I don't have many memories of my childhood.  I don't know why.  I do have some very strong memories. (If there are some psychologist/realtors/lenders out there, I would probably make a great case study!)

One of the strongest memories I have is a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida when I was about 11.  This was a family trip taken when my mom was in remission from Colon Cancer.  It was a big deal, we stayed at The Contemporary Resort, the one the monorail runs right through.  There were lots of rides and treats, and tons of sun.  My poor mom (a very proper lady) even almost lost her lunch in one of Disney's trash can's after having been talked into riding the Apple Turnover with us. 

The ride I remember most, even more than one of the coolest rides of all time, Space Mountain (a roller coaster in the dark) was the "It's a small world" ride.  We waited and waited and waited in a line that snaked around outside.  We excitedly entered the building thinking we were close, only to wait and wait and wait again in a line that snaked inside.  It was finally our turn to board the boats that would take us on the much anticipated ride.  We just knew that it would be so worth the wait.  Well, it wasn't.  The boat slowly rode along a river with murals, and dolls, and sculptures from all around the world while the song "It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all. It's a small, small world" played over and over and over again.

I have been reminded how small the world really is quite a bit lately.  I was in my office the other day when a sales rep stopped by.  Steve sells wholesale cabinets and was hoping to meet with one of our Realtor partners.  We talked a bit, and since I am looking to remodel my kitchen I gave Steve my card so that he could contact me about setting up a time to see my house.  Always on the look out for referrals, as I handed him my card I said "By the way, if you happen to know anyone who may need some help purchasing or refinancing, we would love to help."  He said he couldn't think of anyone at the moment but his Aunt is a realtor in Carroll County, MD and he would be happy to give her my information.  I asked her name.  It turned out his aunt is Carol Fertitta of Lederer and Company.  I had met Carol at an open house about 6 months ago.  We had just closed a loan for one of her buyer's the day before, and I had just gotten off the phone with her minutes before Steve walked in.  Small world.

It get's smaller.  Carol is sponsoring an open house event in the Elmwood neighborhood of Parkville, MD on November 15th from 2-4.  She has invited all eight of the houses for sale in that area to hold an open house on the same day.  There will be prizes and discounts and a wide variety of homes for sale.

I am working with Carol to help to market this event, and will be there to offer information and mortgage pre-qualifications.  I contacted the realtors who are to be a part of the event and had a lovely conversation with one agent in particular, Laura Christensen of Homes by Riley.  We talked about business philosophy, but we also spoke about our lives. It turns out that Laura currently lives in northern Baltimore County.  She grew up in Catonsville (which is where I live now). Her kids went to the same pre-school my daughter attends.  Her kids now attend the school where my nephews attend.  Small world.  It gets smaller.  After Laura and I got off the phone I sent her an email about the event and a great co-marketing program we sponsor.  She later emailed back to say that my nephew and her son had plans to trick or treat together the following night.

It's a small world after all!  I wonder where the next connection will be! 

Oooh, this is a little wierd, but just as I was finishing this post Jimmy Fallon told an "It's a small world" ride joke on Late Night.  It is a small world!!

After reading a post entitled "The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow (on the Mortgage Industry)" by Melissa Breeland, it made me think about my time in the mortgage business.  You see, I started in the mortgage processing end of this business at the height of the refinance boom.  We worked crazy hours and worked really hard.  There were lots of frustrations, but we knew that if we followed the guidelines, loans would close and we would make a lot of people happy.

Times have changed.  Guidelines change almost daily.  Lenders don't follow the guidelines and add requirements at the last minute.  The "power's that be" are adding busy work and convoluted, poorly executed laws and guidelines to make sure that it's even harder for a good borrower to get a loan, much less a quality appraisal on that home. Even when a loan is closed, until the funds are in, it may not really be done.

Last week, I was re-closing a loan for a buyer who had completed a remote closing in Hawaii for the purchase of a property in Maryland.  I had been working with these folks since October of 2008 when they first learned they were to be transferred to Maryland.  The lender was the now defunct Taylor, Bean, Whitaker. The loan closed, but did not fund.  It was a call I didn't want to make to any of the parties involved, but as they say, I swallowed the frog and made the call.  Everyone involved asked that we just get the loan re-closed as soon as possible.  We started over and the new lender's underwriter was not terribly efficient (she says with a great deal of charity) adding more angst to an already frustrating situation. 

My husband didn't like to see me take so many things that were not in my control to heart and didn't want to see me getting so stressed. He even suggested that if I wanted to, I could quit my job.

Well, that loan did close, for better terms for the buyer, in the tight time frame that was put in place, the day they arrived in Maryland.  I was able to sit across from that couple, holding their 6 week old for them while they signed their new loan package. They thanked me over and over again.  The realtors and the seller appreciated my professionalism and hard work and will probably refer more business to me.

