CURRENT HIRING PRACTICES

[Epigonos]

When I first began hiring escorts, five years ago, the hourly rater, in the Los Angeles market, averaged about $200. The average for lunch or dinner and a couple of hours was around $500 All of the guys I began hiring at that time and have continued to hire regularly locked in those rates and that is what I am still paying when I hire them today.

 

Currently the hourly rate, in the L.A. market, with new guys, is looking like something between $300 and $350. The average for lunch or dinner and a couple of hours has moved up to between $700 and $750.

 

I find that I am simply NOT willing to pay those prices and thus I am hiring fewer and fewer NEW guys. I am sticking with the reasonable tried and true escorts I have known for years. Now my question is how many of you other posters find that you are doing the same? I am particularly interested in what you guys, in the major markets, New York, Los Angeles and Florida are doing but all please feel free to chime in.

[+ Lucky]

Epigonos, how many American workers can live on their wages of five years ago? Why should escorts be immune to inflation? Why shouldn't escorts who have become more successful than they were five years ago be allowed to raise their rates?

et cetera et cetera et cetera

[alanalt]

>Epigonos, how many American workers can live on their wages

>of five years ago? Why should escorts be immune to inflation?

>Why shouldn't escorts who have become more successful than

>they were five years ago be allowed to raise their rates?

>et cetera et cetera et cetera

 

Well, Lucky, how many industries do you know where the starting hourly rate is 50% higher than it was five years ago, which is what a jump from $200 to $300 an hour works out to be? And how does 50% over five years compare to an annual rate of inflation that's about 3-3.5% per year?

[alanalt]

>When I first began hiring escorts, five years ago, the hourly

>rater, in the Los Angeles market, averaged about $200. The

>average for lunch or dinner and a couple of hours was around

>$500 All of the guys I began hiring at that time and have

>continued to hire regularly locked in those rates and that is

>what I am still paying when I hire them today.

>

>Currently the hourly rate, in the L.A. market, with new guys,

>is looking like something between $300 and $350. The average

>for lunch or dinner and a couple of hours has moved up to

>between $700 and $750.

>

>I find that I am simply NOT willing to pay those prices and

>thus I am hiring fewer and fewer NEW guys. I am sticking

>with the reasonable tried and true escorts I have known for

>years. Now my question is how many of you other posters find

>that you are doing the same? I am particularly interested in

>what you guys, in the major markets, New York, Los Angeles and

>Florida are doing but all please feel free to chime in.

>

 

Honestly, the $300+ per hour guys don't bother me that much, though I'll drip silent scorn on ads where a guy will say he's trying this (i.e. escorting) out for the first time, while asking a rate of $300+ per hour. I mean why should I shell out $300 for someone to figure out whether they 'like' it, let alone whether they're any good at it?

 

Perhaps this is a phenomenon more prevalent in the bigger markets (i.e. New York, LA) than elsewhere, because while I note that there are a lot more guys charging $300/hr and up, there are still plenty of guys that I'm interested in that charge $200-250 for first-time clients. And until that pool of more inexpensive escorts dries up completely, I'm not going to worry about the guys who want to charge more than I want to pay, whether it's $300 an hour or Brodie Sinclair's $1000! By the time that $300 really does become the new $200 rate, then I think Lucky's points about average wage and inflation increases may actually be valid!

[Guest zipperzone]

I quite agree. If a guy is earning $400 for a two hour session and is being fed a really nice lunch into the bargain, I fail to see what he has to bitch about.

 

And although there will be a chorus of nay sayers, nothing can convince me that his $400 isn't tax free.

 

If his rates have risen to the point that lunch and a blowjob now costs $700 - $800 I'd much rather take myself and a friend to 7 or 8 nice lunches and forget the sex. My right hand still works pretty well last time I checked.

[Guest josephga]

lol zipper I do agree about the tax free.

[Philly Guy]

All the more reason for detailed reviews from credible reviewers. At $300 plus and a nice meal there is no room to gamble.

 

Personally, I agree with Zipper that I might enjoy a good meal with friends than a bad session with an escort.

 

While I seemed harsh with Mark; I stand by my position.

 

I have seen many escorts that I have not reviewed because I felt the session was mediocre though I did get off nicely. While I was less than FULLY satisfied, I realize that chemistry is an important factor and it was just not there. And, these guys were expensive! Would I do it again? NOT

 

As far as where the prices are going; I believe a lot of guys are thinking "what the fuck? I'll run an ad and do 4 calls a week and make $1200" "Better yet, get someone into an overnight for $1500."

