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BIO: Retired after 26 years in the US Air Force and then just goofed off for three years working for the government. Got into real estate in 1993 and started Internet marketing in 1995. Bought 52 domain names in 95 and started designing and hosting web site and now I have over 240 Internet web sites. I get 7% commission on all residential listings except for short sales and bank owned. The only reason I don’t get 7% for these is because there is no one I can talk to personally who has the authority to give 7 % otherwise I would get 7% there also. I have a team of 10 agents and we are known as “Utah’s Most Active Agents”. We hold client appreciation events four times a year, affiliate luncheons twice a year, and sponsor various community activities from Easter Egg Hunts, Cancer Walks/Runs, High School Sports Teams, Neighborhood Yard Sales and various real estate seminars every year. We sponsor a very large Christmas party for kid every year at one of the High School and have been doing it for 5 years now. We do all the local trade shows and community events, like Home and Garden Sows, Home Décor Shows, Bridal Fairs, County Fairs, Senior Fairs, and the Parade of Homes.

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your
carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your
yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make
my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means
there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always
make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I
might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you
to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and
foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your
alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That
makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the
windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom — and
your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to
lock your door-understandable . But understand this: I don’t take a day
off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions
somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always
check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where
you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm
system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town,
you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering
glow of a real television. (Find it at _faketv.com_ .)

MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy
and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If
your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to
hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what
he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy
alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re
home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or
walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just
to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier
than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way
to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I
hit the jackpot and walk right in.

9. Don’t put a mourning wreath or some other sign of bereavement on your
front door. We check obituaries and funeral times, and if something looks
promising we’ll hit during the funeral. Do you really need a double tragedy?

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and
Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor. com
; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor
at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for
his book Burglars on the Job.

Starting the new year here in Dallas working through all the changes in RESPA, HMDIA, GFE and the other changes. I think this is the main thing to remember.
Who are we working with in our business?

Big Banks are increasing your credit card rates even if you pay ontime.

Watch this link

This could affect buying a home in the future for you.

Hello:
This is a great letter to send your Senator and let them know you are tired of them costing you more time and Money in obtaining financing on a home. Cut and paste this letter and mail it to them or go to their website and e-mail them. Find your Senator here
These laws are costing you money to the tune of $2.4 BILLION DOLLARS and they are okay with this on the Hill.
If you are tired of Government with their hand in your pocket, help make some noise and do something about it.

August 23, 2009

John Cornyn, United States Senator 517 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Cornyn:
We have just completed a loan application for a new home and have learned about the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct and the Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act.
Our evaluation of these two reforms has indicated clearly that as consumers these new regulations are costing us both time and money in acquiring a mortgage loan with little or no benefit for those costs.
We have been informed that our mortgage representative will have less time and thus fewer options for us and that it will be necessary commit to a specific plan sooner if we are to meet the specifics of our real estate contract. In the past we have had the opportunity to move our mortgage loan option literally up until the last minute and now that option is no longer available.
We are also instructed that we can no longer leave a check in advance for our appraisal and must return to our mortgage company to drop off a check or make other arrangements after our signature has been obtained on a new Truth-In-Lending Agreement. This now means taking more time off from work and burning more gasoline in order for my mortgage company to be in compliance with these new rules. We cannot see how that benefits us.
In addition we do not select our mortgage loan lender or product based on APR (Annual Percentage Rate). We evaluate our mortgage based on note rate, the payment and how much we have to come to closing with. Although the purpose of APR is to summarize this into one figure we have always been more comfortable assessing any consumer loans by evaluating cost and payment separately.
We ask that you immediately rescind these new regulations and return mortgage lending to the way that works best for me the consumer. Although we agree some reforms could be helpful the unintended consequences have yet again cost the consumer more than any benefit gained could possibly be worth.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Your Address)

If you found this blog, chances are that you are a consumer who is looking for more information about a mortgage. Maybe even more specifically, you are searching for specific information about how to get the best deal on your mortgage.

So I thought I would take the time to list out the Top 10 Reasons Someone Should Use a local Mortgage Loan Officer to Shop for a Mortgage.

Number Ten

You much prefer filling out a form on the Internet somewhere that looks like this…

because you wonder what will happen if you do.

Number Nine

When you fill out a form that looks like number ten, you also want to give your personal information – just in case someone needs it.

Number Eight

You sometimes get lonely. You like to get phone calls. From lots of different people. Forget it if they want to talk about your mortgage – you want to tell them all about how your garden is doing. You know that by filling out a form, you will soon have lots of different people to talk to from all over the country. And they sound like such nice people when they call.

Number Seven

Your Realtor’s brother seems like he is so smart about mortgages. You feel lucky that you found the World’s Best Realtor who has a brother who is the World’s Best Loan Officer on the back of the shopping cart at Tom Thumb.

Number Six

You really don’t have all that much time to fill out any forms on the internet. Can’t you just sign a form or two and be done with it?

Number Five

Your sister said that she found her loan officer on MySpace and he was so cute – he even gave her a ride in his BMW to the title company.

Number Four

You can’t find any loan officers in Dallas who are offering you any cash-back-at-closing when you buy your house and you really need to find someone who can offer “creative financing”.

Number Three

Your mom used a loan officer that she liked before – and he said that he could “help you out” even though he has a side job now stocking shelves at Seven Eleven.

Number Two

You like the fact that you can go to the Realtor’s office and stop by the Loan Officer’s office right there in the Real Estate Office. Having them together makes it so easy.

And finally, the Number One Reason Someone Shouldn’t Use a local Mortgage Loan Officer to Shop for a Mortgage?

You feel sorry for your brother. Who also happens to be a mortgage broker.

Come stop by my office and find out what a Mortgage Professional can do for you.

Most people think there is “one rate” out there and everyone gets the same interest rate. I wish this was true, it sure would make my job easier.

First interest rates are set for each type of loan available, conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, refinance, cash out. Then by how long you want to finance, 30, 15, 10 year fixed and then ARMS Adjustable Rate Mortgages.

Once you know the type on loan then we need to know the loan amount, loan to value (LTV) if escrowing taxes & insurance.

Finally, we need to know your credit (FICO) score and debt to income (DTI)

Each of these items layer risk to the mortgage company and add to the interest rate.

Example: a 30 yr fixed termConventional loan of at 80% LTV for someone with a 720 FICO escrowing  might get 5.25% rate but someone with 620 FICO on same loan due to being a higher risk might get 6.00% . Yet tomorrow all interest rates worsen and the 720 person is now 5.5% andour 620 person is 6.625%. Then again rates could improve and now the 720 person can get 5.00% and the 620 person get 5.375%

There is one more thing to remember, you can buy down your interest rate with points. A point is 1% of the loan amount and in the above case the 620 person could buy his rate down to exactly what the 720 person got with maybe 1-2% points. Then again, each could take a higher rate so that all the fees are paid for by the mortgage company. The average fees on a loan are about $3000.00 give or take. so a higher interest rate could cover these cost.

So, when you co-worker says they got 6.25% or 5.25% on their loan last month unless you know all the details for that day and all about them, you just don’t know what you could get.