Park City's Mortgage Lending Blog

Happily ever after customers

Citizens First Financial — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:33:13 -0500

Our customers often spend all of their time looking for the just right home, the right piece of real estate, where they will live happily ever after.

Sometimes they are educated buyers, but many times I hear people say, six months after their home purchase, "I wish I would have bought closer to the city. There aren't any other children for our kids to play with here in this area." Of course it could be ‘further from the city' and ‘in a quieter neighborhood'. The point is that sometimes our customers really don't even know what to ask. A really good realtor might find out enough about their life style to steer them in the right direction, especially if he/she can read minds.

The same type of things happen with acquiring a loan. There is sticker shock at the closing table too often. There are customers in a conventional loan because that is what they know about.

Here's a way for your customers to become a little savvier, by knowing what to ask.

What documents do you need upfront?
Will you pre-approve a loan for me?
Will you give me a side by side comparison of atleast two different loans that might fit the bill for me?
Does my loan have a pre-payment penalty?
What is your yield?
What is my payment, can it change? What is the worst case scenario?
Do you guarantee your closing costs on a good faith estimate?
How does my FICO score affect my loan rate and term?
What if I plan to live in my house for one year? Will that change the rate? Is there a better way to structure this loan for a short term period of time?
What guarantee can you make so that I am sure there won't b3 a discrepancy at closing time?
When is my rate locked? How long is the lock?
How often will you communicate with me on my loan?
How long will it take to process and fund a loan with your company?
If I have PMI, how soon can I drop it?
Will you do a streamline no cost loan if I refinance within a certain period of time?
Can I review my closing documents prior to closing?
Can you give me a couple of names and numbers of past borrowers to contact as references?

I can't think of a reason that a realtor wouldn't want to hand a copy of these questions, along with the business cards of their preferred lenders to their clients. I know that realtors are always concerned with surprises at the closing table and consistent followup - those are the two big requirements that I always hear - assuming that their lenders are total wackos!

A customer who is happy with their house and happy with their loan and happy with their closing experience is a customer who will bring referalls and brag about how great their experience was - usually to not only all of their friends, but to anyone who will listen.

Add a few of your own questions, put your logo on this list, and feel free to hand it out to all your clients! Let me know if you think of any great questions to add to my list, too

FSBO Team Strategy (Lender & Realtor)

Citizens First Financial — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 22:14:32 -0500

I am a mortgage originator working with a realtor on a very cleverly designed FSBO program. In a nutshell, we approach the FSBO with a telephone call, and follow a talk track that basically tells the home owner who we are, what we offer, and ask if they'd like some followup information that we either drop off or mail.

We get to the point: We have a program that is absolutely free to help you sell your home. Its a win-win situation, you win because you get pre-qualified serious buyers contacting you to look at your home, a professional sign in your yard with a 1-800 number to call that has the basic home facts that make it an attractive deal, Obviously the Mortgage Originator wins because of the pre-qual, and the Realtor wins because if the potential pre-qual buyers are looking for something else, he are ready to help.

Lets discuss the 1-800 number briefly. This number automatically flags both the Mortgage Originator and the Realtor as soon as it is called. The Realtor can then followup later with a friendly call, "If you are still looking at homes in this neighborhood, could I help you?"

During the 1-800 call, after the home description, the options are to listen to a couple of hints about pre-qualification, and then press "2" to be connected directly to a Lender for pre-qual. After the pre-qual, the Mortgage Lender contacts the homeowner and gives them the potential buyers phone number, asking them to call asap to set up a showing.

Because of the helpfulness of this approach, if the home does not sell within a six week period of time, the Realtor can followup with the home owner and offer his services as their realtor. Who would be in a better position to handle the listing than the person who went out of their way to help the owner originally?

We have just started this program, but I am interested in any comments or ideas for improvement. We believe that if we even make two sales, and/or loans, it would be worthwhile to have this program in place.

I'll definitely let you know how it works!

Lo Siento, No Hablo Starbucks

Citizens First Financial — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 13:07:05 -0500

Does anybody out there drink coffee? This is a must read for you. Prior to being in the Mortgage Business, I owned a coffee shop and a coffee bar for about six years. Because the attorney who was setting up my S Corp asked me if I planned to sell organic coffee, I started investigating.

Here are the need to knows:

Organic Coffee -

It is commonly recognized that organically grown coffee is the most important criteria for sustainable agriculture. Since the widespread introduction of herbicides, pesticides, and artificial fertilizers in the 50s, there has been a need to increase use of toxins to keep up production levels. The current levels of toxin use are up over ten times what it was during the first introduction.

Clearly, this form of agriculture is not sustainable. All other forms of life on the plantation have been sacrificed at the altar of this toxic green revolution. The men, women and children forced out of economic necessity to work on these plantations have suffered from a witch's brew of techno-chemicals that promises to carry on its destructive force through future generations.

Though early organic coffees were really wild, poorly graded coffees, the demand for specialty grade organic coffee has given rise to the availability of some really good cupping coffee worthy of the high praise normally reserved for very special estate coffees. Indeed, as in the wine industry, some estate coffee plantations have converted acreage to specialty grade organics.

In order for coffee to be stamped officially organic, the soil must be chemical free for six years!! And it must have the stamp. It looks like this:

Fair Trade Coffee -

Clearly, no agricultural product is sustainable if prices are too low to support the investment of time, energy and money. In the case of specialty organic coffee, the investment is very high, indeed. Mountain grown, specialty grade, organically grown, and shade grown coffee represent one of the most labor-intensive crops grown on earth. The extra hand labor in care of the coffee tree, repeated selective picking, care in processing, drying, sorting, packaging, and storing all contribute to superior cup quality. At today's retail prices of between $9 and $13 per pound (11 to 22 cents per cup), it also represents one of the world's best values.

