Brian Foxworth: Questions & Answers for Mortgages & More

"Daad, I'm hanging upside do-owwnnn"

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:12:44 -0500

About a month ago my daughter Megan and I were going to the Edventure Children's Museum here in Columbia, SC to see the New Curious George exhibit.

On the way, we were involved in an accident that left our car on it's passenger side and glass everywhere.

It happened so fast, I didn't even see the Jeep coming. When our car stopped moving it somehow was up on the sidewalk between a light pole and it's guideline -not touching either one. Megan is always strapped in her booster seat in the middle of the backseat of the car. I looked back as much as my locked-down seatbelt would let me and I expected to see her hurt.

I asked "Megan are you okay?!"

She answered in her wannabe teenager voice, "Daad, I'm hanging upside do - owwnn." Not upset at all, not yelling, screaming, or even crying.

I looked past her head and saw that the back windshield was somehow shattered away from the car and the beachball we keep in the car to play with at the park was wedged between the side of her headrest and the back passenger-side window that remained intact. Within seconds, a lady appeared at the back windshield and asked if she could help Megan out of the car. I asked her if there was any glass that could cut Megan on the way out and the lady said that it was all gone.

So I told Megan it was okay to go with the lady and I would be right out. I stretched back under my seatbelt to push her release button on her booster seat and Megan went out with the lady.

By that time about 3 guys had opened my driver's door that was up in the air (since we landed on the passsenger side) and pulled me out of the car. I ran to the other side of the car to find Megan was in the arms of the same lady as calm as a cucumber. I picked Megan up and checked her over to find she didn't have a scratch, lump, or mark on her. I kept cheking her scalp all over her head to make sure I did not see any glass or cuts - not believing that we had escaped this accident without any injuries.

I called my wife and explained we had been in a car acident.

After I checked Megan out, an EMT who goes to our church arrived and checked Megan out again. When she had thoroughly examined us she said, "I don't see anything wrong with either of you." About that time my wife arrived (the accident happened within 3 minutes of our home) and was crying when she saw the car on it's side, expecting to see us badly injured (even though I had told her on the phone we were okay). She picked up Megan and hugged her tight then began checking her over from head to toe just like the EMT and I did.

Megan said , "Mommy why are you crying?"

My wife said, " Because after I saw how the car was wrecked I expected you to be hurt very bad."

Megan just calmly replied in her best DUH voice, "God takes care of us - of course we are okay." As if she never doubted that God would keep us from harm.

The EMT, cops, and firefighters on the scene said that we would be very sore the next day and to expect some deep bruises where our seatbelts had caught us; however, Megan and I have had no soreness or bruising at all.

The lady who helped Megan out of the car turned out to be my Mother-In-Law's Pastor's wife who lives across the street from the accident site. She told my Mother-In-law the folllowing week that when she had helped Megan out of the car, Megan hugged her tight and asked in a normal voice, "Will you take care of me until my Daddy gets out of the car?"

The Pastor's Wife said that it truly was a Miracle that we came out of that accident without a scratch -especially since a lady who was involved in an accident at that same intersection the month before died at the scene.

How awesome is it for a 5 year old to know and have complete trust that God takes care of us even during a car accident?!!

Megan asked me recently before we prayed one night, "I know God takes care of us, but why did he let us get into an accident?"

I answered, "Only God knows for sure, but maybe it was so everyone there after the accident could see that God kept us from getting hurt when we should have been hurt very bad -or maybe it was so that they could see how calm you were because you knew that God takes care of us."

As we all know, God never promised us that we would never be hurt; however, it is so cool that the only way some things can be explained is that God stepped in - otherwise there would have been a different result.

Since that day over a month ago, whenever I start to worry or get upset over something in this business or at home, I remember the Faith of a 5 year old - Megan - God's, my wife's, and my daughter.

Are You Sitting on Ready?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:59:49 -0500

In early December my business was DEAD. I had few prospects and I was very confused as to why. I had been praying that God would guide my steps to fulfill the plans he has for me ... plans to prosper.... however, it seems that I keep forgetting that God is more interesting in growing my character and relationship with Him rather than growing my bank account.

I had a client that I Pre-Approved after working with their credit for a while and sent to one of my Realtors a few months before December. During the course of looking at homes, the client came upon a deal they could not refuse with a builder's lender - which left me out of the deal. My Realtor - being the man of God he is - reduced his fee by 1% so that the client could still pay me a consulting fee for helping them with their credit so they could be approved. I sent an Invoice thru my Employer's name so that the attorney would cut the check to them and I would get my normal percentage of the fee.

When the check came, it was written to me personally, "Brian Foxworth" not "Palmetto South Mortgage". As I held the check in my hands the thought came to me, "You could go a cash this since it is in you name and no one would find out." For that split second - it sounded like a great idea..

But then I heard God's voice, "If I can't trust you with this, how can I trust you with true riches?" I immediately asked for forgiveness of even thinking about cheating my employer, but most of all for cheating God.

I gave the check to my boss with a cheerful heart knowing that God would take care of my family as He always has.

The second week in December my Dad called me while I was at work and asked, "Are you sitting on ready?"

"Dad, what are you talking about?"

"Are you sitting on ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"I was driving down the road just now and praying for you and your sisters when suddenly I had to pull my truck over because God said, 'I'm about to answer your prayers. I'm going to bless Brian with more business than he can handle.' --- Brian, I began to thank God for this answer to prayer and had revival right there in my truck! Now I'm gonna ask you again -- Are you sitting on Ready? Are you ready for God to Bless your socks off?!"

"Dad, I am ready for whatever He wants to do -- I am SOOOO READY!"

A week later, rates went down to 4.50% and I have been busier than a one-armed paper hanger ever since. Now, I'm not saying if I wasn't obedient to God, we never would have had 4.50% rates --

--What I am saying is Are we trusting in our business or trusting in God?

Are you sitting on Ready?

Is the Tide Turning in Your Housing Market? Can You Feel It?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:38:11 -0600

Historically, December is always slow for me. I have just chalked it up to people don't want to buy a house during Christmas when they are needing to buy presents, going to parties, finishing Thanksgiving leftovers....

However, this year is different. I have received more mortgage applications this month than the last 2 combined. I was talking about this to one of my Realtors who sent me 3 Buyers last night and she said that it was the same for her -suddenly her phone is ringing and clients are wanting to look at houses this month more than previous months.

She said that it is as if people are starting to realize that no matter what the media says -the economy is going to get better and now is the time to take advantage of these low rates!

Is you Housing Market Changing?

For Better?

For Worse?

Lower Rates and GingerBread Houses

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:53:17 -0600

This morning rates went down to 5.125% for a 30yr fixed Conventional 80%ltv Owner Occupied $160,000 loan with a 740 score (5.354% APR). I was doing my Happy Dance when I saw this until I started contacting my watch list...

