Renae-

I like your idea.  I think, though, that it may be difficult to generate enough interest to get a decent-sized group of people to a home Refinance Seminar.  At least with First-Time Buyers or First-Time Sellers, there is something tangible that they are getting (the house or selling the house).  With re-fis I think it would be difficult to generate interest in it.  I have a lot of mortgage lenders/loan officers that I work with and they all say that they get their re-fis typically from past customers or referrals, not usually from marketing to customers re: re-financing. 

With Buyers/Sellers, they don't really care about the vehicle (the LOAN) usually; they just care about getting the house or selling the house and could care less about the loan.  It will be interesting to see how you will generate enough interest to get a seminar going about it.  I'm sure you can get the content (the Power Point presentation and the great know-how) but you may have a problem with just getting the bodies in the door.  But, I'm only an agent, not a mortgage person, so I may be WAY off. 

Please let me know how it goes.  If it goes well, I'll certainly tell the LOs I work with, so they can begin to do the same.  But for now, they tell me all their Re-fi marketing is usually for nought, unless it's to their past customers/clients.  Good luck!

Hi Lisa - I'm actually a Virtual Assistant so I wouldn't be implementing this idea.  I just thought I'd throw it out there for the mortgage and loan officers to think about.  Thanks for your comments!

~Renae

I have to disagree with the first comment.  The first-time buyer classes I have taught are filled with people who have questions about loans and mortgages. I must admit that many of my classes are aimed at the military population, but not all of them. 

My problem right now is that I can't get a lender to do a class with me anytime soon.  Many say they are too busy trying to get things closed right now, or too buy with re-fi's, and one I know is just plain undependable.  When you take two days to get back to me when I refer someone to you, you better believe I'm not referring anyone else!  (sigh in frustration)

Marlene and Renae--  When I said they would be disinterested in the loan vehicle, I merely meant that if you are marketing to someone for a re-fi, hopefully their previous/current lender would have explained ALL their options to them and they would have at least a sense of what loans are out there and which is appropriate for them or not.  So, the target market for a re-fi would be for (hopefully) more sophisticated people who already have at least one home. 

The first-time Buyers of course have LOTS of questions b/c they've not gone through the process previously. 

Marlene-  I am sorry that you cannot get any good lenders to do a First-Time Buyer class with you.  If you like, I'd be happy to refer you to a lender in Washington that may be willing to host those classes with you.  I am a member of By Referral Only (which is composed of both Real Estate Agents and Lenders) and has the highest level of customer service you could believe.  Anyway, I don't see how any of your current lenders can just say no to generating business through First-Time Buyer Seminars, unless they are past that and their business model is now solely through referrals. 

Lisa and Marlene - Thanks for your thoughts on this!

~Renae

Renae, 1st time home buyers schools go over well in our area. Great post and thanks for sharing.

Duane

Duane - Thanks for stopping by!

~Renae

Renae--

Great post! I think people are constantly looking for information and ways to make connections... (That's why the internet has taken off the way that it has) I want to really integrate seminars into my marketing strategy and you have given me some great ideas. Thanks!

Hi Keishia - Glad to be able to provide some food for thought!  Hopefully it will help you generate some great ideas for seminars!

~Renae

Hi Renae...great stuff.

One thing - ARMs aren't really, really bad for everyone. I have an ARM. In some circumstances a long-term fixed rate is a worse idea. Thanks!

Renae - great post! Any topic of interest to possible mortgage clients can be a seminar.

Renae, thanks for the link to Lane Bailey's post!  I have long thought about specializing in working with first time sellers.  They need advice just as first time buyers do.  Doing a seminar for them is a great idea. 

Joey - You're right, of course.  If your rate is high, being locked in would be awful!

Jackie - That's true!  Hopefully, some real estate agents will find this a good idea and use it to generate some business!

Brian - You're quite welcome!  Let me know when you do your first seminar!  We'll be first-time sellers one day (hopefully not too soon, though) and I'd love to attend.  We could plan it around a family trip to Philly for historic sight-seeing!

~Renae

Has anyone done one of these seminars successfully?  The question the Realtor I work for has is How best to advertise this?  Where to hold it?  She is a great informal speaker but a little nervous to very formally address a group.  She's got a great mortgage guy who would talk about mortgages for her, but she's wondering where do you hold such a seminar and how long should it be?  Can anyone describe how they've done something like this?  Thanks very much!