However, as with other agricultural endeavors, the farmer receives a tiny fraction of that selling price. Large corporate farms and coyote speculators exploit small farmers by meeting the growers on the long road to market with their highly perishable crop on their backs. Yes, the Juan Valdez with a donkey carrying Colombian coffee in television commercials is a fantasy for too many small farmers. A Fair Trade certified price differential can make the difference between a donkey, a floor over the dirt of a home, or an elementary school education for a child.

Clearly, Fair Trade certification is a key element for a sustainable coffee future. Farmers everywhere do hard, demanding, highly speculative work, often out of a love of the land and a love of the occupation. Without a fair price for their crops, all the love in the world will not pull them out of a nosedive into oblivion. With that oblivion we will all be condemned to a life without the energy and inspiration that foods of quality give to us.

The Fair Trade Certification Label looks like this:

Shade Grown Coffee -

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center(SMBC), shade grown organic coffee certification is held by our Triple Certified organic coffee products. Smithsonian certified shade grown organic coffee is certified to be organically and shade grown under conditions that are ecologically sustainable for migratory birds and their habitat.

Bird Friendly, Shade grown coffee is simply the best tasting coffee because it is grown using traditional arabica bean rootstock. It is grown without chemical herbicides, pesticides, artificial fertilizers or with minimal inputs. These chemicals are largely unnecessary because shade grown organic coffee is sustainable coffee. The tremendous biodiversity of the coffee plantation provides an environment where the use of these harmful products are not needed. The biodiversity of the plantation provides the nutrients and natural pest controls needed by the coffee trees. Shade grown organic coffee produces fewer cherries and ripens slower than "sun technified coffee". This allows a concentration of nutrients in shade coffee relative to sun technified coffee.

So DRINK YOUR COFFEE CONSCIENTIOUSLY!!!!

A marketing idea based on "Fifty first dates"

Citizens First Financial — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 10:16:26 -0500

Where you one of the people who just thought this was a GREAT MOVIE??? Does looking at the cover just make you laugh inside as you recall some of the scenes? You may want to rent it and watch it again because it contains a great marketing strategy!!

I recently ran across an article on the internet that actually contained better substance than the original Hook Title. I'm going to share it along with the website, but first a quick story behind it all.

My 21 year old son recently left a job after just a couple of months selling a web based package - it was all commission sales, and he is great at selling. After the first two week honeymoon period, he was calling me saying, "Mom, we spend all of our time telling retired people how miserable they are and how they will fail financially."

I kept telling him to make people feel good, and then sell to them. Add to their success as opposed to throwing them a lifeline just before they sink! But he COULDN"T DO THAT, BECAUSE IT WASN"T IN THE SCRIPT!!! As the weeks went on, he was just so miserable, that the misery he was iimposing upon his clients was leaving its gloom cast upon him, too. Misery, guilt, failure, hmmm do you see the pattern?

He comes from a long line of positive thinkers - 80 years ago, his preacher grandpa was telling everybody about something called "ABUNDANT LIFE." So, my son acted upon his gut feel and broke loose from this "Lets cause our customers extreme misery" program.

I found this particular article on the Internet and I suggest you check it out - Its by Dr Joe Vitale, one of the authors of "The Secret".

The Greatest Motivator Isn't What You Think-
or,

What I Learned From Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler on Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day as I write this. Nerissa and I just returned from watching the new movie, "50 First Dates," starting the beautiful Drew Barrymore and the funny Adam Sandler. Besides being a hilarious movie in a beautiful setting with a heartfelt message of true love, it also caused me to have an "a-ha" right in the middle of it.

Somewhere around half way through the movie, as Adam is again reminding short-term memory loss victim Drew that he loves her, I suddenly realized the power of the greatest motivator of all time.

But let me first set the stage.

Most psychologists, direct marketers, and anyone who persuades for a living will tell you there are only two basic motivators: Pain or Pleasure. You either go toward what you want or away from what you don't want.

The standard argument is that pain is more powerful. I've tended to agree, but also stated I would not focus on pain for idealistic reasons. I simply don't want to spread pain in the world. Focusing on it causes you to feel it. I don't want to contribute to the misery many feel. So my stance has been to focus on pleasure as a motivator in my sales letters and websites.

Most marketing experts agree that pain is the best trigger to focus on in any ad or sales campaign. They love to find a prospect's basic problem, and then rub their noses in it. They figure the pain would make the person buy or change.

The most common example they give is the insurance salesman who tries to sell you home coverage. If he focuses on pleasure, you will put off buying. If he tells you your house is on fire, you will buy. Pain causes immediate action.

So, like everyone else, I "knew" pain was the greater motivator. I simply focused on pleasure because it is a more noble route.

But then I saw Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler in their new movie and suddenly I felt awakened, energized, and validated.

Here's the film's plot in a nutshell:

Adam is in love with a woman who can't remember anything from the day before, due to a head injury in an auto accident the year before. Every day is a new day. And every day Adam has to win her over again. Every date is new. Hence the title, "50 First Dates."

At one point in it, as Adam was again wooing Drew, I suddenly realized what I was really seeing.

I saw pleasure was the greatest motivator of all.

Adam was pursuing Drew every day, despite the pain and the odds, because of his growing love for her. He was going after pleasure. The pleasure goal was so powerful it erased every pain he might experience.

In short, all the marketing experts who say pain is the greatest motivator have forgotten the power of our driving force in life: Love.

People will scale mountains with luggage on their backs, swim upstream in a hurricane, and battle armies and all odds in order to fulfill that hard-wired emotion in us to love and be loved. Love rules.

All the examples we were given were unfair. Someone trying to sell insurance and resorting to pain hasn't figured out the real pleasure button to make someone buy. They've been too lazy to search for the pleasure trigger. Focusing on pain was simply an easy cop-out, a handy approach.

