Efficient Lenders Needed! Reason #1 on how my team can help!

With all the changes in the lending landscape I think that it is important to change as well in some ways. The era of increased documentation has lead to increased processing times and paperwork delays. How then can a Loan Officer find the time to help promote their mutual business partners, be present at the networking meetings, attend the open houses, create the flyer’s and have the important face to face meetings with the clients. Let’s also not forget picking up the phone when the agent calls.

This led me to make a change that I have been contemplating for over a year. The reason that I did not take the leap before was always a financial choice. However, much of my business has come from being there to help the homeowner and all other parties through the transaction. To facilitate phone calls, watch the market and be present and visible. The last six months I felt hunkered down in a cave dealing with paperwork upon paperwork to make sure that our deals closed. This lead to less face to face and less time to be ahead of the market with innovative ideas and  good all fashioned face to face business. I felt like a telemarketer not a loan officer.

I decided that I needed to make sure that the files moved even when I was not in the office. While I was out generating more business for myself and my partners I wanted to make sure that the file did not stagnate over an updated pay-stub. I decided that I would hire  a team member that is the best in the business when it comes to creating a sale-able clean loan package. Upfront we will do a lot of work to make sure that the back end the closing is as smooth as possible. Chris Kohler is going to be a valuable addition to the team and I feel privileged that he accepted the role. It has been 9 days that we have began and I think that we have really made it seamless. I have five reasons that I know will be positive for us and all those that we are blessed to work with. So here is the first reason that the new change I have employed will help your business in 2010!

Reason #1 : Two experienced professionals working on your closing

What does this mean?

• My new partnership with an experienced associate will make certain that the smallest details of a transaction (that make or break a deal) are quickly addressed and followed up on. Two sets of eyes are better than one and ensure that no point is overlooked on your purchase transaction.

• Your buyer will rarely wait, if at all to have their question answered.

• While I am Pre-approving your client on the spot, my inside team will make sure our other transactions are still moving forward in an efficient manner.

• Increased Time for Marketing, Open House & Tours

• Continuity in the transaction

• Imagine your life without a transaction coordinator. That is how I have been serving you over the years. Adding my associate will be like having a TA on the lending side so that we can focus on what we do best.

Stay Tuned for reasons 2-5. If you would like a copy of the power point to review at your leisure message me or if you want to hear more about the change in person let’s do coffee. I am really excited for 2010. May it be fabulous for you.

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Where does your Professional go when the deal hits a snag? You Deserve to Know!

In today’s market even the cleanest deal will have some hurdle or obstacle that will have to be explained. The question is when the going gets tough who is there to answer the questions and help you through the hurdle. Is it the Realtor? Is it the Loan Officer? Is it Both? Neither? Who is there by your side as a buyer and/or a seller when the road is bumpy?

I mention this because it gets to me a little bit. I think that as an industry we have to rally together to deliver the news. All too often professionals go into hibernation when the deal hits a bump. They do not answer their phone or they wait until they have it solved and call as if they did not ignore the previous 100 calls. Let’s look at this from a different angle for one minute:

I am a doctor and I just looked at X-rays for my client. I have found a mass that I have not quite determined what or how I will take care of it. I have a few ideas based on my expertise but want to do further research before providing the solution. In this case do I:

1. Inform the patient of my findings and let them know what I think may be the solutions
2. Send the patient home without any knowledge of the findings hoping that I will have the solution in a few days
3. Ignore all the inquiries I am getting from the curious nurse, patient, family members, etc.
   

I think that we all know the answer to this. It is our duty as a professional to let others know. If we do not have the answer and we have to consult other “doctors” as sometimes is the case we should let the parties know this. “Uncertainty” is one thing that every human I have ever met is inclined to dislike. We like to know what is going on and what we have to do to help the situation. Sometimes that will be nothing but knowing that we can do nothing but wait is better than not knowing what is going on at all.

I will be the first to admit that when I was first in the industry I did not like making the bad call. I still don’t but the difference between now and then is “I have been on both sides of the fence.” Solutions are derived from brainstorm and I still believe in the old saying “Two heads are better than one.”

Please feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree with this?

House Hunting! 6 survival tips to help avoid house hunting blues.

Early this morning I got up just like I do every day and went through the morning routine. Coffee, reading, breakfast with the kids etc. You know the routine. Then I left to go to work for the day. While I was leaving the house the wierdest thhing happen to me. As I walked to the car my neigh bor was walking back to his house from the mailbox. I don’t talk to this neighbor very often. He is an older retired guy. As I was getting in the car he said to me: “Go Get Em! Don’t Stop Now.” Many of you may be asking the following question; What does this have to do with House Hunting?

Survival Tips

1) Accept the support around you – Talking only to your spouse or your colleagues about the frustrations of the offer righting stagge of the game can lead to more frustration. Talk to your professionals and ask them to explain to you why responses are so slow. Why the bank does not seem to care that you are trying to do the right thing by only submitting one offer at a time. Ask your professional to explain what may be an effective offer and why is it so hard to get in contract if it is a buyers market. Your professional should be able to help you at least understand the why of the above which will releive some of the frustration.

2) – Enjoy the Hunt – Make the house hunt a game. Enjoy the process of the whole thing. Write down items that you like from each of the houses on paper. Write down the qualities you must have and the items that you would like. Talk to your partner about how to work on the projects together and what colors you would do etc. It could very well be a long hunt. You have waited 20 plus years in most cases so dont get so excited that you forget to enjoy the process.

3) – Plan for It – If you have a written plan for the process that you fit into your normal calender then it does not disrupt ytour life so much. Schedule a time that you have specifically set aside for the viewing of homes. Schedule it like you schedule the gym or work or playdates for the kids. By doing this you avoid the feeling that the hunt has taken over your life. It helps to keep you from having the feeling that your life is off track and you are unorganized.

4) Know that you will be rejected – One of the hardest things to cope with is the rejection of an offer that you thought was a winning offer and the house was “EXACTLY” what you were looking for. Just like finding your life partner it will take work. It will take practice. It will take time. You have to lose some to learn what you don’t want and what you do want. When you do find the right partner or house in this case it is a constant work in progress. There will always be something that you would like to change or work on. You have to grow with the house and as you change you will want some things to change about the house. Don’t get discouraged by rejection get Encouraged. You are one step closer to your goal.

5) – Do not be in a hurry - You cannot rush such a major decision. You will be setting yourself up for disappointment. Just think about how often you hear a person say that they rushed into marriage and it was the wrong choice so they got divorced. Divorce is painful and can change someones life. Same with your house choice. Do not rush to get a tax credit or the interest rate that you have to have. All that will be there when the house you find comes around. whether you are 30 or 50 you did not miss the boat.

 6) – Be Emotionless – Yes, I know that this is much easier said than done. A better thing to say may be “don’t have unrealistic expectations.” Many times when you write your first offer you mentally move in. This means that when it is not accepted you have to move out or breakup. The song says “breaking up is hard to do.” If you leave out the emotion of the purchase and keep your furniture in your current residence until the loan is on record the process will feel better. I am not saying to not be excited I am simply saying to control the excitement. Contain to an acceptable level for you to handle. Try not to be too high or too low as each has its drawbacks.

Now that you know what to do in order to stay away from the House Hunting Blues I will leave you with the same words that my neighbor uttered to me this morning in the 36 degree weather “Go get em! Don’t Stop Now.”