Client Appreciation Party Tomorrow - 07/31/08 11:03 PM
Friday, my realtor partner, the world famous Joyce Courtney, and I are doing our twice a year client appreciation party.  Every year, we host a great party at a 5 star local restaurant and just have hors de ourves and cocktails, along with prizes and other giveaways.  We have a blast just telling our clients thanks for being our A+ clients.  THEN.............................. We do a 2nd appreciation party.
This one is more low key.  We shut down a local bowling alley and have people come.  We buy pizzas and beers and just get to rub elbows with them.  It's such a … (6 comments)

Once in a Lifetime....REALLY! - 07/30/08 01:28 PM

 I almost felt guilty.  Yesterday we went to visit a friend of mine who is the head of major gift donations for Concordia University.  He said that he had a killer day lined up for me, my wife and my two oldest boys.  Concordia just landed the Saint Louis Rams for using their facilities as its training camp.  No one....and I mean no one got to go on the field because of NFL security.  We were not only allowed, but encouraged to come down as guests of my friend, Andy.  Above you'll see head coach, Scott Linehan signing autographs for … (12 comments)

No More "ENTER THE TEXT BELOW' - 07/30/08 09:03 AM
Not too often I comment on a deminimus item here.  However when commenting on some blogs today, for the first time I realized that members do not have to type in the word below.  Or type in the name of the fruit below.  It's awesome....it appearse that once you're signed in...YOU'RE IN.  No more "you put the incorrect text graphics below." 
Some other AR changes appear as well.  Localism is a feature.  I still don't understand all of the AR improvements, but can I say....THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  I love what I see so far.
… (10 comments)

Boys Fantasy - - - Client Appreciation and Saint Louis Rams, Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers - 07/27/08 10:23 PM
Helped someone relocate here from Wisconsin a few years back.  He since relocated back to Wisconsin about 9 months ago and is in charge of fundraising or major gift giving of a Wisconsin University.  Needless to say, he called me and said that he wanted to invite my wife and 2 of my 6 children. 
We're going to go to Concordia University on Tuesday to watch the Saint Louis Rams football practice even though we're hard core Packer Backers.  For a 9 and 7 year old, it's still huge.  Afterwords, we have some club or box seats for the Brewers/Cubs game … (4 comments)

Is the Fox Valley as bad as every other market? - 07/27/08 10:13 PM
Now is the time to buy is all you hear nowadays.  Sure, if you're a homebuyer it's a great time to buy a home, but many homebuyers have home sale contingencies that put them in the wrong market.  THE MARKET IS...."HAVE INVENTORY.....LOOKING FOR BUYERS." 
What makes the Fox Valley area so incredible is that it's a very white collar community coupled with an incredibly strong blue collar work force and work ethic.  Needless to say a study was done for a nationally known international pub/restaurant chain.  They determined that the median, YES MEDIAN income was over $110,000 per year per famlly.  … (0 comments)

Cherry Creek Grows in 2008!!!! - 07/26/08 11:48 PM
I am excited to report that on August 16, 2008 the 3 Denver Metro Area branches of CTX mortgage along with 100% of their originators will join forces with us here at CCMC.  Their offices are located in Lakewood,  downtown Denver, and in Greenwood Village!  Our president has met personally with all of the employees from these branches and I have to say I'm most impressed with the quality of the people that continue to come on board at CCMC.   - they will certainly represent Cherry Creek very well in our marketplace here in Denver.  This is huge for us.
The additional production is great, but … (4 comments)

Them, Them - - - Vernon Johnson - 07/26/08 10:33 PM
Have a friend by the name of Vernon Johnson.  He married my wife's roommate in college.  He worked for me for about two years when I first opened up the first midwest Cherry Creek Mortgage office.  He didn't do all that well, but he was gracious and we both decided to move on.  He ended up going to Chase mortgage and banking down in Chicago.  He's excelled in more of a closed environment.  Further he has thrived in the mortgage banking area as well as the commercial area.  He, on his own volition has taking the younger guys under his wings and have raised their abilities incredibly so.  He's now … (2 comments)

Favre heading BACK AT PACK for the moment..... - 07/25/08 10:31 PM
Brett, Brett, Brett...where are you?????  I love what Timberlake said at the ESPYs.  "Brett, what you've been up to dude?"  We haven't heard from you.  This is not only the story of the moment, this could be the football story of the year.  It's well thought that Brett will be applying for reinstatement from the NFL. 