It's the same with all the massive ad campaigns that fail. Trying to get someone to quit smoking or stop drugs because of the pain they depict in the ad is the wrong approach. If we suddenly focused on the pleasure someone would have when they stopped smoking or taking drugs, we'd be moving in the right direction.

This is so obvious to me after watching the movie. Our goal as marketing and business people isn't to tell people what's wrong with them or to remind them of their pain, but to help them imagine and then experience the pleasure they long to have.

It's noble, yes, *and* it works.

Love moves everyone.

Love is the great motivator.

Love is the great pleasure trigger.

According to my friend Kevin Hogan, author of "The Psychology of Persuasion," love isn't an emotion but a mindset. And as a mindset, it is actually stronger than any emotion.

In short, you're dealing with the most powerful motivator of all time.

Reveal what there is to love about your product or service and you'll give people authentic reasons to do business with you. Call it Love-Based Marketing. You won't sell everyone with it. You'll sell only those who are a match for your offer. That, in the end, is all you want. Then you're happy and so are your customers.

Just like Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, you'll find a match to write home about.

And you might make a little money along the way, to boot.

by Dr. Joe Vitale
http://www.mr.fire.com

Networking your way to more clients

Citizens First Financial — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 16:43:50 -0600

One of my talents is networking. I understand the dynamics of keeping old friends, making new friends, joining organizations, becoming active in them and just being VISIBLE.

As a newbie in the mortgage business, I understood that beginning with a major networking campaign would be to my advantage. Understanding the laws of attraction, that it might take six months for the networking campaign to start paying off, I have been patiently (sort of) working it to my best advantage.

First of all, I sent out a Postcard Mailing to my existing client base (otherwise known as everyone I have an address for who might know my name) - about 200.
I have followed that up with joining the Board of Realtors, attending Realtor Open Houses, dropping into offices with flyers, not with a big sales pitch, as much as Increasing the Visibility Factor. I follow up with a note letting them know I appreciated meeting them.
I sponsor open houses by bringing refreshments.
I joined two committees, Habitat for Humanity Golf Tournament and Environmental Improvement Committee and actively support them.
I volunteer monthly to be on the panel for the Realtors New Member Orientation Training
I drop in to see Realtor Friends with a lunch occasionally,
I religiously promote people, I refer people who I believe are good at what they do to each other: ie Appraisers, Insurance Agents, Inspectors, Realtors, Title Services.
I read books, most recently Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Black Book of Connections.
I ask the Sages of my Industry the WWJD question: in this case, What would Jane do?

Here's a couple of things I've noticed in the last three months:

Based on the book I mentioned, there are 6.5 Assets for Networking:

Who do I know?
What do I want"
What do I do?
How do I connect?
Who knows you?
The secret Power of Connections and 6.5 The Value of Connections

My "Sage" tells me, that networking is all about the relationship building. In the mortgage world, Its almost never about the rate or the program. Any good loan officer can figure that out - and I assume most do. But its the CLICK when you meet someone with a common interest. Its the personal CLICK that eventually moves you to the business world because TRUST was built.

On the positive side, I love people so all of this is fun to me, even though I guess you could call it work.

On the other side of the coin, staying so visible makes me feel like I'm always working. I go to Yoga, I go to the grocery store, I go to church, I go to basketball games, and I could just continue my day networking 24X7. There is a burnout risk here. So achieving BALANCE is always a factor. Sometimes, I don't bring a business card. And I don't put a sticker on my forehead. Its just for me.

On the positive side, I truly believe in the force of attraction. Stay positive, stay focused, believe that eventually word will spread and you'll get the business. But I have to remind myself to BE PATIENT.

When there is negativity on the horizon, I turn inward, and begin my GRATITUDE mediation. It helps my focus.

So does it all work? This morning I had six calls by 8:15 am. Referrals. Yesterday I didn't have any. Its baby steps.

Everything you every wanted to know about light pollution but were afraid to ask.

Citizens First Financial — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:24:50 -0600

Someday I'd really love to see a comet like this one, wouldn't you? Light pollution can wreck it all for us.

One of my good friends and a one time neighbor of mine, Anthony Arrigos of Park City, Utah, has started an endeavor to fix this problem. Most of the information that follows originated with him, but I have to share the story about being back in the "hood". After dark, on many a night, we would walk around the block and bump into Anthony with his huge telescopes out in the middle of the street. We'd climb the ladder and check out the night skies. Wow. It was always educational as well as sometimes amusing. Because, you see, Anthony was on the constant lookout for ski pollution offenders. And he had no issues with tromping up someones front steps and unscrewing their lightbulbs. Which makes as much sense as turning the ignition off a HUMMER thats been idling for four hours. Anthony isn't one of us faint of heart people whose afraid to take a stand for fear of losing an acquaintance here or there. Its all for the greater good in his book.

You ought to check out the environmental friendly outdoor lights he sells, as well as his web site. http://www.starrynightlights.com/ but here's a primer on light pollution to get you started.

Light pollution is a problem that affects much of the world's population. Simply put, light pollution is misdirected or misused light generally resulting from an inappropriate application of outdoor lighting.

Light pollution can be seen as the glow above our towns and cities, as the glare that makes it hard to see at night and as the light trespass that shines into our bedrooms at night.
Light pollution is much more than the nuissance that prevents us from seeing stars in the night sky. Light pollution wastes at least $5 billion annually.
Light pollution wastes incredible amounts of our valuable natural resources, consuming hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and hundreds of millions of tons of coal. Light pollution pollutes the air we breath by burning all the oil and coal mentioned above. Air pollution is a problem that impacts large segments of our society.
Light pollution harms nocturnal wildlife with many species being unable to cope with the loss of a dark night environment.
Light pollution even harms humans, being linked to a number of very serious ailments.

Fortunately, light pollution is also one of the easiest environmental pollutants to remedy. By following the few simple steps outlined below, we can dramatically reduce the effects of light pollution on our planet.

