"The Time Value of Money"

The time value of money (TVM) is an investment principle that states money is valued greater today than in the future due to inflation and economic conditions. Essentially, a dollar in your pocket today is worth more than a dollar in the future because money may be invested and earn interest over time. The notion of TVM is money is worth more the earlier it is received.

If you loaned a friend $20, would you rather get the money back today or a year from now? You should want the cash today. Think back to the price of movie tickets 10 years ago. The price for a movie ticket at one point was just a few dollars and has risen to almost $10 due to the factor of inflation. By receiving cash today, rather than the future, you can invest the money into an alternate source and potentially receive a higher return for your money. Future value includes the amount of money you would earn through growth in your investments in the future assuming a given interest rate. It is what the cash is worth at a particular time in the future, while present value refers to the value of a given sum of money today. The same principle applies to real estate notes. A real estate note, a mortgage for example, is created with specific terms, conditions and a length of time for its return. In order to exchange the note for cash, a note’s present value is determined through a discount analysis to appraise its current worth, which will differ from the note’s value in 10 years.

To demonstrate TVM and why it can be more advantageous to have money now rather than the future, consider the following example. If you own a real estate note that is appraised at present value for $150,000 you can cash out now and spend the money, or you can invest in alternate sources for a higher return on your investment. By receiving the money today, you can avoid dealing with late payments and the risk of not receiving a payment at all. Immediate cash appeals to most much more than receiving money in the future. The following illustration of TVM shows the change in value of $150,000 over a year if invested with a rate of return of 10 percent.

Future Value = (Present Value) x (1 + Rate of Return)

Future Value = (150,000) x (1 + 10%)

Future Value = (150,000) x (1.1)

Future Value = $165,000

Understanding the time value of money is essential to achieving financial success, as this concept allows you to evaluate the potential value of money today in comparison to the future. When you talk about mortgages, loans, car notes and retirement funds, the practical knowledge of time value of money can help you accomplish the wealth you have longed for.

Maria Fee is a mortgage professional, real estate investor, teacher, and master marketer with more than 20 years of business experience. Maria is the President of REMI KNOX, LLC, a group of investors who purchase real estate notes nationwide. Quoted by the media as an expert, she is continuously recognized for her extraordinary knowledge and real estate investing experience.

Offer To Purchase - Clauses You Need

An offer to purchase is a legally binding document, not just a casual negotiating tool. The moment the seller of the real estate signs your offer, you are obligated to live up to its exact language. Since you can write the offer how you want to, why not include the clauses that smart buyers use to protect themselves? You can also use language that will save you money.

The Offer To Purchase - Important Clauses

Inspection contingency clauses. You want something like this in every offer to purchase: "Offer is contingent upon a home inspection and buyer's approval of the results; inspection to be done at buyer's expense within ten days." You can ask the real estate agent for help with the specific wording. This clause gives you the right to have an inspection done. If anything negative is found, you could refuse to "approve" of the results, and so get your deposit back. Alternately, you could renegotiate a lower price.

Earnest money clause. Real estate agents will tell you that a certain amount is necessary for a deposit, but the decision is yours. A small earnest money deposit may be taken seriously, if you include a clause like this: "$100 earnest money deposit, to be increased to $2,000 upon acceptance of this offer." Or you can have it increased "when all contingencies are met." The reason? Suppose there's an argument about you backing out because the inspector found foundation damage. You won't have your money tied up while this is being resolved.

Right to assign clause. This one is primarily for investors. Suppose your partner isn't there to sign the offer, or you want to "flip" the deal to another investor, or you may need to involve a partner for purposes of funding the deal. You need a clause in the offer to purchase that covers this. Including the words "and/or assigns" after your name on the offer is usually sufficient, but ask the real estate agent what the local custom or language is. This allows you to add another buyer or assign the whole contract to another.