I have been contacting everyone on my Watch list who has told me - "When rates drop to below 5.50% let me know so I can refinance or buy!"

What I'm amazed at is how many people have been watching the news about the Treasury's announcement yesterday and think that the rates should be 4.50% or that they want to wait until the rates hit 4.5%.

Folks, the headline says, "WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The Treasury Department is contemplating a proposal that would cut mortgage rates for new loans for homes, according to the Wall Street Journal. "

Contemplating means they are thinking about it, mulling it over, wondering if it will work - NOT A DEFINITE DECISION! By no means can we count on this happenening.

But you can count on the rates as they are availlable.

5.125% is the lowest rate we have seen this year -yet people who want to wait for a lower rate might miss the opportunity if rates pop back up and the Treasury decides that the propsal the are contemplating just won't do the trick.

I guess I see it like the Ginger breadhouse my daughter made with my parents over Thanksgiving - they decorated this beautiful gingerbread house that came already made from Walmart -all they had to do was add the candy, frosting and other small pieces that make it fun.

But when it came down to eating the Gingerbread House -it was as hard as a rock because my parents bought one that had sat on a shelf for a while and wasn't suitable for consumption any longer. They wanted to get the best one they could but they did not buy it at the right time - or they did not pick out the best one available to them at that moment.

Mortgage rates are a lot like that Gingerbread house -if you don't take advantage of the rates while they are low and just keep waiting for a possibilty of lower rates in the future -you may have to settle for a rate that is not as edible as the one I have been trying to contact my watch list for.

You mortgage professionals are professionals for a reason - because they try to get you the best terms to save you money on your next purchase or refinance. Instead of listening to the news - listen to the person you know and can speak face to face with.

So what do you want -a rate that might possibly come or a rate that you can lock today?

Tag I'm It - Christmas MEME

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:12:34 -0600

Dang It! :D

I've been tagged by my fellow South Carolinians Jim & Maria

Hmmmm. what do I want for Christmas....

maybe a

then again I've always wanted a

but I've really wanted a to catch whoever has been eating my Slim Jims!

I tag J.L. Boney, III

and Marcie Toliver

Merry Christmas!

What is Worthy of your Happy Dance?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:56:48 -0600

My daughter Megan does her Happy Dance for all sorts of reasons (in no particular order):

succesfully performing her Flower Girl duties
candy
playing with toys
playing with friends
seeing a movie
popcorn
playing with Sadie the Whiney Weiner Dog
getting new library books
"girls night" with Mommy
shopping with Mommy
getting better at cartwheels
performing the perfect flip on the couch
pigtails
new hair bows
new crowns
dress up Princess Clothes
playing "Pretty Pretty Princess"
watching any Princess movie no matter how many times she has seen it
dancing with Daddy to all the music on every Princess Movie - no matter how many times...
performing the perfect jump on her bed
performing the perfect jump on Mommy and Daddy's bed
scaring Mommy
scaring Sadie the Whiney Wiener Dog
Bubble baths
spending the night with Granny & PawPaw, Nana, Aunt Ruby & Grandmama, Aunt Lisa & Uncle Leroy
Visiting baby Ella Pearl, Aunt Susie, and Uncle Michael
Swimming in Aunt Susie's pool
Riding in Uncle Michael's boat
Driving PawPaw's John Deer lawnmower (with PawPaw of course)
making a cake with Granny
making a cake with Nana
making a cake with Aunt Susie
making a cake with Aunt Lisa
eating cake
chicken nuggets
meatballs & noodles (spaghetti)
ketchup
pancakes
lollipops
no nap
Riding her Barbie 4 wheeler
racing her neighbor's Barbie jeep in her Barbie 4 wheeler
Writing all of her letters
finger painting
coloring
drawing
Santa Claus
Christmas Trees
Christmas presents
Birthday Cake
Birthday Parties
Birthday presents
Are you getting the picture yet?!!!!

Then I started thinking about what is worthy of my Happy Dance (in no particular order -except for the kissing my wife one..):

Kissing my wife and what it might lead to.... more kissing!
Dancing with Megan to every Princess Movie musical Score
Closing a Home Loan
Creating something -website, blog post,
Finally finishing Painting a room
winning the lottery (I wish!)
flying a plane
going to Disney World
making my parents proud
making my God proud
making my wife happy
Clemson Tigers making a touchdown, interception, and winning the game
A medium grilled steak with a baked sweet potato drenched in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon
.....

I've noticed my list isn't very long compared to Megan's..... what events are worthy of your Happy Dance?

Maybe you can find your Happy Dance in this video - (Mine is the Sprinkler):

www.BrianFoxworth.com

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:05:16 -0600

Shameless plug -I know - but after all the time I have spent creating my first site, I'm gonna shout it from the roof top: "MY WEBSITE IS FINALLY DONE!!!!"

On my site clients may:

Check Rates
Apply Online
Check the status of their loan
View my Active Rain Profile/Blog
Run different Scenarios with numerous Mortgage Calculators
Check Foreclosure Listings anywhere in the country

A BIG "THANK YOU!" goes out to several folks here on ActiveRain and in my office who helped me with their Constructive Criticism and made my site better.

Loreena Yeo
Jeff Belonger
JL Boney, III
Nicole Weidauer
Jan Lahan
Glen Osborne

So check it out, tell your friends, and let me know if you see anything that I can improve.

RedNeck Playstation

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:39:35 -0600

Christmas is bustin' out all over the place - so I figured i'd help you with a FREE Christmas gift!

That's right -I said FREE!

From the company that brought you

the RedNeck Senior Scooter

Redneck Skiing

The Redneck Jacuzzi

Not to be confused with the Redneck HOT Tub

The new All Terrain Wheelchair (Sold more when marketerd as "All Terrain" instead of "Redneck" Go figure...)

and my personal favorite - the Redneck Babysitter

oh yeah, and the Redneck Home Office

From that same awesome company comes Redneck Playstation absolutely free -enjoy!

Remember, I gave you your first Christmas gift this year -you owe me!!

Rural Housing Mortgage Program offers 102% Financing Based on Appraisal

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:07:19 -0600

David Patterson has listed this Beautiful Log Cabin in Lexington, SC and has given me permission to Re-Blog it with the best Mortgage program available.

This property is eligible for the Rural Housing Program which finances up to 102% of the Appraised Value.

Since most Buyers are having their offers accepted well below the Appraised Value -this program allows Buyers in this situation to also include their Closing Costs in the loan if they or the Seller are unwilling to pay them out of pocket.

A Beautiful Home with Beautiful Financing -What else could you ask for?

Via Columbia SC Homes for Sale by David Patterson:

Are you looking for a Log Home with Owner Financing Available?

