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Do You Offer Real Estate Services in Popular Retirement and Investment Regions???

Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender: Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 1:15 PM

Do You Offer Real Estate Services in Popular Retirement and Investment Regions???

This morning I was reading the post of one of my favorite ActiveRain members. It dawned on me while reading this post, that while I had read this blog faithfully for a long time ... I still wasn't quite sure where the agent's service area was located within their state. I had never taken the time to check it out and do a search.

Not proud of that fact, but there it was!

I wondered how many people like me, had not done their own research while reading this or similar posts??

Some of the service areas represented on AR are pretty obvious. Larger cities and their geographical locations are typically known. Chicago. New York. Los Angeles. Denver ... and similarly-sized cities, people typically know. But smaller towns, counties, rural areas?? Not so much. Maybe a bit of assistance is needed in finding them?

It was also clear to me that while I hadn't taken the time to educate myself while reading this favored member ... I probably was not that different from others reading the post. They probably wouldn't know where the location was ... and they'd probably had been just as lazy as I had been. They wouldn't have taken the time to do a simple search either.

Looking to finance your 2nd Home? Retirement Home? An Investment? Contact Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender

Being an ActiveRain member from a northern climate, it occurred to me too that maybe those AR real estate agents that serve areas where northern/cold-climate boomers or investors might be looking for retirement homes, 2nd homes, or investment properties ... might be especially well-served by adding some helpful links or maps for their location/region.

Links and maps that would make it easy for their readers to educate themselves as to exactly where that agent is located within their state. Something that even somewhat lazy readers (like me) would find and click on.

Maybe it's the most obvious information and actions that elude us? Information that is so basic to us personally, that we overlook and forget that it might not be so to others??

I know I'm now going to go to my own website, my own blogs ... and take a good long look at them. Do an assessment. See if I'm making it as easy as possible for my readers to find me, understand what areas I service, and what services I offer.

Moving forward, I'm going to try to make it as easy, as convenient as possible for my readers to be completely informed and to utilize all my services ...

Office Locations of Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender - The Federal Savings Bank

* Looking for an experienced mortgage lender with multiple office locations in the Chicago and Chicagoland region? A mortgage lender that assist you with local or nationwide mortgage services?

Contact me today! With over 35 years of experience and expertise earned while assisting and serving home buyers and home owners of all types in Chicago, Chicagoland, and the entire U.S. ... I can help you successfully prior, throughout, and beyond your mortgage closing.

I can be contacted through any of the following:

Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331

Email: gmundt@thefederalsavingsbank.com

Website: www.genemundt.com

Conveniently through Skype: 630.219.1316

Click Here 4 a: NO Cost NO Obligation

Mortgage Consultation

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Things That Make You Go ... HUH??

Gene Mundt, Sr. Vice President - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 6:56 PM

Things That Make You Go ... HUH??

Do you Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn?? Blog?? More social media venues?? Do Email blasts too??

If you're in real estate or mortgage lending ... or almost any business these days, you do. To some extent and in some manner.

And if you've been doing the social media "thing" and Email blasts for awhile, you've probably accumulated quite a following. Exactly what we're ALL after. Loyal followers. Relationships. Business contacts and Business itself!

But something I've been noticing fairly often, as of late ... is the messages ... the information sent, the link, the "blast", the comment to a blog ... that are sent to me, many times do NOT pertain to me personally. Even when I know the person or have conducted business with them for quite awhile.

I especially see this, when I'm a member in a minority on some social media site. What do I mean by Minority?? Well, I'm a Mortgage Lender contributing within some overwhelmingly predominant real estate Agent sites. And the assumption for many that comment to me, is that I must ... MOST ASSUREDLY ... be another realtor. Part of the majority brethren.

Nope! Take a look ... I've made sure it says Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender pretty much everywhere you find me ... in fairly obvious and noticeable places. The heading of my blog, my profile on every social site, under my name in comments, on my personal pages. I plaster it everywhere I can. I'm shameless ... and also proud of what I do.

I get emails that make me feel invisible or un-memorable also. From other Lenders! Asking for my mortgage business. Asking if they can assist me. Nope! Sorry. Ain't gonna happen.

And when I receive these comments, emails, marketing pieces ... I often wonder. When did the sender lose control of their social media? At what point did they cross-over from the personal .. into the non-personal?? When did they get in such a hurry that they ceased taking the care they should with their social media or emails? And is it because they now choose to have someone else do their social media for them? Someone not as familiar or well-versed with their database(s) or willing to take the time to make sure that these little "oops" don't happen??