Closing cost clauses. You can specify that the seller pays for the closing fee, the title insurance, the recording fees, and even the points on your loan. For many sellers the price is the most important thing, and they don't care too about the details. What if they don't want to pay the costs? You at least gave yourself some negotiating points. Now get something for dropping each of the costs you included. This could include a reduced interest rate if the seller is financing part of your purchase.

Basic financing contingency clause. If the loan doesn't come through, and you can't buy the home, you'll lose your deposit, unless you have something like this in the agreement: "Subject to buyer obtaining a firm commitment for suitable financing within ten days." Actually, the language should usually specify what "suitable" means in terms of interest rate and such.

Spousal approval clause. This clause can be as simple as "Subject to a walk through inspection and approval of home by buyer's wife (or husband or partner - state their name) within two days." If your wife says no to the deal within two days, you can back out and get your deposit back. For the seller to agree to this one you need to keep the time frame as short as you can.

Some of the above clauses are normal and acceptable to all, while others are likely to annoy the real estate agent. That's okay. The seller has the right to say no to your offer in any case, and you have the right to use these clauses to protect yourself in your offer to purchase.

Michigan To Hold Mass Foreclosure Sale

More than 250 homes in Michigan will be included in a mass auction, a testimony of hard times for the state and its residents.

Many Michigan homeowners have had a hard time keeping up with mortgage payments, partly due to devastating lay-offs in the auto industry. Michigan has seen a 25% increase in mortgage defaults in the last year, making it one of the hardest hit states in the country.

The homes up for auction are single-family bank-owned homes, condos and duplexes. The majority of the homes are located within 60 miles of Detroit. Prices are expected to be between $15,000 and $450,000.

Prospective bidders can go online to view the homes.

Across the country, defaults are currently on the rise. Industry experts say that the increases in interest rates, slowing appreciation and reversal of a formerly strong market has left many homeowners with little choice but to default.

Advisors have warned against many nontraditional loan options in the past few years. There are two main causes against low rate adjustable-rate mortgages and option ARMs. The first is that when the rate resets, the payment can often double in size. Many homeowners are stretching to get into the home in the first place. They find that they are unable to make the payment.

This is when the second factor comes into play. Due to the structuring of the mortgage -- where most, and with option ARMs all -- of the first years of payments go to the interest portion of the bill. Those who put little or no money down and haven't lived in the home for ten years are left with very little equity in the home. If the price hasn't had time to appreciate, they may be unable to sell the home for what they owe on it. With no money to bring to closing, they are forced to default on the mortgage.

Do You Want To Meet the Seller?

There are many little lines drawn within the real estate business. Realtors understand these lines and often are the best way to contact a buyer or seller about a certain property.

Many homes sell without the buyer meeting the seller until the closing. But it isn't uncommon for buyers and sellerst ot meet each other. This is especially true in areas where there is a high volume of for sale by owners. They become acquaintances. It is often nice to know the person purchasing your beloved home.

The key to the meeting, whether you are a buyer or seller, is to keep everything flattering and lovely. Talk only about the things you adore about the property. If you are planning on remodeling, don't tell the current owner, it may offend him or her.

In fact, being personal can often get your offer accepted when mulitple offers are on the table. For example, one set of buyers wrote the sellers a letter about their love of the decor of the living room. They then sent flowers that matched the decor of the room perfectly. The sellers saw that the buyers wanted the house, appreciated the efforts made to the home and that the buyers demonstrated the desire to continue to make it a lovely home.

But being too open and friendly can blow a deal. For example, one couple went over to the home and introduced themselves to the owners about a week before the closing on the transaction. They chatted and spoke for a while about the area and the home. The sellers asked what the buyers were going to do when they moved in. The buyers answered that they were going to tear out the stair railing, fireplace surround and wainscotting from the house and replace it with something more modern.

Little did they know that the sellers had hand restored the home to its original condition using old photographs and research materials.

The buyers called their agent and backed out of the deal immediately.

The moral of the story -- if you meet the seller, keep the things you don't like to yourself. You should ask questions, but don't offer any answers. Talk about what you love about the house and don't try to offend the seller.

