Musings for Those in the Rain

Are You a Traditionalist?

2008-07-11T11:57:49Z

This was recently written by my brother-in-law, Michael Starvaggi, a Real Estate Attorney. I wanted to share it with you.

A traditionalist is a person who . . .

believes that science has improved our lives greatly, but cannot explain everything.
believes that there is an arrogance to the notion that we, as human beings, can understand how and why we are here.
sees a need for God in our everyday lives.
agrees that previous generations may have been too strict, but also thinks that our society goes too far in its depictions and discussions of sex, violence, promiscuity.
thinks that decency, morality and respect should not be treated as quaint old fashioned concepts but should always have a place in our culture.
believes that our society has gotten too far away from many of the basic values that make us noble.
feels that the scorn with which traditional values are treated is one of the greatest threats to our society.
sees America as gradually going the way of Rome - where power and freedom devolved into decadence and irresponsibility.
believes wholeheartedly in freedom of the human conscience and believes that change must come from human free will and not from governmental action
is offended at the disrespect shown to Christianity in our country.
believes that the media, which represents such a small fraction of the country, has become entirely too biased and no longer should presume to speak for the country at large.
disagrees with celebrities who make elaborate fortunes in this country that they could never have made anywhere else in the world and then use their celebrity status to criticize our country in foreign lands.

Are you a Traditionalist too? If you are, don't be ashamed. Let people know how you feel.

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The best way to do so is by your words, and more importantly, your actions.

Another way might be to visit our Web site, www.proudtobeachristian.com, where 10% of all proceeds from Proud to Be a Christian (or PTBAC) merchandise proclaiming your pride will go to Christian charities.

How Can You Be Pro-Life & Pro-War?

2008-07-10T17:05:33Z

I was stopped behind an SUV with a bumper sticker posing this question on July 3 on my way home from work - and my head almost exploded!

Talk about painting people with a broad stroke. For some misguided reason, the person in front of me was under the egregiously mistaken assumption that those who are pro-life are somehow in favor of war. What's more, this is also a not so subtle jab at those who oppose abortion by sarcastically mentioning pro-life and pro-war in the same sentence.

Now, I happen to be a Pro-Life Catholic. And this car magnet was clearly directed at Christians in general and Catholics in particular.

But that is not what upset me. First of all, I am simply not that easily upset. Secondly, I recognize that we have the privilege of residing in the United States of America. That person in the SUV has the same right to his or her opinions and beliefs as I do. And I truly believe that.

What does bother me, however, is the fact that such displays which denigrate Christianity seem (and I emphasize the word seem) to be the voice of the mainstream and popular culture. If it is acceptable and, one might argue, even encouraged to make such assertions, then Christians certainly have it within our rights to voice our own beliefs. And I would argue that it might even be our duty to do this so that the country can be made more aware of our "silent majority."

Believe it or not, that night, my brother-in-law, Michael, who happens to be a real estate attorney, called me from his car. Call it what you like, but he had a similar experience on the Garden State Parkway. We talked for awhile about how great and important it would be for us (and those with similar beliefs) to assert ourselves in similar manners - using car magnets, t-shirts, pins, and bracelets. Michael eventually came up with the short yet eloquent phrase Proud to Be a Christian.

As such, we are advocating a simple affirmation of our core belief by adopting and displaying wherever we can the brief and powerful statement - Proud to Be a Christian. While this certainly is not in lieu of prayer or action, we have taken the time over the past 7 days to develop a Web site - www.proudtobeachristian.com- and have designed and stocked some paraphernalia.

I hope that if you get a chance you will visit us. More importantly, though, I hope that you will all do something - which need not have anything to do with displaying our phrase or any other, for that matter - to show that you are proud to be a Christian.

Thank you for reading.

Am I the Village Idiot?

2008-04-16T14:47:54Z

And if so, do you know of a nice village in need of one?

I had read an Active Rain blog last week regarding SEO, the title and author of which I unfortunately cannot remember. The post asked some questions about submitting the link of one's Web site to directories in an effort to boost one's site ranking.

While reading through the comments, someone suggested utilizing www.resellergo.com for faster submission to directories. I went to the site, and found it to be quite interesting. After a short sign-up, I found that, for free, the site facilitates the submission of your Web site along with a brief description to 150 directories. (The site does a nice job to help to automate the process by choosing the directories and populating a category of your choice [real estate, etc.], but the user still has to at least click a button and at most enter one of those unreadable, garbled codes.) Nonetheless, I was happy with the level of automation, and began to use the site.

The submissions, however, soon became like digital crack for me. I simply had to have more.

So, for $4, I signed up for the "Silver Package," which permitted me to submit my site in the above manner to an unlimited number of directories - right now the site lists 3069 directories. I have since proceeded to submit my site to an additional 150 directories.

That, however, still was not enough to curb my desire for more submissions. So, I somewhat impulsively paid $55 for 140 "Guaranteed Listings."

I know have some questions:

Do I need to start attending meetings, or is $59 for 140 "Guaranteed Listings" and an additional 300-plus listings worth the money?
Is there such a thing as a Guaranteed Listing?
Is all of this worth the time (which I do not mind spending) in that it will help eventually with my sites SEO?
Finally, can anyone give me an indication of how long it takes for these sites to be crawled and resultantly show my link? (When I check to see how many links there are to my site, none of these show up.)