Call me old-fashioned, but I'm still doing this all myself. Okay, Okay! I'll cop to it. I do it with a bit of help from my right-arm, my wife. But I definitely give it a good stab ... and everthing's definitely All Mundt ... ALL the time! I'm still seeing to the details. It's not to say that I don't make any mistakes ... because I do.

But ...

Should you and I have any kind of personal or business relationship ... or should you have done business with me or asked to be on a particular database of mine ...

I'm hoping that I refer to you as I should, if you're my client or a personal friend. That I refer to you as an agent, should you be an agent. Or at least correctly and pertaining to whatever your chosen profession is. I'm hoping that I always ask you pertinent questions, send you information, etc. ... in regards to YOUR chosen professional services, YOUR blogs, YOUR background, YOUR specific needs and requests.

And I most certainly hope that I'm not haphazardly sending my mortgage lending marketing to you if your another mortgage lender ... seeking YOUR personal mortgage business. Afterall, because of our prior relationship or business conducted, I should know better ... right??

Those would all be things that just make me go ... huh???

* If you're looking for amortgage lender that will still deliver you old-fashioned, personalized mortgage service ... please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you ... and having the opportunity to earn your trust and mortgage business.

I can be contacted at any of the following:

Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331

Email: gene@chicagobancorp.com

Website: www.genemundt.com

Skype: 630.219.1316

Click Here 4 a: NO Cost NO Obligation Mortgage Consultation

You can Access my Website Via Mobile Now!!

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My Business Message to YOU ... courtesy of Sam and Dave

Gene Mundt, Professional Mortgage Banker - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 2:05 PM

Why do I blog?

Why do I Twitter? Take part in LinkedIn? In Facebook? Have my website? Take part in other social media?

Why do I market ... email ... text ... advertise ... network?

For me, the answer is an easy one. Simply ... I want to be FOUND! (And found in big numbers too!) I want to stay in touch!

And equally important ... I want to be known as THE expert and mortgage lender those in need of mortgage advice and mortgage service think of in the Chicagoland/IL area when in need of those things. And I want to be the mortgage lender my clients REFER!

I want to be THE mortgage industry's version of the "Shell Answer Man".

Yesterday was one of those days where I knew for a fact that the Twittering ... LinkedIn ... Facebook ... ActiveRain ... and this website were working for me and delivering. People had found me because of those things. Everything indicated that things were working ... and clicking along on all cylinders that way ... and it felt very good. It was very fulfilling.

At the end of the day on my drive home (about 9:15 pm or so) ... I heard the song I've included here on the radio. Talk about appropriate! Set to music ... this song was exactly how I want YOU, my clients and referral partners, to feel about ME! How I want YOU to view my services!

So ... I'm sharing the song I heard here with you. I hope you enjoy it! It definitely delivers the message I'm trying to convey to you!

You need Flash Player in order to view this.

Sam & Dave - Hold On I'm Comin'

Sam & Dave "Hold On I'm Coming"

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"I Believe ... I Believe ... I Believe". The Lesson Real Estate Industry Professionals Can Learn From Hollywood.

Gene Mundt, Professional Mortgage Banker - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 4:35 PM

Ever notice how a business or business office can have a tangible personality or "mood" within it? I've found that to be true ... and that it's fairly easy to pick-up on that mood and/or personality soon after entering it too. Some places just seem to have an upbeat atmosphere or vibe to themselves ... while others definitely do not.

I visited some of my referral-partner offices the other day. When I entered one office, I could read the "mood" instantly, and it wasn't real good. There was definitely tension in the air. Seemed I had stepped into a rather heated "water cooler" talk taking place. Given this was a real estate agency, not surprisingly, this animated discussion revolved around the economy and the current health of the real estate market.

There was a definite divide in opinion amongst the participants in this conversation. Half were expressing an upbeat report on the market and its prognosis for the near future. They were seeing some positives. For them, the real estate market is beginning to show definite signs of life and improvement. Although still nowhere near perfect, they are seeing encouraging signs and are hopeful for their future.

The other half had a dramatically opposing view and expressed little hope that their circumstances would change in the near future. Some were even saying the word never.

Now, my wife has a friend Lisa, who's always repeating the mantra ... "thoughts are things" ... "thoughts are things". Lisa simply refuses to think negative thoughts or repeat downbeat messages. Her view is ... that if you think things suck ... they will.

The opposite also holds true. Think optimistically and positively ... and you draw and experience positive actions and energy. Think George in "Seinfeld". George's thinking is muddled and over the top, no doubt ... but it's definitely positive and strong.

George says, "It's not a lie, if you believe it".

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Jerry, just remember. It's not a lie... if you believe it...

George Constanza, Seinfeld "It's Not a Lie" clip

Basically the message is ... If you believe something ... for YOU it becomes reality. I'm not recommending George's take on this, but you get my drift.

