Jeff's Blog

Celebrity Apprentice on NBC

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:01:12 -0500

Hello to all of my friends and family,

I have to ask a favor of all of you.

Tonight,the company I have been representing for the last few months is going to have its head lining product featured on the Celebrity Apprentice, this will revolutionize the way we communicate with everyone. My favor is that all of my friends and family watch the show or DVR it. The more people we have watching this show the more publicity we will have in the days that follow, the better for the company, and the better for me and everyone involved in the company.

This will be one of the biggest days in my business and I need help from everyone I know to get the word out there. So, please get your friends and family to tune in, it is supposed to be one of the best episodes of the year (per Donald Trump).

Finally if you or any of your friends have questions about the product or the company, please feel free to contact me and I can assist them or you.

Celebrity Apprentice on NBC
Sunday 3/22 @ 9 pm Eastern / 8 pm in AZ

Click the link below to view an exciting video commercial by Donald Trump:
http://pickeringgroup..acnrep.com/v.asp?I=1111446C5109 If you would like to know more about how

you can help me in this endeavor, or would like to join my organization, you can review all of our products and services by simply going to my website... http://pickeringgroup.acnrep.com and click on "products". If you want to know more about the business, click on "opportunity" and make your selection from there. During this difficult time of job loss, foreclosures, and little left in our 401K's for the future, we all need to support one another's efforts.

I look forward to hearing from you.

"Just leave me a Loan"®

Thank You,

Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

New Temporary FHA Loan Limits

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:48:14 -0600

The New Temporary FHA Loan Limits in Maricopa County are:

One family $346,250

Two family $443,250

Three Family $535,800

Four Family $665,850

For info on increases in other Arizona counties Click on the link below.

https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/hicostlook.cfm

We will be providing additional information as soon as the details become available to us. The next announcements are scheduled for March 4^th.

Rates and Programs Subject to Change, Call For Current Rates *

"Just leave me a Loan"®

Thank You,

Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

Conforming Loans to 95% in declining markets!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:56:16 -0600

I am pleased to announce that we have been granted "Proficient Lender Status" with our Mortgage Insurance Company. This is a great recognition to have as lender to be acknowledged by our MI business partner. The ability to insure mortgage loans in declining markets is another tool to help you meet your buyers needs.

We are now eligible to deliver loans with mortgage insurance ("MI") applications in declining markets for loans with a FICO score of 660 and a loan-to-value ratio between 90.01% - 95% (Excluding the state of Florida). DU AUS Approved Eligible

Purchase and rate and term refinances transactions single family 95% to 417,000.00 - 660 FICO MAX DTI 41/55

Condominiums 90% FICO 660 MAX DTI 41% - Project must be 100% completed NO Phasing

Second Homes to 90% FICO 700 MAX DTI 41%

Additional restrictions:

No investment properties

No cash out refinances

No properties in the state of Florida

All transactions must meet the Anti Flipping rule

Buyers purchasing a new o/o home and retaining current property as a rental/ second home must qualify with both payments and have 6 months reserves on all properties

California: The maximum insured percentage of all certified loans in any given month may not exceed 34% in the state of California. All MI certificate will be issued from corporate to manage availability of MI in that state.

"Just leave me a Loan"

Thank You,
Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

Utilizing the HBM Contact Conversion System for Strategic Business Sources!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:08:43 -0600

HBM What's in it for the HR Director/Employer

1. Relocation just became easier: You have the advantage with the Home Buyers Scouting Report®.

a. An employee interviewing with your firm can utilize the HBSR® to learn about the local housing market, search for properties matching their search criteria and receive high quality, timely response to all of their real estate and financing needs.

2. High quality internal marketing opportunity.

a. Your logo and contact information placed on every screen the buyer (employee) views.

3. Employee benefits = commitment and retention:

a. Work with your HBM® Preferred Lender to hold informational buyer seminars for employees. Cover topics such as: 1st time home buying, investment buying, refinancing options, benefits of having a mortgage pre‐approval, understanding credit scores and more.

b. "Employees who are homeowners have more loyalty and dependability within their place of employment."

4. There are numerous real estate sites available, but the Home Buyers Scouting Report® is the only Single Destination Website:

a. Put the homebuyer in control of their home search process with a private, password secured website.

b. Provides buyers with 24/7 online access to all the available listings from area real estate companies.

c. Offers maps, directions, satellite imagery and comprehensive neighborhood information.

d. Personal notebook to save and track favorite properties.

e. Quick Alert^TM emails will notify the buyer of new properties listed matching their search criteria or changes to properties they are tracking.

f. Direct online access to the HBM® Preferred Lender for each buyer's financing needs.

g. The Home Buyers Scouting Report® is provided directly to the homebuyer by HBM II, a licensed real estate brokerage services company, absolutely FREE.