As always, I sincerely appreciate any assistance that those more knowledgeable than I can provide. I hope someday to be able to return the favor.

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These questions have been brought to you by Steve Odierno of First Rockland Financial, Rockland County's Mortgage Company, assisting homeowners and home buyers with purchase and refinance mortgage loans. So, if you are interested in buying or already own real estate in Rockland County, please give us a call at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at www.firstrockland.com.

This Is Nuckin' Futs: A Mortgage Broker's Rant

2008-04-15T12:19:33Z

That line is from a movie starring David Spade called Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. It was, however, the only thing that went through my mind when the events below unfolded.

The Beginning

Back in December, my company submitted a loan package to one of our Lenders. For some reason, the Underwriter who reviewed the loan became suspicious as to the validity of the applicant's W-2s. (I have since reviewed the documents a couple of times myself, and do not know what it was that the underwriter saw.) As a result, the Underwriter reasonably requested that the applicant provide his Tax Returns from 2006 to match up the income. The applicant failed to comply. Eventually, the Lender ordered a 4506, and it turned out that the IRS had no record of the applicant filing those returns.

Of course, we all hate to lose a deal, but this Underwriter did his or her job correctly, and should be commended. This applicant, needless to say, did not deserve a loan, attempted to commit fraud, and my company ceased conducting any and all business with him.

Some Filler

In the interim, our Account Executive with this lender left, and we were assigned a new one. Our new AE was someone with whom we had funded approximately $20 million in loans in 2007. Both my company and the AE were excited to renew our relationship, and he began coming to my office on a weekly basis to look at potential deals.

Disappointing News

After about two months, we finally found a deal that fit. My company submitted the loan only to find out a couple of days that we had been suspended by the Lender. I was just a bit curious as to why, and while no one would come out and say it, my suspension was due to suspicion of fraudulent activity. (Despite the fact that I did take exception to this, I do understand the Lender's position and its ability to freely conduct broker business with whomever it chooses.)

This threw me into a good, old-fashioned frenzy for a couple of reasons. First, I have never commited fraud, and the implication that my company did angered me greatly. (I am aware that I am responsible for documentation that I send to a Lender, but this was an isolated incident among thousands of submissions and closings.) Second, neither my company nor our new AE were advised of the suspension. As such, we as a company were actively engaged in trying to find loans to arrange through this Lender, which was a collosal waste of time as they had suspended us.

Swallow Your Pride, Steve

After making some phone calls, I was able to get the Lender to consider my company's reinstatement. I was asked to write a letter explaining the circumstances around the previous application. I did so, and my company was reinstated, but placed on the Lender's "Watch List." This ticked me off as well as I knew that I had done nothing wrong, but with the dearth of lenders in the marketplace, I really had no choice but to proceed.

An Ironic Turn

Last week, an appraisal done for a new client came out of review by this Lender. The review found the value to be acceptable, and I believed that we would be closing the loan this week. The Lender, however, needed an amendment by the appraiser on his report. Certainly to those of us who have been in the industry for any length of time, this is not an entirely uncommon request.

Here is what the Lender wanted: the appraiser to change the acreage of the property on which the home sat from one number to another. The Lender's reason: that is what their investors like to see. So, the Lender merely wanted me, while on its "Watch List," to commit fraud by asking the appraiser to commit fraud. Seems reasonable, no?

Needless to say, I gave the Lender an emphatic no, and explained why. The Lender then backed off, and said that the appraisal would be okay as-is. Surprisingly, the Lender has now, however, found another issue with the report after a re-review and the loan is in grave danger of dying.

This is Nuckin' Futs.

This is a Lender that placed my company on its "watch list" for suspiscion of fraud. But now, merely because it suits its needs, the Lender is asking my company and the appraiser to commit fraud. I don't know about you, but this strikes me as just a tad hypocritical.

This is, indeed, nuckin' futs? I may go home and watch Dickie Roberts again.

Google Street Maps - How Can You Use This Tool in Your Business?

2008-04-14T13:21:10Z

First, I do not want to take any credit for discovering this tool. Instead, I have now read about it twice on Active Rain. The first time was in a post by David Van Noy, Jr. titled You need to check out this NEW street view. The second was today in a post by Misty Lackie titled Google Maps Street View - could be the next widely used tool for selling real estate. I encourage you to read both for more technical information.

The tool is called Google Street Maps, and if you have not already taken a look at it, then you should. Incredibly, it provides 360-degree street level views of roads across the country. Google was able to achieve this by having someone actually drive a car with a sophisticated camera attached to the roof up and down various streets. (I was wondering if anyone knew where one would apply for that job, because if this mortgage thing doesn't work out, that would be right up my alley.)

I am sure that after viewing this tool, Real Estate Agents in particular will come up with countless ways in which this could change the manner in which homes are shown. Agents will eventually have the ability to "drive" a prospective buyer through a neighborhood prior to showing her or him the house, should they desire. Needless to say, I am not knowledgeable about the details of real estate sales, and certainly there will always be a need for the physical visit, but creative Agents will certainly find innovative ways to use this tool to their advantage. I would think that it would be particularly useful when attempting to find a home for someone who resides outside of the Agent's geographic area.

