, once I got there I FORGOT, but was home in 15 minutes and provided the full scan.

whaaaa… what model printer do you have ? I have hp and max I get is 7500 pages for laser ink that cost 175$?

I have a Brother 5200 DTW that I love. I really don’t keep track of how many pages I can print from a single toner cartridge but it’s a lot. Replacement cartridges are $108 at Staples.

1 Like

Thank you for that useful information

Excellent advice, @BluePenNotary - thank you! I’m recognizing and appreciating this key advice, more and more. Thank you!

Excellent advice @splendidsignatures .
In order to move to a direct model (and to your point, thus cut out the middle-man), how would you recommend ‘pitching’ to TiCos directly? I’m finding, especially the last two years given Cov-19, TiCos (at least in my region / state), are very bear-ish to meet. I’ve received rejections to meet; they site that they are ‘not taking on any new notary service providers at this time.’

Thoughts? Advice?

Advance thanks!

What? Signing agents on mortgage closings are $ 125- $150. The $ 10 fee per notarized pages aren’t really the price you get paid.

Well I find I spend 2 hours prep time. 30 minutes drive each way. 1 hr -1 1/2 hr in appointment. 2 hours for scanning. 20 trip to ship. I always plan on 7 hrs. to do one signing and I charge $ 150 per signing.

I buy my ink for printer at ink technologies on the internet for $50 that is I think for abut 7,000 pages. But I really feel the black is not as dark as I want and I have the printer set on darkest. Any ideas how I can get darker ink?

@byrainbow I I realize that. If you read the whole thread I believe I responded to how to base fees, to which I said I begin by assuming 6 notarizations per package, which would equate to $60 here in Florida, then add in time travel time at the table review shipping etc etc.

If you read this forum I have stated previously time and again that my fees ranged anywhere from $125 to $150, sometimes more depending on the distance and type of loan.

I hope this clarifies my post for you.

2 Likes

OKAY GOOD ! One more question. Is anyone finding this month of February is really slow? Usually I am really busy and last month was only 4 appointments and this month so far only 1. I was looking to see what was wrong in my profiles in NNA and just looked here too. So I am guessing it is slow maybe for everyone?

Thanks for confirming what I’ve always suspected.
Cracked me up with ‘too much blood in my caffeine stream’. I salute & appreciate you…know your job isn’t as easy as we portray it. (I don’t think I’d make 2 days without having a nervous breakdown.)

3 Likes

Thanks for a brief snapshot of what it’s like to own your own SS! I thought about it and decided against it. At my age I don’t need to be in adult sitting business. Don’t need extra job duties. I would like to sleep in peace at night without thinking about notaries working under me or 1099 forms for IRS, etc.

2 Likes

That makes sense for the time you spend. I’m just curious though. Why does it take you so long to prep and scan? That’s 3 hours alone if I read your post correctly. I only ask because it takes me 45 -1hr min max to prep and 10 min to scan. What are you doing in the 2 hours? I’m not criticizing your process I’m just asking for clarification.

Yeah, inquiring minds want to know!! Like donaldsonnp said in her response, why deos it take so long for you to prep and scan? Once you get the hang of it, it takes 45 min. or less to prep. Scan should take about 10-15 minutes if you have decent equipment and you follow a routine method.

“2 hours prep time”

and

“2 hours for scanning.”

Prep time should be tops an hour; 2 hours for scanning?? IMO you need to upgrade some equipment there…

It should never take you 7 hours for one closing/signing - unless you’re signing multiple loans at one time…but a single assignment? No way. Something’s wrong here - you have a lot of lost time going on there.

JMO

1 Like

I don’t think there’s any problem for spending more time printing, prepping, and studying your documents! 2 hours or not. Take as long as you want! :grin:

Well, for me I need about 2-3 hrs to print, sort, prep for 7-10 loans in one sitting. If only one loan takes me 7-15 minutes from the time I turn on my computer to printing and prepping, but I have multiple printers. I just click print to both machines if 2 sets required. I rarely take scanning but if I do, it will take me about 20 minutes to scan, review, compress and upload on their secured portal or send via secure email.

It isn’t 2 hours to print but it is 2 hours to print and prep. I usually have 150 to 176 pages for refinance and I use sticky markers on each place the persons have to sign and date. Many times there are newer pages that I haven’t seen before so first read all the instructions and then go through each page knowing what it says and talking about. I can do it much faster if I just flip the pages and put the sticky markers where they sign. But I check the names in the body for spelling errors and dates. Many times I find errors that need to be corrected and let the Title Company know about it. I always plan on 2 hrs. and sometimes do get through it a little faster. How do you use your prep time. Maybe there is an easier way for me to get through it.

You are correct in the time spent and it takes me time to prep and scan. BUT I HAVE A NEW QUESTION. It has been really busy this last year and the last 3 months has been really slow here. Did you find it slow also? I was wondering if it is because there are new notaries under bidding their fee. I have been a signing agent for 12 yrs. and never saw it as slow. The interest rate had inched up a bit but I didn’t think it would affect the refinance market that much. I have been seeing persons signing on over 4% and some tell me they pay the same interest on their present loan as what they got, but they wanted money out of their equity. How do you see the market right now or in the last 3 months?