Thank You,
Jeff A Pickering & Sherry Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

HBM letter to Past clients (Example)

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 22:42:59 -0600

Armando Banda with RE/MAX New Heights Realty and Sherry Pickering with iMortgage have combined forces in a newly formed strategic relationship with a licensed real estate company, Home Buyers Marketing II, Inc. (HBM II). HBM II provides area homebuyers with an innovative and FREE home finding service called the Home Buyers Scouting Report®.

The Home Buyers Scouting Report® matches your personal home search criteria with properties that are currently listed for sale and in your price range.

Online...available 24 hours a day! At your convenience, login to HBM II's private, password-protected website to view the listings that meet your home search criteria with pictures, prices, addresses, directions, maps and more!* You can specify a particular school, lot size, almost any amenity you want and get just those listings that are in your price range.

While online, you can save your favorite properties to a notebook for easy reference and to receive updated information on those properties. Can't find your favorite? You can change your personal search criteria to include additional neighborhoods and home styles. If you are interested in a specific property you have driven by, simply type in the address and view information about that property.

With the Home Buyers Scouting Report® you can receive daily updates on new listings as they become available! Be the first buyer to see a new property. Many busy homebuyers have heard about a great property only to find that it had already been sold.

There is no obligation. Using the Home Buyers Scouting Report® will allow you to get a real sense of the current housing market in the privacy of your own home. Whether you are looking to buy a new home soon or just thinking about new home possibilities, we believe this is the best home finding service available and as a preferred customer, we would like you to know about it.

For more information about receiving this FREE home finding service, call today. We look forward to hearing from you.

Armando Banda and Sherry Pickering

Helping you find the HOME^TM

AGENTS PICTURE HERE

AGENTS COMPANY LOGO HERE

AGENTS INFO HERE

Helping you find the LOAN^TM

Sherry Pickering

Office: 623-551-9360

Email: sherry.pickering@imortgage.com

Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:41:40 -0600

Don't Talk, Listen!

I have found that the best conversationalists are the best listeners. The same holds true with salespeople! Review the following tips to see where you might have room for improvement.

Maintain eye contact.
This does more than show the person you're interested; it helps you to concentrate on what they say.

Ask relevant questions.
Do you assume you understand, or do you make sure by asking questions that confirm statements?

Avoid distractions.
Rearrange your seating if the sun is in your eyes. If it's too noisy in a room, do what you can to cut down on distractions. This includes turning off your cell phone. Don't divide your attention.

Take notes.
You can't remember everything! Carry a pad and pen with you wherever you go. However, don't spend the entire conversation looking down at your notes. Learn to write and look them in the eye at the same time.

Don't try to multitask.
While you might think it's a time-saver to finish up one task while someone is talking, they will feel completely neglected. Maybe you won't miss a single word, but their confidence in you will be shot.

Really listen to what they are saying.
Use this as an opportunity to get to know your clients on a more personal level. Resist the temptation to talk about yourself, and turn the focus on them instead. Pick up on little clues they reveal about themselves,such as a family situation, favorite sports teams, financial investment strategy, etc.

Ask someone close to you to rate your listening skills. Listen carefully to the feedback you receive - you might be surprised by what you hear!

Call me when you have a client who needs special assistance in obtaining their mortgage loan.

Using your IRA to Invest in Real Estate

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:49:57 -0600

Most of us think of an IRA as a place to invest in mutual funds, stocks and bonds. However, you may have heard that investment real estate may also be purchased in an IRA. The rumors are true- you can, but with a few complications and drawbacks that are likely the primary reasons this strategy has not gained widespread use. Nonetheless, IRA real estate investing may prove beneficial to your particular situation, so it's definitely worth a conversation with your financial planner and CPA.

One obstacle is that IRA real estate investing must occur through a self-directed IRA and is generally not available with the vast majority of major wirehouses and other recognizable name brands in the investing world. However, if you logon to Google and enter "Real Estate IRA" or "Self-Directed IRA" you'll see there is no shortage of suitors who will be glad to help you transfer your existing IRA funds to a self-directed IRA.

The second complication is the need for nontraditional sources of mortgage financing. Larger banks and mortgage companies typically will not lend on real estate held in an IRA because title to the property is held by the IRA trustee rather than the IRA owner. You'll need to look for a niche lender that offers this type of financing, which will most often be a smaller local bank or credit union.

Finally, you'll also need to partake in an analysis of whether the pros and cons of IRA real estate investing make sense for your personal situation. This should definitely entail discussions with your financial planner and CPA, but for starters here are some of the considerations you should look at:

Pros:

Better Diversification- if most of your investments are tied up in the stock market then this is a terrific solution for diverting some of your money into real estate to give you a more balanced portfolio.
Active Investment- for those of you who are more inclined to managing your own investments, buying real estate is the best solution available for an IRA.
Deferred taxes. Speak with your CPA about how this will affect you, but in general you will be able to defer taxes on all income and capital gains.
Use of leverage- There aren't many IRA investments you can leverage to potentially increase returns, but this is one of them.