After all, there has to be a reason you are buying the house. Find it.

Pay Attention To The Contract Details

When it comes to buying a house, the contract seems simple enough. It basically says that the house will be bought by certain terms, how much the seller will receive and who is paying for what.

However, there are many details that you shouldn't overlook.

When you Realtor writes your contract, it is very important that everything be correct, down to the last detail. A lot can happen if a box is checked that shouldn't be or one isn't checked that should be. If the contract isn't complete or the addendum is left out, there could be trouble in the future.

These little details could end up costing you a lot of money, or could completely ruin your contract. For example, a seller is looking for the money and the correct terms. What seems like a little item can get your offer rejected in a competitive situation.

You will want to go through the contract before it is presented to make sure that the written terms are what you are offering and agreeing to. Make sure that you pay attention to every little detail. Some of the most important items are:

1. The inspection.

There are many inspections that buyers can request. The most important is having the home go through a complete home inspection by a professional. This is usually as simple as a check in a box. Make sure that the box is checked. And if you are requesting a pest, termite or environmental inspection, make sure that you include it in the contract. Or you will probably be out of luck.

2. Various disclosures.

Many disclosures are required by law. The buyer and seller will have to sign plenty of disclosures, such as the property disclosure, lead based paint disclosure, RESPA disclosure, disclosure of brokersage relationship and many other disclosures. Make sure you understand what you are signing before you sign it.

3. Other terms of the agreement.

Some of the most common clauses added to a contract are escalation, home of choice and rent back agreements. You want to make sure that these are included. For example, if you are escalating your price, you need to put what your top price is. Don't just say that you will best any other offer by $2,500 without writing down the cap on your offer. Never assume anything.

If you aren't wanting to become homeless, you may want to stipulate in your listing agreement that you want to find a home of choice and wish to rent back from the buyer so that you have time to find your home of choice. Don't just make it an endless amount of time. Be smart, and polite, and stipulate to the buyer how much time you will need. Most purchasers are only allowed to get a mortgage and rent back for 60 days. You may be putting their loan at risk if you want to rent beyond that time period.

Don't simply read over the contract the hour before it is to be presented. Sit and read it completely. Know what it says and what it will require of you. Discuss with your Realtor exactly what you want so that you are prepared when it comes time to write that contract.

Tips of Real Estate Services for Homes in Mexico

In the United States, there are some states that offer the best of both worlds – a very high real estate appreciation rate and commercial values or prices of homes that are very reasonable. These states become the ideal place for real estate investors and homebuyers looking for a worthwhile investment, as they can be assured of very high returns in the future.

One such state is Arizona, which has a 25 percent real estate appreciation rate and houses that only cost about $300,000. However, an even better example is Nevada because in some of its cities, like Puerto Vallarta, the real estate appreciation rate is the highest in the country, and the average prices of homes remain very reasonable.

Real estate profile of Puerto Vallarta

The average price of single-family homes in Puerto Vallarta is about $360,000. Compared to similar highly urbanized cities like Los Angeles, where homes cost around $750,000, this price is very reasonable. Moreover, the very high real estate appreciation rate in the city, which rose to 28 percent in 2005, makes this a small price to pay for the returns that investors and homebuyers can get. If this trend continues, investors and homebuyers can expect the value of their homes to double in less than four years. Some people can expect returns of about $200,000 in the next two years or so.

Downside

However, the excellent real estate opportunities in the city may come with a price for some. The weather conditions in Las Vegas, for example, may not be for everyone. Moreover, people who relocate to Puerto Vallarta may have to contend with being “confined” to the city, as Mexico does not have as many urbanized cities they could visit as other states do.

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Displacement of Family Farms, Eminent Domain and Fair Market Values Discussed

When important infrastructure in our nation must be built to ensure economic vitality, proper distribution or the basic needs of our civilization we must also be cognizant of the Displacement of Family Farms, Fair Market Values and the reality of the importance of the project too. Taking family farms even if you pay fair market value often causes chaos and conflicts.

