Quicken Loans Blog

Bloom Box - Alternative Energy Game Changer?

2010-09-02T18:52:49-04:00

Today I learned about something gives me more hope for the future of mankind than I've had in a very long time.

Having lived for many years in Louisiana, I was very affected by the this year's Gulf oil spill disaster. My obsession with news about the spill led to the discovery of a lot of disturbing revelations about the oil industry, which quite frankly disgusted and depressed me on a very deep level.

Considering the tragedy of the spill, and now the explosion of another offshore rig in the Gulf today, I've been frustrated by a lack of clean energy alternatives available to average consumers. I know that if the option to purchase cleaner and safer energy were avaiable, millions of people like me would choose it.

Well, what if I told you that you could power your entire house -- emissions-free and "off the grid" -- with a little oxygen-fueled power plant that you fits in your hand?

No, I'm not trying to elicit an episode of Star Trek - this concept is a reality made possible by Bloom Energy.

A few years ago Professor KR Shridhar created a small device for NASA that could create oxygen from water. The success of the invention made him wonder: could one reverse the process and make energy out of oxygen?

The answer is yes! It's an incredible development in alternative energy technology, and an energy solution companies like Google, Ebay and Wal-Mart are already using.

Right now, a Bloom Box is cost prohibitive for the average household, but with advances in technology, Sridhar believes that Bloom Boxes could cost as little as $3,000 within a decade. If this is true, it seems like the accessible, affordable solution to clean energy sources will be within reach -- helping to clean the earth and possibly even impacting climate change.

Check out the story here. I hope this rekindles the same hope for and confidence in human ingenuity that it did for me.

Quicken Loans Celebrates One Million Closed Loans by Paying Off a Client's Loan With the Thanks A Million Campaign

2010-09-02T14:10:49-04:00

We're closing in on a million loans and that's something we think is worth celebrating.

It's such a big deal to us that we're going to recognize the millionth closed loan by paying off one lucky client's loan. That's right. We're going to pick a Quicken Loans client who closes between now and December 31, 2010 and we're going to pay off their loan. They close a loan with us and then we pay it off.

Wow! I want that deal. Wait, I can't. I work here. I don't qualify.

But you do! All you have to do is refinance or buy a home and we might pay off your loan.

So how did we get to one million loans? It all started back in 1985 when Dan Gilbert and few of his friends founded Rock Financial. One thing lead to another and Rock Financial became Quicken Loans.

Things went well over the years and today the company that Gilbert and his friends started 25 years ago is now the nation's largest retail online lender and among the top five overall retail lenders. Last year we closed about $25 billion in loans and we're on track to top that this year.

That all translates to American families taking advantage of record low mortgage rates and saving money on their mortgage payments (whether refinancing or buying a home).

To thank the great people that have allowed us to close one million loans, we're paying a loan off and giving two runner ups $5,000 each. Plus an all-expense paid trip to hang out with the Cleveland Cavaliers and enjoy a great night in Cleveland. Plus we have a great sweepstakes that's running through December 31, 2010 - with over 50,000 prizes to give away and no purchase is required. you just play and we give you nice things - Fatheads, Xeko toys, Quizzle freebies and giftcards to Starbucks, Lowes or Amazon. It's our way of saying thanks. We hope you win.

It took 25 years to close one million. I bet it'll take a lot less time to close our next million.

I'll let you know when we're getting close. For more information on our Thanks A Million campaign go to https://www.quickenloans.com/about/thanks-a-million

To play the Thanks a Million Sweepstakes, go to http://quickenloans.promo.eprize.com/thanks/

Thanks America for a million!

Hasselhoff a Hot Mess in Dancing with the Stars

2010-09-01T17:14:21-04:00

I’m a huge Dancing with the Stars fan. So when I heard that “The Hoff” was making his debut on the show, I suddenly got the urge to drunkenly eat a cheeseburger off my bathroom floor!

The Hoff is really an American icon. He’s a symbol of how our lives can become a complete train wreck in a few short years. I really do hope he stays healthy and makes it far into the tournament. Because if he doesn’t, I’ll have to root for The Situation. Gym, tan, laundry baby!

So who do you think will take the Dancing with the Stars crown?

One of my favorite things! - The Princess Money Manager

2010-09-01T15:39:20-04:00

I recently have had the pleasure to meet one of Cleveland's entrepreneurs Carolyn Grossi of Little Flower Products LLC! She has always thought of ways to teach her children the importance of saving, spending wisely and sharing. About a year ago Carolyn developed The Princess Money Manager™ -- a tool that inspires and teaches children to become young money managers.

Her first piece of advice to parents: start early and use tools that will excite and engage children. Carolyn is fortunate to have her very own focus group, her children. She found out that what she has created seems to excite her children to save, share and spend wisely.

The Princess Money Manager can be purchased at www.aprincesslovestosave.com for $40.00 plus shipping. There is also option for young boys called the Superstar Money Manager. Ten percent of profits from the bank will be donated to three organizations: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Food for the Poor and Providence House, a crisis nursery in Cleveland, Ohio.

Redbook, Working Woman, and Fox News have all featured both The Princess Money Manager and The Superstar Money Manager. Carolyn also received from Creative Child Magazine: 2010 Product of the Year Award.
“By purchasing the bank, you are demonstrating that a true princess loves to share,” said Grossi. “The only way to foster a spirit of giving is to lead by example, and by committing these profits to charity, I hope to introduce my children to the happiness that comes from sharing.”

Follow us on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook to tune in to our upcoming giveaways!

UNIQLO Recycles is Good for the World

2010-08-30T16:45:02-04:00

UNIQLO, a really cool (and very affordable) Japanese clothing store that I love shopping at when I've over there, does something to make me like them even more.

They run a program called UNIQLO Recycles. Simply put, you can take your old UNIQLO clothing into any store and they will distribute them to needy people around the world. Very cool.

I probably have 20 UNIQLO t-shirts. The other day Quicken Loans President Jay Farner said to me "Clayton, you have a lot of t-shirts. I've never seen you wear the same one twice." Now you know my secret (though I admit I do wear them all more than once).

Here's one of my least favorites in the pic above, but I still like it (or I wouldn't be wearing it).

UNIQLOhas one U.S. store in New York City (on Broadway in SoHo), so American's can get their UNIQLO on while hanging out in the Big Apple.

Here's more from Japan Today about Uniqlo Recycles:

At the bottom of your drawers or in the back of your closet, you probably have some perfectly good clothes that you haven’t worn for ages. Whether they’ve gone out of style, faded a little or just no longer fit, they’ve been cast aside until the day they end up in the trash or are reincarnated as cleaning rags.

But there’s a more eco-friendly and socially conscious option — for some of those unwanted items, at least. Since March 1, Uniqlo stores throughout the country have been accepting donations of any of their clothing for recycling.

The company first started the program in 2001, and initially only accepted specific items at scheduled times. The operation has since been vastly expanded in the hope of increasing customer participation and giving products a longer life cycle. Officially titled the All-Product Recycling Initiative, it’s more commonly known by the catchier moniker of Uniqlo Recycle.

“We strive to reduce the environmental impact of our business activities in a sustainable manner because we produce more than 500 million [units] per year,” explains Eiko Sherba, from the Corporate Social Responsibility department of Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing.

Cool clothes. Cool program. Cool company.

Me like UNIQLO. I just wish there were more of them in the US.