Cons:

Less favorable mortgage terms- Expect a minimum required down payment of 30% to 40% and an interest rate that exceeds the standard rates for investment properties by 0.25% to 0.5%.
Tax disadvantages- believe it or not, the tax deferral strategy could backfire. With a traditional IRA account, you'll have to pay the taxes someday. If income taxes in the future are higher than they are today then you'd be better off paying the taxes today. Also, the sale of property may generate unfavorable consequences- NON-IRA long-term capital gains are currently taxed federally at just 15%, but all IRA gains will eventually be taxed as ordinary income.
Profits are inaccessible- while taxes on all gains and income are deferred, all profits must be kept within the IRA until age 59 ½ to avoid penalties.

In a nutshell, the drawbacks of IRA real estate investing wash away many of the benefits. Keep in mind that purchasing real estate outside of an IRA still makes for a very tax advantaged investment with depreciation deductions and 1031 exchanges available.

The IRA real estate investment seems to be most appropriate for middle aged and older investors whose primary net worth is held in an IRA. If you are 50 years old and you have $500,000 in an IRA but little else in outside investments, it's likely that the only capital you have available to purchase investment real estate is that in your IRA. Rather than keeping all of your investment exposure in the stock market and rather than paying a penalty to liquidate a portion of your IRA to buy real estate, using your retirement savings to purchase real estate within your IRA gives you the opportunity for greater portfolio diversification without patently unfavorable tax consequences.

If you have available investment capital both within and outside of your IRA then it's debatable as to whether making the purchase within the IRA makes sense. In all cases, meet with a financial planner and CPA to dig into the details of how this decision will affect your long-term financial situation.

How do you react when a client goes with another agent?

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:24:07 -0600

This is how one of my top agent responds when a client chooses to go a different direction! They sent me this letter as a sample of how they handle the situation. After they send this letter they have a follow up system to make the client feel special and continue to take the blame for the mistake, I asked them how many clients come back and they say over 75% return in a few weeks/months. What if all of us responded this way...... how much more business would we have and how many times would our names be passed out?

Dear Client

As a past client and the purchaser of a new home 3 years ago, we are writing this letter "from the heart". Why from "the heart?" We feel your pain! We felt we should say something. We are not upset you listed with someone else.

You are our friends! You have been a trusted adviser and part of our concierge program since our meeting. We have looked out for you. We have kept you updated on the real estate market, sent out gifts, Christmas cards, and provided you with updates, and as new homeowners to our fair city have tried to make you both feel welcomed. Hugs all around when we met at our listing appointment. It was really nice of you to share your new plans and visions with us. We were, and are, excited for you and your family.

We have failed you! We're sorry!

We did not think your house would sell for the price you wanted. We offered to have a licensed appraiser, at our expense, to verify it's market worth. We failed you when we explained the market, we failed to communicate the importance of pricing, we failed to communicate!

We were looking out for your best interests. We would have come back and made adjustments to "the price" We would have worked with you.

I could tell from your voice when you said you "were going with another agent" that it was upsetting to you and that we were not chosen to represent you. Again we are sorry we did not agree on your price!

We truly hope that your house sells for your price, and we wish your family the best of luck!

Sign name (blue ink)

How to find more sources of business?

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:15:15 -0600

In today's market everyone is looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve, one way is the forgotten art of referral relationships! We as professionals need to have established relationships in multiple fields to service our clients every need and be seen as that trusted advisor. Below is a sample letter I use to get coffee appointments with Attorneys in my area

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce the <team Name>. We specialize in working with other business people to assist each other's business. Over the last three years we have found the quality of our business is higher because of the loyalty of our network.

We're looking to add one more piece to our network of business people for referrals. We work with several GREAT realtors, builders, financial planners, accountants, and insurance agents. We're now looking to add a fantastic attorney to our network. Many of our clients need an attorney that they can trust to take care of them as well as we do, and we hope you'll be able to fill that need.

Call us immediately so we can set up a meeting to discuss exactly how we can help each other.

CPA Referral Letter

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:57:43 -0600

We trust that you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and that your New Year is off to a wonderful start. Let's hope that 2009 exceeds all our expectations and is even more joyous than 2008.

It is at this time of the year that you are going to start receiving 1099's and W-2's in the mail, which marks the moment that you can begin to prepare for your tax rectification for the calendar year of 2008. Over the course of the last twelve months, many of you have expressed unhappiness with your existing accounting situation. Several of you have even asked for us to refer you to one of our CPAs. We do work with several professional CPAs and would like to refer you to one.

A few things that we would like to point out to you that are of critical importance as it relates to preparing taxes are as follows:

Your accountant is an extension of your overall financial plan, and should be acting in accordance with your long-term financial goals. This includes running sophisticated analyses and making sure that you are preparing yourself for your long-term retirement needs.

Accountants typically spend the majority of their annualized work hours over a three-month period of time beginning in late January and running through late April. The critical mistake that we often find is that most people visit their CPA during this three-month period of time. Now ask yourself this question: Does it really make sense to be meeting with one of the most pivotal people in your financial planning life at the time that they are most busy? Of course not.

