Speechless Sundays - More Ridiculous Fun at the Bettag House - 10/30/11 10:00 PM

I used to work at a camp in Colorado during my summers.  It was a blast.  I was the athletic director and I was the head lifeguard as well.  So.....what I decided is that we had to have a huge pond as well as the same big raft that we hung out on all summer.  12 foot by 12 foot.  Here we are...day #1, unloading the wood.  Me and my youngest 4 unloading the wood.  Today, we are all done except for 4 boards.  We have 2 of the 4 barrels in place and am ready to do the launch!  … (6 comments)

Speechless Sundays - Family fun after Mass! - 10/30/11 10:06 AM

So....at our farm we have to travel about a half hour to go to mass.  So, last weekend, we decided to do it on Saturday afternoon/evening.  We were having a sleep over with cousins anyway.  Needless to say, the church in Sheboygan Falls is attached to the parochial school.  After every single mass.....my kids do the old fashion man powered.....
merry go round.   I was exhausted afterwards.  But they could do the old fashioned entertainment forever....provided dad gets new batteries in his body. 
… (10 comments)

Friday Night Tunes - Adele - Again - 10/28/11 11:33 PM
Something about her. Just love it. Here, with the live version, I just think that it's so darn raw! I love acoustic. I love "Live" and yes, I love the raw sound that emanates forth. Simply awesome! She's got a powerful voice. She's not your typical superstar. I'm a fan. Great way to drift off on a Friday night! … (10 comments)

Halloween - Check The Sexual Predator List before Trick or Treating - 10/28/11 12:00 PM
I DO THIS EVERY YEAR....I ALWAYS PUBLISH THIS TWICE. SINCE TODAY'S THE DATE, YOU NEED TO CHECK IN AND TAKE NOTE! Halloween is just around the corner! Every year I like to give a lot of shout outs to protecting your children. My kids actually like Halloween, but I think that they like the party and the chili afterwards more than the actual trick or treating. I'm the same way.
However, I'm a FREAK about child protection. There's a lot of wierdo's out there....and in this world more than ever. Halloween isn't probably as big of a deal for the wierdos, … (11 comments)

ANNUAL FAMILY READING NIGHT WITH THE JUDGES!!!! - 10/27/11 10:13 AM
Your invitation to read!
Family Reading Night with the Judges
     
 
 
 
Who?         Judge Lester, Judge Pheanis and Judge Schreiber would like to read their favorite bedtime stories to YOU! Event includes a courtroom tour. Don’t forget to bring your friends!
                        This event is for children in 2nd grade or younger.  Children must be accompanied by an adult
Where?     Kane County Law Library & Self Help Legal Center
                   2nd floor of the Kane County Judicial Center
                   630.406.7126
When?       Wednesday November 9th, 2011 
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Attire?       Pajama’s, of course!
… (8 comments)

Family Fun at the Farm - 10/26/11 09:41 PM

OK....here I am with my 3rd and 4th kids at the farm.  Of course, my wife got this past weekend off, because, super dad that I am, stole the kids from her and absconded to the board with all five of the beasts!  She loves me more with all 5 out of her hair, but all 5 love me more because of all the one on one time that dad gave them away from work. 
BEST PART....MY CELL DOESN'T GET RECEPTION AT THE FARM!!!! So....here it is, this past Saturday morning, big sis, Claire, and Grant get to go for … (12 comments)

WHOOOSH....That was the Blog Scroll that Just Flew By!!! - 10/26/11 12:29 PM
WHOOSH! ZIP! ZOOM!!!! More and more I visit the blog scroll and see two, three or four blogs that I want to read.  By the time that I comment and come back, the entire scroll is gone and those new posts that I wanted to read are replaced by a listing. 
So what's a guy to do? Here's my new way to approach Active Rain's Blog Scroll, if there is more than just one post that I want to read.  When the blog scroll is in front of me, I right click and over each post that I want to read … (15 comments)

HARP 2 Is Finally Here! Relief to Many Home Owners - 10/25/11 09:28 AM
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HARP 1 FAILED TO COMPLETE IT'S JOB SO THERE'S HARP 2....... HARP 2 is designed to close the gap for home owners who we're allowed in the HARP 1 Club. 
WHAT HARP 2 WILL DO THAT HARP 1 DIDN'T? Among other things.......HARP 2 Will be
Eliminating certain risk-based fees for borrowers who refinance into shorter-term mortgages and lowering fees for other borrowers;
Removing the current 125 percent LTV ceiling for fixed-rate mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;
Waiving certain representations and warranties that lenders commit to in making loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae … (5 comments)

Grand Opening of Buick GMC in Saint Charles!!!!! - 10/24/11 11:26 PM
Pretty excited to see a new great dealership in Saint Charles.  I'm glad to see that the right people are doing the right thing to help out the economy by creating jobs and adding value and service to Saint Charles and the entire Fox Valley. 
I will attest that the General Sales Manager has an impeccable reputation and has spent her entire career in service and in learing now to add value to people.  This is one of the best additions to Saint Charles and the entire Fox Valley. 
Come to the Open House November 4th from 4 until 8 PM!!!!  … (1 comments)

