The Biggest Trouble With Trouble.....

Dr. Charlie Shedd, author of Letters to Karen and Letters to Philip, once said "the biggest trouble with trouble is that it keeps us expecting more trouble."

My dad would train his dogs and horses to not shy from the sound of a gun-shot. Years later, the need for that training became apparent when we bought a Collie and he would hear firecrackers and go absolutely nuts trying to get in the house he was so scared.

Failures in life can be like gun-shots. We are taught about succeeding and we hear about "when you get knocked down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and getting going again." But how many times, and what does it do to your attitude? I've talked, written, and tweeted about "what you say when you talk to yourself." That is actually the name of a book I have by Shad Helmstetter and it was the first book my wife ever saw me purchase 25 years ago. She was wondering "what?" The techniques in the book helped me through some things then and have many times since. Without getting into a deep positive-mental-attitude agenda, we do need to be careful about what we think, what we say to ourselves, the "pictures we have in our head."

Remember that "failure is an event, not a person." (Zig)

Today, let's expect great things! Today is the day my Lord has made and I'll rejoice and be glad in it.

To that end.....God Bless

5 best metro areas for mortgages

Where you live affects what you'll pay. In these areas, homebuyers get lower average loan rates, and fewer homes are headed for foreclosure.

By Forbes.com http://bit.ly/cmjpBR

Setting Standards for Loan Officers Is Key Part of Profitability

Mortgage bankers can’t survive without loan originations. Loan originations create the opportunity to generate revenue through loan fees and secondary market gain-on-sale. Loan officers are essential for loan originations. Retail mortgage lenders need to hire, nurture and support loan officers that are driven..... http://bit.ly/cLA4mA

Homeownership Rate Hits 10 Year Low. Youngest Demographic is Biggest Drag

While vacancy rates are appearing to moderate, home ownership in the U.S. has declined to a level last seen at the beginning of the decade. The greatest decrease is among the youngest homeowners.... http://bit.ly/blMR1U

Thanks to @BlairEvanBall for Tweet of this article.

Private mortgage insurance companies return to market (LA Times)

As the FHA tightens its requirements for borrowers with small down payments, independent insurers are back in the game and offering competitive rates......http://bit.ly/cA7wWr

Bank of America Extends Nearly $150 Billion in Credit in First Quarter [Press Release]

CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today issued its latest Lending and Investing Initiative Report, noting the extension of nearly $150 billion in credit in the first quarter of 2010 ? the most extended by any U.S. bank..................http://bit.ly/9qH8ap

American Residential Law Group Urges Homeowners to Find the Assistance of a Qualified Modification Attorney

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- (Marketwire) -- 04/27/10 -- Today, American Residential Law Group has released new information detailing why homeowners should not go it alone in the process of loan modification. Attorney services ensure the optimum outcome from the modification process and offer protection for homeowner rights during the process......http://www.smartbrief.com/news/aaaa/industryMW-detail.jsp?id=611F24B7-8550-4AE3-A14F-540C9CA97848

The Work Number Shares RESPA Survey Results at MBA's National Technology in Mortgage Banking Conference: Survey Finds Majority of Lenders RESPA Compliant [Press Release]

CHICAGO, April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Work Number® conducted a survey of its mortgage and banking customers on the impact of the new Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) regulations on their loan origination volume and process. The Work Number surveyed 3,000 of its customers to determine how lenders, brokers and borrowers are reacting to the new changes that took effect January 1.........http://www.smartbrief.com/news/aaaa/industryPR-detail.jsp?id=016AAE1A-946C-46A7-A5F4-CD8CF82CAF25

Stress Test Redux: The Banks are Still in Trouble [Press Release]

Out of a total of 15,730 banks and credit unions in the US, there are 7,349, or 46.7 percent, short capital and need to maintain a high level of liquid funds to keep themselves in business. Unfortunately, these institutions are the home of over 60 percent of America?s small businesses, the ones which create jobs, according to economist Michael Moebs of Moebs Services, who recently updated his firm?s nationally recognized Treasury Stress Test of 2009 .................http://bit.ly/9f5VBW

RESPA Ranks as Highest Compliance Concern for Second Consecutive Year

According to QuestSoft’s annual compliance survey of lenders, the recently enacted fee tolerance changes to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) continue to pose the greatest mortgage compliance concern in 2010. This marks the second year that RESPA has held the top spot among the lenders surveyed........  http://bit.ly/8Z6JHB

Leading, Influence and Control


Daily we all influence and through this influence, we in turn lead others. Not always, but normally.



Example: years ago, in around 1980, I was with a group of people and one them was women 8 month's pregnant. When the waitress came to ask for orders, the pregnant woman orders a beer. The waitress takes everyone's order and walks off. A few minutes later, she comes back a let's everyone know that she does not agree with the pregnant woman's choice to drink while pregnant and that another waitress, who feels it is not her place to make such a "judgement," will be taking over the table.



Now, let's take a look at all the influencing that took place during this 5 minutes and what it led to.



obviously there was the influencing by the pregnant woman's choice to order a beer

there had been other influences in the waitress' life that led her to be influenced to voice her opinion and not just give up the table to another waitress because of those past influences that led her to the convictions to begin with

the waitress was influenced by the pregnant woman to give up her table, thus, her tip from a large group of people

the new waitress was influenced

others at the table were influenced to discuss and even verbally express judgement on and ridicule the 1st waitress

at least one person, me, was influenced enough by the 1st waitress to remember 25+ years later the event. I had never considered, up until then, the dangers drinking brought to an unborn fetus. Those thoughts and concerns were not part of my thought patterns at that time in my life, but yet, I'm influenced by the actions of another with such an exchange of words and actions.

Now, replace the word influence with lead.

In the same exercise, take either word and replace with the word influence or lead with control and you'll find them not near the same. The only person that controls us is ourselves. We have choices. We have free will. There are of course consequences to choices. But, just because some leads, or influences, us doesn't mean with have to follow. We might loose friends, or a job, or "respect"....but we have control over how we are influenced.

This was originally posted on GodandWorkMatters in November, 2008

Urgent mortgage moves need not destroy credit scores

By Kenneth R. Harney, The Washington Post

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Financially stressed homeowners looking to cut their mortgage payments through a loan modification, short sale or principal reduction under one of the Obama administration's programs needn't wreck their credit scores in the process......http://bit.ly/cDEXjm

Will the Spike in Interest Rates Hurt?

There’s no denying the fact that as rates go higher, shoppers have less to spend. For now, the threat of higher rates could be good for the housing market, spurring people to buy before rates go up more.

There’s been some good news in the housing market recently, with prices and sales picking up. But there’s a fly in the ointment as well — mortgage rates are rising. Read the full article from MainStreet................. http://www.mainstreet.com/article/real-estate/buying/will-mortgage-spike-hurt