This is why it is very important to work with an accountant who takes a much more proactive approach. You need someone who meets with you to do forward tax planning during the off season. If this is not happening, it should be a red flag that you are not getting all that you should from your accounting relationship.

Again, please contact us if we can be of service to you or if you are looking for a new CPA.

May 2009 be a great year for you!!

Sincerely,

Jeff Pickering

The Pickering Group

Office: 623-551-9360

"Just leave me a Loan"®

3rd Annual Cookies and Milk with Santa!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:08:21 -0600

COOKIES AND MILK WITH SANTA!

Children can get some one-on-one time with Santa on December 6th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Phoenix First Assembly 13613 North Cave Creek Road Phoenix, AZ 85022. Santa Claus will be there, along with Mrs Clause to say hello and hand out cookies and milk. Sit on Santa's lap, tell him what you want for Christmas and have your photo taken with Santa. There is no charge for the photos but donations of Ten Dollars are requested for the benefit of Children's Miracle Network( Phoenix Children's Hospital), the alliance of over 170 premier children‘s hospitals that treat millions of children of all races, ages, religions and financial backgrounds in the United States and Canada for serious ailments and injuries. We will have a staff photographer photographing the children with Santa." Photos will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, so get there early!

COOKIES AND MILK WITH SANTA!

When: December 6th, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Where: Phoenix First Assembly 13613 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85022

Pickering Group

Jeff Pickering

623-551-9360

Stay in touch this holiday season!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:39:09 -0600

Tis the season! I am a huge advocate in using streaming video and now I have the ability to us it in my personal life with everyone in my family. I'm sure everyone has heard of VOIP, well this goes to the next level and add the video to it. All my family is on the east coast and my kids don't see the cousins and aunts and uncles all that often, we send video emails and now the entire family is using video phones (replacing existing landlines) and in most cases saving 10-30 bucks a month. If you want to learn more click on the picture below to see the commercial for the video phone.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Pickering Group!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:07:47 -0600

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at the Pickering Group! We know how everyone looks forward to the Holiday Season and spending time with ones families. My family is across the country so it is tough for us to get back east with 4 kids under 4! We keep in touch and we keep our family traditions alive and share with each other with the help of UPS and FED EX! Have a great Thanksgiving!

Special Alert: Thanksgiving Surprise from the Fed

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:53:47 -0600

A Thanksgiving Treat from the Fed

Happy Thanksgiving - Mortgage Rates Plunge
Finally, some good news for the mortgage industry! In a move to increase credit availability, the Federal Reserve and Federal Home Loan Banks announced that they would purchase up to $600 billion in Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS), exciting news that sent interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages plummeting below 6.00% and near the lows for the year!

If you have been on the fence about buying or refinancing a home, now is the time to act. Interest rates are extremely low and home prices in some areas are at 2003-2004 levels. Add to that recent declines in energy prices and lower consumer interest rates, and you have a great holiday recipe for success, but only if you give us a call.

Don't wait until next week. Call us today and get pre-approved. Rates have already been very volatile and this opportunity might not survive the holidays. In many markets, falling prices are bringing out buyers that have been waiting to buy and they are scooping up both bargains and hot properties. Let me offer you some pointers to help you negotiate a great deal and lower your costs to close.

Whether you are looking to buy or refinance, call me today. I'm here to help. If we don't speak before Thursday, however, I wish you and your family a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving.

"Just leave me a Loan"

Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
FAX (866)933-7958
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

Open House HBM follow up letter!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 09:06:27 -0600

HBM letter to clients!

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for stopping by at our Open House. As promised, please find a link below to all of the IndyMac Bank foreclosed homes in AZ.

Bank Owned Properties

I've also completed your registration onto the Home Buyer's Scouting Report which gives you access to all MLS Listings in a private, password protected site (which means no Spam or outside party phone calls). This provides pictures, prices, addresses and directions at your convenience and without the pressure of having to call a real estate agent to find out basic information. Then if there's something you'd like to see inside, contact Insert agents name here and schedule a showing. Just an fyi, look for that email from Home Buyers Marketing II because sometimes it gets tied up in Spam or Junk Mail folder due to the pictures. Initially, you'll receive one email/day for the first six days with some user instructions and tips. Thereafter, it will only send you matching criteria. But, following are a few tips to get started TODAY:

In the top left hand drop down list you'll find My Search Manager. Choose edit and you can refine search by price, zip, city, etc. Of additional interest to you, though, might be the last item on the bottom - under the Miscellaneous category. There you can choose to search only Lender owned properties (foreclosures) which will provide FC's for all banks in the valley.
On that same drop down list on top, left hand corner, you can select to locate a property by its specific address.
Another really cool tool is to select the Search Map (same drop down list on top, left hand corner). Watch the tutorial underneath the Advanced Search button and you'll learn to move around the city much easier and faster than trying to type in zip codes and cities.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Thanks again and happy shopping,

Thank You,
Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
Phone (623)551-9360
FAX (866)933-7958
Email: jeffpickering@helloworld.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.co

How Does a Wall Street Bail-Out Bill Affect Main Street?