Unfortunately, the only road in Rockland County that has been "street mapped" is the New York State Thruway. So, as of today, you can actually "drive" on your computer from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the Orange County border with a 360-degree perspective. Pretty soon, though, you may be able to cruise the back roads of the County along with your clients either in your office or empower them to do so in the comfort of their own homes.

I wanted to give Realtors in our area a heads-up about the tool. As a group, professionals in Rockland County and the Hudson Valley should keep an eye on it to see if and when more streets are added. I hope that it can lead to enhanced customer service and, resultantly, additional listings, buyers, and closings for us all.

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As a lifelong resident, I, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Boston College Wins National Championship in Hockey

2008-04-14T12:24:23Z

Boston College defeated Notre Dame 4-1 to win the Men's NCAA Hockey Championship in Denver, CO on Saturday. Nathan Gerbe broke a scoreless tie early in second period to put the Eagles up 1-0. He followed that with a power play goal three minutes later. Joe Whitney then netted a goal of his own, also on the power play, less than three minutes after that.

Notre Dame scored a minute later to make it a 3-1 game. In the third period, a play ruled as a goal by the on-ice official was overturned by instant replay after a lengthy delay. In a controversial decision, the Irish had a goal taken off the board that they had thought cut the BC lead to 3-2 with 15 minutes left to play. (In my opinion, it was a bad call, but the Irish will receive no sympathy from this BC Alumni. That would be like feeling bad for the Yankees.)

Gerbe finished with 2 goals and an assist, and was named the tournament MVP. Some day, someone will have to explain to me how despite leading the nation in scoring with 35 goals and 32 assists and leading his team to a National Championship, Gerbe finished second in the Hobe Baker voting.

As we Eagle fans like to say, "We root for two teams: BC and whoever is playing Notre Dame." Happily, last Saturday, both happened to be the same. The Eagles won, and it was for the National Championship.

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Visit our Web site, www.proudtobeachristian.com, where 10% of all proceeds from Proud to Be a Christian (or PTBAC) merchandise such as Christian T-Shirts, Christian Bumper Stickers, Christian Pins, and Christian Bracelets, proclaiming your pride will go to Christian charities.

Rockland County Spring Cleaning: Give Back . . . and Some Pain There, Too

2008-04-14T10:09:59Z

It is that time of year again, isn't it? The temperature is rising. (In Rockland County, it is supposed to be in the high 70s on Friday.) Grass is turning green. Flowers are beginning to bloom. Leaves are sprouting on trees.

And, based upon the items that I see curbside as I drive around Rockland, it is obviously time for the ritualistic annual tradition of Spring Cleaning.

Few activities are as instinctual to humans as the desire to clean our homes once the weather becomes nicer. We are like bears awakening from hibernation. And if instinct doesn't compel us to clean up our act, then our neighbors certainly will. Whether it is out of guilt, the spirit of competition, or a sense of community, witnessing others perform the ritual invariably spurs the desire to participate in those not instinctually predisposed to do so.

As we clean out our attics, basements, garages and closets, there are just a few things to remember:

Do not forget about those who might be in need of that which we are discarding. There are many wonderful charities seeking clothing, toys and furniture that are at work in Rockland County. Salvation Army bins for clothing donation are located in the parking lots of most large strip malls, the Nanuet & Palisades Malls, as well as commuter lots throughout the County. And, you can call 1-800-SA-TRUCK to schedule a free pick-up of your unwanted furniture.
Check with the waste management company who collects your refuse to confirm the day of bulk-pick-up. Contact the town or village for this information, as well.
Finally, please remember to use proper technique whenever lifting heavy items. Bend at the knees and lift with your legs. Do not lift with your back lest you hear hear that dreaded crunching sound and end up spending the rest of the day on your back in bed (which pretty much sums up my Sunday, delaying my Spring Cleaning until next weekend).

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Where Have You Gone . . . Red Skellton & John Wayne

2008-04-11T09:34:31Z

I am not usually one who passes along (or even reads, for that matter) those "forwarded" emails that we all receive from friends and acquaintances. Just recently, however, two emails have been passed along to me that really caught my attention.

Both contain videos made before I was born in 1975. And both are so incredibly insightful, relevant to our times, and emotionally moving that I thought that I would share them with you.

The first shows comedian Red Skelton's serious and riveting interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance, filmed in 1969. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfz2XDXaeqc

The second features Dean Martin and John Wayne discussing the values that Mr. Wayne hopes to instill in his young daughter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AucxqtpCZL0

I don't want to say that they "don't make 'em like they used to." There are still plenty of us out there who believe in and stand for the values shown in these clips. There are, unfortunately, fewer being made as all of us - particularly those my age and younger - are compelled to endure the endless onslaught of the liberal media and its perversion of all that is good.

God bless you all. And God bless America.

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This information has been brought to you by First Rockland Financial, a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, with a great reputation for honesty and customer service. Headquartered in Rockland County, First Rockland Financial has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage purchase and refinance loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible.

Moreover, as a lifelong resident, I, Steve Odierno, the President of the Firm, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home (real estate) or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online by www.insurancequotehero.com.

