mortgages: Saving A Nickel May Have Cost You A Dime - 06/12/07 07:31 PM
This cartoon by Wiley applies to mortgages in 2007 like it did to stock trading in 1999.
The least expensive mortgage options aren't always the least costly. A quick look at the Sunday paper's Foreclosure Notice section can verify that.
The right loan at a fair price saves far money money than … (4 comments)
|
mortgages: Wealthy Americans Are 25% More Likely To Hold Mortgage Debt - 06/04/07 09:57 PM
Interesting fact of the day: 55.5% of "wealthy" Americans have mortgages on their primary homes vs. 44.6% of the overall population.
This doesn't mean that the wealthy are more indebted than the rest of us; it means that the wealthy are maximizing the tax deductions that the IRS makes available … (5 comments)
|
mortgages: Type A vs Type B: Buyers versus Browsers - 05/21/07 08:00 AM
Type A: A tendency towards tenseness, impatience, and aggressiveness.
Type B: A tendency towards a relaxed manner, patience, and friendliness.
Both of these personality types have their merits, and both tendencies exist in all of us to some degree. But when it comes to homebuyers, Type As are the ones you want to … (2 comments)
|
mortgages: Tap Into Google Local: Your Personal Chamber Of Commerce - 05/01/07 06:02 AM
The Internet has revolutionized the way we live in countless ways. We are able to access news as it's happening, email friends and relatives all over the world, and purchase anything from cars to vacation packages with a few clicks of the mouse.
What's ironic is that we frequently neglect to use … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Learn from Your Success: Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses - 05/01/07 05:55 AM
Our culture teaches us to focus on our weaknesses and then improve upon them. While practice is critical to improvement in some areas, author Benson Smith of the Gallup Organization believes it is more important to focus on your strengths. By turning your strengths into super-strengths, your valuable time can be … (8 comments)
|
mortgages: Increasing Your Hourly Rate of Pay - 04/30/07 07:52 AM
Each and every one of us works on an hourly rate of pay. What we get paid by the hour has a direct correlation with what we choose to do with our time, and how we make use of the employees and systems we surround ourselves with in our daily work … (1 comments)
|
mortgages: How Purchase Loans Are Made: A Step−By−Step Walkthrough - 04/29/07 05:50 PM
1. Pre-qualification - Lenders are encouraging buyers to get pre-qualified for a mortgage so they'll know in advance how much house they can afford.
2. Loan Search - Although buyers often use a lender recommended by their Real Estate agent, some prefer to do their own comparisons.
3. The Hunt - The buyer … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: ON−Time: Take Time Out for Planning - 04/29/07 08:20 AM
Have you ever had days, weeks, or even months go by when you were frustrated in your work activities because you failed to implement the things that you know you need to do in order to be more successful? Perhaps you've taken pages and pages of great notes at seminars on … (1 comments)
|
mortgages: An Inverted Yield Curve: What It Means to Mortgage Rates & Programs - 04/28/07 07:34 AM
The U.S. economy, interest rates, and the housing market are frequent topics on the nightly news. Viewers are told about leading economic indicators, how the stock market has performed, and whether the Federal Reserve is planning on changing interest rates. What isn't explained is how these items are interrelated and how … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Marketing to the Better Half- Don't Leave Spouses Out of the Equation - 04/28/07 07:27 AM
Marketing guru Faith Popcorn, who is considered a trend expert, posed this insightful question to an audience in San Francisco back in 1999: "Since men and women are obviously different, why do we continue to market to them in the same way?"