Look at the depression, manipulation of the stock markets set up to capitalize American business and artificial money controls costs millions of families their land in foreclosures. You see, I do not disagree that displacement of family farms must be considered and those families be kept whole. So be it. That is fair. It is only fair that we replace the land in an area with similar soil, water availability and add to the land acreage to sweeten the pot.

We must consider this when building the thing whatever it is. Lets say it is expansion of a Freeway or Highway, indeed then make the road as straight as possible using a computer and looking at terrain and structures, like routing software can do, that keeps it fair. Some folks might have a greater burden, have a sliding scale to fairly compensate them.

If eminent domain is done correctly and for the right reasons then indeed, Folks will be begging to put it thru on their chunk of land so they can get paid and sell at a fair or above fair price during a downturn in real-estate. The increase to our civilization will more than pay the costs in the efficiency, increase in jobs, better standard of living, lower prices and quality of life. Efficiency has a way of doing that. The longer we wait the worse the issue.

London Is Gearing Up For Land Prices Boom

London land for sale prices are set for quantum leap on the back of rising demand due to upcoming London Olympics.

Many land agents have suggested that the price of land in London could rise soon. According to Dan McLeod of estate agency Atkinson McLeod "Almost overnight any land that can be developed will go." "This is the best news for the property market in this area for years," he added.

This price rise in consonance with rise in land for sale prices during Olympics in cities which have hosted this game earlier.

According to BBC Barcelona, Sydney and Athens all saw house prices rise by more than 50% in the five years before the games but as UK property market is already suffering from severe housing shortage thus trend is expected to be more marked in London.

Investment in land for sale market in and around London is thus becoming an increasingly lucrative option for common investors.

Following types of plots of land for sale are available across London -

Brownfield Land: Brownfield Land is the common term used for previously developed land i.e. land that is or was occupied by a permanent structure. This land is often smaller, resulting in High Rise Development e.g. old petrol station and factories.

Greenfield Land: Greenfield Land simply refers to land that has never been used for development eg Farmland.

Greenbelt Land: Greenbelt Land is largely undeveloped or sparsely occupied land, which historically has been set aside to contain development, prevent towns merging and provide open space. Greenbelt boundaries can change in response to the requirements for additional housing in a controlled manner.

There are a number of companies serving smaller investors select plots of land to buy, and investments typically start at about $10,000.

While there is some opposition against moves to grant planning permission to builders on greenbelt and greenfield land but keeping in view the acute mismatch between expected demand for housing and the amount of land available for planned development these moves are unlikely to succeed. Government is implementing housing development programs which will effectively force local authorities to meet strict new housing targets.

Thus it is high time for any enterprising investors to start thinking about investing in property in and around London.

Sarasota Housing Market Trends

According to the latest housing price forecasts from Fiserv Lending Solutions, a provider of mortgage and consumer lending services, prices in the Sarasota housing market will rise by 3.1% in 2006. The median price of Sarasota homes in the third quarter of 2005 was $222,000, and between the third quarter of 2004 and 2005, sales rose by 40.3%, top three in the rankings published by Fiserv. Sarasota housing market was only edged out by Phoenix and neighboring Naples in terms of the change in sales price within a one-year interval, between 2004 and 2005. Comparing this with the corresponding projection for 2005 to 2006, there is an indication of a dramatic deceleration of the market. The rates are slowing down and if conditions remain as they are at the moment, Sarasota housing market is bound to equilibrate in the years to come. Fiserv generally forecasts a significant stagnation in housing prices for the United States in 2006. Overall median home prices will only inch up by 1.5% this year. Many metropolitan areas in the United States will experience drops, including some of the largest, and most expensive, ones such as Los Angeles (down 3%), New York (down 2.43%), and Washington (down 1.9%).