 

The number of escorts is rising along with the prices. Clearly, the supply exceeds the demand. It is another anomaly of this economy.

[Bilbo]

Lucky - (And I am saying this before reading the whole thread, so please excuse me if I am echoing anyone else) - I locked in my clients at their rates they started with. Started doing that long ago. But that doesn't mean that I can't raise my rates. New clients pay the new rates. Old clients better remember their rates because I don't always. But they do, since they have been paying them for years! Yay!

[+ Lucky]

Well, I am amused that you guys think an escort cannot raise his prices over a five-year period. I like Bilbo's idea of keeping the rate steady for existing customers, but that leaves us butterflies out in the cold.

 

The bottom line is that if the escort is getting the business at the rate he charges, your complaints will fall on hollow ears. If he is not, watch his rates come down.

 

I think a lot of escorts set high rates because they don't want that many clients, or they are trying to stave off the cheapskates. My guess is that if they see you as a desirable client they will make sure their rate fits your budget.

 

Mr. Epigonos often lauds Scott Adler, who makes no secret of his desire to charge high rates...I wonder if he pays Scott the full rate...

[+ cougar]

>Epigonos, how many American workers can live on their wages

>of five years ago? Why should escorts be immune to inflation?

>Why shouldn't escorts who have become more successful than

>they were five years ago be allowed to raise their rates?

>et cetera et cetera et cetera

 

You do have a point; and my counterpoint is that I am living on less that five years ago!

My salary increases have not kept up with inflation and home insurance and property taxes so my disposible income is probably less now. And my income is taxed, so stories that remind me of how escorts have had to raise their untaxed rates for various and sundry reasons doesn't hold water. However, those escorts that are very well established and there is a very slim chance they will not deliver is in a class by themselves and increased rates have some validity. But these guys that just on a whim decide to become an escort and throw an ad up and charge $250 to $300, have a very slim chance with me. I am not just the type of guy that is willing to take a gamble on this new breed of "professional" escorts. My current hiring practices include a regular I have seen for about three years and I don't hire him as quite often as I used to and massages usually by a CMT here at my home.

[twinkboylover28]

OMG thats just insane. I thought you guys just paid around $200 for a 1-hour fuck session?

 

There's no way in hell I would pay someone hundreds of dollars to eat an expensive gourmet meal which I would be ALSO paying for? NO WAY. Thats freaking insane.

 

What do you guys "get out of" paying an "escort" $200 to eat dinner with you, which you are also paying for their expensive meal?

 

How or why would that turn you on?

 

There are plenty of "regular" good looking guys who will "put out" just for a simple nice dinner and a movie. My God. I hope I never get that old and desperate.

[Epigonos]

?RE: CURRENT HIRING PRACTICES

 

Well as I have been out to the movies this afternoon seeing "The Other Boleyn Girl" (take my advise, on this one,and don't bother) and thus haven't had an opportunity to address some of the issues raised regarding my post.

 

First: I obviously wasn't clear when I remarked that some of the long term escorts I see locked in their rates. By that what I meant to say was that a client continues with the rate he paid when the two began seeing each other. Several of these guys have raised their published rates which they charge new clients. As many of us are aware Scott Adler does not like to have his rates published, announced, or discussed. Suffice it to say that Scott's rates are not that far out of line with what I pay other escorts I have been seeing regularly.

 

Second: I would like to know exactly how many people, around here, other than doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc. make $200 an hour or more? Five years ago $200 an hour was damn good money and as far as I know it still is.

[+ purplekow]

Balloon bursting is the new bumping og ugliest. Who knews?

[Philly Guy]

>There's no way in hell I would pay someone hundreds of dollars

>to eat an expensive gourmet meal which I would be ALSO paying

>for? NO WAY. Thats freaking insane.

>

>What do you guys "get out of" paying an

>"escort" $200 to eat dinner with you, which you are

>also paying for their expensive meal?

>

>How or why would that turn you on?

>

 

There answer is elementary my dear Watson; when you get to write the review you can say "he showed up on time, looked better than his pictures, was a wonderful dinner companion, loved my poetry, ordered the Salmon instead of the New York Strip, declined to order desert because he is watching his 6 pack, the rest will remain between us.

