Chad's Blog

Thank you's are more important than you think - please read/comment

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:06:51 -0700

All too often people in the real estate industry dont give a simple "thank you". We are in the service industry. We provide a service for a fee. We should always say "thank you" for the business or "thank you" for the referral even if it doesnt turn out to be home we could find or a mortgage we can provide. I wasnt providing "thank you" letters and notes until I was in the industry for almost a full year. One day a friend, whom I consider a mentor, told me how important it was to say "thank you" to everyone who puts their trust/confidence in me to help them. From then on out I have always written a thank you to each client and the referral source. It has definately helped me build my business. Here are some things I try to incorporate in my "thank you" that you may find useful... 1. Always hand write the "thank you" - it makes it much more personal (handwrite the envelope address too!) 2. Dont make it generic - reference a specific item in regards to the transaction - otherwise it may seem that you are just writing the same thank you that you send everyone else 3. Place a few of your cards in the letter and ask them for referrals - a thank you is to show them you appreciate their business, asking for referrals is how you get your business - they will refer people to you if they enjoeyed your service I hope this helps you grow your business. Please comment with any suggestions you have for saying thanks. THANK YOU!

My first year as a mortgage broker! Hurricanes and more - woohoo!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:55:01 -0700

My first year as a mortgage broker was quite an experience from going to beautiful restaurants for lunch with CPAs to meeting with developers to 3 hurricanes within 6 weeks. What a year! My first year as a mortgage broker was actually my second year in the mortgage industry. My first year I made $12,536 as a loan processor (you can read about that year in my blog below). It was a an up and down year from closing my first mortgage that I originated, to meeting with CPAs and developers for referral sources, to having 3 hurricanes hit my home. This blog entry will give you a glimpse into what that year was like for me. I started the year completing my licensing course and passing the state exam. The course was pretty easy (way to easy if you ask me) and the test wasn't that hard either, but I was on my way to closing my first deal. That blog is below too - so I wont go any further here as I don't want to bore my subscribers. I spent quite a bit of time in my first year trying to find other referral sources besides my friends and family. I started "cold calling". Someone once told me that "cold-calling" is "God's gift to people who don't have enough referrals". I think that saying makes "cold-calling" sound too nice - should be the "devil's gift" if you ask me. Anyways - I am getting sidetracked - back to the topic at hand. I was very fortunate that the broker I worked for knew quite a few people and that really helped. My broker went to Dr. Phillips High School and was talking with a few of his friends. One was a CPA and we met with him and things started to pick up as he would help get us out to meet with his clients. From there we ended meeting a gentleman who knew a developer that was going to get started on a project of about 20 homes in Dr. Phillips. That deal never came to fruition, but it was exciting to see that we had chance. I of course continued to cold call. Really that should be called "cold driving". I went down to Winter Park and literally stopped every time I saw a RE broker sign or a Financial Planner sign on the street. It actually worked! I started picking up business of my own and it was a great feeling that people had confidence in me as it allowed me to have more confidence in what I was doing and that was reassuring to both my wife and I. That was until the hurricanes hit. Charlie, Frances, and Jean. They may sound like names of your high school friend, grocery store clerk, or someone else you know. To me they are what changed my career path and made me realize how fragile life can be and how fast things can change. The first hurricane was Charlie and it came very unexpectedly. I went to the office on Friday and arrived at 8:00AM that morning to finish up a file that was closing the following week. My broker called around 9:30 and asked what I wanted from the liquor store. Confused?!?!? "Why are we drinking?" He informed me that hurricane Charlie was heading for Orlando and the track of the hurricane had changed overnight. I had lived in Orlando for 7 years and never had even come close to living through a hurricane hitting near my home. I stayed at the office until noon that day. Yes I did have a screwdriver before I left and went home to get things around the home ready. The first bands hit around 1:30PM and it didn't stop until 4:00AM the next morning. The next 2 hurricanes were very dramatic, but I only remeber bits and pieces of when they hit. I guess like most things - you remember your first time more than the 2nd and 3rd time. The hurricanes caused a lot of strain on my income that year. The loan that was supposed to close the following week after Charlie ended up needing an appraisal review and then another review after Frances hit. Charlie and Frances were only 2 weeks apart. I didn't make a penny for 62 days from the 3 hurricanes and some of my clients were very upset that I couldn't close their loan on time which lead my referrals sources to also stop sending business my way. It wasn't my fault - the lenders wouldn't close if a hurricane was on the radar and they wanted all properties to be rechecked every time one came through. I decided that I enjoyed the mortgage industry and realized that if I was going to stay in it that I would need to get into a different position - thats when I decided to become a wholesale account executive. That's for another blog though. Hope you have a wonderful and prosperous day!