Officially, the Florida Association of Realtors report that the statistics for the second quarter of 2006 showed “signs of a market adjusting to a better balance between buyers and sellers.” All over Florida, existing-home median sales price rose 9% to reach $254,800 in the second quarter; the corresponding number a year ago was $234,500. In a more recent account, Bradenton Herald reported on August 23, 2006 that existing home sales continued to tumble throughout Florida in July. Every market in the state showed a decrease in the number of homes sold as compared to last July but only Naples saw a bigger drop off in sales than the Sarasota housing market. More recent numbers released by the Florida Association of Realtors confirm that sales in Florida dropped by 49% and home prices are starting to follow suit. Housing prices fell 11% from where they had been in July 2005, where the median cost of an existing home was $338,100. The median price for July 2006 was $302,100.

In the Sarasota housing market, residential home sales were down by 39% compared to last year, with the median sales price barely moving up from $317,800 to $318,500. Condo conversions also dropped 20% in price. A most likely reason for the general decline of prices is the difficulty in selling overpriced homes in the Sarasota housing market. No amount of advertising has ever sold an overpriced property.

Derrick Barwick, senior vice president of de Morgan Communities, figures that it will take the better part of a year for inventory in the Sarasota housing market to balance with demand. But even then, the statistics will not return to the headstrong 2004-2005 levels. The National Association of Home Builders also indicated that the Sarasota housing market is likely to remain depressed for the remainder of 2006. Evidently, the Housing Market Index for August 2006 declined seven points to 32, the lowest level reached since February 1991 when the measure was at 27. Only Housing Market Index figures above 50 indicate that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

The National Association of Home Builders has been doing the survey for 21 years. It weighs the perception of builders with regards to sales expectations for the next six months as either “good,” “fair” or “poor.” Corresponding scores for each component are then utilized to extract the Housing Market Index. For the Sarasota housing market, all three components fell in August.

With these trends, erosion in the Sarasota housing market activity to continue through most of 2006 before hopefully stabilizing by 2007.

The Dirty Little Secret About The Do Not Call List

The Do Not Call List has changed the way real estate agents can and will do business forever. After all, 76% of US adults have added their name to the list. The dirty little secret...it does not matter! The Do Not Call List does not mean that you can't still get solid qualified leads. There are a lot of real estate trainers out there claiming to have the answers, a sure fire way to beat "The List" and the next be all, end all real estate marketing program to have people beating down your doors to do business with you. The ads for these programs usually include a lot of hype and testimonials by agents who have increased their business by 200% and then at the end hit you with the big price tag. But where are the real numbers and hard facts behind the hype? Who really knows if those programs are going to lead you to the path of success? I certainly don't. But here is what I do know.

The biggest obstacle to a real estate agents next commission, and their long term success, is finding qualified leads. You know that if you could just get the leads, you could close the deals. But most agents are at a loss once they exhaust their list of family, friends and sphere of influence. And with 3 out of 4 prospects off limits, cold calling becomes more like walking a mine field than trying to drum up business. That is why the turn-over rate for new agents in real estate is over 50% per year So how do the successful 50% find qualified leads? Well for one thing they do not passively look for leads, they actively generate them. Many successful agents have turned to toll free number call capture technology to generate leads without the risk of an $11,000 fine. When you look at the numbers, it is easy to see why it works.

83% Of Americans Want Recorded Information
According to a Gallup Poll, 83% of Americans would rather call for recorded information before speaking to a salesperson. Give the public what they want. A toll free number call capture system allows real estate agents to offer free recorded information about properties, free reports for buyers and sellers or any other information they would like to make available to their prospects. Once the potential clients call in, their name, address and phone number are captured for the agent to follow up on. Since the prospect called into the toll free number to request information, the agent is free to call them back for up to 3 months (unless the consumer requests not to be called.)

32.7% Will Buy or List Within 30-60 Days
A survey of over 25,000 prospects who called for recorded information showed 32.7% of them bought or listed a property within 30-60 days after calling. An additional 42.1% acted within twelve months. I have not heard of any other form of marketing that can tout those kinds of numbers of quality leads. A toll free number call capture system generates quality, actionable leads. And the best part? They called you. Agents who have these kinds of quality leads, calling them 24/7, could care less about the Do Not Call List.