Gotta tell you...I love them both....Arron Rogers is the future of the pack, but Favre gives them the best chance to get to the Super Bowl NOW!!!! 
Roger Goodall will get him reinstated.  He's pressuring the Packers to find a place for Favre either … (11 comments)

Foreclosures up 121%, but ECONOMIC REVISIONS suggest ecopnomic stabilization....Go Figure!!!!!!! - 07/25/08 10:09 PM
U.S. new home sales fell marginally in June but the pace was much higher than expected due to +50k of revisions over the past three months. Economists were surprised by the report and said it may be a tentative sign of stabilization.
Some Cheif Strategists suggest that it "paints a brighter picture (than previously portrayed).  We'll see.....I can't believe that this is more than just a blip.  We'll see....time will tell....the proof will be in following economic data results.
Sales fell 0.6% to an annual pace of 530k sales in June's U.S. Census Bureau report on Friday. April's new home sales … (9 comments)

Foreclosures up 121%....can you say gross????? Vegas leads the pack - 07/25/08 09:52 PM
U.S. home foreclosures soared by 121% in second-quarter year-over-year results, according to a report issued by RealtyTrac.  Realty Trac (RT), said that there were 739,714 foreclosure filings in the second quarter of 2008, a 14% quarterly increase. According to RealtyTrac, 48 of 50 states and 95 of 100 of the largest metropolitan areas experienced year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity in the second quarter.
Bank repos were 30% of the total for the second quarter, up from 24% of the total in the first quarter.   Nevada was the highest highest monthly foreclosure rate. That There were 24,657 foreclosures filings in the second … (6 comments)

Today's Abbreviated Market Recap!!!! - 07/24/08 10:06 PM
Good Evening Sports Fans!
Here's a recap of the heavys determining today's market.  I picked most of this off of Bloomberg, but a great day for interest rate improvements nonetheless.... 
•§ DJIA was down 283 points
•§ Oil was up $1 to $125.45
•§ With the exception of Radian and Thornburg, the rest of the watch list was in the red today
•§ Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac down almost 20% on the day
•§ The Fannie Mae 6.0 September coupon closed above par! (up 19.5/32 or 61 bps)
•§ Interest rates across the board rallied in price, pushing rates lower
… (0 comments)

What the passing of this housing legislation means to the American People. - 07/24/08 10:28 AM
The House and Senate reached agreement on a massive housing bill that affects FHA, Fannie and Freddie, tax policy and many changes involving the housing market. The housing and mortgage crisis has caused Congress to combine these provisions into a bill exceeding 400 pages.
Here are the major components:
1. FHA Changes
Mortgage limits for high cost areas will be increased to $625,000 on a permanent basis (115% of the current conforming limit).  The FHA floor will go from 48% to 65% of the current conforming limit. This will put the new permanent floor at $271,000.
Cash downpayment is set at 3.5%.
… (8 comments)

The Active Rain Survival Kit!!!!!!!!!! - 07/22/08 10:29 AM
I've been here for 1.5 years.  I love it.  I thought I'd share my few pearls of wisdom that'll help you learn quicker than I learned.  This past weekend, I asked an fairly straightforward question that evolved into a sub bloggin post of it's own.  Members started to get cross against each other before finally getting everything past them and moving forward today.  So....in hindsight, I was thinking that there are some AR safety tips (Image from www.bellaonline.com/articles/art42143.asp)