30 Ways to Save Gas! Please read and comment!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:35:07 -0700

The pain at the pump is hurting our bottomline. As real estate professionals we are always on the road showing a new home or taking a loan application. Here are some great tips I found on www.howtoadvice.com The surest way you can improve your fuel cost problem is to change your motoring habits. Listed below under four categories are 30 effective methods of doing so... no need to buy expensive add-on equipment. ENGINE WARM-UP 1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time. 2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture. 3. Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine. 4. Avoid "revving" the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure. 5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency. HOW TO BUY GASOLINE 6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement". 7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which "seem" most beneficial. 8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic. HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY 9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance. 10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.

11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed. 12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs. 13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%. 14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly. 15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it. GENERAL ADVICE 16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely. This "dragging" also demands additional fuel usage. 17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage. 18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight. 19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way. 20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool. 21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas. 22. Regular tune ups ensure best economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste. 23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds. 24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel! 25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures. 26. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car's body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage). 27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon. 28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines. 29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car. 30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast. Please comment and subscribe. Have a wonderful and properous day!

S&P Housing Price Index released today... Some bad news...

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 27 May 2008 04:56:29 -0700

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices were released this morning. I have reviewed the data and the news is not very good. The U.S. national index was developed to measure the changing price in home values in particular markets across the U.S. This report is a 3 month average with a 2 month lag. The methodology used to determine the U.S. national index is the repeat sales method. The index is a 3 month review of homes in 20 markets across the U.S. All homes sold are reviewed and then checked for prior sale. This review is only on single family residences and doesnt include condos, townhomes, new construction, etc. Homes with large % increase or decrease of prior sale are thrown out. Also, homes with less than 6 months prior to the last sale. This is to help determine true sales and not arms lenght transactions or homes that may have been remodeled, etc. We all know home prices are going down across the U.S., but this report also tells us how many homes are actually changing hands that are resales on the market since they throw out new construction. The numbers are staggering. Here are some stats for you... In Los Angeles, CA there were 4,464 sales pairs in March. That is the lowest number of sales pairs in LA since Feb of 1988. The report doesnt go back any farther! In Miami, FL there were 2,670 sales pairs for March. Also the lowest number since the beginning of the report. In Cleveland, OH there were 680 sales pairs for March. Again the lowest number since the report. * March is a 3 month average of January, February, and March. In fact, only a few cities on the report didnt have the lowest number of sales pairs since February of 1988. Congrats to Dallas and Seattle! We are in tough times across the U.S. in the real estate industry. You dont need me to tell you that. The good news is that once we have hit "bottom" that we can only go up. For more information > http://www2.standardandpoors.com/portal/site/sp/en/us/page.topic/indices_csmahp/0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,1,0,0,0,0,0.html

Pay off your home faster than before!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:36:11 -0700

Foreclosures are on the rise and home prices are falling. Read below to see how you can pay off your home faster than before without a change to spending habits. This idea is nothing new. Many people in Europe and Australia have been using this as a way to pay off their home for years now. There are 2 ways to pay off your home faster. One option is to buy a $3,500 computer program and the other is to refinance into a first lien line of credit. Either option will work. I will explain how each one works and give you some highlights and differences of each one for you to choose which may be better suited for you. Purchasing the $3,500 software The software program is where you will put all of your financial information in regards to your mortgage debt, car loans, personal finances, etc. You will also need to get a 2nd mortgage HELOC (home equity line of credit). The program then shows you how to use your 2nd mortgage to pay down your first by running your finances through your second mortgage. Running my finances through my second mortgage???? What does that mean??? You will start to deposit as much funds as possible into your second mortgage via your paycheck or any other income source. Then you will use the credit card and/or checkbook that you receive from the HELOC company to pay your bills. The advantage here is that the HELOC company calculates your required interest only payment on the average daily balance and not on the balance at the end of the month. You are reducing the average daily balance since you are paying more than the required minimum payment and then taking the funds back out as you need them. This is a key component to helping you reduce your mortgage faster. And... you have essentially made your 2nd HELOC your own personal bank where you deposit and withdrawal funds. The software program also helps you move other money within your personal bank of finances to help you reduce and pay off your home faster. Advantages to Software Anyone can qualify if they spend $3,500 on the program and also get a 2nd mortgage on their home. Disadvantages to Software You have to be committed to working and following the software on a continual basis in order for the program to work. Using the Equity Accumulator Loan Structure (TM) The EA Loan is a way to do everything the software does without all the work on your part. The EA Loan is a first lien HELOC where you will run your finances through to pay down the mortgage faster. Remember that run your finances through means you will deposit your funds and use the credit card and checkbook to pay your bills and expenses. Advantages to EA Loan 1. This is a "set it and forget it tool" - you dont have to actively manage your finances or transfer funds between your first and second mortgage 2. The interest rate on this loan is very comparable to your Fannie Mae conforming rate. Disadvantages to EA Loan Only people with good credit and strong income can qualify. To see a 5 minute video on the EA Loan click here. It will take about 4 minutes to load. Hope you have a wonderful and prosperous day!

