Hi, first of all, you should see if that is spam (sorry Robert, I do not know SOT policy and it does certainly not mean anything towards SOT but rather, the company soliciting)

Let me shed some light from the Vendor Management perspective. Having spent time at the some of the largest frms and seeing what they charge for services, I find those prices laughable as well. I have seen as high as $275.00 for search or examination fees charged on Settlement Statements in NJ, with $275.00 being quite normal, on top of a $475.00 settlement fee and $125.00 notary/signing fee as well as a $40.00 Charles Jones (Superior Court Judgment Search). Keep in mind, the companies also collect a title insurance premium as well. Normally, these firms would pay vendors $100-150 for a full search and $75-100 for a signing agent in NJ. They also normally charge for a 28 page mortgage recording fee when the average is 15. In PA where I conduct most of my business, we can't charge a search fee as it is an all inclusive state however, premiums are much higher. Service fees in my mind completely kill the credibility of a company as you are marking up what you pay vendors in order to make a profit. It is almost like stealing from the borrowers. I really hope RESPA can stamp that out. Perhaps if you tell these companies that you know what they make, they will pay you what you deserve. Also, put yourself in the lender/broker's shoes for a second. Borrowers are quite capabale of researching their fees. What do you think happens when they find out they paid for 28 pages of recording when their mortgage was only 14 pages. The borrower never goes back to the lender for their services, and the client never comes back to you. Rightfully so. Just a thought for companies that kill with overages! The greed in this business will be it's downfall, sooner or later. It is truly astounding.

Thanks!

Jason