Recently I was offered $60 for a Seller signing that is over an hour round trip. I countered more than double and my offer was accepted. A Seller signing generally has a light number of pages, but at that distance I needed more to compensate for fuel and wear and tear on my vehicle. Sometimes I wonder why the offered fee is so crazy low. When my fee was approved, I couldn’t help but think that the signing service could have offered that amount in the first place instead of making a phone call to negotiate a fair rate. It seems like more work to me.
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They ALWAYS start low to EVERYONE on the apps & platforms…hoping to find an idiot right out of the gate, I guess. If they don’t, then they actually have to WORK.
And you are right…and it isn’t just the actual expenses…it takes more of your TIME (is money).
Posting the following just to make my point that higher fees are possible (and also just how awful platforms can be):
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SS/Platform offer 4 hrs before Appt.–$70, Seller Pkg.w/Scan–Counter $100 in 2 hrs. It’s a 7 minute drive so I can squeeze it in.
1/2 hr. later, SS agrees to $100, but no time change–I say No, scheduling conflict.
2 hrs. before Appt., SS offers $125–No takers.
1 1/2 hrs. before Appt., SS offers $150. MORE THAN TWICE ORIGINAL OFFER! -
SS/Platform mid afternoon offer $50, 10 pages, same day/open time. It’s a 2 hr. drive, so NO. 1/2 hr. later, offer is up to $80. 1/2 hr. later–$100. Another 1/2 hr. later–$125. AGAIN–MORE THAN TWICE ORIGINAL OFFER!
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Yes they are. Same dilemma
You know its really nice you call people idiots.
I calls 'em as I sees 'em. What would your preferred word be for a person who provides a service at cost or a loss while believing they are a profitable business? The IRS will call your business a hobby when you can’t show a profit…and disallow all deductions.
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Its none of our business what other people accept.
@earl226 Earl, what you don’t seem to understand is that every notary who takes those lowball fees is, possibly, taking work away from you. They are discounting the entire industry to the detriment of all those other notaries who do this full time and it is their living. No, it’s not MY business what YOU charge, but if you’re charging less than me you’re getting the job and I am not.
Maybe this is just a “hobby” for you - some pin money for golf or bowling or whatever, but Arichter is right when she says if you don’t show a profit every year “The IRS will call your business a hobby when you can’t show a profit…and disallow all deductions.” - and I’ll add here that not only will they do that, they will audit you, go back through previous returns (I’ve heard 5 years) and you’ll be responsible for tax, interest and penalties,
We don’t say it to put people down (mostly) - but this is no joke. If you have a business you better be able to turn a profit…or else.
JMO
I really have to disagree with you. It’s everybody’s business to help newbies turn a profit,
Most of them have spent a lot of money to do this JOB as self-employed business owners.
The hard reality of this business is that most, if not ALL, of the people promoting this to newbs ARE also the same people hiring NSAs. It’s to their benefit to convince us to work for less for the simple reason that it puts way more money in their pocket. You’ve been here long enough to know this is true.
A more simple reality is that IF we all priced for profit, we’d all make a profit…because, odds are, that the closest person to a signing location will be less expensive than anyone more distant. By pricing for profit, we’d pretty well sort ourselves out by ‘Fee, less cost/time involved = profit’. Surely you can see the logic of this.
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I won’t answer Linda or you, most of my customer and business is refis pay me $100 up. But I don’t knock someone trying to get experience.
I agree with earl226.
I had the same thing happen and negotiated much higher fee. My experience, time, drive is worth paying me more.
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I concur!!! 
Sometimes I’m not sure how some on this platform deal with information that is posted. At times, some seem a little snarky! As a rule, I do not accept assignments from platforms that are chump change and below a certain threshold I have set for my business. I have but only in cases where I thought it would benefit my business in a profitable way. I know fees are structured by the individual who runs their business. I own a mobile notary agency in the Southern California area and I’m obviously an NSA. I work mostly within beach communities and some surrounding inland cities. When I started the journey, I set a goal of four $250 assignments per week regardless of what they type they were. I had refied our home several years ago and I wanted to see what our notary charged, and it was $250 so I used that as reference. I’m one year into this and I’m not even halfway to achieving my goal of four and I’m still quite pleased with my progress. I’ve generally have been charging $250 for a straight buyer package with two signers. Often, I don’t have to print, scan back or FedEx. I just complete the transaction and drop the docs at the appropriate escrow office. I’m mobile and I often travel less than 10 miles round trip to complete an assignment. I’m fortunate I don’t have to drive on dirt roads and in unsafe areas. This is more of the norm than not. I created these relationships the old-fashioned way by marketing and networking. It works, I tell you, it really works!! When I started The Signing Resource a year ago, and to this day, I hit up as many targeted escrow offices as possible. To market my business, I only drop off mouse pads with a calendar and my info printed and of course business cards. It seems to be working. I also see a group of 3-5 escrow companies or real estate companies (they have multiple offices) 3 x’s a year during the holidays to drop off bribery candy! When I first started, I would introduce myself in person to an escrow officer and the first serious question would be what the fee is, I tell them it’s generally $250 maybe higher in certain cases. I have only had one balk at it, and they came around very quickly after I asked what part of my expertise, they would like me to give up, they thought for a second and $250 became reasonable. I’ve had several assignments from them since and they referred me to additional assignments. I know this may sound cocky and maybe it is. I stand my ground as a business owner and there is value in everything I’ve invested in this business. And to think all this in order for me to serve my community as a Notary Public…damn it…lol!!! 
Happy Signings…kk
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@kevin2 all due respect to your marketing and business model - BUT if I had set a firm fee of $250 per signing, I’d never have worked. As it was I set $125 for full loan packages, $100 for Sellers (didn’t do a lot of HELOCs ) and there was a significant downturn in business - including local escrow officers becoming notaries themselves and doing their own closings.
Again, it’s location, location, location. This is where you have an advantage - " I own a mobile notary agency in the Southern California area and I’m obviously an NSA. I work mostly within beach communities and some surrounding inland cities." - we are not all this lucky.
Respectfully, JMO
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Can I ask where you got your calendar from?
What is a RAD notary, may I ask?
Hi Linda- Yes, I thought about all of the reasons I could fail at this, and I couldn’t find one reason that I shouldn’t start a notary business. Yes, there are a lot of notaries in this saturated area. I try to stand out a little bit from the others. I do know there is someone better than I am or that will charge less but that is the beauty of competition. The ones that cheap out for whatever reason will eventually drop out and I will still be here completing assignments for what we as efficient, effective and reliable notaries no are really worth. Just look at the silly numbers attached to what we do and what we are responsible for and what most of notaries get paid, it sucks! And I think the requirements need to be tighter to enter this field. That’s another discussion. 
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It’s a moniker I wanted to use for my business so I might be remembered or to have someone ask me what it is! RAD is Reliable, Accurate, and Discrete Thank you for asking!
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