Light Responsibly
This sounds incredibly simple, and it is. Unfortunately, this is typically the most overlooked step. In many situations, you'll find outdoor lights that serve no safety or security purpose at all.. Many times, lights are installed simply for aesthetic purposes. How many times have you seen homeowners put lights under their trees shining straight up? We know you have a tree... we saw it during the daytime. There's absolutely no need to light it for us at night. Additionally, many architects place lights on the sides of their buildings that shine straight up into the night sky. Uplighting is a waste of money and natural resources as well as a major cause of light pollution. Additionally, many times you'll see lights on round the clock, even though there is nobody around. This is wasteful. Another irresponsible use of light is to use the brightest bulbs available. Using more light than a given task requires does not help the situation and will often reduce your visibility. A much better solution would be to make use of night sky friendly outdoor lights. These are lights which shine down onto the ground where people walk. They don't shine wastefully into the night sky. This allows for the use of much smaller wattages and save lots of money and natural resources. To top off your optimized outdoor lighting solution, make use of motion sensors. These allow the lights to be off most of the time and then turn on instantly whenthere is activity in the area. This can save more than 90% of the electricity consumed by many outdoor lights

Educate Others About Proper Outdoor Lighting
Your first goal should be to improve your own outdoor lighting. After you've got things under control on your end, you should try to educate your friends, neighbors and elected officials. Outdoor lights are everywhere. If each of us were aware of the impact our lights had on the world around us, there would undoubtedly be far less light pollution and far less resources consumed. Many people are simply unaware of the impact their outdoor lights have on their surroundings. If we each take a few minutes as the opportunity arises to educate those around us about proper outdoor lighting and light pollution, we can slowly but surely eliminate this wasteful practice. If you'd like to get intouch with the experts in your area, a good place to start would be The International Dark Sky Association (IDA). This is a group that was founded with the sole purpose of protecting our heritage of star filled skies. They are the light pollution experts and a great resource for people seeking to learn more about light pollution as well as how to apply better outdoor lighting practices.

Finally a reminder, If you want to know where you can find Energy Efficient Outside Lights, please check out: http://www.starrynightlights.com/ You can even check out the interesting and informative blogs on the subject.

Renee Kokoszka, Park City, Utah Loan Officer

Everything you every wanted to know about light pollution but were afraid to ask.

Citizens First Financial — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:08:10 -0600

Someday I'd like to see a comet like this and there is just no way if we don't fix the light pollution problem.

One of my good friends and a one time neighbor of mine, Anthony Arrigos, has started an endeavor to fix this problem. Most of the information that follows originated with him, but I have to share the story about being back in the "hood". After dark, on many a night, we would walk around the block and bump into Anthony with his huge telescopes out in the middle of the street. We'd climb the ladder and check out the night skies. Wow. It was always educational as well as sometimes amusing. Because, you see, Anthony was on the constant lookout for ski pollution offenders. And he had no issues with tromping up someones front steps and unscrewing their lightbulbs. Which makes as much sense as turning the ignition off a HUMMER thats been idling for four hours. Anthony isn't one of us faint of heart people whose afraid to take a stand for fear of losing an acquaintance here or there. Its all for the greater good in his book.

You ought to check out the environmental friendly outdoor lights he sells, as well as his web site. www.starrynightlights.com but here's a primer on light pollution to get you started.

Light pollution can be seen as the glow above our towns and cities, as the glare that makes it hard to see at night and as the light trespass that shines into our bedrooms at night.
Light pollution is much more than the nuissance that prevents us from seeing stars in the night sky. Light pollution wastes at least $5 billion annually.
Light pollution wastes incredible amounts of our valuable natural resources, consuming hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and hundreds of millions of tons of coal. Light pollution pollutes the air we breath by burning all the oil and coal mentioned above. Air pollution is a problem that impacts large segments of our society.
Light pollution harms nocturnal wildlife with many species being unable to cope with the loss of a dark night environment.
Light pollution even harms humans, being linked to a number of very serious ailments.

Finally a remihder, If you want to know where you can find Energy Efficient Outside Lights, please check out: www.starrynightlights.com You can even check out the interesting and informative blogs on the subject.

Renee Kokoszka, Park City, Utah Loan Officer

The best advice I ever got was ...

Citizens First Financial — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:14:09 -0600

I got some great advice one day from a neighbor, who happens to be a college professor, but also has a strong religious background - one of those that has alot of rules attached.

When our sons were at the tender age of 14, I was the one who was very strict about watching movies and absolutely no "R" rated movies were ever allowed.

She and I discussed this one time when I found out that she had let her son watch "8 Mile" - and I was horrified. Her intelligent response to me was, "You know Renee, I'm not as concerned with what a movie is rated, as I am concerned with continuing to keep the communication lines open with my son." I'd rather have him see the movie, and spend time talking objectively about what was right, what was wrong, what was interesting, etc. then just shut him down completely and thats what sometimes happens with a radical approach."

Hearing this was like listening to someone from an alien planet. I gave it a great deal of thought and made the decision to lose some of the Parental Power and gain some Communication Avenues. Now our sons are 16. And while it isn't always perfect life, they are both rational, maybe sometimes outspoken, intelligent men that continue to talk to us. I really believe that my good friend gave me advice, and saved my son and my relationship in the process.

Renee Kokoszka, Park City Utah Mortgage Officer

SAVE OUR SNOW!

Citizens First Financial — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:29:07 -0600

Since I have lived in Park City Utah, I have skiied alot every winter. Until this year. We just haven't had much snow. I'm still hoping for February and March to be heavy snow months and then I'll catch up to my annual average of 25-30 days a year.

