mortgages: Why well built, functional landing pages increase business as much as 400%
- 10/24/11 05:28 AM
Most everyone I speak with says they have at least one landing page. Most every one of them really do not have a landing page - they have an entry page. In addition to only having an entry page that page is often cluttered, offers little in the way of information to directly address the visitor's search and at best has a tiny call to action with a way to interact with the visitor.
Let's start here by addressing the increase possibility I stated in the title. If you're like me you are skeptical, and well should be, of numbers and … (3 comments)
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mortgages: Five FHA facts agents and buyers need to know
- 07/14/10 04:11 AM
The home buyer sees an ad on the internet for guaranteed 5 day closings, no minimum score and stated income from a "lender". Oh the hilarity! Unfortunately it can also end with a home buyer, home seller, a couple of real estate agents and their brokers, and a few other people doing a lot of work for nothing. Many outrageous claims are made by lead generation companies who sell the information to dozens or more loan officers who will call, email, fax, or email.
If it sounds too good to be true and every true mortgage professional is telling you there is something … (25 comments)
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mortgages: Is your mortgage specialist really just a marketing specialist?
- 07/07/10 03:32 PM
They call their selves "mortgage specialists" or "mortgage professionals". They are definitely everywhere inside the real estate industry and you see their ads all over real estate centric websites, at real estate events and even in your email. They admittedly buy articles to publish which were written by others and since they have the rights to them they publish them as their own.
Then something strange happens - you see them on news feeds and being interviewed on news channels. Oh, they may indeed have been in the mortgage industry and may even have done very well for their own careers. … (75 comments)
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mortgages: Home loans and FHA home mortgages in Georgia
- 06/02/10 08:49 AM
For anyone who has been paying attention over the last five or so years you have witnessed one of the most volatile times in the economic history of not only the United States but the world. Many very well educated and experienced experts say the worst could be yet to come unless ....
They all have different statements after the "unless" part but they all agree consumer confidence is very important to turning the corner on this nasty global economy. While I probably do not have the answers for the global economy I do have the answers for people looking for … (1 comments)
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mortgages: Over promise and hope it happens - a question of ethics
- 02/05/10 09:33 AM
Lani Rosales and the folks at Agent Genius started it. I swear. If you don't believe me visit the networked blogs Facebook post for the AgentGenius group. So let's talk a little about ethics in advertising...
One would think the average American would know when they are reading a line of advertising and be able to seperate it from a statement of fact. Additionally you would imagine there would be a stronger desire to advertise one's abilities and offerings more accurately in light of the recent changes to how the Federal Trade Commission is looking at every form of advertisement including … (51 comments)
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mortgages: Big news for banks holding unfinished construction in their inventory
- 01/12/10 05:33 AM
Driving around virtually any area of greater Atlanta you will see homes sitting vacant and uncompleted. Many of these are homes which were foreclosed upon by the construction financing bank prior to being completed. When the lender was approached last year by the typical buyer the only hope they could offer them on such a purchase was a very high down payment loan with repair escrows. Even the banks who owned the properties were reluctant to lend on them even to the most qualified of buyers.
According to Kim Courtney, an FHA underwriter with AmericaHomeKey, Inc. and Marietta manager Jesse Kight, … (3 comments)
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mortgages: Atlanta in April - What's Happening?
- 04/19/09 01:22 PM
Here are a couple of great reasons to visit Atlanta during April 2009. Be sure to allow plenty of time to contact a local real estate agent to view any of the thousands of available homes in Atlanta fine metropolitan suburbs including Marietta, Sandy Springs, John's Creek, Roswell, Woodstock, Acworth and Kennesaw to name just a few on the north side of town where Novation Mortgage is located. We are the home for Georgia FHA and all types of Georgia home loans. We are also the Georgia home for HUD $100 homes financing.