You Can Learn A Lot from a Comment

2008-04-08T14:34:50Z

YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A DUMMY

We all remember those public service announcements created and run by the US Department of Transportation in the 1980s and 1990s. Well, if "you can learn a lot from a dummy,"then you certainly can gain knowledge from the smart and savvy writers on AR. And I do not just mean by reading the blogs.

The content and quality of the blogging on AR is second to none. However, as a one relatively new to the world of blogging, I was mistakenly under the impression that the blogs themselves were where the reading began and ended.

BLOGS ARE ONLY THE BEGINNING

I have learned over a short period of time, though, that while the blogs are invariably clever, engaging and informative, they are only the beginning. The thoughts of the author are oftentimes the catalyst for discussion and debate, particularly when the topic is a timely, hot-button, industry related one. To me, this is where the real fun and opportunity to learn begins.

DON'T FORGET TO READ THE COMMENTS

I am certainly not taking a self-righteous stand, here. I am not proposing that in order to properly participate in AR one must read each comment on a blog. For many, this may be quite impractical or even not all that interesting. I can tell you from my own experience, however, that there is just as much if not more to be learned from these comments.

We must remember that AR provides a forum for people within the same industry (real estate) but with different specialties (sales, finance, SEO, staging) and from all over the country and Canada to share ideas. Much of this knowledge sharing, I have come to learn, occurs in the comments section. There are instances where I am reading a relatively brief comment and wishing that the author would expound upon it in a longer post.

A DUMMY SUMMARY

Anyway, the advice from this dummy is to read the comments. Not because it is right, wrong or indifferent to skip them. I encourage you to do so simply because it makes good business sense, and you will learn something.

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As a lifelong resident, I, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Welcome to Rockland County (and Planet Earth), Aiva Clare Reid

2008-04-07T16:25:02Z

The Mortgage Guys of First Rockland Financial would like to welcome into the world and to Rockland Countyone of its newest residents, Aiva Clare Reid. Born today, just before noon, to one of The Mortgage Guys, Matt Reid,and his wife AnneMarie, Aiva weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and is 19 inches long. Both mother and baby are resting comfortably and doing very well, all things considered.

The proud father is, as one might expect, walking on air. I have known Matt for 25-years, or since we were 7. We went to St. Anthony Grammar School, St. Joseph Regional High School, and attended Boston College together. We have also worked together for the past 8 years. He was the best-man at my wedding and is Godfather to my son. Matt is one of the truly good people out there, and he is a credit to the mortgage industry. His wife, a Nurse Practitioner in the Neo-Natal Care Unit at ColumbiaUniversity Medical Center/ New York-Presbyterian Hospital, is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She has dedicated her life to caring for severely premature infants and working with their parents.

I hope that you will join me, everyone at First Rockland Financial, as well as all of the Reid's family and friends in welcoming Aiva and wishing the new family all of the best for the future.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

8 Action Steps to Avoid Foreclosure - Advice from Rockland County's Mortgage Company

2008-04-07T15:42:03Z

DABDA is an acronym used in psychology, usually to describe the 5 steps of the grieving process. But these stages can be applied to most difficult situations with which people are presented, such as being in default with one's Lender. They states are:

Denial - "My Lender is really not going to foreclose on me."
Anger - "I don't deserve this. Why is this happening to me?"
Bargaining - "If this all goes away, I promise to quit smoking, be a better person, etc."
Depression - "This is the worst thing that could happen, and it ruins everything."
Acceptance - "Okay. I don't like it, but I am in default."

One must move past each of these stages to begin saving your home. Once one does, it is then time to take Action. One's default is not going to go away or stop on its own. As such, all of one's actions should be toward achieving one, clearly defined goal: avoiding foreclosure. And people must believe that in many instances they have it in their power to accomplish this goal. If a person is presently facing default, one can and should attempt the following:

Ask the Lender to modify the terms of the loan;
Refinance the home;
Sell your home;
Offer the lender a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

With regards to a Loan Modification Agreement, in many cases, one can accomplish this by simply following this 8 Action Step plan:

Immediately contact the Lender. Virtually all mortgage Lenders have a department dedicated to working with borrowers who are in default. This is usually called the "Loss Mitigation Department" or "Workout Department" One should immediately call the Lender and ask for this department so that the process of obtaining a Workout Agreement may commence.
Know the Foreclosure Sale Date. The date set by a Lender for a Foreclosure Sale should be the most important date on one's calendar. If one is not sure about if a date has been set or when that date is, pick up the phone call the lender or an attorney and find out! Know this date, and take the Actions described in this presentation prior to it to prevent and / or postpone it. If a foreclosure sale date is getting close (one month or less), one must at least ask the lender to postpone the sale or call an attorney. •Do not let the Foreclosure Sale Date arrive without having taken some sort of Action.
Obtain a Checklist and Documents from the Lender. Find out what information the Lender will need to start the process. The documents that one will need to gather and the paperwork that one must fill out will vary from lender to lender. Be sure to write this information down or ask if a checklist can be sent by the Lender along with any required paperwork.
Assemble Income Documentation. The first thing that the Lender will want to know is one's ability to pay back the loan if the Lender stops the default. It is important to remember that the lender may be willing to take into consideration sources of income other than one's own. Typically, one will have to send a financial statement (on a form provided by the lender), income documentation (pay stubs, W-2s, Social Security or Pension statements), and asset documentation. Gather the required documentation making sure to provide all of the proper documentation and to complete any paperwork required by the Lender carefully and correctly. Check these items off of the Checklist.
Compose a Hardship Letter. The Lender will also want to know the reason for the default. This explanation, which comes in the form of a Hardship Letter, is one's opportunity to take Action, explaining to the Lender the reason for the difficulty in making payments. (Did your rate adjust? Was there a temporary loss of income?) The way one explains the reasons for the default is crucial to getting the lender to consider a Workout Agreement. Make a good case remembering that there are human beings making these decisions.
Send & Verify Receipt of the Package. Once one has gathered and completed the necessary documentation, send the entire package to the Lender in the fastest manner possible and in a manner that provides a receipt. Use methods like Registered Mail or UPS, and call the Lender to verify receipt of the package.
Follow-Up. And Follow-Up Again. Remember that there are a lot of people presently in default, and Lenders are very busy with requests for modifications. It is crucial to stay in touch with the Lender regarding the status of the workout agreement. Call the Lender as often as the Lender allows in order to maintain open lines of communication. The lender may ask for more detailed information. Provide that information quickly and accurately. Send it in the same manner as the original package and confirm its receipt. Follow up with the lender until they either offer an agreement in writing to stop foreclosure or indicate that they cannot make any offer.
If You Like the Agreement, Sign It. If a Lender offers a Modification Agreement, make certain to understand entirely what the Lender is proposing. What are the Terms? What will ther new payment be? Is it affordable? For how long with that payment be fixed. If one understand all of the above, and the Modification Agreement is acceptable, obtain the Agreement in writing, sign it, and return it to the Lender as promptly as possible, verifying its receipt.

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This information has been brought to you by First Rockland Financial, a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, with a great reputation for honesty and customer service. Headquartered in Rockland County, First Rockland Financial has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage purchase and refinance loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible.

Moreover, as a lifelong resident, I, Steve Odierno, the President of the Firm, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Weekend Activities Report from Rockland County's Mortgage Company

2008-04-04T13:07:08Z

Looking for some fun, interesting things to do this weekend of April 4 through April 6?

As always, there is little need to leave the friendly confines of Rockland County.

Friday, April 4

Young Musicians Night
8 PM - Various artists. Tickets are $8

Riverspace Arts in Nyack
119 Main Street
Nyack, NY 10960.
845/348-0741
http://www.riverspace.org/

Saturday, April 5

Benefit Concert for Riverspace
8:00 p.m Tickets are $20; $15 students/seniors, groups of 10 and over.

Riverspace Arts in Nyack
119 Main Street
Nyack, NY 10960.
845/348-0741
http://www.riverspace.org/
info@riverspace.org

Sunday, April 6

Rockland Jewish Film Festival
1:00 PM

Riverspace Arts in Nyack
119 Main Street
Nyack, NY 10960.
845/348-0741
http://www.riverspace.org/
10th Annual Rockland County Youthfest 2008
11:00AM-4:00PM
Designed to raise awareness of the many resources available in Rockland, more than 6,000 visitors expected to visit booths, receive giveaways, participate in fun activities, and meet new people.  This will be held at the SUNY Rockland Community College Fieldhouse.

Rockland Exposition, Inc.
388 East Main Street
Middletown, NY 10940.
845/343-2772

If that isn't enough, any day this weekend you can also see The Elephant Manat the Elmwood Playhouse in Nyack (www.elmwoodplayhouse.com/), Dolphins and Wales in 3-Dat the IMAX Theatre in the Palisades Mall, the GAGA Arts Center Spring Showat the Garnerville Arts & Industrial Center in Garnerville (www.garnervillearts.com/), or the Hudson Valley Symphonic Wind Ensemble at Grace Music in Nyack (http://www.gracechurchnyack.org/).

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend!

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Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Page 1 of Google - How The Heck Did I Get There?

2008-04-04T10:06:17Z

Really. I am asking. How did I get there? And how do I stay there?

Here is my story. On March 24 - or only about 10 days ago - I registered the url www.firstrockland.com/ with Register.com. I then built a fairly simple Web site in Microsoft Frontpageand published it. The name of my mortgage company is Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., but I have filed a d/b/a in an effort to more specifically target and service clients in my home (and that of my office) of Rockland County. As such, I have been focusing on keywords like "rockland county mortgage," "rockland county refinance," "rockland county purchase," and "rockland county mortgage company."

Since then - by taking the gracious, generous and wise advice of numerous AR bloggers, I have done the following:

1. Posted a couple of articles to online magazines at www.ezineonline.com/ and www.postwarp.com/.

2. Signed up for about a dozen free business listings at:

www.alexa.com/
www.bizhwy.com/
www.craigslist.org/
www.enliving.com/
www.kudzu.com/
www.listleaders.com/
www.mortgageloan.com/
www.nationalhomesearch.com/
www.resourcelinks.net/
www.siccode.com/
www.usdirectory.com/
www.webs411.com/
www.where2go.com/

3. Utilized three reciprocal links:

www.bizhwy.com/
www.nationalhomesearch.com/
www.resourcelinks.net/

4. Signed up with www.technorati.com/

5. Used three other Web sites that I own to link back to www.firstrockland.com/

6. Written 19 blogs, most of which were relevant to Rockland County, and made about 75 comments on AR.

The result is that a Google search for "refinance in rockland county" yields the following (see image below):

A blog of mine at #1
A "Wiki" (whatever that is) at #4
Another blog og mine at #6
http://www.firstrockland.com/ at #7

First, I would like to say that I am incredibly grateful to all of those at AR whose posts and comments have helped me so greatly.