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:56:02 -0600

Large and small companies across the globe rely on access to money markets to finance their daily operations, including inventories, and payrolls. Lenders routinely make loans to these companies, and to each other, to make it all happen. When lenders have confidence in these markets, and investors have confidence in this system, we have a functional marketplace that, for the most part, is sustained by competition. When confidence in this system is shattered, however, like it has been recently, credit becomes expensive and scarce to all parties, and small and large companies alike can choke to death waiting for the short-term capital it needs to fund its long-term success. This directly affects you and your family. It means a slower economy. It means more lay-offs and less new job creation, which often means lo wer home values. It also fuels volatility in the financial markets that, as we've seen, can wreak havoc on your savings, retirement, and other investment accounts.

It is estimated that some $70 trillion in total global investment capital is available, which would be great news if our financial systems were functioning with confidence - and that's what the Rescue Bill is basically about. Like it or not, the US Government has been given unprecedented power to invest $700 billion in our financial systems in two main ways. First, as much as $250 billion to purchase stock in US banks, providing the banks with badly needed money. Second, through the purchase of certain assets to help stimulate more liquidity in the credit market. Another initiative will provide government guarantees for the short-term loans banks make to each other to run their daily operations. More importantly, these actions are in concert with similar practices by other governments and central banks.

None of these actions will solve our problems completely or save us from recession, but here's the good news. It is a positive step in the direction of stabilizing the markets. The other good news is that several other measures were tacked on to the bill to help build your confidence in the markets. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough space in this short newsletter to cover them all. We will briefly highlight a couple of them, but our best, most practical financial advice is to create your own plan for the future with your financial professionals. Don't make any rash decisions without speaking to the experts you trust to handle your investments. If you need help finding a financial professional you can trust, we'll gladly provide a referral. Just give us a call. We'll review your mortgage and create a plan that fits your individual financial goals and needs.

Changes in FDIC Limits

As part of the Rescue Bill, Congress also increased FDIC deposit insurance from $100,000 to $250,000 for all of an individual's accounts at a single institution. For one year, joint accounts, retirement accounts, and trust accounts are insured separately. This means a married couple can insure up to $1 million at a single bank, by making a few simple adjustments. Changes also affect revocable trusts, allowing the same amount of insurance for beneficiaries, such as your children. That means, a married couple with three kids could create enough qualifying individual and joint accounts to protect up to $1.5 million. It's important to note that the FDIC has never failed to pay a single dime of insured money when banks have failed, so you won't have to make a run on the bank or hide your money in your mattress anymore. Sm all businesses will also benefit from new increases, as well as the confidence that comes with this kind of insurance.

New and Extended Tax Incentives

Within the 451 page Rescue Bill are nearly 100 tax code changes that directly affect individuals and business owners, including education deductions, sales tax, energy credits, and even new disaster aid. Other tax breaks, which were due to expire, were extended, including property tax deductions, the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act, and the shield for the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). The property tax provision, set to expire in 2008, has been extended to 2009, and allows up to $500 ($1000 for joint filers) in deductions in addition to the standard property tax deduction - even if you don't itemize! The Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act, extended to 2012, was designed to protect those who already lost their homes due to foreclosures from facing an additional tax penalty for qualifying cancelled or "forgiven& quot; debt of up to $2 million. And, finally, the Rescue Bill also saves about 23 million Americans from the dreaded AMT, a kind of extra tax that some people have to pay on top of their regular income tax created by the Tax Reform Act of 1969.

These are just a few of the potential tax benefits created or extended by the Rescue Bill. As always, there are specific qualifying standards, and so it is essential to speak with a qualified tax professional about these and other tax benefits that could help you lower your tax bill and increase your confidence in today's tumultuous financial markets.

Listen to what your clients say

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:38:51 -0600

Don't Talk, Listen!
Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

Market update

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:35:00 -0600

Wednesday's bond market has opened in positive territory as investors shift funds from stocks into bonds. This has pushed the stock indexes significantly lower again with the Dow down 312 points and the Nasdaq down 46 points. The bond market is currently up 14/32, which should improve this morning's mortgage rates by approximately .125 - .250 of a discount point over Monday's rates. The bond market was closed yesterday in observance of the Veteran's Day holiday.

There is no relevant data being released today, but we will get the results of today's 10-year Treasury Note auction at 1:00 PM ET. These results can influence bond trading enough to affect mortgage rates this afternoon. If the sale was met with a strong demand from investors, bonds will likely rally and mortgage rates should fall. However, a lackluster interest could lead to weakness in bonds and higher mortgage rates.

The first economic data of the week is September's Goods and Services Trade Balance report Thursday morning. It helps us measure the size of the U.S. trade deficit, but usually is not a major influence on bond trading or mortgage pricing. It does affect the value of the U.S. dollar, which makes U.S. securities more attractive to international investors when the dollar is strong. This is because the securities' proceeds are worth more when sold and converted to the investor's domestic currency. However, its results will not likely directly lead to changes in mortgage rates.