My first mortgage... My experience and what I learned...

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:48:59 -0700

I remeber the first time I sat at a closing table to help a client who was referred to me by a friend. Here is the story... I became a licensed mortgage broker after processing loans for 10 months. I passed the exam with flying colors, scored a 96. I was working with a friend who had been a broker for about 2 years. I started as anyone would - I started calling and telling all of my friends and family about how I became a mortgage broker. I finally got my first deal from my wife's friend who told me that a dear friend of his was looking to buy a new home. Wow - my first deal. The purchase price was $187,500 and the buyer was going to put 20% down on the home. What a great deal! The only problem was a mid 580 credit score. I called the buyer and we talked about her job, her income, and her assets. She was so excited to be finally purchasing her first home and how she would not have to rent an apartment and how the back yard would be great for her 8 year old son. I thought it was great that I would have an opportunity to help realize her dreams. I did a full application with her on that first phone call and proceeded to find which lender would be best for her. I must have called 20 different lenders that day reviewing her scenario to see what the rate would be and if they could finance her beautiful new home. Finally, Argent came to the rescue with a 6.25% rate on a 5/1 ARM and no pre-pay penalty. I immediately called and gave her the good news. She was excited to hear that I could help since her local bank had turned her down for not having a 620 credit score. The loan took about 3 weeks to close and the appraisal actually came in at $195,000, just more good news I could let her know. I went to the closing with her and her son that day. After that we went out for lunch and she thanked me over and over for helping her finance her new home. She had been saving for 8 years to have the money to put down. It was my first deal. One that made me realize I could help someone's dreams come true. She ended up referring me a few of her co-workers and we kept in touch until she moved to Arizona a couple of years ago. Please comment with your own first deal... whether it was a mortgage or house you sold.

Views of Obama, Clinton, and McCain on housing.