Save Our Snow has been a reoccurring theme here in Park City this year. Besides our winter economy being very dependent on great Utah Snow, the Save Our Snow really just gets to the brass tacks of environmental improvement, LIVING GREEN. Park City Mountain Resort has an entire website devoted to this endeavor. I'm really proud of this particular ski resort for the measures they have taken - check it out!

www.saveoursnow.org

...Since 2004 the Resort has used renewable energy to power its chairlifts. For the 2006-2007 season the Resort will purchase 15 percent of its power from Renewable Choice Energy. This purchase of wind-generated power is enough to operate all four of the Resort's six-passenger chairlifts. This commitment will keep 2.5 million pounds of Greenhouse Gas Emissions out of the atmosphere which is equal to not driving 2.8 million miles, planting 275,440 trees or taking 239 cars off the road each year.

Over the past two years the Resort has decreased its snowmobile fleet by 30 percent. This keeps 31 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere which is equal to not driving 66,371 miles or planting 6,820 trees.

The Resort's entire snowcat fleet is fueled by biodiesel. This initiative keeps 55 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere which is equal to not driving 117,800 miles or planting 12,100 trees.

The Resort has printed its 2006-2007 mountain guides on recycled paper and decreased the use of paper products in its lodges by using washable dishes.

Beginning in the 2005-2006 season the Resort began purchasing snowmaking fan guns which are more energy efficient. The Resort has a total of 19 fan guns. The Resort has also retrofitted all of the nozzles on its ground snowmaking guns and the cooling towers with ones that are more energy efficient. This initiative will keep 1,753 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere which is equal to not driving 3.6 million miles or planting 365,819 trees.

The Resort is also seeking ways to produce alternative energy.

The Resort is investigating potential sites to place a wind turbine and develop its own wind farm.
Park City Mountain Resort is researching sites to generate solar power.
The Resort is also looking to retrofit the lighting used for night skiing on PayDay run with more energy efficient lighting. In addition, the Resort will look at retrofitting all of its lodges and facilities with more energy efficient lighting.

So many people come to Park City to ski from all over the world. I can't help but believe that these actions taken by a world class resort indicate that people who visit and people who move here are becoming more educated and concerned about Saving Our Snow and more importantly, Striving to Keep our Environment Sustainable.

I'm gettin green......

Renee Kokoszka, Park City Loan Officer.

Imagine a World Where We Live on Purpose

Citizens First Financial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:49:14 -0600

Imagine a world of fulfillment and balance. Imagine what it would be like to live with those who won't tolerate a second-rate life and won't settle for anything less than a full way of living. Imagine a world where our kids believe that fulfillment isn't just for the rich and famous.

Imagine a world where everyone has a compelling vision of their future with a sense of choice and purpose.

Imagine a world of passionate people committed to make a difference in the life of others as they live their own life fully. This would be a world that got everybody's best and everybody's gifts rather than their compliance.

Imagine a world where people told the truth to each other, even the hard truth and stood up for no less than that. Imagine how our political system would change. Imagine a world where people are willing to truly listen.

What if we held out for our children the biggest picture possible insteaad of pointing out limitations? What if we expected greatness but left room for them to fail without making it bad? What if we treated failure as a form of very fast learning!

This would be a world of curiosity and a world of wonder. It would be a world where we give our intuition a place to work. It would be a world where we hold each other accountable and do what we say we'll do.

In this world, we're committed to the truth. In this world, we're committed to our purpose,

Our Life on Purpose. Just imagine.

Angie Marks, a Certified Life Coach from Park City, Utah recently included this in an exercise at the Park City Business Women's Network. Thanks Angie. Thought it was worth sharing with everyone.

Renee Kokoszka, Loan Officer, Park City ,Utah

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses..."

Citizens First Financial — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:31:47 -0600

I am always motivated by the Statue of Liberty. I aspire to be a Utah Loan Officer who invites anyone from any background, any economical plight, and any type of disability into my office. Its an opportunity to begin a relationship. Its an opportunity to learn how the rich live. And how the poor live. And how people from other cultures live. Its a place to listen to someone's story and build an exchange of information. Its an opportunity to enrich my life and the other person's life. Oh, did I forget? Yes, its also a place to Originate a Loan.

Recently I had an interesting loan prospect from someone who forgot to tell me he had a FORECLOSURE and an IRS JUDGMENT for $40K. His credit rating, surprisingly enough, was decent. I wanted to give him better news about loan possibilities than I could. Anyone have any ideas????

The very next evening, at a dinner party, a good friend of mine asked if I had any avenues for a Super Jumbo Construction Loan on a spec house. As the discussion continued, I realized it was maybe possible, but certainly with more challenges than meets the eye. I'd like to hear of anyone who has access to 4-5 million dollar loans for constructing a spec home.

I have met the most amazing people. Every loan application I take, has a story behind it. And I have never taken a loan application from someone who was just "boring" or "regular." Its an interesting road we walk down, isn't it?

I market, I blog, I stay visible, I blog, I volunteer, I blog, I build on relationships, I blog, I truly believe in keeping a WELCOMING OPEN DOOR POLICY to anyone in my circle of influence. .

Oh did I mention I BLOG? FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T KEEPING YOUR DOOR OPEN TO SERIOUS BLOGGING ADVANTAGES, here's my recent experience. I'm one of those who blogged but was skeptical, until I was at my favorite look-it-up site www.google.com one day last week searching for Park City Business Women's Network, and Lo and Behold, there I was listed in the first position, www.city-data.com/profiles/2234. Then I was curious, and searched for "Park City Utah Mortgages" and was listed at the bottom of the first page, www.activerain.com/koko

So market, stay open to new opportunities, Seriously Blog and let me know what you do with the really tough loans that come your way!

Renee Kokoszka, Park City, Utah Loan Officer, 435-962-5656

Famous for what?