Overall, look for a fairly quiet week in the mortgage market compared to previous weeks unless something totally unexpected transpires. The two Treasury auctions that are of the most interest are today's and Thursday's since they can impact mortgage rates the most. But there is only one important report being posted and that doesn't come until Friday morning.

<script src="http://www.mortgagecommentary.com/commjs.cfm"></script> If I were considering financing/refinancing a home,

if my closing was taking place within 7 days... Lock

if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days... Float

if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days... Float

if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now... This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot

Arizona FHA loan with 1% down

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:42:12 -0500

Happy Friday!

Check out the Homebuyer Solutions program below, this will help fill the void of the Ameridream programs that have recently been eliminated! We are here to help you create more sales oppurtunities for the remainder of this year and into next year. Please give us a call and we will help you get your clients qualified for this program.

SherryL Pickering

P.S. Remember, friends and clients like you are key to my success. Please don't keep me a secret. Referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

HALLOWEEN, NOT SO GREAT THIS YEAR!!!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:05:43 -0500

This was sent to me today by one of my partners and I just could not resist sharing it with everyone! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Have a Happy Halloween this year with the family!

Jeff A. Pickering
Loan Officer
Pickering Group
Phone: 623-551-9360
Fax: 1-866-451-8488
sjpickering@qwest.net
www.pickeringgroup.com

October Newsletter from the Pickering Group

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:21:47 -0500

Jeff A. Pickering
Loan Officer
Pickering Group
Phone: 623-551-9360
Fax: 1-866-866-1626
sjpickering@qwest.net
www.pickeringgroup.com

October 2008


	September 2008
	August 2008
	July 2008
	June 2008
	May 2008
	April 2008

Is My Money Really Safe? Frank Answers to Your Tough Questions When IndyMac bank failed this summer, the lines of nervous account holders trying to withdraw their money made headlines everywhere. But that was an anomaly. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) has taken over ten other banks this year without incident. If you are worried about the safety of your money - in banks or brokerages, such as Lehman Brothers, which filed for bankruptcy September 14 - or money you've paid your mortgage servicer for taxes or insurance, here are answers to your pressing questions. Keep Reading »

Interesting Times: What the Credit Crisis Means to Your Mortgage If there was any doubt left that the troubled US financial and credit markets are in full crisis mode, the historic events of September easily erased it. You've seen the headlines. You've heard the stories, but what does it all mean to you and your mortgage? This month, YOU Magazine will take a closer look at a September to remember and what it means to you - no jargon, no politics, just the facts. Keep Reading »

Networking Faux Pas By Dr. Ivan Misner After two decades of running the world's largest networking organization, I have certainly seen a lot of networking faux pas. A networking faux pas is a slip or blunder in networking etiquette or conduct. I've have put together a few of the most glaring ones that I've seen over the years so that you might avoid them in your networking efforts. Keep Reading »

Halloween Costumes Taking the Scare Out of a Last-Minute Decision When it comes to Halloween, there are two types of people - those who plan their costume several months in advance and those who begin planning on October 30th. If you can relate to the latter, keep reading as we share some of our favorite last-minute Halloween costumes. Keep Reading »

Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs What You Should Know We've all heard that using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) is one very simple thing we can do to have a big impact on the amount of energy we use. In fact, if every American home replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. Keep Reading »

Salt It's the Spice of Life By Kirk Leins Salt - it is a simple word, yet a complicated subject, well kind of. Scientifically speaking, it is a very basic compound. Historically, however, we are talking about one of the world's oldest and richest resources, with applications ranging from food to textiles. So, do yourself a "flavor" and follow along as I apply a little reasoning to the world's greatest seasoning. Keep Reading »

Stop Holiday Treats from Playing Tricks on Your Teeth The holidays are approaching quickly. And that means you'll soon find yourself in a season of sugar and sweets that extends from Halloween night to New Year's Day. While many people are conscious of the toll that holiday food can take on their weight-and their waistlines-many people forget that the holiday season can be just as hard on their teeth. Keep Reading »

You Magazine from the Pickering Group

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:45:15 -0500

Jeff A. Pickering
Loan Officer
Pickering Group
Phone: 623-551-9360
Fax: 1-866-451-8488
sjpickering@qwest.net
www.pickeringgroup.com

September 2008


	August 2008
	July 2008
	June 2008
	May 2008
	April 2008
	March 2008

Selling Your Home in a Buyer's Market By Kathryn A. Walson Like many people in today's real estate market, you may be thinking about selling your home. And like many prospective home sellers, you're probably kicking yourself for not having moved sooner, before the housing market took a nosedive. Still set on selling? Take heart. Sure, you may take a hit on the sales price on your house compared with the market's peak, but you're also likely to get a good deal. Keep Reading »