First....communication should be two way.....  One way communication tends to get lost or taken the wrong way.  One of the nice tips … (20 comments)

Wachovia is shutting down there wholesale!!!!! What's next for W? - 07/21/08 10:20 PM
Wachovia says that July 25th....THEY'RE DONE.  They're not done with retail, but they say that they are done with the wholesale.  I know that their RETAIL reps have been out looking at other opportunities for a while.  I wasn't aware that the WHOLESALE REPS are now out at as well.  In fairness, I'm not sure that their wholesale conduit could support paying their reps as there just isn't that much business being brokered out.  It will be most interesting to see if the retail loans fall to the wayside or if W actually invests in their realtors.  Having said that....only time … (13 comments)

Chicago Anti-Predatory Lending Database Program!!!!!! - 07/18/08 10:52 PM
The Anti-Predatory Lending Database Program.....It's been out for 3 weeks and the verdict is.....
What's the latest?  It's out there....It's been around since July 1, 2008, but it's really quiet.  What is the Anti-Predatory Lending Database Program?  This Illinois requires all mortgages in Cook County to have a Certificate of Compliance or Certificate of Exemption, generated by the Database, affixed to it in order to be recorded. The Cook County Recorder will not close a mortgage without this certificate. If it's determined that the clients need to complete a counseling course a fee of $300 needs to be paid.  This program is pretty clear....this … (0 comments)

Campton's Leaders Back Down.... - 07/18/08 10:21 PM
Campton Hills has decided to allow the petition for the dissolution of Campton HIlls to be certified.  Mind you, these leaders have spent a lot of time and money creating a community that most people now don't want.  They incorporated, and have spent a lot of money in legal fees fighting subdivisions that have the right to opt out.  What's so amazing is that I believe the majority of Campton's residents don't want anything to do with this village, but we're being taxed to pay attorneys to keep us hostage in Campton.  So stupid isn't it? 
I have spoken to people … (0 comments)

THE LEMONADE STAND - - - BE A REAL ESTATE MILLIONAIRE!!!!! - 07/18/08 12:18 PM

 This past week it got to over 90 degrees in our "locale."  Not brutal, but enough that my 5 kids, all 9 and under were feeling the heat.  We live out in a country part of a subdivision.  It's nothing fancy at all, but at the end of a "dead end" cul de sac there really isn't much traffic for these kids to generate a lot of business, BUT DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES, all they could think of was the fact that they were going to do their first Lemonade stand ever (this picture taken from www.thecancerblog.com/media/2006/03/alex-lemonade-stand-cancer.jpg.  Needless to say.....
1)  The … (16 comments)

Campton Hills....the cards begin to crumble!!!! - 07/17/08 10:17 PM
Looks like the people are speaking.  The question becomes...IS THE VILLAGE LISTENING.  It only took, what, 250 people to get the referendum on the ballot to create this quagmire, but they needed over 2000, yes two-thousand, signatures to get the ballot to state, 'LET'S KICK OUR NEW VILLAGE TO THE CURB.  Long overdue. 
The village had a short notice meeting to discuss the actions of the village clerk.  You can find the referendum for the DISSOLUTION OF  CAMPTON, www.villageofcamptonhills.org/Resolutions/R-08-17.pdf as well as the emergency board minutes that focused, for the most part on the clerk....not the resolution.
I've spoken to people who supported … (4 comments)

Jealousy and Anger....the sheer way to implode your business. - 07/16/08 05:50 PM
I have a lot of great competitors in my area.  My area that I recruit for is Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.  Most of my competitors THAT I KNOW are fun, honest and hard working.  There are still little rivalries between our companies, but nothing much pointing myself against them or vice versus.  The market is such that most, not all, of the dead weight and sleazy loan officers and mortgage companies have been flushed away. 
I have seen one or two of my competitors get to a point that they're obsessed with others in the market.  I am the first to … (7 comments)

