Is there money to be made in the Bail Bond Business ? ....

Well, I wanted to post this thread to put it out there to the Nay Sayers and Non-Believers.. also this goes out to the new guys that are really interested in the bail bond industry and want to apply their heart and soul into the biz.. (Dont give up your day job !! = This can not be repeated enough .. !! ) Many of us folks here have a supplemental income and the Bail Industry just adds some extra coins to the piggy bank ..

For starters.. not every State / County ..etc .. has the equal amount of business in their operating areas..

I will only speak for my areas of Miami-Dade / Broward / Palm Beach / Monroe County Florida..

The Bail Industry is a very well regulated industry here in FL and it is a long and drawn out process to get a FL Bail Bondsman's License here.. there is a thread or two about becoming a Florida Surety Agent and this thread is not the one that I will discuss how to become one, but to show some of the folks that think "we / I" dont do anything all day long but sit in front of my / our computers ..

Below... I will post todays checks I collected for posting bail in the Miami Dade area only.. the photo does not include the bonds I posted in Broward and the ones I posted after 3pm today .. the 4 checks in the photo were incomes made only from 7am to 3pm ... 3pm until just now on 2/11/13.. will be collected and paid tomorrow to me.. although the execution fees to post bonds from 3pm until now (11:30pm) I will tell you only amounted to $200 more..

It was brought up in a comment made by some person or "wanna be" Fugitive Recovery Team that can go anywhere and do almost anything.... well, if you come on here trying to be something you are not .. your ship will sink rather quickly. We see through fakes very easily .. it is our job .. we do it everyday .. and some have been doing it for so long it doesnt take more than to read a few sentences of ones initial post to know weather or not they are real or completely living in their parents basement running around in their underwear with Tin Foil Hats.. watching re-runs of Dog.... it was stated that if "WE" maybe meaning me ? the "Professionals" are so busy knocking and belittling people on their posts here on this site how do we make money ??.. as they themselves, claim to be so busy making money that they cant be bothered to come on this site .. yet the first post they make was that they were looking to do pick ups for people on the site.. one would think if you are so busy already how do you even have time to ask for more work ? .. but anyways...

Here is todays partial income for 2/11/13 for me .. I didn't post this to brag that I make more than you .. or less than you .. some days are good.. like today was .. and some days / weeks are bad (like $0) .. ya never know when someone is going to get arrested.. and need a bail bond.. also there are so many Bail Bondsman here in my area of Miami .. that it is a cut throat business..the harder you work in this business the more rewards will come to you .. Several people on this site are on my Facebook .. and I am 100% positive that each and everyone of them can say that they see me check into the Dade County Jail to post bonds at least 5 to 10 times a day & night .. among other County's of Florida as well.. some make comments asking .. if I ever sleep .. lol .. cause they see me going from one jail to another non-stop.. I work hard but party harder.. as they see me at happy hour a lot as well checking in on Facebook..

So for the newbies.. study .. read.. learn .. get hooked up with a professional mentor that will teach you the right ways to work in this industry and you will succeed.. it is not an easy business at all .. some areas / states are extremely slow doing bail and recoveries.. and may not need help .. but it doesn't hurt to go and ask.. the worse the owner of the Bail Bond Company may say is "No, they don't need any help at the moment"... don't give up.. be persistant .. and it will pay off..

I hope you all find what you are looking for in this industry .. it is not for everyone .. but for me I ll do it until I dont wanna do it anymore..

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



"Surprise Sex is the Best Thing to Wake up to, UNLESS, You are in Jail... "