The Atlanta Film Festival runs from April 16-25, … (2 comments)
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mortgages: Thursday's BlogTalkRadio 10:30AM Eastern - Mortgages: Are there any? RESPA Reform
- 11/12/08 02:38 PM
Today I posted a tongue in cheek glimpse into the RESPA reform which touched the mortage and real estate industry today. The new HUD1 and GFE were released and, per normal, nobody seems to give a hoot unless they get 2 CE's for learning about it. (Good news, we will be CE licensed in Georgia on the topic very soon.)
Nevertheless and I love you guys anyway the BTR show on Thursday, 11/12 at 10:30AM will touch on the subject again as well as take a very brief snapshot look at what is available today in the form of mortgages.
One … (1 comments)
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mortgages: Today's Mortgage Interest Rates
- 03/25/08 03:47 AM
Marginalized. Annualized. Economically isolated. Indicators. Mean reversion. Seasonally adjusted. Negative growth. Queuing ... now there is an interesting economic term. About two years ago a colleague suggested to me and a small group of three or four others that he believed the prime lenders may be positioning to wipe out all the mid level lenders and take all the marbles. I suggested that I didn't think the controllers and economists at these larger lenders had the ability to communicate well enough to pull off such a massive undertaking. But today I ask myself, "Where have all the mid level lenders gone?" … (0 comments)
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mortgages: People Get Ready - There's A Train A coming
- 03/19/08 07:15 AM
You DO need a ticket to climb on board.
It is the beginning of the Spring buying season and while there is an excess of inventory in the marketplace the worst problem is the loss of the secondary market which should come back over the next couple of weeks with the release of liquidity through the GSE's (FNMA/FHLMC).
So we know the secondary market has been stifled (nee - frozen) by the disappearance of investment funds and the goal of the GSE move is to unstifle the market to bring life back to the secondary market.
Is it too late? Have people been turned … (8 comments)
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mortgages: Improving Interest Rates and Other Market News
- 03/12/08 08:33 AM
YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO BUY A NEW HOME TODAY - AT LEAST LESS OF AN EXCUSE
A must read for anyone who depends on mortgages and finance to buy or sell a home.
It's always good to see the rates in the fives. What is strange is why buyers wait "for a better rate" when the are in the fives. Then again it really is our fault and the fault of the American though process in general. When I speak with people who are "rate conscious" I also find out they are equally "rate unaware". For example people are hearing that … (5 comments)
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mortgages: Market Update - Mid-day March 11, 2008 - Why Isn't It Getting Better?
- 03/11/08 07:15 AM
Behind the scenes of the interest rates and market today are some strange goings on as well as some interesting discussion. One of the hot topics today is how the rating agencies will be involved in untangling the credit crisis, devaluation of the dollar and destruction of consumer confidence. Why the rating agencies? Because buyers of MBS's whether from GSE's or whomever the securitizers are depend almost solely on the powerful word of the ratings companies namely Standard and Poor's and Moody's.
Essentially it works like this parable: S&P and Moody rank Bob's Mortgage Pool as A and Bob can sell his … (6 comments)
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mortgages: Georgia Mortgage Rates - Mid-day March 10, 2008
- 03/10/08 07:17 AM
Talk about movement in the rates! At least what we have seen so far is just a downward trend. The market has been in such motion today that I didn't even do the live video stream because I was too busy modifying the rates.
Even the financial news today is mixed. From Warren Buffet to Jim Paulsen they all had great information to share today. I love it when I am right especially when others really thought I was wrong. I predicted that by Spring this year we would be in negative growth and it would last through the Summer. I predicted … (1 comments)
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mortgages: Just Who Says I Am In A Declining Market? (Video Market Update, Too)
- 03/04/08 04:28 AM
Who determines declining markets? Simple: the mortgage insurance company - usually. MGIC, Radian, RMIC, Genworth ... the list goes on. Mortgage insurers have "taken a beating" with declined value properties over the last several months as well they should have. You see they were simply another component to carry the blame for letting the problem get so far out of hand. They are not and were not an innocent third party bystander through the strong market neither should they be free from cost and investigation in the market downturn. They do, however, act like it was all your fault.