Our friend,Lisa had been preaching her message of "karma" and thinking to my wife, Marilyn, again this last week. (Now if anyone has a reason to be negative or down, it would be Lisa. She works for a homebuilder. You know how that storyline is going, right?) But there she was, spouting positive thoughts during their conversation.

Well,I got thinking about Lisa's mindset/message after leaving that water cooler the other day. And before someone says it, I'm not trying to stick my head in the sand or deny the obvious of the market or reality. Nor am I saying this is an observation limited only to agents. You could fill in the "blank" with any real estate industry profession. Heck it could be loan officers. My observations and message here would remain the same.

But for the record, the real estate agency I was visiting that particular day is one where I have come to know the agents very well over a long extended period of working together. I'm very aware of the production and work habits within the office. And as I see it, here is how that water cooler discussion was breaking down ...

The naysayers ... those that see only doom and gloom? They are approaching their current business as though it is dead. Their view is that of "victims". There is nothing that they can change ... nothing they can do ... nothing that they can shake-up in their routines or methods of business to make circumstances any better for themselves. They conduct their days and marketing as they always have ... or are doing less. They think that approach is "cost and time efficient" right now.

And guess what? Most of them have not done one deal or iota of business for a long time. They sit at their desks hour after hour, waiting for a new buyer or seller to miraculously appear, walk through the door, and beg them to assist them.

In contrast, the agents taking the proverbial bull by the horns ... they're shaking up the way they conduct business AND THE APPROACH TO THEIR MARKETING ... they've taken a firm positive hold on their mindset and are overwhelmingly positive in their approach to their business ... they're aggressively promoting themselves and their business in new and inventiveways (think social media, blogging, etc.) ... and they're actually DOING business. In fact, a few are relating that they are busier and more successfully productive than ever before!

Maybe it's the time of year, (or the fact that they're already promoting Holiday movies on TV_, but the movie "Miracle on34th Street" popped into my mind too while mulling the water cooler conversation over. If you've seen this classic, you'll remember that little Susie wants desperately to convince herself that Kris Kringle does in fact truly exist ... and that he'll bestow on her the one thing she wants most ... a home.

(Rather appropriate and timely, don't you think??)

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Miracle on 34th Street (1947) TV Spot

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) TV Spot"At the Macy's Department Store Thanksgiving Day parade, the actor playing Santa is discovered to be drunk by a whiskered old man. Doris Walker, the no nonsens...

But as you can see above, Susie isn't quite convinced at this point in the movie ... in fact, she's downright sure that Kris Kringle doesn't exist and even pulls on the old man's beard to check him out. Pretty tough little cookie, isn't she?

Hmmmmmm ...

I suppose if you want to go out on a limb, all sorts of parallels could be drawn throughout this movie's entire storyline (and outcome), our present day real estate industry, and how we in the industry approach it. Perhaps it's my imagination ... but I just couldn't help but make that connection between this Hollywood movie and what I was hearing and seeing in that agency.

As Susie stateslater in this movie ..."I Believe" ... "I Believe" ... "I Believe" ...

I can't help but thinkthat the positive thinking, positive acting, positive "karma" real estate agents ... (and yes, anyone approaching their business or profession positively) ... will reap the same rewards and success that Susie does at the end of "Miracle on 34th Street" ... or that my wife's positive-thinking friend,Lisa, has of late. Calls and emails are going to pick-up. Website rankings will improve. Word of mouth will spread ... and much more. Besides, what is your alternative?

People want to work with positive, successful people ... it's that simple and it's been proven over and over again. Think about it on a personal level. Who do YOU want to work with??? If you're positive, successful, and pleasant to be with and work with ... clients/public interest will be there in measure and return. Your successes and positives arelike a magnet and will breed even more interest, more success, and business for your future.

Hollywood has offered us many video classes and opportunities for education on "How to Believe 101". The classes and education are not limited to just these two examples. It has shown us the rewards possible if we are willing to make the effort, shake things up, remain positive, and believe in ourselves.

Have you paid attention in these classes? Have you learned your lessons? Will you say for yourself and yourbusiness ...

"I Believe" ... "I Believe" ... "I Believe"?

*If you "Believe" in and want positive, exceptional, and experienced mortgage lending service ... please contact me by Calling/Texting: 708.921.6331, Email: gene@chicagobancorp.com, or http://www.genemundt.com/Contact-Me.html.

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Do You Offer Real Estate Services in Popular Retirement and Investment Regions???

Things That Make You Go ... HUH??

My Business Message to YOU ... courtesy of Sam and Dave

"I Believe ... I Believe ... I Believe". The Lesson Real Estate Industry Professionals Can Learn From Hollywood.