Speechless Sundays - A Weekend With My Treasure! - 10/23/11 10:54 PM

So....MARRIED and father of 5 beasts, er Kids.  12, 10, 8, 6 , and 4.  RULE IN OUR FAMILY - Drink a lot, Pray a Lot.  Just kidding, but I do like the phrase.  So mom gets the weekend off.  I go up to our farm, which we're in the process of selling on contract to somie good neighbors, but enjoying a daddy weekend with myself, my 5 kids and no VETO power as my wife's not here.  Wife likes weekend away from kids...I like hanging with em all.  Here, I"m out letting my 8 and 6 year old drinving … (16 comments)

Another Big Bank Horror Story - The Problem with Big Box Banks - 10/20/11 10:53 PM
I wrote a featured post entitled  We Received Your Payments On Time but are Foreclosing Anyway! and, one year later, a second post We Have your payments, but we're taking your home anyways....8 MONTHS LATER. 
Now, it appears that Part III is in the works.  At my law practice, I am contacted by a woman who has perfect credit...er...had....perfect credit. 
It appears that she made her mortgage payments on time for years, but one day the bank sent her mortgage payment check back to her.  She called and said "whats up?"  The bank said "we can't tell you."  She keeps fighting through and after … (22 comments)

Wordless Wednesdays - THE POWER OF A SMILE!!!!! - 10/19/11 10:53 PM

I have to say that fall is by far, my favorite season.  I love hanging with my 3 boys and two girls.  For me, there's nothing better than a genuine, from the gut, heartfelt laugh!  This, right here is one of my all time favorite pictures.  The smile's not forced.  His gut is busting and all of his genuine thrills can't help but make you smile.
I LOVE BEING A DAD! … (24 comments)

Just Got Sworn in! - 10/18/11 04:31 PM
Haven't posted in a day.  Been buried with new transactions, but most importantly, just came back from our meeting for the Illinois Association of Mortgage Professionals.  Was privileged to be sworn in as a board member, a director, and as a member of the mortgage education committee.  With the way that Washington, and the State of Illinois keeps meddling in lending and in real estate, it's imperative that our members are active!  You don't have to call me "Your Honor," but I am honored to be a part of IAMP!  Let's see what we can do to improve our industry.
… (11 comments)

Speechless Sundays - Larry Hisle - A Man of Inspiration - 10/16/11 10:20 PM

First, let me say that I hate baseball.  It's slow!  It's boring.  I played 5 years in grade school and hated it!  I like going to Wrigley once a year or once every two years, but after you pay 12 dollars for a bucket of nachos, you're good!  My buddy had training camp for the Saint Louis Rams and we got to go (even though we're all Packer shareholders).  Got introduced to Larry Hisle.  Never heard of him til I met him.  Met him a number of times since.
This 2 time all star and 2 time world series champion … (8 comments)

Friday Night Tunes - Great NEW UPBEAT TUNE WITH Jaime Grace & Toby Mac - 10/14/11 09:52 PM
Great tune called "HOLD ME" by Jaime Grace as well as Toby Mac. My 12 year old boy came in showing it to me! I gotta say, it beats all of the alternatives now a days! He hit a home run with me! I was hooked instantly. Cool to see her playing a guitar and getting down with it. Anyway...Happy Friday Night! Hope you like it! … (5 comments)

Met Life Getting out of the Mortgage Business? - 10/14/11 10:51 AM
In the ever changing world of mortgage banking, it appears that Met Life doesn't want the headaches, or the costs associated with the mortgage business.  That' bodes well for us at Cherry Creek, but either way, it appears that they are getting out of the business. 
 
UPDATE: MetLife Adds Mortgage Business To Selling Block
--MetLife seeks sale of mortgage business after expanding in 2008
--Possible sale comes as regulations mount, home loan volume drops
--MetLife may also drop bank-holding company status
(Adds background in third and fourth paragraphs, analyst comment in fifth.)
 
   By Al … (9 comments)

Getting Oral and Calling All Clients - Call Em All! - 10/13/11 10:15 AM
Brian Buffini is all about human contact. Oral will rule with your clients. Yes Oral Communication, that is! Sure, he talks about this thing called the cocooning of your clients, but the truth of the matter is that your clients want to hear from you. Not from an e-mail or a direct mail piece, but from you. I try to make an attempt at calling my qualified database, but the reality is...that there is only so much time in the day, week and month. Unless I get to touch them....I really end up losing them and actually could end up loosing … (17 comments)

Why Should I Replace The Realtor Who Gave me the REFERRAL in the First Place? - 10/12/11 08:20 PM
A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a one on one session with Brian Buffini....not with a Buffini coach, but with Brian Buffini himself.  He was pointed, kind, humble, gracious and knowledgable.  How I was blessed to recieve this is another story itself for another post.  We talked about this, spoke about that, but he gave me some great guidance.....Specifically, he said one thing that resonates with me to this date.  He said to me:
"I am only the hammer, when the hammer starts acting like its the carpenter, the carpenter will put the hammer down and … (39 comments)