610 Windy Wood Road in Lexington SC might tickle your fancy!

Visit my Facebook Profile for more pictures!

David Patterson | Keller Williams Realty | (803) 772-5858

610 Windy Wood Road, Lexington, SC

Stunning Log Home in Metropolitan Columbia - Lexington SC

4BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $350,000

Year Built 1992

Sq Footage 3,063

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 2 full, 1 partial

Floors 2

Parking 2 Car garage

Lot Size 5.87 acres

HOA/Maint $0 per month

DESCRIPTION

OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE REQUIRING
- 10% DOWN PAYMENT -

This secluded home offers a QUIET, COUNTRY FEEL! When you make your showing appointment, you will be impressed by the large UPSCALE KITCHEN with JENN-AIR RANGE, GRANITE SURFACES and HICKORY CABINETS!

The outdoor amenities are just as stunning with a large deck/wraparound porch and a spacious 5.87acre lot.

If you are looking for a log home, you aren't the only one! This home will not be available long!

CALL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C Central heat Fireplace

High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Hardwood floor

Tile floor Family room Living room

Breakfast nook Dishwasher Stove/Oven

Granite countertop Attic Basement

Washer Dryer Laundry area - inside

Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard Jacuzzi/Whirlpool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

David Patterson

Keller Williams Realty

(803) 772-5858

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Nov 13, 2008, 8:18am PST

Richland County South Carolina Home Ownership Assistance

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:01:09 -0600

For those buyers who already reside in Richland County there is Down Payment /Closing Cost Assistance available to you if you Choose to Purchase a home in the unincorprated areas of Richland County.

Here is how it works:

This forgivable loan can be used with any program FHA, VA , Conv, etc...

Applicants:

MUST BE Residents of Richland County at the time of application -no exceptions
Must be qualified as a HUD low to moderate income household (dependant upon how many people in household)
Must attend Program Orientation and pay $100 Application fee offered only ONCE A MONTH - November 18^th, Dec 16^th, Jan 23^rd .. (4^th Tuesday of every month from that point on)
Must attend Home Buyer training and Home Maintenance training (times and dates offered given at Orientation meeting so no one can crash the party)
Must purchase a home that will pass "rigid" inspection, built after 1978, and be in unincorporated areas of Richland County (not within city limits of Columbia, Irmo, Chapin, or any other city or town in Richland County)

This is what Richland County has to say about it:

GOAL
To provide down payment and/or closing cost assistance to first time home buyers.

MAXIUM LOAN AMOUNT
$5,000

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

•· Must be a resident of Richland County

•· Must be qualified as a household of low to moderate income (See HUD income guidelines)

•· Must be employed. If applicant is not employed, he/she must provide income documentation supporting the following:

Disability Benefits
Social Security Benefits
Other Retirement Benefits

ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES
Single family dwellings located in the unincorporated area of Richland County. New and existing homes, town houses, and condominiums are qualified properties if they were built after 1978. (Each property must be able to pass rigid inspection that will guarantee the home is livable, safe and does not require immediate repair.)

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

•· Attend Program Orientation

•· $100 Application Fee(Money Order or Cashier's Check) No Personal Checks

•· Attend home buyer training and home maintenance training (information will be provided at the Program Orientation

LOAN DESCRIPTION
The assistance will be provided in a five-year deferred forgivable loan. Approved applicants must live in the purchased property for five years (from the time of closing) for the loan to be forgiven. If the approved applicant does not stay in the home for the five-year period, the assistance must be repaid based on a prorated formula. (20% per year)

Contact me at 803-446-3270 or email at BFoxworth@PalmettoSouth.com for more details. I look forward to helping you finance your new home with $0 down payment out of your pocket.

What is Your Post Election Prediction?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:14:24 -0600

Election Day is here and the world is on the edge of it's seat to see who will be the next Presdient.

I love this country and I am proud to be able to vote for our next President -however, this post is not about predicting who you think will be President.

It's about what you predict the Economy will do when the next President is announced.

Do you think the Economy will continue to collapse at a steady pace?

Do You think it will Crash and Burn?

Or Do you Predict this Country will be given new life and resuscitated with people no longer being afraid to buy a home now that we know who the next President will be?

I Predict that Americans will be happy to know who the next President is, we will see lower interest rates, people will start buying houses, stop riding the fence, and our Economy will be on it's way back from our near death experience.

What is Your Prediction?

Who Do You think You Are? What is Your Name? (Updated)

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:57:33 -0500

I've been thinking about this a lot lately: Who do I think I am? What is my name ? What defines me? Is it my profession, my beliefs, my family history, my success rate, who I'm married to, my credit history?

I love movies. Especially the ones that inspire me to go out there and go the extra mile to accomplish my goals.

I started thinking about awesome movies that answered my Title Questions.

I love the movie Gladiator. Here's a clip (sorry for the poor quality - only one I could find) where the gladiator is asked by the young ruler "What is Your name?" 50 seconds into the clip.

This is who I think I am -This is my name :

"My name is Donald Brian Foxworth,

Loyal Servant to The Lord God who made the heavens and the earth and everything in it,

Saved by the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ who died on a cross for my sins as the best gift He could ever give - not because I deserved it- but because of the Love God has for all of us - by God's Grace and Who God raised up on the 3rd day to Conquer death and the grave,

Husband of the Intoxicatingly Beautiful Christ-follower Christina Foxworth -who I have been in love with all of my life before God even gave her to me as the 2nd best gift He could give - who loves me slightly less than God does -even when she doesn't like me that much,

Daddy of Megan Grace Foxworth - blessed with the beauty of her Mommy, the personality of her Daddy, and the 3rd best gift God had given me,

Proud American by Birth,

Conservative by the Biblical values of God's Word by Choice,

Realizer of the Dream of Home Ownership for Many,

Tolerator of Sadie the Wiener Dog because my wife and daughter love her. "

Who do you think you are? What is your true name?

*************************UPDATE*************************************

After I wrote this yesterday, it was brought to my attention that there was offensive language in the Second Hand Lions clip - I was so focused on the part where Hub passionately tells the teenager who he is that I did not think about the language -for this I am sorry.

I have also realized that maybe there are some folks out there who don't know their true name. Maybe you have been thru a difficult storm this past week, month, year, decade... and you are not sure who you are.

Maybe you've done some things you regret -I know I have - and you don't think you can ever escape that mistake, that bad choice, that sin.

Maybe you think everyone has given up on you - that you are too far gone, you've done too many bad things, you've hurt too many people, or you have been hurt too many times for you to have a name of any worth, of any value.

Maybe this economy has spun your Real Estate business on its ear and you, like many, no longer have the recognition of Top Producer and you have not experienced this kind of set back in along time -or maybe you've never experienced this kind of setback.

No matter what you are going thru, no matter what you have done, no matter who you have hurt, or who has hurt you God has never given up on you.