Second, I would like to pose the quite ridiculous questions of, "How did all of this happen?" Was it merely following these relatively simple steps? And what exactly does each component do to help with SEO.

Third, "What else can and should I be doing?" To be honest, I am not well-versed at all in SEO, but with the help of those on AR, this was all relatively easy and not tremendously time consuming. (I know Rockland County is a relatively small place, but to see the rapidity with which my site moved through the rankings was still really fun.)

Finally, I would like everyone to know that this stuff really works. Heed the advice of the experts on AR, and watch your blog and your site move toward the Holy Grail of SEO, "Page 1 of Google."

Again, thanks to all who have been so helpful already, and any explanations, suggestions, assistance or guidance would be GREATLY appreciated.

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First Rockland Financial is a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, with a great reputation for honesty and customer service. Headquartered in Rockland County, First Rockland Financial has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage purchase and refinance loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Wile E. Coyote vs. The Justice League

2008-04-03T14:41:28Z

Who is the bigger hero?

We have all heard the terms:

Some days you are the hammer, and some days you are the nail.

Or, some days you are the windshield, and some days you are the bug.

Like many others out there in the mortgage industry, in recent months, I have felt like the bug on a windshield . . . with a nail being driven through my insect-body by an enormous hammer. In the car this morning, these feelings, for some reason, got me thinking about the simplicity of the juxtaposition of these things: hammer and windshield vs. nail and bug.

Nowhere is the simplicity of black and white more evident and clear than it is in comic books and cartoons. My son is 3-and-a-half years old. He LOVES the Batman, Superman, and Justice League cartoons. Scarily (or maybe fortunately) enough, after having had to endure countless hours of these shows, I have regained an affinity for these Superheroes of my own youth. I believe that it is the formulaic nature of the shows that make them seem either engaging (to my son and I) or incredibly boring (to most normal people). There is a good guy/girl and there is a bad guy/girl. The bad guy/girl has some power that briefly puts the Superhero in a perilous position. But, ultimately, and without any real doubt, the superior powers of the hero prevail and the good guy/girl wins - every single time. The Superhero always wins, walking away with nary a scratch.

While both as a child and still now I find this entertaining, even as an adolescent it struck me a unrealistic. (More than just the obvious stuff like flying.) Something just did not resonate with me. The people that I knew were not like these Superheroes - even though as a child and now as an adult I recognize special talents in people, no one is indestructible. We all hurt, physically and emotionally. And we all win sometimes . . . but we all also lose.

That is why my favorite superhero is Wile E. Coyote. "Wile E. Coyote?" you ask. He is not a hero, is he? Isn't he the scrawny, scruffy-looking villain always out to get the beloved Roadrunner? And did he not always fail, usually ending up on the wrong end of a fallen boulder or strapped to an explosive rocket? The answer to these questions is, of course, "Yes."

But to me, Wile E. Coyote represents something more, something far more identifiable than Superman or Batman ever could. He is, in many ways, like me and those that I know. He does not have any super-powers (other than an incredibly high tolerance for pain): in fact, he is driven only by the most most basic of desires: to survive. Quite simply, he is hungry, and the Roadrunner is the only meal around.

What strikes me even more, though, is that he never stops. He is truly relentless. Imagine always being the bug and always being the nail, but never giving up. No matter how horrific a fate he suffers, Wile E. Coyote is always back after a brief commercial break to pursue the Roadrunner with the same passion and vigor as before. He has no memory of his failures - he simply moves past them and tries again. (One might argue that he never learns from his mistakes, but that wouldn't make the cartoon any fun to watch.) As such, he is the most resilient character that I can think of. He actually believes he will catch the Roadrunner each time.

The point of these ramblings, I think, is that in order to survive these tumultuous and trying times in the mortgage industry, we must adopt some of the characteristics of Wile E. Coyote. We must continue to be driven, have a relatively high tolerance for emotional distress, be relentless in pursuit of our goals, never lose our passion, and, most importantly, be resilient.

The Justice League has it easy. Happy hunting.

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Rockland County Mortgage Company

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Protect Your Children from Registered Sex Offenders in Rockland County

2008-04-02T12:09:15Z

Access Rockland County Sheriff's Office Registry of Sex Offenders

As unpleasant of a thought as this might be, there are registered sex offenders living in Rockland County, just like virtually every other place in the United States.

Fortunately for us, the Rockland County Sheriff's Officehas taken the strong initiative to make the known residences of said people readily available in an effort to further ensure the safety of our children. By using a free, on-line service provided by the Sheriff's Office, one can quickly and easily find any registered offender living in the County. And, possibly more importantly, one can locate any offender within a one-mile radius of an address entered, such as one's home, a the home of a child's friend, a child's school, or a child's sports practice field. The results are instantaneous, and on can also place himself or herself on an email alert system that will automatically notify you if a registered offender moves into your area.