The Communication Illusion: The Silent Relationship Killer By Rene F. Rodriguez Communication is a part of almost every human interaction, which is why we keep hearing that we need to be better communicators. But let me ask you a question, "How well do you communicate?" Most people respond with some sort of positive assessment of their communication while being somewhat open for more learning. I have a simple goal and that is to make you paranoid (in a good way) about the effectiveness of your communication with others. Keep Reading »

Turning Back the Clock The Skinny on Restoring Your Skin Skin is one of our more important features. Aesthetically speaking, healthy skin keeps us looking young and vital. In turn, damaged or flawed skin propels others to make judgments about everything from our lifestyle to our age. If you are unhappy with the condition of your skin follow along as we show you how to...turn back the clock. Keep Reading »

Facing Foreclosure? Loan Modification and New Legislation Could Be the Answer The pathways to foreclosure are varied and numerous, especially in today's tougher economy. Increasing mortgage payments or mounting credit card debt, a sudden loss in income or employment, a serious illness, or a divorce or separation are all unexpected changes that can quickly lead to delinquency and even foreclosure. The good news is that there is hope for you or anyone you know who might be on one of these unfortunate paths. Keep Reading »

Dump that Car Getting Rid of a Vehicle You No Longer Want Getting rid of a vehicle isn't always as easy as it seems. Problems can include everything from being locked in to an ironclad car lease to the inability to sell it for a fair price. Throw in any of the reasons for wanting to dump the car in the first place and what you have is a recipe for a potentially long and frustrating process. Follow along as we explore a few of the options, including some you may not have realized. Keep Reading »

Cell Phones for Children Deciding Whether It's Right for Your Family School is now in session. For many families that means driving children to and from class, extra-curricular activities, and friends' houses. Of course for some families, it also means it's time to resurrect the discussion about whether or not to purchase a cell phone for their child. Keep Reading »

Oktoberfest It's About More Than Just the Beer By Kirk Leins When you think of Oktoberfest, the picture that most likely comes to mind is of dirndl-clad waitresses serving fistfuls of super-sized beers. While this image is far from inaccurate, the annual Bavarian festival is also about eating hearty portions of traditional German food. As a personal chef and a first generation German-American, I felt obligated to share some of my favorite German dishes. Keep Reading »


Jeff A. Pickering Pickering Group 41601 North Congressional Drive, Anthem, AZ 85086

Many will profit from Fannie Freddie failure - Will you?

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:39:17 -0500

Mortgages are in the news again today...but this time, the news is good! Especially for people looking to buy or refinance a home, as interest rates have dropped to the lowest levels seen since April.

You''ve probably heard that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken over or "bailed out" by the Federal Government over the weekend. The announcement came as the government felt that both of these institutions were potentially unable to meet their obligations. These agencies must pay off maturing Bonds every month, and they do so by selling new Bonds. But during the last twelve months, investor appetite to purchase new mortgage-backed security Bonds has deteriorated. As such, it has become more difficult for Fannie and Freddie to replenish capital to fund more loans. If both Fannie and Freddie became insolvent, the housing market as well as the mortgage market would come under further pressure.

With the Treasury stepping in to provide a "backstop" for the mortgage giants, investors now have confidence to purchase Mortgage Bonds. And the greater interest has helped lower interest rates today.

Call me today, so we can discuss what the news means to you and how you can benefit.

Thank You,
Jeff A Pickering
The Pickering Group
41601 North Congressional Drive
Anthem, AZ 85086
Phone (623)551-9360
FAX (866)282-1626
Email: jeff@pickeringgroup.com
Website: www.pickeringgroup.com

Mortgage applicants rejoice!

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:09:46 -0500

Mortgage applicants rejoice!

Sunday's federal takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will likely translate into lower mortgage rates and greater availability of credit, experts said. Rates could drop by 1 percentage point from the stubbornly-high 6.39% for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage.

Mortgage rates borrowers pay are dependent on the yields that investors demand when buying mortgage-backed securities from Fannie and Freddie.

Investors' doubts about the companies' viability have sent interest rates on those securities soaring. Despite regulators' July promise that they would step in to save the mortgage companies, investors are still demanding rates of 2.25% to 2.45% above Treasuries, LaMalfa said. Historically, the spread has been 1.25%.

With the government now taking over the companies and minimizing the risk associated with their debt, investors may be willing to ease off their need for higher rates.

High borrowing costs have led, in part, to a decline in mortgage borrowing. Applications are down 27% from a year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Also Fannie (FNM, Fortune 500) and Freddie (FRE, Fortune 500) will likely reverse their recent pullback from the mortgage markets. In early August, when they reported just over $3 billion in combined second-quarter losses, both said they would scale back their purchases of mortgage securities to preserve their capital.

Tight standards and fees will remain Borrowers, however, shouldn't expect the ever-tightening lending standards to ease. With defaults and delinquencies multiplying and home prices falling, Fannie and Freddie will likely keep a close eye on underwriting practices. Lenders are demanding credit scores above 700 these days, up from 620 in the past, and downpayments of 20%, up from zero in some cases, experts said.