This is what God has to say about you -this is how he sees you:

Matthew 10: 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Psalms 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

What God has done for one of us, He can do for all of us: Jesus changed Simon to Peter. He changed Simon's name to the name God thought of him - that showed Peter's true worth in God:

"ROCK"

John 1:40 -42 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard John's witness and followed Jesus. The first thing he did after finding where Jesus lived was find his own brother, Simon, telling him, "We've found the Messiah" (that is, "Christ"). He immediately led him to Jesus.

Jesus took one look up and said, "You're John's son, Simon? From now on your name is Cephas" (or Peter, which means "Rock").

This is a song I love to sing every chance I get - a reminder that no matter what I've done, no matter how bad I've messed things up - if I have repented and asked for God's forgiveness thru his Son Jesus He will give me a new name - a new identity thru the Blood of Jesus the way God has always seen me:

He knows your name - Do you?

The Best Way To Tell Everyone You Want More Business

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:47:03 -0500

I've been pondering this past week about the best way to let everyone know I want more business. There have been several ways I've tried that were pretty expensive.

They got some results -but you have to keep doing them every month to stay in the minds of the people, so I started a new campaign that would always be in front of people where they would see me everyday.

I suddenly remembered that we have pretty cool personalized tags here in South Carolina.

Of course, with the rising gas prices a lot of people are walking to work, so I worked a deal with the city to install these around town so I could be contacted pretty quick.

And to take advantage of our tourist spots I bought a Star in Hollywood, SC (yes, there is a Hollywood, SC)

Of course you can't forget Myrtle Beach one our biggest tourist attractions

Then I took it one step further and started thinking about captive audiences on the local level -right here in the community. Since South Carolina is a football state, I coughed up the dough to have the cheerleaders cheer for me -since our college teams aren't doing so hot!

This worked pretty good in the high schools too so I tried some old school marketing.

Then I realized that I had to build Consumer Confidence in the Economy so I partnered with a local soup company to help me out. Unfortunately, this just freaked a lot of people out...

So I tried to motivate groups of people at their jobs where they spend most of their lives...

Then I decided to take out a personal ad but I ended up having to tell a lot of ladies and a couple of guys that I'm very happily married.

With the elections at our door -I figured I'd capitalize on all the buttons people are wearing and the one I wear everywhere

We have a lot of social events including Chamber of Commerce Breakfasts so I bought the backs of all the place cards but no one ever looked at the back of the cards...

Then I remembered I had not contacted my past clients in a while so I sent them all this that's right a Mixed Tape tells the ones you love how you feel about them - again, I had to tell a lot of folks that I'm happily married...

Speaking of happily married, my wife has always told me that she is attracted to the back of my head so I decided it wouldn't hurt to do this... boy, was I wrong!

Still not wanting to give up on a good idea I decided to make it interactive for folks... but I didn't think about how much pain this would cause me.

So I'm left with the BEST way that I should have started with anyway, letting my friends here on Active Rain know how to send me business Hi, my name is Brian Foxworth. I would love to help you close more deals by Approving your Clients with the Conventional, FHA, VA, State Housing and Rural Housing programs I still have available in SC, NC, GA, TN, and FL. Since I'm a Lender and not a mortgage broker, I have more control over the fees and time frame we need to work in with my Underwriter and Closing Coordinator here in-house. Give me a call or email me a client's info that I can get Approved for you. I'm Brian Foxworth and I Approve this message.

I've Been Told I am to Blame for This Economic Mess

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:53:40 -0500

A few weeks ago I contacted a landlord that I had helped with financing one of her properties to the renters that had been in the property for 7 years. She had been very happy for the help and had even sent me other renters to help buy the homes she did not want anymore.

The reason for my current call 6 months later was to have her update the Verification of the Private Mortgage(VOM) she had given to me during the purchase transaction so that I could now refinance the clients and help them save over $200 a month due to the lower rates available. Since she and I had a great relationship 6 months earlier, I expected it to be no hassle and hopefully get some more referrals from her; however, I was sadly mistaken.

Instead, she replied with a nasty tone in her voice, "YOU ARE THE REASON WE ARE IN THIS MESS! You are just trying to take advantage of these clients and add to their mortgage -I will not let you do this to them!"

I was in shock when I answered, "Actually, I will be saving them over $200 a month and they will be recouping the Closing Costs in less than 18 months -I fail to see how I am taking advantage of them when they are saving money each month AND have a lower interest rate."

She answered by hanging up on me.

I still closed the loan after I explained the situation to the UnderWriter -they just used the original VOM - and the clients are now enjoying $200 extra each month and a lower interest rate.

But I was left scratching my head -what had changed in 6 months for this nice landlady to feel that I was now Public Enemy #1? Then I remembered that she watched the news and that the news had been saying the mean old mortgage companies are to blame.

I took a look back at my past loans and really tried to see if I had taken advantage of anyone: I had never maxed out the fees on anyone or put them into a house they could not afford. I never lied about the income they made on a Stated income loan. Everyone I closed a loan for was better off than when they came to me -especially if they took my advice on how to make their credit better.

Then I started wondering: If I'm not to blame for this mess - then who is? A couple of days ago this Wall Street Journal article written by Economist Russell Roberts was emailed to me.

It explained that this actually all started back in 1992,

"...Beginning in 1992, Congress pushed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to increase their purchases of mortgages going to low and moderate income borrowers. For 1996, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gave Fannie and Freddie an explicit target -- 42% of their mortgage financing had to go to borrowers with income below the median in their area. The target increased to 50% in 2000 and 52% in 2005.

For 1996, HUD required that 12% of all mortgage purchases by Fannie and Freddie be "special affordable" loans, typically to borrowers with income less than 60% of their area's median income. That number was increased to 20% in 2000 and 22% in 2005. The 2008 goal was to be 28%. Between 2000 and 2005, Fannie and Freddie met those goals every year, funding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of loans, many of them subprime and adjustable-rate loans, and made to borrowers who bought houses with less than 10% down...."

And it has snowballed from there -makes sense doesn't it?

So I called the nice landlady and told her the good news and emailed the article to her explaining that I could not be the cause of this mess -I have an alibi: I was in college when it all started in 1992 and I did not start doing mortgage loans until 2000.

I haven't heard back from her yet...

Do YOU think President Bush's Plan is Helpful, a Hinderence, or Hopeless?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:59:17 -0500

Please do not misunderstand - I am not asking if you like or dislike President Bush - I am only asking did his speech last night (9/24/2008 @ 9pm) and the plan he explained make you feel more confident in buying or refinancing your home?

The main point I got out of His plan was that the government is going to buy all the bad debt from Banks so that they can relax their Underwriting Guidelines (something we desperately need) making it easier to close a mortgage loan.

What did you get out of it?

