Gene's Bit of Blogging
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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.
 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 ...
 * 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 Conveniently through Skype: 630.219.1316 |
Buying a Home, Mortgages, Chicagoland, Will County, Technology, Social Media, Chicago, Education, Working with a Real Estate Professional, Helpful Hints, Doing Business, ActiveRain.com, Links
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Gene Mundt, Professional Mortgage Banker - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Friday, November 19, 2010 2:59 PM
Getting a deal closed in today's real estate world has become a long distance marathon ... What used to take about 3 weeks to accomplish ... can now take up to 2, 3, 4 months, or even longer. And no .. I'm not dissing banks, Wall Street, underwriting, underwriters, or anyone else specifically here. There are alot of fingers in this messed-up pie! Transactions just take longer to close. A pretty obvious FACT ... Real estate has always been known by the often-heard phrase, "Location .. Location .. Location"! Currently, I believe it should be known by "Documentation .. Documentation .. Documentation"! Or maybe something more unprintable. I'll be the first one you hear agreeing with the sentiment that approval for loans in the not too distance past had become way too lax. The proof of that is hard to debate. If you've read any of my posts and know anything of my past, you'll know I started with a Savings and Loan over 30 years ago. Hard to believe given how young and handsome I look now, huh? But seriously ...getting approved for a loan was just a different experience then ... the path you took to approval was vastly different. This can't be over-emphasized! The approval process was carried out on a much more personal, human level ... most likely by a group made up of Board of Directors of your bank/savings or loan or your bank's officers. No doubt this method had it's kinks too. I won't debate them. But, there was none of the current inhuman, unfeeling automation. The decision was based on fairly cut and dried, clearly understood terms ... not much grey area ... and over pretty quickly! There was some decorum and common sense to the process. None of the endless back and forth ... the "Let's Make a Deal"-ness that you find currently. If you got bad news regarding your approval, you heard it quickly and could move on. Too many of our clients just get tormented to hell these days. And it needs to stop, or at minimum return to a number that is un-obscene. I closed a loan last night (in the client's living room, btw ... one of the advantages of modern loans) ... and that poor couple's lives had been put on hold for almost 4 months. Thankfully for me, this couple was intelligent, understood every step of their processing, and did not hold me personally accountable for the delays. Sometimes, you're just not that lucky and clients DO get mad. Good Lord ... that's understandable! And please, my fellow mortgage professionals ... spare me the "that never happens to me" incredulous stuff. As the saying goes ... "#*%!@ Happens" ... and last night's transaction was a real doozey of an example of all of "it" that can hit the proverbial fan. It DOES happen once in awhile .. and to the very best of us too. Circumstances out of MY control just dragged this poor couple's negotiations and legal steps and communications and appraisal on ... way beyond what this couple should have had to endure. (And I'll add to that ... mine too.) At so many levels, common sense just never entered into the equation. So sad ... and infuriating ... It's happening WAY too often. I am beginning to see a light at the extreme end of the tunnel ... but it's still going to be awhile before real sanity returns to the process. Like I said above ... getting a deal closed today has become a long distance marathon. You better be in darn good shape, the best shape you can be when you enter into a transaction ... And that's whether you're a buyer, seller, agent, the property and credit status, mortgage originator, or any other real estate professional ... Do the homework! Clean-up that credit beforehand! Be ... and stay informed! Be prepared! Communicate and Document! Get ready to work HARD! Don't drop the ball! Don't lose your cool! And the #1 Tip ... STAY IN SHAPE AND EAT YOUR WHEATIES!!! * If you are in need of an experienced, knowledgeable mortgage banker to answer your questions and guide you through your homebuying or refinancing experience ... or just need answers for your current loan and credit questions ... please contact me through any of these means: CELL/TEXT: 708.921.6331 EMAIL: gene@chicagobancorp.com WEBSITE: www.genemundt.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon! |
Credit, Buying a Home, Financing, Mortgage Lender, Mortgages, Real Estate, Real Estate Advice, Refinance, Working with a Mortgage Professional, Refereral Partners, Agents and Brokers, Gene Mundt's Client Services, Technology, Home Services, Conducting Business, Mortgage & Transaction Processing, Mortgage Crisis
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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". 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??) 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"? |
Mortgage Lender, Real Estate, Working with a Mortgage Professional, Refereral Partners, Businesses, Agents and Brokers, Gene Mundt's Client Services, Technology, Video & Audio, Home Services, Conducting Business, Social Media
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Gene Mundt, Professional Mortgage Banker - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Sunday, October 31, 2010 5:11 PM
I am truly excited to be able to make this announcement today! My Mortgage Blog posts can now be heard FREE via iTunes! I hope you agree ... it's a handy idea and way to hear Mortgage and Community Information! Valuable information is right at your fingertips ... available for your listening pleasure on iPods, MP3's, computers, and more ... It's easy to listen in! If you don't have iTunes ... just download the FREE iTunes application, register, sign-in, and go to PODCASTS (found in the menu on the left of the iTunes site). My mortgage blog podcasts can be found under: Genemundtmtgbanker Blogs Click on the Blog you want to hear. It's as simple as that! Listen to one blog post ... listen to them all! Then ... contact me should you have questions or comments regarding what you hear! I'll love to hear from you and be happy to assist whatever way I can! Thanks for listening ... and please let me know what you think. |
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