Citizens First Financial — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:03:45 -0600

As I survive the onslaught of slightly hysterical local media hype about all of the famous celebrities in Park City this week for Sundance, I know there are certain things you can always count on: Movie Star Sightings, Movie Star Quotes in the local newspaper, and occasionally, even a Famous Person interaction. And mostly we are completely entertained and bewitched by such world famous (and infamous )characters in our sweet little city. Today, was a cold call day for me, (really icy cold) and I spent the day attending open houses in the greater Park City area, lucky enough to see Robert Redford walking down the street as I left the Silver Queen Hotel www.silverqueenhotel.com . Jana Potter, the owner, the proprieter, designer, and real estate agent is famous in my book for her vision and follow through as she designed the one and two bedroom suites in the Silver Queen. It might have been the most gracious tour by a real estate person that I have ever had the privilege of attending. Every footstep through the building was permeated with her care for detail, her love of the property, and her ability to invoke luxury in every nook and cranny of the building. I walked out the door to our historical and charming main street - with the real concern that I may not be able to afford one before they are sold!

Oh yes, and there was Robert Redford. Even though I have caught a glimpse of him here and there over the years, without any personal interaction, I do have to say that he is definitely deserving of his fame. His gifts of land conservancy here in Utah, as well as, his involvement in the creativity and arts movements are eloquent enough to leave a legacy of volumes behind him.

Then two years ago, there was Ashton Kutcher who was in town for Sundance with Demi Moore, and just showed up at the Park City Mountain Resort http://www.parkcitymountain.com/winter/index.html No, he wasn't signing autographs, and I may not be able to list all of his movies, but he snowboarded with a bunch of local junior high kids that day. My son was one of those kids, and we all felt that Ashton's taking time to board with the local kids was a big gesture to be famous for.

Speaking of son and snowboarding.... Ashton probably thinks these Park City kids are pretty famous for what they do too. Here's my youngest, he knows how to RISE ABOVE IT ALL!

So I have decided that I'd like to be famous for a few things myself:

Leaving my world of Park City a better place than I found it. Recycle more, waste less; walk more, drive less; make environmental choices throughout the day.
Actively participating in the communities of my choice. Maybe a committee, maybe the booster club, maybe pounding nails in a house for Habitat for Humanity.
Learning something new continuously. Whether its a new class in the mortgage environment or a class in making beads, just staying open to becoming more educated.
Undertaking physical activities that demand something from us, ie, hiking the Grand Canyon, skiing Jupiter Bowl on a powder morning, scuba diving.
Entering each moment throughout the day with a purpose for the greater good both in what I accomplish and who I interacted with. Sometimes its my family, sometimes its my marketing labors, and sometimes its just me at the grocery store. I can deliberately be kind, and deliberately be ethical, and deliberately stay in the moment every moment.
And really, originating ten loans a week that close!

I'm interested, do you have a dream? Do you think of becoming famous? What would you most like to be famous for? I've beared all, now its your turn

Let the divisional games begin! Renee's picks

Citizens First Financial — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:46:19 -0600

Colts vs Ravens

Eagles vs Saints

Seahawks vs Bears

Patriots vs Chargers

Go Chargers, thats an easy pick. After all, the League MVP is playing

# 21 LaDainian Tomlinson

Then it gets a little tougher, I'll take the Colts even though I know the Ravens have a scary great defense. I'll take the Saints just because I want to see the city of New Orleans rise above the troubles and woes, and then I'' tale Chicago - maybe because its a home game for them, or maybe because I'm indecisive on that one.

While I'm at it, I'll just take the San Diego Chargers as the Super Bowl Winner.

Enjoy the game everyone!

Renee

Cold Snow, Hot Yoga - Take the Leap!

Citizens First Financial — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:34:56 -0600

Today is a cold, sunny day, no wind stirring, really beautiful. But the cold part means its about 4 degrees. EEE-HAAAA.

I am not a fair weather skier, the stormier it is the better I like it, but this morning, I decided to go to HOT YOGA, Bikram style instead. www.hotyogaparkcity.com

PS this is my good friend, Gwen, not me, (not today, but maybe someday!!!!!!)

This Yoga definitely has enhanced my skiing over the past couple years. Because of the inner core strengthening and balancing, I am more comfortable on the mountain, with all kinds of terrain.

The correlation here to the mortgage and real estate world, is that sometimes where we least expect it, something happens that leaps us forward in our business. Its so important to stay open to new ideas, look for new training, spend a weekend afternoon looking for some new idea to spark the Creativity within.

And if all fails to inspire, maybe its time to just get out of the office, get outside, be with people.

One of my favorite loan stories is after Yoga, shopping at Wild Oats, a nutritional and natural foods store, here in Park City, I ended up pulling the last bottle of a vitamin drink off the shelf, and a woman behind me wanted the same thing. I tried to help her find something comparable, but she really wanted the same thing I had. So I said, "Lets go to the coffee bar and get a cup, I'll share half of mine with you." At this point, we were old friends, so we chatted for a moment and exchanged business cards. She was thrilled to find out I could do a refinance for her - we worked out the details and got the loan done.

Look for your business in the non-traditional places, where you least expect it . Or atleast stay open to possibilities, its a big world out there!

Today was Hot Yoga and a Warm Heart, tomorrow we SKI!

Renee Kokoszka

How to sell yourself and save the world

Citizens First Financial — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:12:24 -0600

Tonight I attended the Park City Business Women's Network first meeting of the year. As part of the agenda, some Life Coaches, who where really excellent speakers, talked about the 30 second introduction that turns heads.

Who are you?
What do you do?
What can you offer others?
What are some examples of what you have done?

So about 35 of us scribbled a few notes as other people were taking their turns going through the exercise. There really were some nice introductions. (I'll probably be poor by the time I invest money in all of those that impressed me.) People from all walks of life, dieticians, lawyers, jewelry designers, volunteered their information.

AND THEN

15 minutes into the exercise , the person from our recycle center stood up, and humbly proclaimed

her name,
she worked at the recycle center
her offer to others was a soft pitch, "I'm here to save the world." (Let me tell you that got some attention)
her example was that because of her efforts, Park City, Utah recycled 1000 pounds of usable material every month.