I ask this because I want to understand how Americans across the nation are reacting to this information. I have so many clients that are very unsure about the economy - even though their Realtor and I are assuring them that this is the perfect time to buy while housing prices are low- they still want to wait and see who is going to be in Office come November before they purchase or refinance. I get so frustrated by this frame of mind and I forget what it's like not to be a Mortgage Lender who looks at the market all the time.

So enlighten me please. Tell me if you personally feel this new bailout will help, hinder, or is the economy still hopeless?

Mortgage Impossible?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:40:32 -0500

We all remember the old "Mission Impossible" theme song I like to call "da -da- dada - da-da-dadda" In case you don't have perfect pitch while reading it sounds like this :

Okay - now humor me for a minute - keep the Mission Impossible theme playing while you read the rest of this post AND while you watch the video -come on, it's gonna work and it's what I had playing in my mind when I wrote this post so you might as we ll get inside my head no matter how scary it is ....

This past Friday, September 19th the "Today Show" aired a segment by Michael Okwu that I have provided in the video below from the "Today Show" website. Pay special attention to what is said at 46 seconds into the video "Gone are $0 down loans often replaced with 20% down..."

Here we go - click they play button again on the Mission Impossible theme above and then immediately after click the play button on the video below with both volumes up high enough to hear them at the same time- it has a Pink Floyd / Wizard of Oz effect -.. (Pretty cool, right? okay when you have played 50 seconds in you can stop both videos)

Obviously many Americans watch the "Today Show" in the mornings and they believe that they are hearing from experts WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT.

Sorry - I did not mean to shout, but come on - Michale Okwu has NO CLUE what he is talking about because we still have several $0 down loans programs available:

1. VA still offers 100% loans based on the Sales Price or Appraised Value - whichever is lower -if the Apprasied Value is lower than the Sales Price you need to renegotiate anyway...

2. USDA Rural Housing still offers 100% financing based on the APRRAISED VALUE- therefore, if your Realtor has obtained a sweet deal for you and you have a low Sales Price compared to the Appraised value you can include your Closing Costs and Prepaid items in the loan as long as the sum of the Sales Price + the Closing cost and prepaids do not go over the Appraised Value.

3. State Housing programs require at least 3% down; however, they offer Down Payment Assistance based on your income and the property's county you are purchasing in AND some or all of the Down payment may not have to be paid back (forgivable)

And finally FHA still offers only 3% down (soon to be 3.5% down payment) loans which is a far cry from 20% down. So there you have it - the media is not always correct in their mission to get you panicked every hour on the hour.

Back to my Title Question: Mortgage Impossible? Not even close!

Your Mission - should you choose to accept it - is to thwart the media's mission to hit your panick buttons by TURNING OFF THE NEWS, LIVING YOUR LIFE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS NOT AS BAD AS THEY SAY, AND BUY A HOUSE DURING THE BEST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE - NOW! (i did mean to shout that time).

This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds..

4..

3...

2...

Dang -fuse was wet ...

How are You Allowing this Economy Affect You?(That's right, I said "Allowing")

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:28:25 -0500

The Economy is in the news all day long. Which Bank is going under today? How is the Government going to step in and Solve our Problems? Wait a minute - How is the Government going to Solve OUR Problems? Is the government really responsible for us -or are We responsible for ourselves?

For the past 4 years, I have had a "Solve the World's Problems" Summit during lunch at least once a week with a buddy of mine where we ussually divide this discussion into 3 topics:

How can my Personal Budget keep me from Feeling the Pain of this Economy?

How can I Lessen the Pain of this Economy for others?

How does my Faith affect my Perception of these times?

If anyone was to listen to our converstion, they may think we were a combination of Grumpy Old Men, Dave Ramsey, and Slingblade Carl (just because we enjoy saying "Mmmm hmmmmm" like him to make our points).

Anyway, back to our story - let's take this by the numbers:

How can my Personal Budget keep me from Feeling the Pain of this Economy? Now some of you are already scratching your head and asking, "What is a Personal Budget?" Well the down and dirty of it is this: - you write down how much money is coming in after taxes every month and you subtract every monthly expense that comes out from large to small - ussually starting with your mortgage or rent - down to gas for the car and money for food & entertainment. Dave Ramsey and other Financial Advisors actually advize us to write the 1st check every month based on 10% of your Income to charity (Church, United Way, etc.), the 2nd check should be 10% of your Income to your Personal Savings Account (to save for the unexpected expenses), with the rest divided up between your monthly debts & expenses from big to small - purposefully beginning to pay off your debt from small to large debts (Dave Ramsey calls this your Debt Snowball). Okay -here is where we start our weekly discussion during our Summits: If most people (including me) started following Financial Advisors advice our country would be full of citizens who are giving to charities, have Savings for emergencies (so they won't have to use their credit cards), and have begun to pay off their debt. I think it begins with something my Grandparents called Delayed Gratification - if you are not familiar with this term, click on the link. In our society we are bombarded with commercials that play songs like "I WANT IT ALL & I WANT IT NOW" which promote our Instant Gratification culture - we want what we want when we want it and we want it NOW. That kind of mindset increases our Credit Card Debt, defeats any kind of Personal Savings Plan , and sometimes forces us to tap into our home's equity (read Broker Bryant's post about Your Home is your Castle, NOT an ATM Machine!)
How can I Lessen the Pain of this Economy for Others? Remember up there in #1 where I told you that Financial Advisors say it is best to write your first check every month to Charity? That's because the old Proverbs of Widom are true - Don't let the flow of money stop with you, let it flow thru you - If you were a body of water, do you want to be a stagnant pond where the water just stands still or do you want to be a River where there is a fresh supply of water everyday? These Charities -Churches, United Way, Red Cross, and countless others - help the less fortunate everyday. You could even take it a step further and tell your family that this Holiday Season during Thanksgiving and Christmas you'll be joining others in Adopting less fortunate families so they can have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. The possibilities are endless when we -Not the Government -help each other.
How does my Faith affect my Perception of these Economic Times? I am a believer that God is in Control no matter what is happening around me. Your Faith may help you as well. If I am completely focused on the Nightly News and I believe everything that comes from it - then I am going to perceive that everything is Doom & Gloom; however, if I am anxiously awaiting how God is going to grow my character thru these times and I am following His Wisdom - I can make it thru anything. How does your Faith help you thru these times?

So back to my Title question: How are You Allowing this Economy Affect You? Are you cutting back on wants and just taking care of needs for your family so that you can still easily afford your monthly debts? Are you still helping others? Are you still saving for emergencies? (I know -some of you are already in an emergency - but what if you had saved for it before all this mess happened? You can contact some of those charities others give to to help.) Are you relying on yourself and your Faith to bring you thru this -or are you sitting and waiting for the government to solve your problems?