 

AND, I had the pleasure of spending $1000 for the experience

[alanalt]

?RE: CURRENT HIRING PRACTICES

 

>Second: I would like to know exactly how many people, around

>here, other than doctors, lawyers, dentists, etc. make $200 an

>hour or more? Five years ago $200 an hour was damn good money

>and as far as I know it still is.

 

The hourly rate comparison is not at all valid, since on the one hand an escort doesn't have the expenses and overhead (office space/support staff) that the other professions listed above have. But on the other hand, those professions will bill several hours/day (at least) whereas I suspect that most escorts will have to make do with one client a day, with random chance determining whether it's an hourly appointment or a longer one. For many (maybe most?) escorts, I suspect that $200 per day is probably closer to the mark; and while that's still a good living compared to many professions, it's a bit more realistic than assuming $200 (or $300) per hours @30 hours/week...

[Epigonos]

twinkboylover28 it has been my experience that "most" of the escorts with whom I spend time DO NOT charge additionally for the time spent having lunch or dinner. If their fee is $200 or $250 an hour they usually charge $400 to $500 for lunch or dinner and a couple of hour in the sack. I really enjoy cooking so one escort I know and really like, who lives an hour away by car, drives to my place and I cook dinner. We eat and then play around and he NEVER look at the clock. His fee is $500 and honestly I don't find that excessive.

 

Additionally some of us didn't become involved in gay sex until later in life. I, for example, had my first gay sexual experience at age 61. At that age I was perfectly aware that thirty or forty year old studs weren't going to be terribly interested in me physically without being paid. Each of us must decide what we are willing to pay to fulfill our fantasies. Laugh at me, criticize me, or scold me if you will BUT in the end all that counts is that I am having fun, can afford what I'm doing and intend to keep right on doing it regardless what others think.

[mattgunther]

If you have the patience you can find great guys on craigs list (at least in chicago) that are very appreciative of $200/hour. They tend to be younger than the mostly middle aged guys who get reviewed here but they are just as hot. You do have to sort through a lot of flakes but I've met a lot of guys who are in college or pursuing careers.

 

I've heard people say that high hourly rates are reasonable because most escorts only see one client on any given day. But I also hear escorts justify overnight rates (which are often three or four times the hourly rate) by saying that if they were not doing the overnight they could be seeing several clients that night. Clearly the two statements are inconsistent. If most escorts really on see one client a day than the overnight rates are a windfall for them; if they really can see several clients on any night they chose than they are very highly compensated.

 

I think escorts should charge whatever they want. However, I definitely would not hire anyone who charged over $300 and would need a very good reason to hire anyone who charged over $250. In my experience there is no relationship between price and quality.

 

As far as paying someone to have lunch or dinner with you, I guess that's a matter of personal preference. I would much rather spend lunch or dinner with people who enjoy my company. But I can understand why someone might pay an escort to flatter and listen to them over dinner. What I have never been able to understand is why anyone would pay an escort to sleep.

[+ deej]

>BUT in the end all that counts is that I am having fun, can

>affort what I'm doing and intend to keep right on doing it

>regardless what others think.

 

That really is the bottom line.

[+ Hoover42]

Ha, that's nothing. I've been known to pay $200 just to sit next to a hot guy on the couch and watch TV for an hour.

 

I'm happy as long as our legs are touching, otherwise I refuse to bring them back for a repeat.

 

...Hoover

[Lookin]

Same here. $300 if I get the remote.

[Bart]

Well I have noticed rates going up, but where I have actually seen the big increase is in overnight or multi-hour rates. Use to be a guy would charge $200-$225 for first hour and then half the rate for 2nd and third and it finish at about $400-450. Now no discount for second hour or $50 less and $100 less for third so average three hour appt in mid-west is about $550-$600.

 

Why I can understand the 1 hour rate rising, although $200 to $300 for new guys is steep even in coastal cities, I use to be able to book a mid-week, two night affair for $1,300 on avg, I am lucky to get anything for less than $2,000, plus travel (hotel, air and meals) and their own bed with 10-12 hours to themselves for sleep and whatever. Many times the first response is usually $2,400.