Let's take Faith's concept a step further: When meeting with … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Strategic Financing: The Solution to Today's Changing Market - 04/27/07 07:35 AM
Interpreting one of the main challenges of today's mortgage market isn't as difficult as it might seem. With interest rates on the rise, a lot of consumers are extremely troubled by the negative effects of increasing interest rates on their Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Each month, they are forced to watch hopelessly … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Trapped in Telephone Purgatory? Use These Short Cuts & Break Free - 04/26/07 06:43 AM
Does this scenario sound familiar? Your latest credit card statement comes in the mail, and there's an error. You know that it needs to be dealt with, but for some reason you keep putting it off. Then it hits you. The reason for your procrastination is that you just cannot bear … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Victorville Facts and Information - 04/25/07 08:33 PM
Here is a link that will help you discover Victorville and some of the history behind it!!
Victorville, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hope you find this site informative. Please don't hesitate to give me a call if you need any more information.
… (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Gasoline $ense - 04/25/07 06:37 AM
In terms of the economy and its effect on our daily lives, there is no hotter topic than the outrageous prices we are seeing at the pumps. The maddening part is as consumers, we have zero control over these inflated costs. To make matters worse, there's always that person who says … (6 comments)
|
mortgages: Disaster Preparedness- Simple Steps Everyone Can Take - 04/24/07 06:48 AM
Natural disasters are a fact of life. Each area of the country has its own challenges, from hurricanes on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts to tornados in the Plains and earthquakes in California. Regardless of where you live, it's important to have plans in place to ensure that you and your … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: The Art of Happiness- Making Each Day Your Best - 04/24/07 06:15 AM
In The Art of Happiness*, the Dalai Lama shares this powerful insight into life: "I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. [Regardless of religion], we are all seeking something better in life. So I think the very motion of our life is … (3 comments)
|
mortgages: One-of-a-Kind Gifts - 04/23/07 07:45 AM
Purchasing a gift can be a stressful experience. Whether you're buying for a close friend or a mere acquaintance, the same questions arise. Will they like it? If the answer is yes, then it could be that they already own it! If you choose to go the safe route and buy … (1 comments)
|
mortgages: College Savings Plans - 04/23/07 07:21 AM
Saving for your child's education just became a bit more complex as a result of the new tax bill passed last May. The Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) is a popular program which allows minors to own stock in their name and, if they fall between the ages of 14-17, to … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Where Your Tax Dollars Go - 04/22/07 08:27 AM
The US government expects to collect some $2.6 trillion in tax revenue this year! That's a 6% increase over last year, and a 13% jump since 2005. With the tax season behind us, did you ever wonder how your tax contributions are spent? Well, according to the government's 2008 budget, nearly … (2 comments)
|
mortgages: The Pitfalls of Plastic - 04/22/07 08:19 AM
Credit cards are a great tool when it comes to building up a good credit history. However, according to a recent report, credit card debt in America reached nearly $800 billion in 2005. How can you obtain the benefits while avoiding the pitfalls? Here are some dos and don'ts:
Monitor your … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Subprime Changes the Lending Landscape - 04/21/07 08:44 AM
The effects of the subprime crisis are becoming clearer with each passing day. According to the Wall Street Journal, tightening guidelines and fewer available products are creating challenges for borrowers with credit issues. If you're thinking about taking on or refinancing a mortgage, your credit score will be crucial when it … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: First-Class Mail is Forever Altered - 04/21/07 08:09 AM
The US Postal Service has introduced the "forever" stamp. This special stamp, good for any first-class letter weighing up to one ounce, is valid forever, no matter how much postal rates increase. That means consumers can purchase these special stamps at today's rate and use them for years to come, even … (5 comments)
|
mortgages: The Five Factors of Credit Scoring - 04/20/07 06:39 AM
There are five factors that comprise the credit score. They are listed below in order of importance, just as an underwriter would look at the score:
Payment History: 35% impact. Paying debt on time and in full has a positive impact. Late payments, judgments and charge-offs have a negative impact. Missing a … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Personal Note Cards- Powerful Marketing Tool - 04/20/07 06:25 AM
The business professional with the most friends WINS! Period. The formula for success is that simple.