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:54:12 -0700

The following is cut directly from each campaigns website on how each candidate plans on dealing with the housing and mortgage crisis this country currently faces. I want this blog to be about why we would elect a candidate strictly based on where they stand in helping our industry improve. Please comment if you have other sources of information to help us review where each candidate stands. From BarackObama.com Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners. Create a Universal Mortgage Credit:Obama will create a 10 percent universal mortgage credit to provide homeowners who do not itemize tax relief. This credit will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority of whom earn less than $50,000 per year. Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry:Obama has been closely monitoring the subprime mortgage situation for years, and introduced comprehensive legislation over a year ago to fight mortgage fraud and protect consumers against abusive lending practices. Obama's STOP FRAUD Act provides the first federal definition of mortgage fraud, increases funding for federal and state law enforcement programs, creates new criminal penalties for mortgage professionals found guilty of fraud, and requires industry insiders to report suspicious activity. Mandate Accurate Loan Disclosure:Obama will create a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score, which will provide potential borrowers with a simplified, standardized borrower metric (similar to APR) for home mortgages. The HOME score will allow individuals to easily compare various mortgage products and understand the full cost of the loan. Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures:Obama will create a fund to help people refinance their mortgages and provide comprehensive supports to innocent homeowners. The fund will be partially paid for by Obama's increased penalties on lenders who act irresponsibly and commit fraud. Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies:Obama will work to eliminate the provision that prevents bankruptcy courts from modifying an individual's mortgage payments. Obama believes that the subprime mortgage industry, which has engaged in dangerous and sometimes unscrupulous business practices, should not be shielded by outdated federal law. From HillaryClinton.com Hillary Calls On Wall Street To Address Housing Crisis Hillary goes to the Nasdaq stock exchange today to call on Wall Street to help clean up the housing foreclosure crisis it helped create. Wall Street not only enabled reckless mortgage lending, it encouraged it - 1.8 million home foreclosure notices have been filed this year, a 74% increase from 2006. Now it's time for lenders, homeowners and investors to come together to solve this crisis and stem the tide of foreclosures. Hillary will challenge lenders and financial institutions to take three immediate steps today: 1) Voluntarily support a moratorium of at least 90 days on home foreclosures; 2) freeze the fluctuating rates on subprime loans for at least 5 years until they can be converted into fixed rate, affordable loans; 3) Require regular status reports on the progress they're making in converting unworkable mortgages into loans families can afford so we have real accountability. Hillary is proposing a comprehensive work out - not a bail out - that would end the foreclosure crisis. If Wall Street refuses to act, Hillary will propose legislation to tackle the problems in the housing market head on. As we see growing economic challenges - from the housing crisis to rising energy costs-- it's clear that we need a leader with Hillary Clinton's strength and experience to create the change America needs. Hillary has proposed allocating up to $5 billion in immediate assistance to help communities and distressed homeowners weather the foreclosure crisis, and called for $1 billion in emergency energy assistance for families facing skyrocketing heating bills this winter. FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM: Hillary will call for a moratorium on home foreclosures of at least 90 days so that a rate freeze can take effect and at-risk homeowners can get financial counseling to help them transition to affordable loans. FREEZE ADJUSTABLE RATE LOANS:The rate freeze must last at least 5 years, or until subprime mortgages have been converted into affordable loans. A typical subprime adjustable rate loan is raising monthly payments by 30% to 40% for many families, causing a wave of housing defaults across the country. REQUIRE ACCOUNTABILITY: Hillary will ask for regular status reports on the progress Wall Street is making in converting unworkable mortgages into loans families can afford. From JohnMcCain.com Helping Americans With The Housing Crisis:John McCain Is Proposing A New "HOME Plan" To Provide Robust, Timely And Targeted Help To Those Hurt By The Housing Crisis. Under his HOME Plan, every deserving American family or homeowner will be afforded the opportunity to trade a burdensome mortgage for a manageable loan that reflects their home's market value.Eligibility: Holders of a non-conventional mortgage taken after 2005 who live in their home (primary residence only); can prove creditworthiness at the time of the original loan; are either delinquent, in arrears on payments, facing a reset or otherwise demonstrate that they will be unable to continue to meet their mortgage obligations; and can meet the terms of a new 30-year fixed-rate mortgage on the existing home.How It Works: Individuals pick up a form at any Post Office and apply for a HOME loan. The FHA HOME Office certifies that the individual is qualified and contacts the individual's mortgage servicer. The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender.John McCain Calls For The Immediate Formation Of A Justice Department Mortgage Abuse Task Force.The Task Force will aggressively investigate potential criminal wrongdoing in the mortgage industry and bring to justice any who violated the law. The DOJ Task Force will offer assistance to State Attorney Generals who are investigating abusive lending practices. Thanks for commenting. Have a great day!

102% Financing may be available in your area! This is real...

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:49:24 -0700

Many people across the country have seen the finance industry starting to pull back on financing in their area. Subprime is pretty much gone along with Alt-A financing. Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMMC) are still out there with My Community and Flex 100 which offer 100% financing. The only problem is that those programs require MI (mortgage insurance) and if you are in a declining market you will have a 5% LTV (loan to value) cut. This means 95% is now the highest financing FNMA/FHLMC offer. This is the reason FHA is on the rise. It finances 97.5% and the required funds from the borrower can be in the form of a gift or grant. There is another program out there. This program is backed by the USDA and doesnt require MI. The rates are in line with FHA and sometimes cheaper. Here is some information for you on this product... 1. Full Doc transactions only 2. Rural Areas are only allowed 3. Customer needs to be below income table set by USDA 4. 102% financing off the appraised value, EVEN IF it is higher than the purchase price ***The customer cant receive money back at closing, but they can do upgrades like granite countertops or tile floors with the extra money OR use it cover all closing costs. 5. The program self funds itself. The 2% is to cover a cost to the USDA to fund the program. 6. This program is also not credit based - any score will do for this one. 7. If you score is greater than 620 - you can be one day out of Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, or CCC and you dont have to pay off ANY collections. 8. Dont have to be a first time homebuyer. This program is not out there to take the place of SUBPRIME, but I am sure the "bad apples" that are left will use it just like they try to sell FHA to their old SUBPRIME borrowers. Yes, I am a little peeved about that last part. I would suggest looking into this program on each of your FHA deals. You will find the borrower to be in a better place if you do. I use FHA for urban and city areas. I use the USDA program for rural areas. I wish everyone well out there and hope this helps you to find more loans for your customers. Have a wonderful day and take care! Please comment, subscribe, and appreciate!

Craigslist Fraud and Scam Warning!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:10:21 -0700

Please read and tell everyone you know! My wife was helping her sister find a new place to rent and started to search Craigslist. She found a wonderful 4/2.5 in the Bay Hill subdivision here in Orlando for only $1,000 per month. She then emailed the person doing the listing and they emailed back about how they were traveling oversees with their church group and the home was given to them after their father passed away. That was the reason they only wanted $1,000 for rent and they also wanted know that my wife's sister was a good Christian woman who would take care of their home. I found the email and the low price to make me feel uneasy. I asked my wife to send an email to the person who was renting the property for the address so her sister and her could check it out. She received an email back with the address and gave it to me. I proceeded to enter the address on Google to try and find some more information on the home. And I did... The property was listed on Rent.com for $2,400 per month in rent and had the listing realtor's number right there. I called him and he told me that only 2 weeks ago another person had called and sent $1,000 over to the U.K. as a deposit and never received the keys. Please let your friends and family know this before they start to look on Craigslist. It almost happened to my wife's sister and I dont want it to happen to anyone else. Good luck out there and take care! Please comment and subscribe!

$12,536 My First Year Salary - before taxes

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:46:28 -0700

Many people have asked me over the years about what college I went to in becoming a mortgage broker or as a wholesale account executive. My answer is always the same. I learned on the job as a processor and I made $12,536 in my first year on my W-2 before taxes. I found it very tough living on such a small wage, but I wouldn't trade that year for anything because that was were I learned the business. I actually fell in love with it. I have always been good with numbers, solving problems, and loved talking with people. That year I realized that the mortgage industry was right for me and I was determined that my 2nd year was going to be better than the first - and it was. I find these stories to be interesting as it gives us a chance to reflect on why we choose to continue in the real estate and mortgage industry during these tough times. I remember this story and it makes me realize that I really couldnt imagine doing anything else. Please comment and subscribe.

Let Google Help You for Free!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:14:06 -0700

Google has a fantastic way for you to find keywords for your site and you can see how many people are searching using each keyword. Here is how to find this information and its FREE! Follow this link... https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal?defaultView=2 Now you can enter a keyword for your site and search. I am going to use "Orlando Mortgage" for my example. Then simply click on... You can now scroll down and see other search terms that people use when they type in Orlando Mortgage. You can also see the search volume for those terms. I would suggest that you try to incorporate some of the terms with high search volume and also select a few with lower search volume to put in your site. Good luck and I hope this helps you to find better keyword ideas! Please comment.

My first day in the mortgage industry!

Chad Wille (Value Shield Financial Services) — Tue, 20 May 2008 07:05:47 -0700

I started in the mortgage industry in June 2003 working for a CPA who also happened to do loans. I was a processor and knew absolutely nothing about mortgages or who Fannie was or what an ARM loan was and how it worked. My very first day my boss came in and told me to put the files in the office in state compliance format. There was 300 files and I didnt have a clue. He handed me a sheet of paper that had the stacking order for the file. You know the usual... HUD Settlement Statement, 1008, 1003, etc. The HUD settlement statement was easy to find. 1008 on the other hand was impossible. I looked at every sheet of paper over and over and couldnt figure it out. I was convinced that a 1008 didnt exist. But it did... in the bottom right hand corner in very small letters that make it look like it should be a disclaimer for a car commercial after you hear no money down and bad credit allowed with 0% financing. I had finally found the 1008. Finding the 1003 was the same story. I had spent my first 8 hours in the mortgage industry trying to find only 3 documents for a loan file and will never forget that day. Please comment below or write your blog on your first day in the industry. It can be from anything from mortgage to real estate to insurance. I am sure there are some good ones out there.