Quitters Never Win - - - Winners Never Quit - 07/15/08 11:37 PM
My buddy who works with me, worked with me for a number of years when we were all together at Wells Fargo.  Wells Fargo, is a company that keeps chugging forward.  They morphed from Norwest to Wells and appear to be stronger than ever before.  Countrywide blew up.  I speak with many of their people often.  One of my most profitable branches are from a group of CW people who bolted the big green before they became B of A.  Now the B of A people are talking to me.  There's excitement and trepidation as to the future of CW...B of … (10 comments)

Ginnie Mae and F. - H. - A.!!!!! The future of mortgages - 07/14/08 11:40 PM
Fannie and Freddie are down for the count.  The government is set for another bailout....Now, the housing market has slowed and the mortgage industry has been punished for its transgressions, obtaining mortgages for all but the best conventional, conforming, borrowers is difficult to impossible to accomplish anymore. Even the venerable Fannie and Freddie have whacked product. 100% LTV loans and severely limited the low down payment loans, the cornerstone of the so-called emerging markets loans, have been virtually eliminated.  
Where is the mortgage industry headed....down the FHA route of course.   FHA has a G.A.P. program that's been around since the 1930's in which borrowers can … (3 comments)

My Weekend At NASCAR - - - THE LIFELOCK 400. - 07/14/08 10:01 AM
Let me make this clear...I'm not a NASCAR DUDE.  Never have been.  Never been to a race.  NEVER GROWN A MULLETT.  I had someone give me 4 tickets to the LIFELOCK 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway for this past Saturday's race.  I go to NOTRE DAME games, GREEN BAY PACKER GAMES, the CHICAGO BULLS games.  I love impact and violence....but racing in a circle with a car????  GIVE ME A BREAK. 
I went....I WAS STUNNED.  It was awesome.  Never in my wildest imagination...would I have thought that I'd enjoy this.  The cool thing was that they gave you headsets connecting you … (2 comments)

Fannie and Freddie - - - Gross! - 07/11/08 02:46 PM
… (11 comments)

Nascar Fans...any Advice??? I'm in for my first race this weekend! - 07/11/08 09:11 AM
Heading to the LIFELOCK 400 at the Joliet Speedway.  I have tickets to go to the sponsor's tent as a guest of the sponsor.  I've never been to an IRL or NASCAR event.  The day looks packed.  We arrive in the VIP tent at about noon, but the race doesn't even begin until 5:00 pm.  I'm bringing my wife and 2 of my 6 kids. 
As a racing virgin...what should I look for?  My kids are 9 and 7.  They have autograph signings, but what else should I do with my boys?  How about my wife?  Will she like it?  She … (2 comments)

A Hole in One....just some post holiday fun! - 07/07/08 10:17 AM
I know that I'm supposed to be back working on my business.  OK...I will, but I must say that I had such an awesome 4th weekend.  We did all of the family stuff as well as played a lot of disc golf.  My buddy almost had a hole-in-one.  I've had 4 of them in my career. 
As I was reminiscing, I got to browsing youtube and found this shot.  This is one of my all time favorites.  I promise that I'll get back to being a mortgage guy as well as a real estate attorney, but let me daydream just a … (1 comments)

Craig Schiller - - - A man with a plan.... Featured on 190 North - 07/06/08 11:00 PM
Craig, I'm sitting here getting caught up on my AR, e-mails and forthcoming week prep and I follow the ABC 10:00 o'clock news with 190 North.  I'm ready to move to Wimbeldon when I see "CRAIG SCHILLER - - Real Estaging Principal and Designer" with Michelle Allegria.  Woww....love the talk about the "house of your dreams." 
You had a great testimonial especially in today's market.  You had gotten an offer in just 3 days for the Wilsons.  There's a lot to be said in such a short time on the market.  I'm suprised that you don't get more for all that … (7 comments)