 

I recently had talked to a really hot looking guy, but no reviews listed from LA

http://www.rentboy.com/location/getrb.asp?rentboy=83728&Location=49

I asked about my usual mid-week appt, early departure on a Tuesday but back in by 6:30 on a Thursday. It would be a three-way with an unknown friend who was said to look similar. The way it worked out schedule wise they would actually get more than 1/2 day to themselves. They wanted $3,000 a piece plus, since they were both 6'2" he asked for upgrade on seats because economy was not big enough for them. Plus wanted to make sure I was masculine, did not dress weird or look strange in public, you know look GAY or something like that.

 

He was shocked when I said no and would not accept my answer that I was not comfortable with the conversation.

 

So for those who want to see new guys in the reviews, many have priced themselves high so us regulars can not seem to touch. Now I do believe in the market place as far as prices are concerned. If guys are willing to pay for it well then I guess that just means less hiring for me. I will not use Craig's list. The risk of it being used by authorities is just something I do not want to deal with in my personal life.

[MscleLovr]

My thanks to Epigonos for starting a very interesting thread. I live in central London and hire locally as well as when I travel. My experience is similar to Epigonos. I find there is little or no correlation between price and quality of service.

 

I'm attracted to goodlooking guys with muscled bodies who are affectionate and sexually versatile. I'm a top and I won't hire if a guy fails to kiss or wants to give oral to me only when covered by a condom.

 

 

There are many guys working in London now - at a rough count of sites, over 600 - proportionately more than in New York. Among them are many young visitors (especially Brazilians & Argentines) who come here for a while as tourists (not needing visas), and expect to charge lots of money but don't want to provide much service.

 

When I do hire a new guy, which is not that often, I am very explicit in saying that I want to French (deep) kiss and have lots of body contact as well as checking that he will suck me off without a condom. I also mention that as a top, I like to be rimmed and that after topping (with a condom) I like to unload in the guy's mouth. The last two are not deal-breakers, but the first three certainly are.

 

I have found that in being so explicit I weed out the guys who don't really want to work. I've had very good success with young gay Australians and English "straight" guys who need support; I find handsome young Brazilians often have a high opinion of themselves and are rarely willing to please.

 

And I give £100- 120 to the guy usually for visiting me. I mention this as many working guys ask for more; they often quote £120-150 and usually they quote more on their Rentboy adverts than in their gaydar profiles.

 

If I like a guy after an initial session and want to get toknow him better, I arrange alonger hiring, for an evening or overnight. Evening rates generally run at £200-250 but I specify that I want a sex session before and after dinner. Overnight rates are often advertised at £500, but I negotiate discreetly and specify that I want to sleep but receive oral sex to completion as my wake-up call, and I generally pay £250 for an overnight.

[Bilbo]

Thanks, Lucky, but it is probably not very inventive of me. Probably something I read about years ago here and thought was a good idea.

 

I'm glad that someone mentioned that these high numbers are for the guys on the coasts. Here in Houston, these message boards convinced me to raise my newcomer prices last year, when a discussion pointed out that few clients will trust hire an escort who charges less than $150 per hour. I'm still $150 per session instead, usually 1/5 - 2 hours, because you guys aren't the only ones who don't enjoy watching the clock. But my half-Scots somewhat cheap soul is shocked, shocked that even here in Houston so many of the newbies are advertising at $200 - $250 per hour!!

[JT Brooklyn]

My thinking on this has always been....

 

Older Clients more 'Seasoned Veterans' of the Working Guy World, are always being Replaced by Younger Clients who just go with the Rates as they are, when THEY begin hooking up.

 

Would I Stop hanging out with say..Cute-Hunky Chris#3/NYC to hookup with some guy for $300 an Hour..Hell No! But someone "New" to the "World of Working Guys" Probably would see the $300 Rates and go for it! IMHO of couse... ;-)

 

Most Clients Learn Quickly.. That the "Rate" has little to do with how the Experience goes! ;-) ;-) ;-)

[Philly Guy]

>My thinking on this has always been....

>

>Older Clients more 'Seasoned Veterans' of the Working Guy

>World, are always being Replaced by Younger Clients who just

>go with the Rates as they are, when THEY begin hooking up.

>

>Would I Stop hanging out with say..Cute-Hunky Chris#3/NYC to

>hookup with some guy for $300 an Hour..Hell No! But someone

>"New" to the "World of Working Guys"

>Probably would see the $300 Rates and go for it! IMHO of

>couse... ;-)

>

>Most Clients Learn Quickly.. That the "Rate" has

>little to do with how the Experience goes! ;-) ;-) ;-)

 

I've got it JT it's those damn Stock Brokers pushing the rates up in New York