Like many notary signing agents, I do this full time, and am available to do closings 7 days a week. My fee is basically the same, whether the closing is on Monday or the weekend. I'll charge an additional fee for long distance travel expenses, if applicable, but that's the extent of my extra fees. In short, I don't feel the need to 'nickel and dime' my clients for every thing I do.
Apparently not everyone feels this way.
I came across a profile on one of the notary signing agent websites (SigningAgent.com). The signing agent posted a lot of exorbitant fees and extra charges for various services. It's her business. She can charge whatever she wants to charge.
However, one fee that stood out in my mind was the $25 extra that she charges if the closing is on a Sunday. Again, it's her business. She can run it the way she wants to. But I can't understand why the extra charge for a Sunday closing. Granted, a lot of businesses pay their employees extra for working overtime, weekends, and holidays.
But we are not employees. We are independent contractors. But moreover, we are in the business of serving people, and doing our best to accomodate them. And we don't charge extra if a closing happens to conflict with what we would like to do, or if we have to stay out past our normal bedtime.
Suppose the closing is scheduled for Saturday, and the borrower has an unforeseen emergency and asks the lender if it can be done on Sunday? Should the signing agent go back to the company that hired her and demand an additional $25 dollars? I don't think so.
Perhaps Sunday is the only day the borrowers can sign their loan documents. I just think it sends the wrong message when signing agents feel they should receive extra compensation ... because the closing is on a Sunday.
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