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Why would he need to charge an additional $25 above and beyond the secretary's normal hourly rate? Doesn't filing paperwork normally fall into the job descriptiton for a secretary? hmmmm...
In my experience, most closing attorney's charge a flat fee for this service.
This fee can vary greatly depending on who you use, but I think it's generally in the ballpark area of a grand. And that's for a no-nonsense smooth as a baby's ass transaction. Any bumps in the process and there will be additional fees.
Always get a quote on any possible additional fee's that may potentially arise.
Why would he need to charge an additional $25 above and beyond the secretary's normal hourly rate? Doesn't filing paperwork normally fall into the job descriptiton for a secretary? hmmmm...
In my experience, most closing attorney's charge a flat fee for this service.
This fee can vary greatly depending on who you use, but I think it's generally in the ballpark area of a grand. And that's for a no-nonsense smooth as a baby's ass transaction. Any bumps in the process and there will be additional fees.
Always get a quote on any possible additional fee's that may potentially arise.
I don't know about you, but I don't pay "extra" for "paperwork", or "additional fees" or whatever you call it.
I don't do what another attorney tells me, in a knee-jerk fashion, just to make him/her feel important.
The thing "was", he knew it was wrong, and he furiously, "back tracked" on it. He knew he was stealing it from me.
I don't care that it was $25 or $1000...it was WRONG...and I caught him on it.
ANYTHING like this, doesn't qualify, for me, as "additional fees", and I don't feel it's fair, for ANYONE to pay AGAIN for someone who is already getting paid to do their job, ALREADY. Let Mr. Show Off Attorney, dig deep in his pocket to give money to HIS secretary.
It's his secretary. AND I DONT CARE "WHAT" she has to do, to put the closing papers together. The secretary is an employee of the attorney, so let him dig deep for it.
I am NOT paying for something, that he is ALREADY paying for, AND BILL THE BANK FOR.
I don't have to impress HIM or her, about ANYTHING.
It's the principle of the thing, and attorney's are "slick" at this "additional fees" thing. It's a cheap trick.
Again, if I was "wrong", he would have made a Big Thing about it...apparently, I wasn't.
The thing I was thinking about it...he can pass his "additional fees" onto the bank, IN HIS BILL TO THEM !
Which he was, likely, going to do anyway...so he double billed the Bank...good for them, BIG DEAL !
$25 for copying.. what about the title company representative's "gratuity"?? I paid it without a word, but of all the fees I paid, that one stuck in my head; I think it was $150?
I just don't understand. First, I don't know if they did a good job, so how do I know they deserve it. Second, it really doesn't matter if they do a good job, because if they didn't I'll just collect on the title insurance. Lastly, I don't like being dictated as to what the "gratuity" amount is.
I suppose it's just one of those "its always been like that" things. In the scope of things it was a small amount, and I didn't want to belittle the title co rep, so I just paid it.
Also, read everything!! The banks attorney was getting impatient and kept saying "that's a standard form", like I believe anything she said. You'll find in there that the bank can come on your property and into your house to inspect pretty much any time they want. Standard form I'm sure, but when I pointed it out everybody seemed surprised. Of course, nothing much you can do about it.
IANYTHING like this, doesn't qualify, for me, as "additional fees", and I don't feel it's fair, for ANYONE to pay AGAIN for someone who is already getting paid to do their job, ALREADY. Let Mr. Show Off Attorney, dig deep in his pocket to give money to HIS secretary.
It's his secretary. AND I DONT CARE "WHAT" she has to do, to put the closing papers together. The secretary is an employee of the attorney, so let him dig deep for it.
What a tacky lowlife of an attorney!
How much you want to bet if you paid the additional $25 he would put it straight into his own pocket and not give the secretary a penny more than her normal salary anyway?
$25 for copying.. what about the title company representative's "gratuity"?? I paid it without a word, but of all the fees I paid, that one stuck in my head; I think it was $150?
I just don't understand. First, I don't know if they did a good job, so how do I know they deserve it. Second, it really doesn't matter if they do a good job, because if they didn't I'll just collect on the title insurance. Lastly, I don't like being dictated as to what the "gratuity" amount is.
I suppose it's just one of those "its always been like that" things. In the scope of things it was a small amount, and I didn't want to belittle the title co rep, so I just paid it.
Yeah that one is a big rip-off. Used to be in the olden, olden days (according to someone I know who has been in real estate a long time) that a crisp $5 bill was given to a title closer.
Now the "gratuity" is no longer an actual gratuity, but forced, and at an exorbitant rate.