Glad you brought this up. First, in my world at least, working on the computer is the most time consuming part of my job. I get tired and I'll go to facebook or FRN to catch a break. I'm up at all hours of the night and I work almost everyday of the week. It's cut throat as hell in NC but not as bad as other states/cities like Miami. As far as making a living, I own my bonding and recovery company. I work like a rented mule damn near all the time. No offense to you Jeff, or anybody else for that matter, but I don't talk about how much I make. I will tell you that I make a comfortable living at what I do and I do this exclusively. I think I know who and what you are referring to and I will tell that person on here, or to his teeth that it's none of his business how much time I spend on facebook or frn. BTW, if you're not using facebook you are missing out on a great way to find your skip and if you don't check frn your not taking advantage of the people's knowledge here. This same person stated that he had asked me "the administrator" to help get him in the verified section. At this point I'll be nice and say the gentleman is mistaken, had he asked me to help him he would have gotten NO as an answer period. If I were this person, I'd come here, stay the hell quiet and read. It's obvious he could use some help and the place to get that is here. You can read posts and get about any answer you need but coming here and acting tough will get you nothing. You see, we deal with tough all the time and we're not intimidated by "Tough". Any way, that's my two cents in the matter, and yes, jeff is always on the go and frankly I have no idea how he does it but then again Jeff is younger than me, so maybe that has something to do with it.

_________________
Bill Williams
Bail Agent
Eagle Bonding Services
Asheville NC 28804
828-777-8667
Lic # NC10013561
Lic # TN 2033018

Never be haughty to the humble
or humble to the haughty - Jefferson Davis

46 is the new 26 ... although when I do wake up if I get some sleep .. I feel like 76 .. ....

I also wont state what I make .. but between the PD pension and the $$ from the Bail Industry and my PI work from some lawyers here and there, and an occasional body guard detail.. I do well also .. the photos of the checks are not a regular occurrence.. but just a reference to show the nay-sayers I can make money when I want to make money .. anyways .. after I posted this Thread... I got called to post yet another bond.. and just got back to the computer.. so now I will try and kick off my boots and brush my teef.. and try and grab some .. any .. a titbit of some shut eye.. until the phone rings for another bail bond... ZZZZZZZZzzzzz.....

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



"Surprise Sex is the Best Thing to Wake up to, UNLESS, You are in Jail... "

Thank you, Jeff for bringing this up. This is one of the questions my wife keeps bringing up as I am making an entrance into the fugitive recovery field. "Is this going to be enough income?"

Firstly, I am not entering the fugitive recovery business for the money. Having said that, if it does pan out to be a substantial source of income... outstanding! I am very motivated and dedicated; two traits I suspect are needed to succeed.

Secondly, I have a nice background in the construction field. I have taken pre-licensure courses for a Builders License and only need to take my exam. With that and my extensive experience in the construction field, I can check a second source of income off of my list. (Great pre-text source too )

And, thank you Bill. It's nice to occasionally get reassurance that this business can pay off with enough hard work and dedication.

_________________
Duanne Silver
Bail Enforcement Agent
Investigator

NSIN# LSH1002

Leo's Bail Bonds
ATU Monitoring & Recovery Service
Lansing, MI
(989) 721-6236
(517) 676-1021

Duanne,

Have your wife support you during the slow or down times. Mine does!

But then we will have a run of 3, 4 or 5 bonds in a row. They are usually in the $20K to $50K range. So in a day or 2, I can gross enough to carry me for a couple months.

So, that is why I have plenty of time to visit FRN, work on NABBI and write bail agent education circuluum for the CBAA.

If a bond is too much trouble or the clients don't have the full premium, I usually pass of it. I could do payment plans but, don't have to.

Bottom line again, have another source of income.

Also, reseach the area you plan on working. If there are plenty of bondsmen there already, you can take a very long time to get established.

Or in the worse case, you resort to cut throat tactics to get some business and end up out of business will quick.

I take very few, if any checks.... all cash.... although I do occasionally take chickens, guns, motorcycles, ice makers, moonshine, lawn mowers, diamond rings, cars, trucks, TV's.... computers, single women between 22 and 35... if they weigh less than 260 and smell fairly good.... dogs, NO cats.... gold fish, movie tickets, I prefer large caliber pistols or rifles or old shotguns, an occasional medium size farm tractor of maybe a nice boat...

I do prefer cash. I once took a deed of trust on some really nice lake front property on a $100K bond... and told the defendant he did not need to go to court.... but he did.... oh well.... also a brand new Ford diesel pickup... also told the defendant to not worry about going to court.... but he did.... oh well....