The satisfaction of making it work are worth the stress, even in these uncertain and frustrating times!  The sun WILL come up tomorrow, sellers will still sell and buyers will still buy.  Loans will still close!

Sorry honey, thanks for the offer, but I love this crazy, ever-changing, frustrating, stressful, wonderful business!

FREE HOMEBUYER SEMINAR

"How to Purchase and Finance Your First Home"

A community service sponsored by Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp and REMAX Classic

 Come learn the five most important things you must know before you buy and finance your first home.  This free, no obligation seminar will help answer your questions and get you started off right!  With interest rates low and hundreds of affordably priced homes on the market, and up to an $8,000 tax credit for anyone who has not owned a home in the last three years, NOW is the time to BUY!!

 "How to Purchase and Finance Your First Home"

Baltimore County Public Library Arbutus Branch

1581 Sulphur Spring Road Ste 105  Arbutus, MD 21227

Saturday May 30^th           9:30 AM-11:30 AM

Reservations Required           Call Bridget McGee at 410-960-2061 or email bmcgee@alliedhomenet.com

FREE credit report just for attending!!

FREE REPORT on GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS!

WWW.mymdhomeloan.com

Wow! I got a frantic call from one of my buyers at 8:45 AM on Easter Saturday (April 11th). "Bridget, I hate to bother you on a Saturday but I need a new pre-qual letter today.  We had the water turned on (in the bank-owned home) and the pipes burst through the walls!  I am not buying that money pit, but I still need to move in to a home in the area by May 1st.  We are making an offer today on another home."

I was at the beach (down de ocean, hon) with my family.  I grabbed my lap top, called his realtor for the particulars and proceeded to write a new prequal.  I had it sent to both agents in about an hour (darn hotel connections).  I got a call from the seller's agent asking..."Do you think it is pushing it for a May 1st closing date."  "Yes", I said, "but I work with some fantastic folks who will help me to do every thing in our power to get it done on time."  Needless to say, the contract was accepted, we got the ratified contract on Tuesday. (There was a contingent offer with a 24 hour kick out).

We had a clear to close LAST Thursday, docs out to the title company on Wednesday afternoon (2 days ahead of closing) and we settle at 10 AM on Friday morning.  I was able to lock the conventional loan at 4.875, with no points with a credit to the buyer for both the appraisal and the credit report.

I am so happy to have the partners that I do that help to make me look good.  The only way it worked out this way is that the lender, Aegis Title Group, Eastern appraisals, both realtors and the buyers and sellers all cooperated with me to make it happen. I LOVE it when a plan comes together!

This is a crazy lending environment with banks being overwhelmed by both purchase and refinanance business.  Make sure you have a loan officer who knows where to go and who to work with to get you to the table on time, and at a better rate and cheaper fees than originally quoted!

I LOVE MY JOB!

Hello there,

Do you know someone who got knocked out in the meltdown?  Someone who was great at mortgages but their company didn't make it?  Do you have a part time processor that wants to work full time (They can supplement your work with ours!) My brother and I are looking to hire someone with mortgage experience (preferred) who can help us to streamline our processes, assist with processing and marketing and possibly do some originating with provided leads.

If you know someone in the Baltimore area looking for part time (growing to full time possibly) work, please have them contact me at 410-960-2061.  Our office is on Dundalk Avenue, at the city/county line.  Easy commute from just about anywhere.  Hours are VERY flexible, some work can be done from home.

We are not a fancy office, but we take good care of our clients and our business partners. We are looking for someone who is ethical, flexible, easy-going and hardworking!

Call today!

Social Networking that is....OK, I am on Facebook, Active Rain, Twitter, LinkedIn...I am a mom, a wife, and a Maryland loan officer/real estate marketing assistant.  I get over 150 emails a day and I review my brother's (our branch manager) over 300 emails to ensure he doesn't miss an important email.

I am up late and up early. How in the world do you find the time, in the midst of all the networking to actually have a life, much less actually get some work done?

My plan this morning when I woke at 6:00 was to workout, then start working on my list of TO DO's.  I made the mistake of working on that list in front of the computer where my husband had left his facebook profile open.  

"Well, just a minute to see what's happened since 10 PM!"

"Now that I have seen his page, let me just take a minute to check mine...."

"Oooh, might as well check the AR blogs for a sec...Marty Garaughty "There's a Nipple In My Coffee"???? Hmm, that sounds interesting.  Oooh, look there's a link to a cute Follow Me on Twitter sign, wonder how he did that? Ok, I should put that in my blog profile....Well, while I am here, I should write a post about not getting any work done...links not working, try again...still not working, try again....still not working try again...Holy *(#)$@  It's 7:15, where the heck did the time go"

MOMMMYY!

Guess I will work out later.

HELPP!!