Nope she didn't even have a business card. But she really is saving her world.

Renee Kokoszka, mortgage consultant from Park City, Utah

Fix your mortgage, and oh by the way, fix your priorities

Citizens First Financial — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:20:57 -0600

Today, I was begged by my daughter to watch my five month old grandson for awhile. This meant putting my mortgage business aside, which meant less phone calls, less visits, less running around to open houses, less of a chance to prospect for loans. I wondered why eveyone thought MY JOB was the expendable one and felt pretty sorry for myself.

So I decided to be productive anyway and I laid this little baby on the floor on a soft old blanket with my big Scotsman Guide www.scotsmanguide.com/mtg beside him.

I alternated between checking fingers and toes and blowing bubbles to reading up on new mortgage products and various articles about whats new and whats hot in the marketplace. And wondered about my role in my family's life, my personal life and my business life.

After a couple of hours of baby play, and reading the pictures, big print, you know, the Browsy stuff. It was nap time.

This use of my time was productive after all. It moved me to ENJOY myself, just abandon all else to the love of this little child. And in that moment, I had to think about every single person out there who is looking for a refinance or looking to buy a home. How human are they? How much does this transaction mean to them? Is it really a numbers game, or is it a human interaction, maybe a human intervention? Your loan is with SOMEONE who probably has family, children, grandchildren, husbands, wives, parents, brothers, sisters, even pets as well as close friends that he/she dearly loves. We need to know so much about a person to do a loan. It really is an invasion of privacy and space that can't be helped. But my reminder today, was to be gentle, and understand how this large amount of money will influence a person or a family's life.

This brings me to the articles I have read about GORILLA SALES TACTICS:

"...Holding back thoughts of financial types stealthily creeping through the deepest, darkest African undergrowth trying to surprise our elusive forefathers, I was all ears..."

African guides on safari tours cannot guarantee meeting gorillas, you see, but they do have a very high success rate. And while gorilla sales tactics can't guarantee new clients, it could put a mortgage lender in touch with thousands of prospects, and might very well provide a high success rate.

And the end destination of this jungle activity might be a gorilla whose positively thrilled, but then again, maybe, it just might, turn around and attack you.

Previously, I blogged about optimism, now I'm on a pitch for treating people like people.

In the Scotsman Guide, the tip of the month read:

...A smile is the foundation of any sales pitch It must be genuine and a natural expression. It should even be felt over a telephone or via e-mail. Great mortgage brokers smile to welcome their customers. Most important, the smile must be honest and should portray integrity... "

STAY WITH ME HERE, THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTION IS STILL TO COME!!!!

The smile should be followed up by FOLLOW UP. The famous FU word takes a new turn! No matter how friendly, how optimistic, how ungorilla like you might be, if you fail to stay with your client, and let them know the rate, the lock, the changes, the close date, yeh, I'm talking TILA and GFE, with a personal touch, you are still at risk for making the deal but LOSING your customer's future business with all of his friends and family.

The Follow Up Condition of the Sales Meeting actually lasts quite a long time. It sits at the closing table like a real live person, with a smile. One who holds the baby (or puppy) as needed. It is still active two or three weeks after the CLOSING, when the Follow Up is a call to say, "I'm just following up. Did your loan work out for you? Are you completely satisfied? Was there anything I could have done differently?"

You see, I'm ready to take a risk here and there myself. Well yes, quite a few. And for those who care, while I don't leap from boulders at the Grand Canyon. I have hiked rim to rim.....

But when it comes to my customers, I want to treat them like old friends, or family, I don't want them worrying about their financial situation, or taking scary risks,.

I want them to sleep like a baby at night.

Lastly just a post note here about the Scotsman magazine. It really is a wealth of information. Lots of great articles about keeping the industry honest, diversification, managing risk and as I look ahead in the index, I even see waiting up ahead: "How to be no. 1 in Web Searches." Plus many, many more great articles. Its almost as good as ACTIVE RAIN.

Renee Kokoszka, Park City, Utah, Mortgage Lender, 435-962-5656

The Optimist Creed

Citizens First Financial — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:15:48 -0600

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something valuable in them.

To think only the best, to work for the best and to expect the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater acheivements of the future.

To give smiles awy to every living creature that you meet.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

This really isn't mine, its an unknown author. But I added a few words, deleted a few, and while I know it has a Pollyanna feel to it, its still worth looking at and re calibrating occasionally.

Park City favorite ski days

Citizens First Financial — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 17:31:59 -0600

Our favorite days to be at the mountain are days like today. The wind is blowing, its snowing and its just pure bliss. We wear our helmets, neckwarmers, and all kinds of assorted things to keep us warm, then out we go. The powder on these kind of days is often deep. The mountain feels like a private one. Not many people are crazy about this weather. Snow is clinging to everything. Falling into the snow is like landing on a fluffy cloud. Our family has one rule, when you fall, regroup quickly, stick a pole in the air and yell, "I'M OK!" Then listen to the rest of them dissolve into laughter.

I'm one of those people who came to ski in the winter and loved it here so much, I decided to stay. A great place to live and play!

Here's a great place to start a football pool online

Citizens First Financial — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 01:10:13 -0600

For 20 years now, our family has participated in an NFL football pool, just for fun. You know, to heckle each other and have bragging rights. Many of those years, its been me making up an excel spreadsheet to manage. This year, however, in my google meanderings, I found a site at www.superbrawl.com. This is free for ten or less participants and it keeps a running log of all games, a weekly stat, and it even has a sudden death column to pick your favorite team of the week. We have had a great time with this pool this year. Keeps us watching all the games, calling each other in sympathy, ganging up on the frontman, etc. I highly encourage you football fans to check it out for your family, office, friends, etc. Maybe next year we should start an ACTIVE RAIN pool, huh?

Now that the Broncos are out of the play off picture....

