Let's Teach the FSBO Guys Everything We Know - 03/31/07 02:12 PM
31 March 2007
FSBOs are your friend.  When you consider (depending upon the source) that about 70% of FSBOs are eventually sold by Realtors, there is a massive market out there.  Can they be YOUR market?
One simple tool - one idea:  You can help a FSBO with a CMA to help them price their home (per local real estate laws and guidelines) and in turn possibly become their Buyer's agent - they're moving somewhere. 
We took this concept a little further.
We recently did an eight-show radio (WTDY) series of FSBO episodes that incorporated other industry pros (realtor, mortgage, attorney, HOW, title, whatever) instructing FSBO owners on how … (11 comments)

Home Ownership - Is It Really Only About Money? - 03/28/07 05:59 AM
26 March 2007
Monday, March 12th, the  Wall Street Journal carried an article entitled "Why Your Home Isn't the Investment You Think It Is."  In this article WSJ reporter David Crook focuses only on the financial aspects of owning a home, and not very positively at that.  He quotes a large investment firm - competitors with the real estate market - touting investments over home ownership.  Here are our comments:
                                           Skewed for a purpose.  The article was skewed for a purpose.  Someone should tell Mr. Crook about a certain family we're currently working with that made their decision to buy because of their landlord's insensitivity.  As is always the case, people … (31 comments)

All the Substance Without the Abuse - Your Wallet is Safe with TD - 03/27/07 09:19 AM
Those of us in the lending business are always looking for ways to improve our presence - and our bottom line - in our geographic area and lending niche.  Most of the mortgage "gurus" (didn't The Beatles bring that term to the American public?) are quite proud of their little pearls of wisdom and charge fees for their "kits" that would make Donald Trump wince.
An exception to this fraternity of Gouging Gurus is an individual living in Florida named Tom Domin.  Armed with a couple of decades of real estate experience as a trainer, sales leader, and Mortgage Broker, Tom can provide information … (9 comments)

All Things to All People? Jack Has His Limitations - and He Should! - 03/27/07 12:38 AM
26 March 2007
Tracy Nicole of Elk Grove, California recently posted a blog (Realtors & Loan Officers...Jack of All Trades, Master of None...Fact or Fiction??)  about the reason why she wears two hats - as a Real Estate Agent and a Loan Officer - in her practice.  Her reasons were valid and probably work very well for her, but I don't think it's for everyone.  She really got me wondering why...
Here's my comment to her blog, then a few other observations:
Hmmmm.  Recently on a "Busman's Holiday" in Florida I met a Realtor (Bob?) who owns his own brokerage and is also a loan officer through his … (0 comments)

The ONLY Free Credit Report Website Without Strings - Bookmark this Blog (maybe) - 03/26/07 09:19 PM
25 March 2007
The Feds have given you the right- by law - to receive a FREE annual credit report from each of the three credit repositories.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires  Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion- three credit reporting agencies - to provide consumers with a FREE credit report every 12 months.
There are three ways you can receive your own report:
Via a mailng addresssBy calling a toll-free number.By visiting a specialized website.Before we list the web address of the site, we want to remind you that there are many counterfeit websites out there hoping to cash in on this mandated option.  … (0 comments)

Jumping on the Foreclosures Bandwagon? – You Need to Know a Few Things First - 03/24/07 08:15 PM

24 March 2007
Subprime may have pushed "foreclosures" off the Real Estate section front page for now, but it should come back stronger than ever.  Before allowing yourself to get caught up in the new gold rush, do a little research and some pondering - it ain't all puppies and flowers.  Hope this reprint from our website page helps in your quest for knowledge (and money). Some modifications were made to dampen the self-promotion (we missed a few) - feel free to use the material if worthy of your time. - Art and Bill
… (3 comments)

Subprime is Really a MESS - and FREDDIE MAC Didn't Help - 03/24/07 12:13 AM
24 March 2007                            
The past few weeks in the residential mortgage lending industry has been shaken up, especially in the segment of the market known as "subprime lending."  Subprime loans are loans for unusual circumstances, property types, and damaged credit borrowers.  When either the borrower and/or the property don't qualify for conforming (mainstream loans), sometimes a special mortgage with creative terms can be made available.  This loan has greater risk for the lender (and investor) and is more time-consuming to underwrite (approve), so it commands a higher interest rate and closing costs that the borrower must pay.  Such a loan is a subprime loan.
Interestingly enough, the phrase "subprime" had … (6 comments)

