Jeff Belonger steps into the member spotlight for the Blogger's Choice Selections..Jeff will be posting his selections on Valentine's Day!  Its quite suitable..because Jeff revealed to me he is single...any of the ladies know of anyone interested in meeting a very nice loan officer?  OK so maybe this isn't the place...but I thought I would give it shot...after all its Activerain!

Jeff to me is a great source of mortgage information...so naturally I asked him a few mortgage questions.

Tell us a little about yourself…"I could be lame and just say, “check out my 4 or so meme’s that I have done in the past.” That should sum it up.  Growing up, we moved a lot, about 1 every 4 to 5 years since I was born until I was the age of 22. No, my dad wasn’t in the military, but I actually did join the U.S. Army after my first semester in College. There will be a link at the end of this to give you more details. In any case, I could remember growing up thinking that this sucked from moving often. You remember growing up, that your parents said that you won’t understand until you get older? Well, I’ll be honest, I have met friends that grew up in the same area for most of their life, from 8 years old and all the way through high school. I can say this though; I grew up in different ways mentally because I always had to make friends on the fly. Kind of like a military brat. Believe it or not, I was not social when young. My first real date, I was beyond nervous and it was for my sophomore dance with Julie Delany. Before we go further, I could never remember the important stuff that my parents asked of me, but I can certainly remember the fun memories of my life.  One thing that many don’t know as of yet is that I will be hosting my own on line radio show starting February 19th. Stayed tuned for the announcement. I even have an excellent guest for week two, which will be aired February 26th. All shows will be on Thursdays at noon EST, for 30 minutes. I can also be followed on Twitter & Facebook for the show updates and for my blogs. Stay Tuned!"

So Jeff, what do you do? "I help people finance their dreams. If it’s refinancing or purchasing, I love it all. I love the challenges that come with it. But I could be here forever."

Can you tell me what is needed in documentation for a full doc loan. I ask this question because some may not know...and guidelines seem to change? "Guideline changes or not, a full doc loan is very simple. Depending on the automated findings, you will usually need 2 years worth of w-2’s, 1 months worth of bank statements, and pay stubs covering a 30 day pay period prior to closing. Of course if you have been divorced and you are receiving child support, or had a bankruptcy in the last 7 years, you would need this documentation also."

What is the reason most loans get declined once they go to underwriting..besides the fact..the given..bad credit..or lack of funds to close? "I would say 70% of all loans not closing are due to the reason that the loan officer didn’t keep up with previous changes or… that they just threw the loan up on the wall, hoping it sticks. Sorry, but that is reality and I have spoken to about 15 loan officers and 5 other REALTORS about this, all with 8 years or more experience, and they believe it to be the same. People will lie andsome loan officers will lie also. Again, it may sound harsh, but it’s the truth."

When do you think a REALTOR is crossing the line when talking about mortgages to a borrower? "How long do I have for this one? Lol Seriously. If they tell a borrower that the other lenders rate is too high. Lender fees are another subject, but should never be more than like $600. But rates? A REALTOR can’t know all of the pricing hits, depending on the type of loan, the down payment, and the credit scores. Besides, rates change daily and if a borrower is to shop, they need to do it all in one day."

What conversations should REALTORS have with customers that would be helpful and useful to get the loan processed in a timely fashion? "Ouch… this is a tough one. To help us loan officers out, I would say this. Making sure that the property is comp’d out properly. If it’s unique, has an extra building on it, etc, etc, to let the loan officer know. If they think it has some defects, to let us know."

Why are you so active on the Activerain Network? "HHhhhhmmmmm…. Can I have an extra 500 words for this one? To simply put, not only is the best real estate network that I have found, it works. It works if you make it work. Yes, I am very sociable. But if you blog at least 3 times a week in regards to business, network with other members, call them up, and meet with them…. Not only will you grow your business, but you will pick up so many useful tips that you never thought about, get a different perspective on how to sell or how to talk to clients. The list could go on and on. I will say this… the AR staff is incredible and work so hard to help make us better and more profitable. And many of the members on AR are very nice and easy to get along… and would help out a fellow member, even if they didn’t know them."

Why Bloggers Choice Selections Group? "One is that I think Midori and Lola really keep in touch with each other, AR, and just blogging in general. I think it’s a creative group and has established itself as one of the top groups out there. Overall, I have found some of the better bloggers on AR that participate in this group. And it’s just like business and networking, you want to surround yourself with the best."

What key items will be you looking for in making your selections? "Well, I really wouldn’t want to disclose this top secret information. I would say this, just as I have started the newbie contest that runs every quarter. Just be yourself, be creative, keep the reader engaged, and have fun with it. … be different."

Anything else? 

"Don't forget the mortgage pro week in review"

Read Jeff's post with over 300 comments! : Business-Cards-can-help-you-move-your-career-forward 

Thanks Jeff for being a sport and its not too late to join the Bloggers Choice Selections Group! 

Midori Miller is a licensed real estate associate with CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty, Real Estate Trainer and Manager . If you are interested in a career in real estate please contact me!  All calls and inquiries are confidential.  CENTURY 21 Sundance Realty is located in Volusia County with 3 office locations to better serve the public.  Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach and Ormond by the Sea. 2009   midorimiller@yahoo.com (386) 453-3236