74% Will Do Business With YOU.
According to NAR, 74% of the people that complete a real estate transaction do so with the FIRST agent they talked to. That being the case, it is in an agent's best interest to make sure they are the first ones to reach the prospect. A call capture system makes this easy to do. Once the potential client calls in, all the information is available to the agent; name, address, phone number, and in the better systems, even what information extension they called in on. With that kind of information at their fingertips, an agent is empowered with everything that they need to get back to the consumer in a timely fashion and with confidence.

Everyone in the real estate industry knows that the Do Not Call List has completely changed the way agents do business. But some have found that by using call capture technology, they can generate even more quality leads than they ever did with cold calling. The technology gives consumers what they want by allowing them to call in for free recorded information and generates quality, actionable leads that agents can follow up on quickly and with confidence. And in spite of the Do Not Call List, agents are finding it actually easier to do business using call capture. If you want to know how that is possible, just look at the numbers and then check out call capture technology for yourself.

Mortgage Marketing - How to Find Your Niche

Your success in the mortgage industry is dependent on you becoming an expert. A mortgage marketing plan built around a niche helps you become one.

For instance, if you were remodeling a kitchen with top of the line appliances, would you go to a high end appliance store or a discount department store?

The department store will offer you all kinds of appliances, as well as tools, clothes, etc. while the high end appliance store is an expert at their products. The high end store has a reputation with being cutting edge and finding the best available appliances. And that reputation is well deserved.

With a reputation for excellence, these high end stores don’t have to spend time cold calling for clients. Instead, new prospects seek them out to do business with them. These businesses have successfully found their niche and they are reaping the profit of being positioned as experts.

It’s not difficult to become an expert. It’s possible that you are already on your way. You become an expert when you combine repetition with disciplined research, self-study, continuing education, and practical experience.

When you establish a position within a particular niche, you become a source of information, for clients and real estate agents.

Realtors want to work with someone reliable; someone that understands all the potential problems that can arise in a loan application process. Agents want to work with someone that can save them time and money.

Developing Your Niche

Your first step to developing your niche as your mortgage marketing plan is to take an inventory of your skills. Use the following questions to help you:

*
* Are there problems that you frequently solve for Realtors?
* Have you completed any specialized training?
* Do you have a favorite loan program?
* Is there an area that you receive compliments from clients or Realtors?
* Are you passionate about one aspect of your business?
Is there a part of your business that you are best at?

As you look through your answers, are there any consistencies?

Narrow Your Focus

If you have discovered some consistencies from the inventory you completed, you’ve uncovered some potential niches.

When you focus on one niche, you are maximizing your resources. Instead of devoting time, energy and funds to pursue training and experience in multiple facets, or multiple loan programs, you focus on becoming knowledgeable on one.

The more you work in one niche, the more your reputation as an expert is disseminated. And people are more likely to seek out an expert to assist them. You are building your reputation for expertise and excellence. Few Realtors would walk away from a relationship that could be so productive, or from such an established knowledge base.

You also are conserving time and money on your mortgage marketing. Instead of investing double or even triple the amount of time and money on multiple positions, your narrow focus helps you be more productive and offers a greater return on investment. Saving time by focusing on one area also helps you to spend more time focusing on your clients and enhancing your reputation.

Realtors Need You

Don’t assume that other mortgage professionals share your same level of expertise. When you work at developing a singular niche, you often leave competition behind.

Realtors want to be confident about relying on your expertise. For example, ask Realtors to complete a survey about their needs. You’ll find that many of them are willing to share examples of inconsistencies in loan processing or problems with communication between lenders and Realtors. Use these experiences to refine your niche.

Expertise is a commodity that is highly valued. When you develop a niche market, you bring a consistent, expertise voice to service for clients and Realtors. A service that they can count on and that you can build your mortgage marketing plans around.