Are we going to allow this Doom and Gloom mentality anymore or are we going to revive this economy by taking care of ourselves and helping others?

Or do you think it is too far gone to do anything?

To Sell UFirst or Not To Sell?

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:05:02 -0500

I was contacted by a Fellow Christian who has been helping Homeowners payoff all of their debt in 10 - 12 years instead of a normal 30 year term thru a company called United First Financial.

I have always told my clients to pay ahead on their mortgages and take advantage of the Bi-Weekly payment schedule that comes directly out of their bank account and allows them to pay an extra payment each year to Principal resulting in reducing their 30 year term to about 18 years on average.

I have been asked by some of my Realtors about UFirst in the past few months so I decided to sit in on a webinar about it, but I wasn't convinced it was the right vehicle to sell to my clients - especially for $3500.

However, today it was presented to me in a fresh new way by the Fellow Christian who is a Branch Manager with UFirst that almost made sense. With their Money Merge Program, you pay all of your income into your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and pay your bills out of your HELOC as well -whatever is left over - say $1000 for example is suggested by the Money Merge Account system to pay down the Principal on your debts (including your HELOC) each month.

For those of you who read my posts -especially my last one - you know that I usually agree with Dave Ramsey - a Christian Financial Counselor who preaches that you can get out of debt yourself thru his Financial Peace University program (which is only $149) that basically has you use a cash envelope budget system that your Grandparents always used to discipline yourself to acheive a Debt-Free life.

Dave Ramsey has made it no secret that he believes the UFirst Program does everything you can do yourself but charges you $3500 to do it - and the UFirst Branch Manager brought that out into the open during his presentation today. The Branch Manager says that Dave Ramsey just hasn't taken the time to understand how the program really works.

Here's where you come in - Have any of you used this program or sold this program to your clients?

Come on now - Don't be shy. I would like my Active Rain Family and readers to help me out by letting me know their experiences - good or bad - so I can honestly tell my Realtors if this is the way to Pay Off your Mortgage early or should you get disciplined and do it yourself like Grandma and Grandpa did?

"Should I Pay off My Mortgage?"

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:27:23 -0500

Yesterday I received a call from a young lady (We'll call her Gertrude) who asked my opinion on if she should refinance her 15 Year, 5.25% Fixed rate mortgage to receive a lower payment on a 30 Year, 6.25% Fixed Rate Mortgage to give her some breathing room each month.

She and her husband had done everything she could think of to cut back her monthly expenses, but her family still needed about $400 a month for her to start working less hours a week to be able to be home more for her children. They had paid off their cars, credit cards, and the only "luxury" they had was Satellite TV - there was nowhere else to cut - unless they wanted to skip some meals.

I ran the numbers and Gertrude would save around $380 a month by refinancing into a 30 year mortgage and save about $260 a month if they refinanced into a 20 year mortgage. I continued the questions I ask everyone when completing an Application and we got to the Assets information -in fact, she brought it up before I got to it - that there was a substantial amount of money in CD's that were earning about 4.25% or less along with her savings that earn 2% or less in addition to her 401k that she had stopped contributing to since it was tanking. There was more than enough money in her CD's alone to pay off her mortgage and still give her more than a year's cushion should she or her husband be out of work and she even had a separate Savings account for emergencies.

At this point, let me stop and tell you about an influence in my life, Dave Ramsey. I had taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University Course a couple of years ago. At the age of 26, through his brokerage firm, Ramsey Investments, Inc., he had built a rental real estate portfolio worth more than $4 million. Ramsey's debt-fueled success soon came to an end as the Tax Reform Act of 1986 began to negatively impact the real estate business. One of Ramsey's largest investors was sold to a larger bank, who began to take a harder look at Ramsey's borrowing habits. The bank demanded he pay $1.2 million worth of short-term notes within 90 days, forcing him to file bankruptcy. Ramsey vowed to never again borrow money - however, he did not sit around in self pity for too long - he asked God to show him how to create wealth His Way without debt and promised to teach everyone he could how to do it.Thru prayer, searching the Bible, and attending other Christian Finacial Planners workshops - God showed him how to pick himself up and systematically save his emergency fund, payoff his debts and THEN buy investments with cash. He has been sharing his knowledge of God's Wisdom about money on the radio(on over 300 radio stations), in his books, and DVD study courses ever since.

Now Back to Our Story- After Gertrude had informed me of the amount of money she had in CD's and other Savings Accounts, she immediately asked, "Should I pay off my Mortgage with my CD's? My tax preparer said I shouldn't since I would no longer have a tax deduction for Mortgage Interest." I asked her if her Tax Preparer had backed his opnion with any real numbers - as in showing her Comparisons with her Current 2007 1040 vs. an Amended 1040 without the Mortgage Interest Deduction and she said, "No, he just said it wasn't a good idea."

Immediately, my shoulder angel(played by Dave Ramsey) has beaten up my shoulder devil and is yelling in my brain "TELL HER TO PAY IT OFF! TELL HER TO PAY IT OFF! TELL HER! TELLLLL HERRRRRR!!!!!!"

To quiet my new-found shoulder angel I asked Gertrude to go over some real numbers with me over the phone. I reminded her that I am NOT a Tax preparer so we were going to keep it simple. I asked her if she were to pay off this mortgage how many year's salary would that leave her in Savings? She replied , "Over a year -not counting my Emergency Fund and 401k." Good. Based on the Escrow amount she gave me per year, I calculated that her Principle & Interest amount per month was $988 x 12months = Saving $11, 856 per year if she paid off her mortgage. By using an Amortization schedule for her current loan in it's 3rd year of repayment I calculated she was paying on average about $530 in Interest per month x 12 months = $6,360. Depending on variables that I did not have access to - she would actually get a deduction for a % of the $6,360 -but I used the full amount in my example to her. So I told Gertrude that even if she was getting the full amount deducted from her overall Taxes to be paid after all other deductions She would still save form the totals above $11,856 - 6,360 =$5,496 per year or $458 per month.

I explained to her that more than likely, from what she had told me, we were looking at that deduction being a lot less like maybe $2500, which would actually save her more than $9300 per year or over $775 per month (Some of you tax folks help me out).

So I advise her to have a MBP (Mortgage Burning Party) and do a happy dance since:

She will save at least $458 per month - (what she needed to begin with)
She is currently paying out 1% in interest (5.25% on the mortgage) more than she was receiving (4.25% in CD's) - this will correct that imbalance
She will have over a year's salary remaining in liquid savings
She can now work less hours to spend more time with her kids.

She thanked me for my advice and said she was gonna get some real numbers from her Tax Preparer too (even if he is a grumpy old man) to see exactly how much she would save. I told her that if my bosses were not Christians, and they overheard me telling a Prospective Client to not refinance - but payoff her mortgage instead -I would probably be fired - But I have to be able to sleep at night and know I did the right thing for Gertrude.

Sleep easy Gertrude - I know I will.

Get It While You Can!

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:53:59 -0500

At 5:48 this evening I recieved an email that one of my Investors was going to jump the gun. As of tomorrow, August 12 , 2008 they will no longer be purchasing any FHA loans with Down Payment Assistance.

As you have all heard the New Housing Bill, "Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008″ , called for the Elimination of Down Payment Assistance Programs -such as Nehemiah and AmeriDream that help thousands of buyers a year be able to purchase their first home - as of October 1st 2008. However, this one Investor (we have several we sell loans to) has decided to make it their policy to not accept Down Payment Assistance as of August 12, 2008 - even though a new bill has been presented to save the Down Payment Assistance Programs.

The FHA Seller-Financed Downpayment Reform and Risk-Based Pricing Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 6694) was introduced by several members of Congress on Thursday, July 31, 2008. Representatives Maxine Waters, Gary Miller, Al Green and Christopher Shays sponsored this bill that if passed and signed into law will allow downpayment assistance to continue indefinitely.

My hope is that my clients who have been taking their time to find the best home for their family do not miss the opportunity to own their own home due to other Investors and Banks following one Investor to eliminate Down Payment Assistance earlier than written into law before HR 6694 has been passed and signed into law. I'm not ussually a "Doom & Gloom" Loan Officer and I don't mean to sound like one now; however, all Buyers who need to use Down Payment Assistance to make the Down Payment on their home needs to Apply now before it's too late.

Here in South Carolina, there are Builders reducing their Asking Price 10-15% and knowledgable Buyers Agents are negotiating for even more Equity for their Clients. Now is the time to purchase your new home.

Don't wait - it might be too late...

"Even Me Daddy?"

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:37:44 -0500

One evening, as my daughter Megan Grace and I were watching Cinderella III for the gagillianth time, the movie came to a part where the King told the Red -Haired Wicked Step Sister that "Everybody deserves true love."

Megan Grace looked back at me with her innocent 4-year-old brown eyes and asked, "Even me Daddy?"

I scooped her up in my arms with a tear in my eye and I told her, "God has chosen a very special boy for you that was born to be you husband. When you grow up and when it is God's perfect timing, He will introduce you to each other."

She asked me, "Is that how it happened with you and Mommy?"

As I held her in my lap I replied, "Yes. I had been dating girls that were not the one God had made for me and I was tired of choosing the ones I thought I was going to marry because they were either pretty, or prettier, or prettiest of all the girls I knew. I got so mad at myself for wasting time on the wrong girls I told God that I was not going to go out with any other girl until he showed me The Girl He had made for me - I did not care if it took 2 months, 2 years, or 20 years - I was tired of doing it my way.

Thankfully, 2 weeks later God introduced me to your Mommy who was standing beside me at church one Sunday night worshipping God with her eyes closed while singing one of my favorite songs - God tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'She is the one I made for you to spend the rest of your life with'. Joy that I had not felt since I asked Jesus to live in my heart leapt inside of me like an uncaged tiger and I knew at that moment that God was right - I was going to spend the rest of my life with the girl He had made for me, who was not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside where it really matters. Three years later we were married and I became her husband."

Megan Grace asked me, "Where is the boy I will marry?"

I smiled and said, "Only God knows that, but we can pray for that boy to have parents who teach him about God and Jesus, who show him how to be very nice to girls, teach him as he is growing up to be a great husband for you, and show him how to guard his heart so he doesn't give it away until God introduces you to each other."

Megan's little face lit up with a huge smile and she said, "Let's pray for him now Daddy."

So we did. And we have been almost every night since.

I am dedicating this post to my beautiful brown-eyed wife who loves me even when she doesn't like me too much and gave birth to our brown-eyed Megan Grace to share these moments together.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY Sweetness!

I Love You

What does this post have to do with Real Estate? - Nothing

What does this post have to do with Christianity and Spiritual Rain? Everything.

The Meaning of Life

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:56:59 -0500

Do you remember the movie "City Slickers"? In the movie Billy Crystals character was asking Curley the trail boss what he thought the Meaning of Life was.

Curly replied by raising his index finger and saying, "One thing."

Billy Crystal asked, "Your finger?!"

Curley said, "No -the Meaning of Life is just one thing."

Billy Crystal asked, "What is that one thing?"

Curley replied, "It's different for everyone -that's what you have to figure out."

When I have a question I ask God for the answer - He is the Ultimate Trail Boss on this journey of life. Thinking about this I looked in my NIV Bible under the "Index of Subjects" and sure enough Meaning of Life was listed with some verses under it. Some of the verses did not make any sense to me - but one passage stuck out to me because it just hit home.

That passage was Psalm 27:4-6 when King David was saying boldly that the Meaning of Life -the ONE thing you are seeking is... (here in the Message Version)

"4 I'm asking God for one thing,
      only one thing:
   To live with him in his house
      my whole life long.
   I'll contemplate his beauty;
      I'll study at his feet.

5 That's the only quiet, secure place
      in a noisy world,
   The perfect getaway,
      far from the buzz of traffic.

6 God holds me head and shoulders
      above all who try to pull me down.
   I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
      that will raise the roof!
   Already I'm singing God-songs;
      I'm making music to God. "

... is to be with God in His house to see His beauty where His Glory dwells. When this world of Real Estate gets so noisy - especially from the media - realize that seeking God is the True Meaning of Life.

I couldn't help but remenber a song I love that has that passage in it - "Better is One Day" here is an extended version of it with pics of God's creation -enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je-wFV4M9MU

What happened when I finally gave in to God

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:11:25 -0500

Have you ever had one of those days when you had a set agenda and God just laughed because you told Him your plans instead of waiting for His plan?

Last Thursday I had lunch with my Pastor on the other side of town from where my office is located. We had a very good lunch and talked about getting closer to God. I told my pastor about situations when I tell my daughter to do something in a nice way she does not listen - she waits until I am raising my voice before she does what I tell her to do. After she does what she was suppose to do and stops crying because I hurt her feelings - I sit her on my lap and give her a hug. I tell her I love her and explain that if she does not want me to raise my voice, then she needs to listen the first time when I ask nicely - so she never has to hear my voice raised. I explained to my pastor that after one of these episodes recently, I felt God telling me, "Why don't you listen to Me when I tell you to do something in my small still voice? Why do you wait until I am raising my voice, or worse yet- wait until there is pain associated with the disobedience?" - MAN THAT STINGS!

So I've been trying to listen for God's still small voice - pretty much a whisper. That Thursday after meeting my pastor, I decided to take advantage of being on that side of town and go talk to some Realtors at some Model Homes. I went thru a couple of new subdivisions and no agent was on duty. I came to a third subdivision and drove in to find that they only had 1 home for sale and the whole subdivision was only a loop with no other roads branching from it - but the "Agent on Duty" sign was out in front of the Model Home. My first thought was -"I'm not gonna waste my time talking to them -they don't have anything they are selling anyway -it would be a waste of my valuable time."