The mortgage titans have also increased their fees in hopes of shoring up their finances. Just last month, Fannie Mae announced higher surcharges for loans to weaker borrowers. For instance, applicants with credit scores between 640 and 659 who are putting down 15% to 20% will pay an additional 2.25% charge.

The same borrower would pay 1.7 percentage points more because of higher fees and rates for the same loan today as he or she would have paid 18 months ago, LaMalfa said.

If the market continues to worsen, standards could further tighten and fees could rise more, he said.

"We may have more stringent standards over the next few weeks because of the continued deterioration," he said. "We don't know where the bottom is yet. It's a falling knife."

Also, while investors have initially cheered regulators' moves in the past, their confidence has been short-lived. It remains to be seen whether and for how long Sunday's action will placate them, said Kurt Eggert, law professor at the Chapman University School of Law. And if investors' spook again, rates will rise.

"THE BEST WAY TO APPRECIATE YOUR JOB IS TO IMAGINE YOURSELF WITHOUT ONE." Oscar Wilde. And for many Americans, job loss is not just something they are imagining - it's reality - as the Labor Department's August Jobs Report showed that the US economy has lost 605,000 jobs so far this year. Last Friday's Jobs Report revealed several important pieces of information. In terms of job losses, the report showed that 84,000 jobs were lost in August and that the numbers for June and July were heavily revised, so that an additional 58,000 jobs were erased. But the real buzz came when the report showed that the Unemployment Rate swelled to 6.1% from 5.7%, which marks the highest Unemployment Rate since September of 2003. And since jobs losses are bad for the economy...and bad news typically causes money to flow from Stocks into Bonds...on Friday morning, Bonds and home loan rates initially built on the improvements they made earlier in the week. However, Stocks were able to rally later on Friday, and while Bonds and home loan rates gave back some of the improvements they made, they were still able to remain above an important floor of support at their 200-day Moving Average (a moving average is the average closing price of a financial instrument over a given period of time). So despite the worsening trend for Bonds late day Friday, home loan rates still ended the week nearly .125 percent better than where they began.

"Just leave me a Loan"®

Jeff Pickering

623-551-9360

P.S. Remember, friends and clients like you are key to my success. Please don't keep me a secret. Referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Quick Tips from the Pickering Group

Jeff Pickering (Pickering Group) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:43:58 -0500

Jeff A. Pickering
Loan Officer
Pickering Group
Phone: 623-551-9360
Fax: 1-866-451-8488
sjpickering@qwest.net
www.pickeringgroup.com

Stop Snail Mail in Its Tracks
Tips for Reducing Junk Mail

Junk mail is not only annoying, it's expensive, too! Did you know that over the course of your lifetime you will spend up to 8 full months perusing junk mail, half of which you'll throw away without ever even opening? It's true. Americans reportedly pay $370 million to haul 5.6 million tons of unrecycled junk mail to US landfills each year - that's 1.5 trees for each American household, according to the Center for a New American Dream!

With this in mind, there are a few simple things you can do to significantly reduce the sheer volume of junk mail you receive each year. While experts suggest that it's impossible to stop all commercial mail, you may be able to slow it down by up to 90% by following the tips below.

Opt-out of Pre-approved/Pre-screened Credit Offers
Visit www.optoutprescreen.com (or call 1-888-567-8688) and follow the instructions for opting out of "firm" offers from credit, insurance, and mortgage companies. These offers are the result of the major consumer credit reporting companies selling your name and contact information whenever you apply for credit.

This site offers both 5-year and lifetime removal from these mailing lists; however, in order to be removed for life, you have to mail in your request as opposed to doing it online. The credit companies are betting that you're too lazy to take the extra step to opt-out for life, but you can prove them wrong.

Register for the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service
For $1, the DMA will add you to their do-not-mail file. Visit www.the-dma.org to register for this service. If you receive mail for an ex-spouse or people who no longer live with you, you can add them to the list as well. If you receive junk mail for deceased relatives, visit www.ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php to remove their names.

Instruct Companies Not to Share Your Information
Whenever you purchase anything that comes through the mail, including magazine and newspaper subscriptions, be sure to read each company's privacy policy carefully. Often, especially for non-profit organizations, you'll be given an option to check a box if you don't want your data shared with anyone else. If there is no such option, write it in yourself, clearly expressing that you do not want your information shared with anyone. Follow this up with a phone call to let them know before it's too late.

If you have any trouble removing yourself from a specific mailing list, visit the Direct Marketing Association and use their complaint form to report the company. If you receive unsolicited adult-oriented advertising ("SOA"), contact the US Postal Service and ask about removing your name from these mailing lists.

While completing these easy steps won't keep certain unwanted mail from filling up your mailbox - your bills, for instance - the ratio of cards and letters you do want to receive versus those you don't will change significantly in just 30-60 days.

If you have any more junk mail tips to add to this list,
please don't hesitate to call and fill me in!