Your Home-Your Money Mortgage Talk Radio - Saturday Simulcast at 9 am CDT - 03/23/07 11:31 PM
… (0 comments)

Microsoft Small Business Summit - The Last Hurrah - 03/23/07 08:35 AM
23 March 2007
Here are some of the Microsoft Small Business Summit (see Pearls of Wisdom from the Microsoft Small Business Summit blog entry from March 22nd) sessions still remaining as cut/pasted from my email.  There are others available.  Today is the last day of the summit.
Start your sessions by going to www.sbsummit.com or go to the links below.  These DO fill up - if you are late you will not get into these web meetings.
Good luck - hope you find something you like.
Art Blanchet
Art Blanchet
… (0 comments)

Pearls of Wisdom from the Microsoft Small Business Summit - 03/23/07 12:14 AM
22 March 2007                                                                                                              
The good people at Microsoft held their annual Small Business Summit this past week (it ends Friday March 23rd) - unfortunately I only had the time to catch 3 or 4 sessions online at my home in Madison, Wisconsin during the entire five days.  I try to get more time in, especially when some of the sessions offered have nothing to do with Microsoft and plenty to do with business.
One of the speakers who gave a very animated and interesting presentation was Rieva Lesonsky - senior vice president and editorial director of Entrepreneur Media Inc. (Entrepeneur Magazine et al).  … (0 comments)

SELLER-PAID CLOSING COSTS - CAN THIS BE WIN-WIN? - 03/21/07 04:47 PM
21 MArch 2007
In his blog - ear-marked for "Members Only" - Darren Kittleson (http://activerain.com/blogs/dkittleson) of Madison, Wisconsin urges agents to be creative when working with Home Buyers and Sellers, especially in this adjusted 2007 market.  He welcomes all ideas for creative marketing and asks readers for a flurry of inspired methods and/or workable techniques. 
Darren's blog cites an example of how to use Seller-paid closing costs as a tool to sell homes, creating potentially more buyers and increased returns for Sellers as they separate themselves from the competition in this crowded inventory-heavy market.  What follows are my comments to his blog, reprinted to illustrate a … (4 comments)

KIVA TALKATHON A SCREAMING SUCCESS - 03/20/07 05:10 PM
20 March 2007 - First Day of Spring
KIVATHON called a screaming success!  TalkShoe (http://www.talkshoe.com) - our premiere podcasting relationship (and the place where you can find our archived radio shows) - staged a 24-hour KIVATHON from March 18th thru March 19th, Noon to Noon.  The Your Home-Your Money radio Mortgage Guys - Bill and Art - hosted one of the hours and had a blast.  The interactive podcast talkathon - the first of its kind - raised money and awareness for http://www.kiva.org/, the world leader in online microlending.
Microlending consists of giving small loans to (very) small businesses and entrepeneurs in developing nations, … (5 comments)

KIVA.ORG and the KIVA-THON March 18th and 19th - 03/13/07 02:14 PM
Reposted from the KIVALOANS YAHOO GROUP and the KIVALOANS Madison, Wisconsin Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kivaloans/message/127
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/kivaloans_madison/message/1
Mark this time and date: March 18, 2007 NOON (EDT) thru March 19,2007 (NOON) EDTTalkShoe and the TalkShoe Hosts will be running a "KIVA-THON" to raisemoney for the Kiva.org entrepeneurs.Details will be forthcoming. You can check out TalkShoe atwww.TalkShoe.com and watch for episode postings.Me - I'm just a podcaster (we call them TalkCasts at TalkShoe) and nowa member of this Yahoo group. Hopefully I'll be invited to host, butone never knows...but I'll be listening.Art Blanchet#1009,#10392,#10690
The KIVA-THON will be taking place here (http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=14678)and Bill Quigley and I will be co-hosting a … (6 comments)

 

Art Blanchet - Stranger in a Warm Land

Sebastian, FL

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