There is money in this business but you better have a sharp pencil, a really good second job or money in the bank or under the mattress.... and know how to deal with unscrupulous, irresponsible, underhanded, backstabbing, illegal, ugly, unruly, smelly, uneducated, crooked, dangerous, self centered, egotistical, bastards who are your competition... then deal with unscrupulous, irresponsible, underhanded, backstabbing, illegal, ugly, unruly, smelly, uneducated, crooked, dangerous, self centered, egotistical, bastards who make up and are involved in the legal systems that you deal with on a regular basis.... then after that.... you need to learn how to deal with the folks that you are actually bonding.... and after all that.... you will have entered a very rewarding field....

... so, to answer your question... yes, you can make money in the bond business.... but I need to say one other thing that is a bit more serious than the above....

Bondsman (and I am not talking about anyone in particular, no name calling here) as a group, are inclined to tell some rather tall tales.... some good, some bad, some actually true... and as many people will tell you... a lot of them will build themselves up to a level that is meant to impress you... and as said by many.... just remember that old song............. "It Ain't Necessarily So.... "

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Bill the checks you see are not for Premium or 10%... they are my paychecks for just going to the jails to hand the bond into the window for one day.. like I said I am busy sometimes.. and slow alot of other times.. never know one day to the next.. but the 11th was a really good day.. Getting paid in cash for executions?? = I wont confirm or deny that I do.. I ll take the checks to show some Tax write off at the end of the year..

_________________
JEFF P.
Limited Surety Agent (FL) - License # P_2O8124_
Private Investigator (FL) - License # C_27OOO33_
NABBI Member



"Surprise Sex is the Best Thing to Wake up to, UNLESS, You are in Jail... "

Jeff, as I said, my post was not aimed at anyone specifically, but you do understand that bondsmen, as a general group... as relates to most "sales positions"... often paint a much prettier picture than reality would apply.

My specific qualifications on this subject are honed over 50 years of sales experience.... from the bottom of the barrel to business owner and all in between... up and down... which gives me, I believe, a very good perspective. I, as many on this site have done also... climbed that ladder to the top and fallen off to the bottom, numerous times....

Usually, and this is only my observations and opinion... the only people that get ruffled when I post stuff like this... are the ones that fall into the group I am talking about... don't you be concerned, I am not talking about you or anyone specifically... just a blanket message to the newbies to beware stories from those that would "inflate" their successes... and that relates, again, to any business....

New entries, into any business, are often lured by pictures of grandeur, money, power, etc, etc.... and when reality hits them between the eyes... they blame everyone but their own clouded vision of what they just got themselves into......................

I am sure that the old hats on here, have seen newbies come and go... sometimes rather quickly... I can name dozens that have fallen by the wayside... some were big time, for a time..... and now they are but a wisp of smoke.... gone... oh well....



Zero... that statement will apply to any business or endeavor....

THIS IS A VERY REWARDING BUSINESS, BUT ALSO VERY UNFORGIVING AND RUTHLESS IN REALITY.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

I want to chime in for a second for anyone thinking about this as a career. I started due to being laid off and needed work fast to support my kids when the recession first started. A friend of mine said he would help me make a few dollars as a licensed recovery agent. It's very difficult and probably takes more then one attempt and you better have a second source of income if you choose this path until you it becomes successful. There are expenses to keep in mind as this isn't a low cost job. Licenses, insurance, classes, equipment, databases, books, records, marketing and gas are a just a few.

I was not a bondsman but a recovery agent, SCOP and PI. You got what you put in. The more you worked, the more you made. No need to sit and talk about what you accomplished or how good you are or how much you make. If you are successful or you do a good job, others in the industry will know. This is a tough industry and if you aren't able to work on call, travel, or network you are in trouble before you start.

I am no longer doing this because I was offered a chance back into my original career path but I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to get the right advice, and work with good people in this field during the highest point of the recession. This enabled me to put food on the table and a roof over my kids rather then sit and collect a government handout.

Read the forum posts, read lots of books on the industry, take a few online legal courses, offer to work for free as an intern with a veteran a few times (if you are lucky enough to do this - then do it and LISTEN rather then ask questions) learn as much as can before going down this road. You can make a living, but it's very tough in the beginning and you need to be aware of this ahead of time.

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Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.

VA DCJS #99-99238446

good advice

rab2344 I wish you well in your new / old / new venture

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN