I’ve had the good fortune of working with some the mortgage industry’s sharpest and most successful originators over the past six years - and I’ve taken notice of a few irrefutable facts I’d like to share with you today.
1) Elite originators never relax.
If you’re not interested in taking your business to the “elite” level, [...]
Just got back from Brasil again this week, causing a delay in this week’s report. I think I am going to move them to Sunday’s instead as it seems I am always in some hotel room somewhere in the world that day, so why not, right? Anyhow, enough with the “changes” in this update, let’s [...]
Even though we’ve still got work to do, I want to give props to all of the loan officers who have created some noise online about HVCC.
Since our real estate agents are impacted by the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) as well, I’d like to share an example of how loan officers can work [...]
As the housing market tries to turn itself around amid declining home prices, tax credits and a continued vice grip on credit for borrowers, the VA Loan has managed to ride out the mortgage mess for Fiscal Year 2009 and looks to post its best numbers in years.
In fact, through April, 153,292 VA Loans had [...]
Okay folks it is time to get in the fight again…
Time to make you voices and arguments heard. Barry Ritholtz, of the Big Picture, thinks that the NAMB and NAR efforts to fight against the consumer and industry impacts of ill-conceived HVCC legislation, “corrupt.”
Here is a brief excerpt from his post:
I called that a thinly [...]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has found a direct link between education level and the unemployment rate. The chart below is based on 2008 data.
Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Note: Data are 2008 averages of full-time workers over the age of 25.
It may not be surprising to you that people who possess [...]
What an interesting week we had, with rates pushing lower, MBS pricing crossing their 200-day moving average, and things looking up, then wham, everything fell apart, followed by increased hope again. What major mood swings we are seeing lately and it makes you wonder what’s in store this week.
Last week saw the best news mortgage [...]
As of May 2009, the official unemployment rate is 9.4% . However, the real unemployment rate is 16.4% . If it seems hard to believe, check out the BLS’ numbers for yourself. More and more people are out of work each month. The jobless number is downright frightening. But why is the actual unemployment rate [...]
So we’ve been chatting about social networking here on Day #3. There’s been alot of talk about sites such as Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace and others. (Active Rain and LinkedIn as well) The big question out there seems to be whetehr or not this is a profitable use of your time. Here’s my take on the [...]
Yesterday we talked about “Marketing Grenades” - A way to get noticed by your target market. Today the conversation steers to how to get realtors to respect you… Quickly.
See, many loan officers focus their marketing efforts on trying to lure the agent in with promise after promise after promise, not realizing that most agents are [...]
So I released a 17 minute video this morning called “Mortgage Marketing Grenades.” I thought it was a fitting title for the concept. What is a marketing grenade you ask? It’s a marketing campaign that is loud enough to cut through all the other noise, it affects more than 1 prospect at a time, and [...]
Happy Monday morning everyone. As is fairly typical, I am writing this after being up all night doing that “other” job, and last night’s ride home was just as bumpy as the mortgage markets have been lately. And yet, there were some smooth parts, just like is currently happening in the MBS pricing as well.
Looking [...]
I am always looking for opportunities to offer as much value as possible to this great community.
Speaking of which, did anyone notice the NAMB discussion got 100+ comments? Wow! Talk about amplifying your mortgage industry influence and voices with the power of an online/real-time community.
Back on point. I know [...]
Attention all Mortgage Brokers, Real Estate Agents, Appraisers, Lenders, Home Builders, Title Agents, and Consumers:
After more than a year of exhaustive negotiations with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, James Lockhart, Director of FHFA (GSE Regulator), and NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, NAMB believes the time has come for your individual voice to be heard.
In order for [...]
Good morning everyone. I just got back from Belo Horizonte (Brazil) and it never ceases to amaze me how people react while flying after a recent airline accident. Nevertheless, mortgage backed securities seem to be crashing and burning right now. However, unlike Air France flight 447, we can see what is causing this disaster.
First off, [...]
I believe that we have fundamental problems in our economy that are not going to be solved anytime soon. We are not, in my opinion, in an economic dip that we will come out of in a few years. The good news is that we have all the technology we need to have a successful [...]
Many of us have been openly critical of NAMB over the past few years, and I’ve certainly been one of them. I’m about to tell you something that you likely are unaware of:
NAMB is out there busting their rear ends to keep you in business.
Did you know that NAMB President Marc Savitt conducted a one-on-one [...]
Wow, at the beginning of last week, I was in Busch Gardens (Tampa) and decided to try the rollercoaster named Sheikra. The cool part of that ride is it takes you up to 200 feet, then let’s you hang on the edge for a few seconds before letting you freefall all the way down as [...]
That was the title of the email I sent out to realtors a few years back. Why am I telling you this? Because it really happened, and it got me a whole bucket full of closed loans. Want to know how a violent bird attack on my person resulted in closed loans? Here’s how it [...]
In the mortgage blogosphere, we talking heads tend to say the same thing when it comes to mortgage marketing. One of the pervasive themes we hear about every day: What Makes You Different?
Well I’m sick of asking that question. Instead, my columns here at Lenderama will focus on what mortgage professionals just like you are [...]
Mortgage Market Update
by Robert D. Ashby on June 29, 2009
Just got back from Brasil again this week, causing a delay in this week’s report. I think I am going to move them to Sunday’s instead as it seems I am always in some hotel room somewhere in the world that day, so why not, right? Anyhow, enough with the “changes” in this update, let’s [...]
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