Click the first link if you are interested in conducting a search for offenders in your area and the second to register for the aforementioned email alerts.

As the saying goes, it is far better to be a "checker than an assumer." While it may be unfortunate that we live in a time where such measures are necessary, when it comes to the safety of our children, no amount of due diligence is enough. As a parent, I have used the search and registered for the email alerts. I encourage all parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins or anyone who cares about or for a child to do the same. The Rockland County Sheriff's Office is doing its part by remaining constantly vigilant. As citizens, we must do our part as well to protect our most valuable asset and our future, our children.

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Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

A Fish Story: Free Mosquito-Eating Minnows in Rockland County

2008-04-02T08:44:56Z

Have you seen the signs posted all over Rockland County? These intriguing postings are located on many exit ramps of the Palisades Interstate Parkway and on most major roads throughout the County. All are advertising Free Mosquito-Eating Fish?

I only wish that I could come up with an advertising campaign this compelling! Of course, it has the word "free," which always helps, and "mosquito-eating fish," which is kind of mysterious. So, I simply had to investigate further.

What I found is that the County of Rockland is offering free Fathead Minnows to county residents. Apparently, mosquitoes like to lay eggs, which turn into larvae, in moist areas of standing water. The larvae eventually mature into mosquitoes with wings that annoy and attack us at barbecues. But, a favorite meal of fathead minnows happens to be mosquito larvae. Rockland County is advising residents to place these free fish in areas with a minimum of 8" to 12" of standing water (not streams or rivers). These heroic fish, the plan is, will help control the County's pesky mosquito population.

Please read below or visit the Rockland County Web site for more information:

ROCKLAND COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM
50 Sanatorium Road, Bldg D
Pomona, NY 10970
Phone (845) 364-3173
Fax (845) 364-2025
www.co.rockland.ny.us/WNV/default.htm

Please submit your orders by April 4, 2008.

There is no charge for the fish.

PICKUP IS SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008 AT THE ROCKLAND COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, MECHANICS GARAGE BAY, 50 SANATORIUM ROAD, POMONA, FROM 10AM - 2 PM ONLY!!!

We will provide the fish in a sealed bag for transport.
Please bring a bucket or container to place bag in for support.

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First Rockland Financial is a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, with a great reputation for honesty and customer service. Headquartered in Rockland County, First Rockland Financial has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage purchase and refinance loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible.

Moreover, as a lifelong resident, I, Steve Odierno, the President of the Firm, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Changes to Equifirst Guidelines

2008-04-01T15:05:44Z

I do not know how many of you out there are using Equifirst for non-prime loans, but I thought it worth noting that the following programs have been eliminated and resultant LTV changes have been made effective immediately according an email from my Account Executive. (Any loans in the pipeline must close by April 9, 2008):

The following guideline changes below are effective immediately:
All Bank statement programs have been eliminated.
MVP (stated income) program has been eliminated.
No more 1099 treated as full doc
CH 13 bk buyout has been eliminated.
CH 7 must be discharged >24 mos for LTV's >75%
CH7 must be discharged >12 mos for LTV's <75%
Min score allowed is 560
MAX DTI is now 50%
Escrows are now required for all loans >80 LTV, for borrowers with <600 FICO and for borrowers that currently have escrows on their existing loan.
Trade lines are required now for all LTV's
LTV's for refinances
>640 fico = 90%
>600 fico = 85%
560-599 fico = 80%
LTV's for purchases
> 660 fico = 95%
All other LTV's are the same

It would seem that Equifirst - like Wilmington - is obviously moving in the direction of becoming a predominantly FHA lender, which at first blush sounds wonderful. According to our Equifirst AE, the company should be rolling out its FHA product sometime in the next three weeks. The hope, of course, is that these companies do not excessively penalize FHA borrowers - and in essence negate the dog-and-pony show of increasing the FHA loan limits - by imposing unreasonable FICO-score criteria.

We have, of course, come across some lenders who will make a loan at the "old" FHA Loan Limit as long as the file passes automated underwriting. If, however, the loan amount happens to be $1 higher than the old limit, the lenders are seeking FICO scores above 660. Needless to say, I understand that with larger loan amounts comes larger risks for lenders. But I believe that a more reasonable approach would be some sort of step system whereby FICO score is somehow related to the percentage that the loan amount exceeds former (and future) FHA loan limits. Until the lenders figure out a way to achieve some middle ground, FHA is simply not going to help as many people as it could.

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Moreover, as a lifelong resident, I, Steve Odierno, the President of the Firm, take great pride in our County. As such, all at First Rockland have been given the mandate to do their share to ensure that our Firm becomes part of the housing industry's solution instead of exacerbating the housing industry's existing problems in Rockland County. So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Cigar, Anyone? - Rockland County's Mortgage Company Weighs in on a New-Old Fad

2008-04-01T11:00:29Z

We all need our stand-by's. When I can't think of a drink to order, I get a 7&7. When nothing on the menu is jumping out at me, I go for the porterhouse. And when I'm in charge of buying the cigars, I reach for the Macanudo Hampton Court.