The power to attract people is what gauges success. The more people consider you a friend and a business professional, the greater your potential for success. Your existing client base, if managed properly, can become your … (6 comments)
|
mortgages: Write−offs to Remember: Deductions in the Loan Process - 04/19/07 07:18 AM
Write-offs are the government's way of rewarding taxpayers when they've done something the government likes. And to judge by the write-offs, the government likes it when people borrow money to buy a house. There are write-offs aplenty, many of which people often forget. Make sure you take advantage of every break … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Finding Our Niche- What it Takes to Get Ahead of the Competition - 04/18/07 06:35 AM
Very few of us have the luxury of being the only professional in our marketplace offering our particular service. Competition is constantly at our heels, hoping to catapult one step ahead of us. For this reason, we must continually strive to differentiate ourselves from any competition we may have.
Dan Sullivan, President … (3 comments)
|
mortgages: Annual Percentage Rate- What is the Real Cost of Financing? - 04/18/07 06:05 AM
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a tool that consumers can use as a starting point to compare loan programs. However, it's important to keep in mind that APR is not a perfect system, and not all lenders calculate APR in the same way. While the Federal Truth-in-Lending Act does require any … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Building A Referral Network- How to Reach Out to Those Around You - 04/17/07 11:09 PM
Everyone has heard the expression, "It's not what you know but who you know." Of course this isn't entirely true, but having a successful referral network can lead to a significant increase in satisfied clients with minimal effort on your part.
Have you ever gone into a large home improvement store, … (3 comments)
|
mortgages: A Lesson From A Gazelle and Lion - 04/17/07 08:42 AM
Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion … (3 comments)
|
mortgages: Winners vs Losers - 04/16/07 07:17 AM
Winners vs Losers
A winner is always part of the answer. A loser is always part of the problem.
A winner always has a plan. A loser always has an excuse.
A winner says: "Let me do it for you."A loser says: "That is not my job."
A winner sees an answer for any … (4 comments)
|
mortgages: Renters Have Much to Gain by Pursuing Home Ownership - 04/11/07 09:28 PM
Buying a home vs. renting is a big decision that takes careful consideration, as most mortgage planners will agree. But the rewards of home ownership are great. For many years, purchasing real estate has been considered an extremely profitable investment. It is an achievement that offers a sense of pride, financial … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Refinance Your Mortgage for Rate and Payment Reductions - 04/06/07 06:54 AM
One of the biggest reasons homeowners refinance their mortgage is to obtain a lower interest rate and lower monthly payments. By refinancing, the borrower pays off their existing mortgage and replaces it with a new one. This can often be accomplished with a no-points no-fees loan program, which essentially means at … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Getting the Best Interest Rate on Your Home Loan? - 04/04/07 03:27 AM
Consumers interested in purchasing or refinancing a home will pay an interest rate based on current market conditions and their ability to pay back the loan. The borrower's income and debt ratios are taken into consideration by the lender, as well as the predictability factor provided by credit scoring. It's important … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Should You Leverage Your Home or Pay It Down Rapidly? - 04/03/07 08:33 AM
There is a great debate within the inner-mortgage circles these days. Should we, as loan professionals, encourage clients to borrow as much money as possible? Or would consumers benefit more if we helped them to understand the advantages of 15-year amortization schedules and pre-paying principal? Let's examine the pros and cons … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: Home Buyers Face Decisions That Affect Their Long-Term Financial Picture - 04/02/07 05:09 AM
Taking the step into home ownership is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime. There are many factors to consider when embarking on this venture. Literally hundreds of loan programs are available, and it is important to find the one that best fits your … (0 comments)
|
mortgages: What To Ask When Shopping For A Mortgage - 04/01/07 09:37 AM
Research is an important component of any large transaction. I'm sure you'll agree that a home mortgage is one of, if not the largest financial investment a person will make in their lifetime. I'm sure you'll also agree that given the importance of this investment you would want an industry professional … (6 comments)
|
;)
Links;)
Tags (Tag Cloud);)
Archives