Jeff Nelson helps loan officers increase loan originations by attracting quality relationships with real estate agents from the development of customized relationship-building strategies.

Loan Officer Marketing - Creating Expectations

A loan officer marketing to generate loans doesn’t need to be difficult. Sometimes it’s simply knowing where and how to start. Your best starting point is to create expectations. Loan officer marketing that focuses on building expectations captures easy opportunities and makes your job easier.

For example, remember the experiments of Pavlov and his dog? Pavlov trained his dogs to receive a treat each time a bell was rung. Eventually he removed the reward and simply rang the bell. The dog responded by salivating every time the bell was rung, expecting a treat.

Pavlov created an expectation for the reward and his dog quickly learned the drill. We aren’t all that different from the dogs. People frequently have a perception about an experience, and our perception creates an expectation about our experiences.

Let’s say you’ve read a newspaper rave review about a restaurant. When you walk into the lobby of the restaurant you are impressed by the elegance and luxury, you’re sure you’ll get a great meal. Because you’ve built your expectations to believe that you’ll get a great meal, the food and service is remarkable.

There are many examples of how our expectations shape our perceptions, but it’s more important to consider how you can use perceptions of service to your benefit. Keep reading to learn how you can you shape expectations about your business.

Improve Your Materials

Take a look at your marketing materials. Do they give the impression or create an expectation of a trusted and highly skilled loan officer? Is there anything about the materials that make you look smart, competent, and experienced?

Your materials create the first impression with your prospects. They establish the expectation for your service. Do you need to improve your materials?

There are two important elements in your materials: brevity and image. Your window of opportunity is narrow. For instance, a loan officer marketing to Realtors only has an agent’s attention for a brief amount of time. This isn’t a good time to expound on your services. It’s a “just the facts” moment. Images can sometimes covey powerful emotions. Consider using pictures to communicate part of your message.

A Website Shapes Expectations

Your website may be your most powerful loan officer marketing tool. Your prospects will often first look at your website to see if you look like a competent professional.

Does your website look like it was developed by a professional? Is it easy to navigate? Does it present information clearly? Does it appeal to both Realtors and consumers?

One way to evaluate your website is to compare it to other mortgage professionals. Your site should be an educational source. And it should distinguish you from the competition.

To get the attention of Realtors and establish an expectation of excellent service, your site has to address their needs. Just like with your other materials, the use of images can pack far more powerful punch than mere words.

Use Touchpoints For Emphasis

The expectation delivered with loan officer marketing materials is reinforced by those occasions of contact between you and the prospect. This contact is referred to as “touchpoints”, and can refer to human, product or system touchpoints.

For instance, when a client calls your office and the call is answered by your friendly and courteous receptionist, this is a human touchpoint.

When you send Realtors an invitation to meet and discuss opportunities, you set an expectation with the quality of your letter and materials. This touchpoint is a product touchpoint.

When a Realtor calls your office and receives your voicemail with a professional greeting, that is considered a system touchpoint.

Each touchpoint is an opportunity to establish an expectation for your service. Think about every possible contact as an encounter and make those encounters a clear expectation of your professionalism and competence. Your loan officer marketing will seem exceptional, and just what the prospect is looking for.

Jeff Nelson helps loan officers increase loan originations by attracting quality relationships with real estate agents from the development of customized relationship-building strategies.

Save Money and Move Yourself

Have you decided to save some money on movers and move your furniture yourself. If so you have taken on quite a job. Moving can be difficult and tiring but this article will give you some tips to help make your move go smoothly.

First off you need to make sure that you reserve a moving truck well before your move. Rental companies can and do sell out of truck rentals. Order your truck at least 3 weeks in advance. Longer if your move is at the end of the month when most trucks are rented. If you want to save some hassle you can rent one during the middle of the week. They are easier to get during the week and the rental store will not be as busy so you will get in and out faster.