The Macanudo brand enjoys a stellar reputation and great popularity in the U.S. Macanudo cigars are made in the Dominican Republic from aged Dominican tobacco fillers (the main tobacco forming the inner core), Mexican binders (the middle layer that wraps around the filler) and Connecticut shade wrappers (the outside wrapper).

The Hampton Court is one of Macanudo's corona-size cigar, measuring 5 ½ inches long with a ring gauge of 42. In layman's terms, it is a medium sized cigar that lasts about forty minutes. It is not overbearing, so even the occasional cigar smoker will enjoy it. Yet it is a high quality blend that is enjoyed by experienced aficionados.

The beauty of the Hampton Court lies in its moderation and quality. The flavor and strength are mild and smooth, so you can enjoy it alone or with a drink. It is also an ideal size and lasts long enough to satisfy, but not so long that you lose interest. The construction is widely recognized as excellent, so it burns evenly, produces an easy draw and rarely requires a re-light. All of this makes for an easy, pleasurable smoke.

To purchase my cigars, I stop by Cigar King located at 130 West Route 59 in Nanuet. [845-624-2667] Friendly service and a wide-assortment of cigars make this a great place for the novice, the occasional smoker, or the connoisseur. ‎Remember, though, you must be 18 or older to purchase tobacco.

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So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one in Rockland County, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Rockland County's Mortgage Company - Today in Rockland (4/1/08)

2008-04-01T09:03:02Z

Today in Rockland County, Tuesday, April 1, 2008, April Fools' Day, is brought to you by First Rockland Financial, "Rockland County's Mortgage Company."

For some live musical entertainment tonight, you might want to attend Tuesday night jazz at the Riverspace Cafe's featureing local trumpeter Duane Eubanks performing with members of the Riverspace Jazz House Band. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $9.00. 119 Main St., Nyack (845-348-1880).

The time in Rockland County is 10:00 am.

The temperature in Rockland County is 54° F and Raining.

The Fannie Mae, 30-year Fixed Interest Rate for Rockland County is 5.625%

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Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Forget About the Final Four - How About the Frozen Four?

2008-03-31T13:21:17Z

I am, of course, a huge College Basketball fan. But because my beloved Eagles made neither the NCAA nor the NIT Tournament - and because the team I chose to win it all in my office pool, Pittsburgh, lost last weekend - my interest has waned.

As such, I have turned my attention, as I usually do this time of year, to NCAA Hockey. If you are a hockey fan - or even a sports fan in general - there is no tournament that is more exciting with more finality than the Division I Hockey Championship. One-game elimination in hockey is about as intense as it gets, and these games are a wonderful place to see future stars of the NHL playing good, hard, technically-sound hockey only for the glory of their respective schools.

For the 3rd straight year, coach Jerry York, winning his 801st college hockey game, has led the Eagles to the Frozen Four, to be held in Denver. BC came back from a 2 goals to none deficit late in the 2nd period to take the lead on 3 goals in 1:58. Miami of Ohio tied the game in the 3rd period and dominated much of the overtime, forcing BC freshman goalie John Muse to make 10 saves.

But 12:12 into overtime, Joe Whitney scored on a spectacular backhanded shot while his body was in mid-air.

BC will play North Dakota on April 10 for the right to go to its 3rd straight Championship Game. If the Eagles advance, they will face the winner of the Notre Dame - Michigan match-up. As a BC Alumnus, nothing would be sweater than beating the Irish for the National Championship.

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First Rockland Financial is a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, with a great reputation for honesty and customer service. Headquartered in Rockland County, First Rockland Financial has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage purchase and refinance loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible.

So, if you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your business. Should you be interested in purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing one, please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.

Rockland County's Mortgage Company - Today in Rockland

2008-03-31T10:07:17Z

Today in Rockland County, Monday, March 31, 2008, is brought to you by First Rockland Financial, "Rockland County's Mortgage Company."

If you are looking for something to start your week off right, you might want to try Monday Jazz Nights at the Turning Point Cafe in Piermont. Tonight, at 8:00 pm, the featured artist will be Don Braden. Tickets are $20 for general seating and the venue is located at 468 Piermont Ave.

The time in Rockland County is 11:00 am.

The temperature in Rockland County is 41° F and Cloudy.

The Fannie Mae, 30-year Fixed Interest Rate for Rockland County is 5.75%

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First Rockland Financial is a division of Domus Mortgage Services, Inc., a Registered Mortgage Broker with the State of New York Banking Department, and one of the best, most reputable Firms around. Headquartered in Rockland County, this division has the express mission of catering to the needs of existing and potential homeowners in Rockland County, NY. First Rockland Financial has been formed to leverage the existing industry knowledge and contacts of the Company along with the experience it has gained while arranging in excess of $400 million in residential mortgage loans to assist Rockland County residents in obtaining the best financing possible. If you live (or are planning to live) or work in the County, we hope that you will give us the opportunity to earn your purchase or refinance business. Please contact us at 1-866-403-6687 or visit us on the Web at http://www.firstrockland.com/.

Insurance Quotes Online for Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle and Home at www.insurancequotehero.com.