Consider how long a title closer spends in a typical closing -- not enough to rate $150 as gravy. It's certainly not hard labor! Also consider that they are getting paid a salary from the title company too. What do you need to know to be a title closer? Nothing much. You can take a cheap and very, very short course at a real estate school to "qualify" for this.
Is this $150 "gratuity" for title closers a LI thing or does it happen everywhere?
$25 for copying.. what about the title company representative's "gratuity"?? I paid it without a word, but of all the fees I paid, that one stuck in my head; I think it was $150?
I just don't understand. First, I don't know if they did a good job, so how do I know they deserve it. Second, it really doesn't matter if they do a good job, because if they didn't I'll just collect on the title insurance. Lastly, I don't like being dictated as to what the "gratuity" amount is.
I suppose it's just one of those "its always been like that" things. In the scope of things it was a small amount, and I didn't want to belittle the title co rep, so I just paid it.
Also, read everything!! The banks attorney was getting impatient and kept saying "that's a standard form", like I believe anything she said. You'll find in there that the bank can come on your property and into your house to inspect pretty much any time they want. Standard form I'm sure, but when I pointed it out everybody seemed surprised. Of course, nothing much you can do about it.
Sounds to me, they KNEW that, they were surprised because you could read the contract and find it ! It's all....ACTING...THEATER !
Well, you are right, there isn't much you can do, because it's "the way" things are done....BUT, it's US who get "it" done to !
During my puff back I respected the contract, AND that the insurance company could, basically, run rough-shod ALL OVER ME...but I told them, I do reserve the right to choose who crosses onto my property line.
On several occasions, in response to rude, and/or destructive Vendors of theirs..who destroyed our property and who were rude to me...I told the insurance company, 1) I withdraw their license to come onto my property, 2) I would call the police and swear out a criminal complaint for tresspassing against the Vendor, "if" they crossed the property line.
And that I was NOT responsible for their safety on my property.
Now the "gratuity" is no longer an actual gratuity, but forced, and at an exorbitant rate.
Is this $150 "gratuity" for title closers a LI thing or does it happen everywhere?
As recently as the early 1990s the customary gratuity here was $75. Now I see it's doubled. Jesse James rides again...
Never having been involved in any closings outside LI, I don't know if it's a regional thing (whether LI, NY metro, downstate NY, or even tri-state) or not. You could try posting a question over on the Mortgage or Real Estate forums and see what answers come in from other areas.
As for the bank's lawyer thing, I would bring a copy of the bank's GFA (Good Faith Estimate of Closing Costs) to the closing table and if something arises that isn't listed specifically as separate from their attorney's fee, ask them why it got snuck in there at the last moment to nickel-and-dime you.
As recently as the early 1990s the customary gratuity here was $75. Now I see it's doubled. Jesse James rides again...
Never having been involved in any closings outside LI, I don't know if it's a regional thing (whether LI, NY metro, downstate NY, or even tri-state) or not. You could try posting a question over on the Mortgage or Real Estate forums and see what answers come in from other areas.
As for the bank's lawyer thing, I would bring a copy of the bank's GFA (Good Faith Estimate of Closing Costs) to the closing table and if something arises that isn't listed specifically as separate from their attorney's fee, ask them why it got snuck in there at the last moment to nickel-and-dime you.
Well, the title co rep did notarize something for us and didn't charge the statutory maximum of $2.. just goes to show: it could always be worse
How come you cannot see all these fees ahead of time, or at least get an idea? What if you do not want to pay the "gratuity"? Or what if you do not agree with the stated amount? I would probably get real POed and run my mouth which is not a good thing I'm sure. Overall, I am sure you don't really have a choice but this all seems like you get it handed to you right at the last moment. I am just curious because I'm clueless with some of this stuff. (which is probably a flag that I am not ready to buy a house )
One fee was not as quoted and was rectified when I pointed it out. There were a lot of fees I had no idea about. If I did it often I probably would have been more outspoken. However, after all the paperwork and finally getting to closing.. you just want to sign everything, get your mortgage before the lender backs out and get the heck outta there!
Basically, the mindset of "I am borrowing X hundreds of thousands of dollars, am I going to risk this deal over $150?" sets in.
Other fees paid:
Credit report fee
Application fee
Processing fee
Underwriting review fee
Attorney's fee
Departmentals (?)
Pat. fee (?)
Recording fee (Suff co)
State tax
Escrow service charge (I didn't even have escrow, go figure)
Courier fee
Alas, I did not pay any fee to have a secretary make copies. I don't think I had any nickels OR dimes left
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