Next be sure to pack a few days before the actual move. There is nothing worse than having to pack the day of the move or the night before it. Moving will go much easier if all you have to do is load on the day of the move. Be sure to mark the boxes accurately so that they get put into the right room. Pack a separate box of things that you will need immediately like a change of clothes and toiletries.

Lastly when you load the truck fill up the granny's attic (if so equipped) with boxes first. Then load the heavier items towards the front of the truck. If possible load the items that you will want immediately last.

After you load the truck and are preparing to leave use caution. A loaded moving truck does not handle well. Give yourself extra time to stop and turn at a slower speed. Good luck and happy moving.

Consider Homeowner's Insurance When Purchasing Real Estate

Whether it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market, real estate is always a hot business. Sure, everyone likes a good deal, and many buyers choose to purchase a home when prices are low, but the fact is people always need places to live; that doesn’t change just because property prices are high at a particular time.

There are ways to save money when shopping for real estate that go beyond just shopping during a buyer’s market. Once you’ve figured your budget and have a general idea of what kind of home you’d like to buy, it’s time to go house hunting. This is where saving money comes into the picture.

In order to save money on real estate costs, many people opt to purchase “fixer upper” real estate. A “fixer upper” is a home that needs a lot of work; maybe new floors, new windows, even a new roof. Buyers choose a “fixer upper” not only because the price is less than that of a home that’s in move-in condition, but also because they see great potential in the home.

While it’s true that buyers can save money by purchasing “fixer upper” real estate, they can also lose money in the long run. Aside from the costs of repairs during the “fixing up,” homeowner’s insurance tends to run much higher for people whose homes aren’t in the best condition. Homeowner’s insurance isn’t usually mandatory, but if a buyer has to borrow money from a bank in order to purchase the real estate, the bank may just require the buyer to purchase homeowner’s insurance until the debt is paid off.

So, the next time you head out to purchase real estate, keep in mind that you may be required to purchase homeowner’s insurance, as well. A “fixer upper” might sound good when you’re making your offer, but it might not sound as good once you start looking for homeowner’s insurance.

How To Choose The Right Realtor For You

A home is probably the biggest investment you’re ever going to make. It’s not only a monetary investment; you’re trusting this home to hold up through the years, to be safe, and to be in a good neighborhood with good schools for your children. When buying your home, you should be working with someone you trust to meet your needs. That’s why it’s so important to find a good realtor. Here are a few steps to get you started.

The first step in choosing a good realtor is finding realtors in your area. The best way to find a realtor in your area is through referrals. Ask your friends, family, or colleagues who’ve bought or sold a home for good recommendations. If you can’t get any referrals, check with your local realtors association. You may also want to go to a few open houses. Even if you aren’t interested in that particular house, it gives you a chance to meet the realtor and decide if they might be right for you. If you’re still left with no options, you can always drive around neighborhoods you’re interested in and look at the names on signs. You could also flip through the local house listings. You may not know how good the realtor is, but you’ll still have names to work with. You could also get names from billboards and ads, but be wary of someone with ads everywhere. If a realtor is really good, they get a lot of return business and referrals. This means they shouldn’t need to advertise a lot.

Once you have a few options for realtors, you should set up interviews with each of them. If you don’t want to go to their office, set up a meeting in a coffee shop or somewhere else you’ll be comfortable. Before the interview, write down the questions you want to ask them so you know you don’t forget anything. While the questions asked depend on your preferences, it’s always good to find out if they are a licensed realtor, how much experience they have, and how familiar they are with the neighborhoods you want to live in. You should also find out their availability. If they have a lot of clients, they may take so much time getting to you about a house on the market that you lose the chance to bid on your dream home. If you have kids, make sure they’re knowledgeable about schools in the area. You should also make sure the price range your realtor specializes in matches your own.

Above all else, you want to find a realtor that you are comfortable with and who you feel understands your needs. You want someone who is working in your best interest. If you don’t feel someone understands your needs, move on to your next interview. It may take time to find someone you’re comfortable with, but if you keep looking you’re likely to find them. Good luck and happy house hunting.