Citizens First Financial — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:28:34 -0600

I'm from Colorado and have always watched the Broncos play football, sometimes with a whole lot of love in my heart and sometimes not so much love in my heart. I'm also a proud fan and mother of a high school football player from Park City Utah. So now that our hometown football is over, I'm watching my son play basketball. And now that the Broncos are out of the play off picture, I'm hoping for the Chargers to Win, today anyway. Renee Kokoszka, Loan officer, Park City, Utah

New Years Resolution: Change the World!

Citizens First Financial — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 13:48:15 -0600

Sometimes something so small and simple comes along that just blows me away with the proportion of my energy involved to what it will do to my environment. So my New Years Resolution is to Change the World one lightbulb at a time! As my light bulbs burn out in my house, I am replaceing each one with a CF energystar light bulb. Did you know that:

Every light bulb or fixture you change to a CF energy star will:

Use 1/3 of the energy of a standard incandescent light
Last up to 10 times longer
Save an average of $30 or more in energy costs over its lifetime
Prevent 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime
Help preserve our energy resources

My goal this year is to gently encourage everyone in my sphere of influence to jump on the bandwagon, and share my New Years Resolution.

There is even a pledge you can take - check this all out at http://www.energystar.com/

and HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Years Resolution: Change the world!

Citizens First Financial — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 13:28:58 -0600

Hi everyone, I am new to this group. Sometimes something so small and simple comes along that just blows me away with the proportion of my energy involved to what it will do to my environment. So my New Years Resolution is to Change the World one lightbulb at a time! As my light bulbs burn out in my house, I am replaceing each one with a CF energystar light bulb. Did you know that:

Every light bulb or fixture you change to a CF energy star will:

Use 1/3 of the energy of a standard incandescent light
Last up to 10 times longer
Save an average of $30 or more in energy costs over its lifetime
Prevent 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime
Help preserve our energy resources

My goal this year is to gently encourage everyone in my sphere of influence to jump on the bandwagon, and share my New Years Resolution.

There is even a pledge you can take - check this all out at http://www.energystar.com/

and HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Park City Utah Sufferer

Citizens First Financial — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 12:54:37 -0600

I am new to this group. I live in Park City, Utah and only golf about 6 months out of the year unless I am travelling. Right now we have two feet of snow, do I get any sympathy? My best story - and I know you all are going to hate it - is my hole in one experience at Sky Ridge Golf Course in Hurricane, Utah. My husband, who is a much better golfer, and I visited this course in southern Utah last May. We were on a Par 3, about 150 yards, with a gully between us and the green, shaped like a crown. We teed off, and then decided to go look for our balls, because neither of them were visible. His rolled off the green into the rough, I couldn't find mine anywhere, except in the hole. Is this where I say I'd rather be lucky than good?

Key Mortgage Marketing Strategy for 2007 - help!

Citizens First Financial — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:48:46 -0600

I am going to list some of my marketing strategies for 2007. I'd would love feedback on WHAT WORKS and what is your KEY STRATEGY. Also information on what doesn't work for you at all, and you consider it a waste of time.

Contact five local real estate agents and invite each one to spend 20-30 minutes with you. Ask for their requirements of a loan officer, ask the question, "What can I do differently to support you this year?"
Blog weekly - What works for you in the blogging world? I'm new at this and need some specifics.
Join the organizations that will help with networking. I've figured out that the Board of Realtors is important, and I have lists of others, what about Rotary Club? What about National Mortgage Lenders Association? What about Chamber of Commerce?
Send out a quarterly newsletter, starting in January, to stay in touch with past clients and prospects.
Attend Realtor Open Houses. Bring something as a memory maker: Smart Water, Energy efficient Light Bulbs, Whatever leaves an impression - hopefully not a negative one. I'd love some ideas on this one.

I'd be accused of being too wordy here if I went on and on. Love to hear your feedback!!!!!

Renee Kokoszka, Mortgage Consultant, Park City Utah 435-962-5656

Energy Efficient Mortgages

Citizens First Financial — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 11:49:33 -0600

I have recently become involved in an environmental improvement committee. My area of focus within this community is knowledge, understanding and promotion of energy efficient mortgages. I'd love to hear if any other lenders have energy efficient mortgage programs or experiences. Meanwhile, I thought surely everyone would appreciate this information on the subject.
Energy-efficient mortgages are one of the most beneficial and under-utilized programs the consumer can find and capitalize upon in today's real estate market. An energy-efficient mortgage can add an additional 15% of a home's appraised value to the principal of a new loan or a refinance, often at no additional cost, no compromise in the loan-to-value ratio for the borrower, and sometimes at a better rate.

The attractiveness of the energy efficient mortgage options also extends to lenders. What happens is that as the borrowers make the stated energy efficiency improvements and create monthly utility bill and other savings, their monthly cash-flow improves. This improvement in monthly cash-flow makes the borrower an even more stable and reliable customer, less likely to present the prospect of default. For the real estate agent, the energy efficiency of a home becomes an attractive selling point.

Most energy-efficient financing programs require that the borrower has an energy rating on their existing or new home. A rating typically involves an inspection by a professional energy rater who is certified under a nationally or state accredited home energy rating system (HERS). The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) provides a database of Certified Home Energy Raters by state. To help qualify for most energy-efficient financing, the report usually must show that the home is energy-efficient or that recommented improvements are cost-effective and will save your more money than you'd be borrowing to install them.

For more information on energy efficient mortgages, see the links below More Information On This Topic:

Fannie Mae: Mortgage Products - Energy-Efficient Mortgage

U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse: Financing an Energy-Efficient Home

U.S. Department of Energy's Consumer Energy Information: Elements of an Energy-Efficient House

U.S. Department of Energy's Consumer Energy Information: Professional Home Energy Audits

Renee Kokoszka, Loan Consultant for Suburban Mortgage, Park City, Utah