"What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live -- with your self-respect alive and growing." ~ Maxwell Maltz

 This quote showed up in my inbox this morning and I found it extremely relavant to the mortgage and real estate industries at the moment.  We are surrounded with negative news on a daily basis and it becomes difficult to see and capatalize on the opportunites in front of us.

Whether we know it or not there are many opportunities that are presenting themselves.  We just need to take the time to see them and go a knocking:

                So, what are the opportunities in todays enviornment:

Loss Midigation:  Form a relationship with a Loss Midigator in your market, maybe even become a loss midigator.  Help clients find ways to stop the foreclosure on their homes.  Simply stated:  Loss mitigation programs were established by the federal government and the mortgage industry in order to stop home foreclosures. They help foreclosure victims in default on their mortgages to find alternatives to home foreclosure. Build the relationship and plant the seeds now so that when the time comes for the homeowner to make a referral or buy a new home, you'll be the first person that rolls off the tongue.

 Credit Repair:  We all know the bad apples that surround the credit repair industry.  Truth is that this is a legitimate and needed service.  Who better than a mortgage broker, who works with and reviews a clients credit on a daily basis to help someone repair their credit.  Charge the client $500.00 up front with a guarantee that you'll credit it back to them at close of escrow on thier next loan or home purchase?

Investor/Foreclosure Specialist:  Align youself with investors looking to buy foreclosures.  While this is a category of loss midigation it's a profitable category in and of itself.

Expand Your Skillset:  Educate yourself on FHA and VA loans.  We all know that these types of loans will be on the increase in the near future so capture the market share now, before your competitor does.

Remember, this is a relationship business.  Sometimes it's better to help someone out for less money today so that you can make more money later.  The idea is to position yourself today so that when this market turns around, and it will, you'll soar!