Okay let me … (0 comments)
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mortgages: The Empowerment of Active Rain - Tools For Winning!
- 03/03/08 03:18 AM
You will be empowered to win! Ask me why I am still excited! Wait, no need to ask, I'll just write it here. You see I still think the United States of America and our allies are the greatest nations in the world and history of mankind. I also still thin US real estate is a great long term investment. If you know me you know I say, "real estate investing is not a get rich quick scheme". Although you CAN hit home runs there is nothing better than a good old double or single every at bat. (Yes, my friends … (4 comments)
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mortgages: Friday Real Estate Forecast Looks Great For This Weekend - Video Included
- 02/29/08 05:59 AM
If you or your clients have been "on the fence" this weekend may be one of the best weekends to move forward that we have seen or will see for a while. Rates are very low today and if they go into the weekend unchanged should emerge Monday just as strong. The stock market has tumbled nearly 2 percent as of the writing of this article and demand is increasing. Unfortunately the bond market is flat to down and that can hold rates from falling even farther but we'll take what we have! Fixed thirty at 5.625 with an APR of … (7 comments)
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mortgages: Huge News In Mortgage Interest Rates Today - Sharp Drop Early AM
- 02/28/08 03:17 AM
Today's Mortgage Interest Rates for GEORGIA HOME LOANS Effective 11:15 AM EST February 28 MUCH IMPROVED ▼
You can always check daily rates here and they always are with no discount points and show the APR.
NEW DAILY SCHEDULE
HTTP://JUSTIN.TV/REIBROKER
Topics include the real estate market in general, interest rates, short sales, declining markets, buyer trends and much more!
Hopefully I'll see each of you there and I want to get around to each of you as a guest speaker as soon as we get the bugs ironed out.
(You'll have to follow one more link from that site for now. Hope … (3 comments)
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mortgages: Monday Afternoon Mortgage Rate Report
- 02/25/08 05:07 AM
Let's start out by once more addressing the difference between BankRate.com rates and real rates. BankRate.com is not a lender or broker - they are a financial media website. The information posted to their website is not guaranteed accurate and there is no specific lender to stand behind it. Basically, in the industry, those rates are pretty much a joke. Their own advertisements indicate "Rates may include points." You can almost but your rump they do.
The rates I report are wholesale mortgage rates. I compare them to real lenders in my real market area. The idea that anyone is going to … (1 comments)
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mortgages: Friday Rate and Market Update - Weekend Outlook
- 02/22/08 03:30 AM
You have finally made it to another weekend! Sales will be either better, flat or worse this weekend and I can predict that with100% accuracy. What you know tomorrow that you didn't know yesterday will be of great value to you as you speak with clients! One major word about the rates I have been publishing is this: These aren't some pie-in-the-sky 1-800-BIGBANK-DOTCOM television advertised rates that one in a thousand, if that, can qualify for. These are the real deal every day rates for normal people with 20% down, 680 credit scores, full time jobs, etc.
With the failure of many … (3 comments)
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mortgages: Mid Afternoon Mortgage Rate Update
- 02/21/08 06:02 AM
So I was a bit slow today! Not really, just busy.
Stocks are down sharply which is usually good news for mortgage interest rates. What's even better is to have stock down and bonds flat or up. What's good for inflation is good for interest rates. So today, with the Dow down 7/10ths and the bond market not making any bad noises we get a fairly sharp drop in interest rates.
Today's Mortgage Interest Rates for GEORGIA HOME LOANS Effective 1:15 PM EST February 21 IMPROVED Get the most current rates at this link. Published daily at approximately 11:00 AM EST
WEDNESDAYS … (0 comments)
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Most everyone I speak with says they have at least one landing page. Most every one of them really do not have a landing page - they have an entry page. In addition to only having an entry page that page is often cluttered, offers little in the way of information to directly address the visitor's search and at best has a tiny call to action with a way to interact with the visitor.
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