Tougher in Alaska....People need water delivered b/c they can't get it in Fairbanks - 07/05/08 11:04 PM
In the 1930s and 1940s water was delivered....DELIVERED.....in Alaska.  I was watching the "Actuality Series, TOUGHER IN ALASKA, and found out that there are over 30,000 people living in and around Fairbanks, Alaska, who don't get water in Fairbanks.  That means, nothing from the ground, nothing from the tap.  Six feet under, even in the summer, the ground is frozen.  So...in the more rural areas, these trucks that look like they deliver propane or natural gas are actually delivering water.....
What's so intriguing is that there's so much water in Alaska, but you have to order it to go, often times, … (4 comments)

6 Little Words....Tough to limit, but clear in heart. - 07/05/08 10:56 PM
6 words????  Give me a break.  I need 60 words.  But this great challenge that I saw from Lola Audu made me jump to the parent of this idea, TLW at You Have Six Words...Give Me Your Life...ROAR! .  Great post, but she had the gall to limit me to 6 friggin words. 
After thinking of it for a bit....really easy.  LOVED LIFE, KICKED BUTT, LIVED PASSIONATELY! I am so glad that death isn't knowingly knocking at on my door.  It's not on my agenda either.  However, when it comes time to meet my homey upstairs, I hope that people will … (4 comments)

300th post - 07/05/08 10:11 PM
Too cool....1.5 years on AR and now I've hit my 300th post.  Wish I had something profound to say, but after 300 posts, I'm really lax on any cogent and tangible new thoughts.  I could say that I have some great friends and that my life is so great b/c of AR.  Or I could say that I've gotten a lot of deals since joining AR (over 10).   But I'm not going to praise AR or any of the friends that have been created on AR.  Nope...not once.....just the fact that I've now posted my 300th post.  Now off to my … (12 comments)

What would you do with $10,000,000?... I know someone who has that problem. - 07/03/08 10:17 AM
I have a friend of mine that I know will probably receive over $10,000,000 personally before the end of July.  I was speaking to him tonight and got to thinking a few things.  This guy has worked hard.  VERY HARD for years.  He's now just hitting it big on a project that he'd been working on in a business that I know so very little about.  So I got to thinking....
1)  I wonder what he's going to do when he receives this money.  I'm just curious.  First, he has grandkids, so he should probably retire is my guess.  He won't … (17 comments)

The history of the 4th of July!!! Some Facts that you don't know. - 07/02/08 10:49 PM
This is one of my two favorite Holidays.  My first is Thanksgiving.  I love the fact that both Holidays are just get togethers where people are here to just celebrate.  Nothing more...just celebrate.  Thanksgiving is great b/c we sit around have a few drinks, overeat, play football in the backyard, watch football on TV and hang with family.  That's it....too cool.
Christmas used to be mine.  My parents made it so special, but as the commercialism came to the forefront....I still love it within the confines of my family, but not for celebrating with the general masses.  For the 4th of July and Thanksgiving … (3 comments)

4th of July....I'm already there!!!!!! - 07/02/08 11:42 AM
Baseball, fireworks and Fourth of July.  That's the american way!  I am stoked.  4th of July and cooking out and the fireworks.  We usually go to Wisconsin to celebrate up in Door County.  This year, with 4.00+ per gallon of gas...we're going to make it a local thing....and, in my mind, I have a lot to do today so that I can "check out" without guilt of other things to do.  Thanks to Missouri Horse Properties for the all american child below.  http://www.horsepropertiesmo.com/_borders/Boy%20waving%20flag.jpg

 I can't wait to light of the fireworks either.  Although mine won't be like those of Grucci Fireworks, I … (10 comments)

 
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Larry Bettag Illinois FHA Specialist

Saint Charles, IL

More about me…

Larry Bettag - Cherry Creek Mortgage

Address: 40W310 LaFox Road, Saint Charles, IL, 60175

Office Phone: (630) 524-9677

Cell Phone: (630) 417-7172

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 1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
(John 14:1-4, New King James Version) I review for BookSneeze

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