As I was driving out of the subdivision I heard God whisper, "Go back and talk to that Realtor."

I replied, "God I don't have time just to talk to one Realtor about one home and they already have their own mortgage company anyway"

I drove a little further down the road and God said a little louder, "Turn around and go talk to that Realtor."

So I reluctantly obeyed, (keep in mind that I had just told my pastor in my most righteous tone that I was doing my best to listen to God's "still, small voice") I turned around and pulled up to the Model home and walked in. One Realtor was on the phone and one was walking out with a client (who was probably going to buy the only home they had for sale and aleready had her financing done!) I walked thru the patio home and it was really nice inside. When the Realtor got off the phone I introduced myself and she said, "Brian you are already financing a home right now for one of my clients" - she handed me her card and I immedialtely recognized the name. Within minutes the converastion turned to how thankful we were that God was in control in this crazy market we are in and how most of our clients were believers.

It turns out that God had a plan already worked out for a Devine Appointment that I was not suppose to miss, because before I knew it 2 hours had passed by and we had already shared which church our families attend and she gave me a CD with some of my favorite artists on it as I was leaving. Before I left she admitted she was glad I stopped by. It was very encouraging to her that I saw this business like she did knowing that God was in Control.

Will I see business from it? Maybe

Did God get the glory from 1 Realtor being encouraged? You bet!

My Top 10 Things that Have NOT Changed in the World of Mortgages

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:34:02 -0500

Well. let's see...

...I'm still thinking, ok?! ...

Give me a minute!....

... OK here we go.

My Top 10 9 Things that Have NOT Changed in the World of Mortgages

10. Borrowers with a Middle Credit Score OVER 680 can obtain a 97% Loan Compared to the Sales Price (LTV) on a Fannie or Freddie (Bankable Conforming) Mortgage Loan.

9. Borrowers with a Middle Score OVER 580 can obtain an FHA 97%LTV with the ability to have the 3% Down Payment paid thru The Down Payment Assistance Programs (DPA)

8~~. Borrowers with a Middle Score OVER 680 can obtain a 90% LTV for a Stated Income/ Stated Asset Loan (As long as the income and assets are reasonable compared to your profession and credit history)~~ *************UPDATE*********UPDATE******THIS IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE 4/8/08****************
UPDATE 4/11/2008: It seems that Stated Income programs aren't dead after all..."I'm pleased to announce that effective Tuesday April 15, 2008; Wachovia will bring our Alt -A suite of products back to the wholesale secondary arena! At this time, we will offer SISA and SIVA products to an 80% LTV with 90% CLTV available on some products with outside seconds. The mid score for SISA is 700 and for SIVA is 680 and some cash out scenarios are 720. To be able to announce GREAT NEWS again is a wonderful thing!! Loyd Trimmer, Wachovia Mortgage"

7. Borrowers with Middle Credit Scores BELOW 580 can still obtain an FHA 97% LTV with the ability to have the 3% Down Payment paid thru the DPA; however, your interest rate will be a little higher

6. The Good News is that FHA Interest Rates are still BETTER than Conforming Interets Rates (Today's Best 30 year Fixed rate paying NO Discount Points - Conforming: 5.99% FHA: 5.75%)

5. FHA still allows the Borrower to use Alternative Credit (Credit that does not appear on your Credit Report like Insurance, Power Bills, Cell Phone Bills, Cable, other utilties, etc.) to compensate for not having more than 3 open accounts paid well for the past 12 months on your Credit Report

4. FHA still allows the Seller to pay for all of the Borrower's Closing Costs and Pre-Paid items up to 6% of the Sales Price

3. If any of the Borrower's income is from Self Employment or 1099 we still have to obtain their Full Federal Tax Returns for the last 2 years

2. Realtors are a Mortgage Loan Officers' Best Friend

1. Loan Officers' hair still turns gray faster than Realtors does (Just a personal observation - may not prove true in all states or provinces)

Well, there you have it , the Mortgage Industry is not all DOOM AND GLOOM like the Media dipicts.

Life is Good! Don't let Anyone tell you otherwise.

New FHA Program Offers Help For Deliquent Non-FHA ARM Borrowers

Brian Foxworth SC, GA, FL, & TN Mortgage Loans (Palmetto South Mortgage ) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 10:30:07 -0500

Are you or someone you know having a hard time with your new Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) payments? You are not alone - millions of Americans are in the same predicament. If your property is in South Carolina or Tenessee, I may be able to help you.

The new FHASecure Program offers a way out for homeowners struggling with higher mortgage payments as the result of an interest rate increase on their existing NON-FHA ARM. Borrowers who were current on their mortgage for the 6 months PRIOR TO the interest rate reset date on their ARM, but who have become deliquent may be eligible for this new FHA refinance loan. We must be able to determine that the increased interest rate and subsequent higher payment caused the deliquency.

You must meet all of these Eligibility Requirements:

Have a NON-FHA insured ARM that has reset
6 months on-time mortgage payments before the new interest rate reset
Existing mortgage MUST BE DELIQUENT!
Property value must be supported by a new appraisal
All homeowners must occupy the home
At least one homeowner on the FHASecure loan must be on the original ARM loan being refinanced.
Sufficent Income to make the mortgage payment on the new FHASecure refinance loan

Who is NOT Eligible:

All fixed-rate mortgages
Mortgages with buy-down features incorporated into the interest rate or payment options
Option ARMS
FHA ARMS

FHA Secure Highlights:

If there is sufficient equity in the home, the new loan amount can include the existing first lien mortgage balance, deliquent mortgage payments, closing costs, prepaid expenses, discount points, prepayment penalties, late charges, and arrearages (taxes and insurance coming due)
If you are currently in Foreclosure, the loan decision will be considered on a case-by case basis.
Copy of note and all addendums are required to determine your current mortgage type and reset date
New FHASecure loan may be an FHA 30-year fixed, 3/1 ARM, or a 5/1 ARM. Loan-to Value (LTV) ratios are the same as the standard FHA guidelines; however, any subordinated financing (2nd mortgages) may not exceed the standard LTV limit.
Property eligibility: 1 to 4-family properties, condos, PUD's, and modular homes are eligible. However, spot-condos, manufactured homes, cooperatiive properties, and working farms, ranches, and orchards are not eligible.
Standard FHA county loan limits apply.
Rate and Term refinances only - NO CASH OUT REFINANCES ALLOWED

So there you have it - give me a call or email me today to see if I can help you. I have no application fees or upfront costs.

We hope to be adding states other than SC and TN soon. I will update this blog as other states become available.