GRAND PRIZE FINALE!!!!! - TOP 5 WINNERS OF BEST PRACTICES CONTEST!!! - 10/10/11 12:12 PM
These winners are HERE....FINALLY!!!! OVER 200 ENTRIES!   It was exhausting and overwhelming!  There is so much information provided.  Over 200 entries over the month of September!!!!!  All of the posts were informative and belonged to the entrant as their personal best practice.  If you study the posts, there is over a million dollars of annualized revenue that can apply to anyone who wants to use these practices.
There were 13 winners over the 4 weeks.  Needless to say, my awesome judges and I read all of the 200 post and picked winners each week.  Each week's winners were accumulated and re-judged … (71 comments)

Speechless Sundays - Dad and his Girls - 10/09/11 03:52 PM

Can never go wrong with Dad and his girls!!!  I love hanging out with all my kids, but given the fact that I prayed for my first two kids to be boys (and I got them), I love the girls.  I never wanted them b/c I'm a guy's guy in some wierd, in explanable inane way.  However, my whole world changed and God humbled me and I fell in love.  Here I am at a one of my boy's graduation, but I do love the fact that I'm with the opportunity to hang with my gorgeous beauties!  Not really sure … (12 comments)

STAY TUNED - GRAND PRIZE AWARDS COMING FOR BEST PRACTICES CONTEST - 10/08/11 12:26 PM
I know I promised that we'd have them done on 10/6/2011.  However, we had over 200 entries in totality.  Reading 200 best practices is an incredible experience....but overwhelming and exhausting.  Needless to say, I have finished calculating the top 5, along with Erica Ramus and Rebekah Radice.  I will have the announcement for the grand prize winners on Tuesday, October 11th. 
Haven't forgotten about you, but need a weekend to decompress!  Stay tuned!
… (9 comments)

Friday Night Tunes - A Real Cool Band....Really Cool! - 10/07/11 11:59 PM
I really wanted to show the video here, but since the author of this wouldn't allow the video to be embedded, all I can offer you is the link.  Here is an awesome tune and an even better video called
Never Alone by Barlow Girl Seriously, it's worth the watch...so click away! http://youtu.be/x8QubLxJI54   The father is a great guy and these are his three daughters.  I know some of the family well.  Be that as it may....please give this one a shot.  It's worth the watch! … (3 comments)

Dodd-Frank or Fraud Frank??? - 10/06/11 10:36 PM
 
RULES ARE WRITTEN FOR THOSE WHO WON’T PLAY WITH THE GREATER GOOD IN MIND!
 
 
So I’m sitting here in a continuing education today getting the credit for my eight hours that I needed for 2011.  As of the time I’m writing this we are going through:
THE NATION’S FAIR HOUSING ACT The certified instructor is talking about discrimination, rules, regs, American’s with disabilities, more rules, ECOA, more rules and more rules and the conversation digresses to fraud.  He takes a time out to discuss the effect that these rules have had within lending and our housing industry.  He … (56 comments)

Wordless Wednesday - I don't look as good as my wife, but I tried - 10/05/11 11:29 PM

So I'm thinking to myself about regrets.  Do I loathe the fact that I wore a dress and stockings and looked like a 225 pound Saint Pauli Girl?  Not really, you see this past Saturday we went to an Octoberfest party at a friend of mine's house .... from college.  My wife and I got matching "Octoberfest Outfits."  I was the hit of the party, but in truth, couldn't hold a dime to her natural beauty.  I tried, but then again, I'd worry if I truly did look good!
… (18 comments)

Best Practices Winners - 4th and FINAL WEEK BEFORE THE TOP 5 OVERALL WINNERS! - 10/03/11 10:53 PM
 Erica Ramus and Rebekah Radice! You both rock my world.  Thanks so much for your hard work in creating this panel to help select the last week's winners.  With no further adieu, here are this week's winners.  In no particular order.....
Week #4's Best of the Best!!!
Best Practice: Dominate a (Very Tiny) Market!  Here Gail hits a nail on the head for discovering your niche!  It's all about finding your niche....dominating your niche and really being the master of your domain.  Good words here.....Gail is so dialed down with her niche that she has mastered and dominated her one square … (8 comments)

Speechless Sundays - Client Appreciation Party Pumpkin Party - 10/03/11 12:08 AM

Yesterday was the date of our annual client appreciation party.  We had over 250 people that showed.  We had a ton of pumpkins for the kids to pick out.  Planet Fassa showed and did pumpkin chunkin and a lot of other kids games.  The kids went ballistic.  I spent 4 hours behind the grill cooking burgers and dogs for the kids.  Here are some family, friends and clients with me.  Tessa is on my back.  Below is Claire and to the right is Grant.  Next to Grant is the cousin.  We had a great client appreciation party!!!!!  Fun for all.
… (12 comments)

 
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Larry Bettag Illinois FHA Specialist

Saint Charles, IL

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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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