Broker Magazine articles from December 2005

Broker Magazine archives from December 2005

Weathering the Storm.
December 1, 2005... For those of us who went to the national conventions of the trade groups serving the mortgage broker and mortgage banker industries, the weather was a major concern. Back in June, at the National Association of Mortgage Brokers show in...

Top 10 Things Learned By Cycling.
December 1, 2005... Reg Gupton, a sales consultant made the following observation: "Most activities that we do with our lives will teach us something if we are open to learning and don't just blindly carry out the routine steps. This has been true for me with long...

Disaster Recovery CD-ROM.
December 1, 2005... The Chubb Group of Insurance Cos. is citing a statistic from the American Red Cross that notes up to 40% of the small businesses damaged by a major disaster will not reopen. Back in 2003, Chubb created a Business Recovery Planning Guide,...

The Lesson of Rosa Parks.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Rosa Parks, whose actions on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., galvanized the Civil Rights Movement, is being remembered by author and speaker Paul Lawrence Vann as the proof one person can make a difference. "I for one am grateful for Rosa Parks...

Unraveling the Pyramid: The former head of FHA said it is time to change way appraisals are ordered.
December 1, 2005... To say that our mortgage system is unique would be an understatement. The American Dream of home ownership has become a reality for more people than anywhere on the globe. Fundamental to this system is the fair, objective and unbiased valuation...

Growth Through Net Branching: Proponants of net branching believe that their business model is the best way for the entrepreneur/originator to improve his or her prospects for 2006.
December 1, 2005... For many mortgage originators, 2006 is shaping up to be a crossroads year. Industry economists are predicting a large reduction in volume. Margins are already under pressure, and that is expected to continue. Many firms will be cutting their...

Own Broker Shop Vs. Net Branching: A post at www.mortgagegrapevine.com discusses the pros and cons of each.
December 1, 2005... MsAgressive: I am a loan officer for a small mortgage brokerage. I generate my own leads, process my own loans, and go to all the closings. I am paid 50% commission. The processing fee goes to the broker. I have considered net branching,...

Happy 200,000th!: The Grapevine: Discussion board, water cooler, online community, and source of entertainment and headaches.
December 1, 2005... Some people go to bars to hang out, some go to therapists to get advice and nurturing, some go to school to learn, some have business network meetings, and some go to an online community called the Mortgage Grapevine to do all of these things....

How the Vine Has Impacted My Life.
December 1, 2005... My life has changed since I stumbled into the Vine I felt like I uncovered a hidden world of industry drama: Where some come simply to read about mortgages For others it's all about making more money And it can be a place to...

Down the Stretch: The New York Association of Mortgage Brokers held its annual convention in Saratoga Springs, home to one of the nation's historic horse racing tracks.(Panel Discussion)
December 1, 2005... BRAD: Education has been a big issue for mortgage brokers nationwide. In Florida, state law mandates it, and the state association has embraced it. The FAMB annual convention was virtually all continuing education courses. At this show, the New...

Dear Brian: Industry expert Brian Sacks will be happy to answer your most pressing marketing questions each month in the Dear Brian column.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... Dear Brian, I have been a loan officer for quite some time. My problem is that my business never seems to be consistent. It appears that my pipeline is either always full or always empty. Is there a solution? Tina Thorson ...

CPR For Your Campaign: Having fresh data is the key to successful marketing.
December 1, 2005... Direct marketing of financial services is more competitive than ever before, which means lenders need to make sure they are catching the borrower's eye, according to the co-founder and president of Chicago-based MarketerNet LLC, a provider of...

Marketing Budgets: How many dollars do brokers spend to make dollars?
December 1, 2005... The 50 mortgage brokerages with the largest marketing budget spent an average of $173,097 on their marketing programs in 2004, a survey conducted by Broker found. But because not every organization that responded to the survey answered...

Mortgage Brokers and Their Marketing Budgets.
December 1, 2005... (part 1 of 2) Name Location 1 Capital Mortgage Funding Southfield, MI 2 Statewide Bancorp, Inc. Rancho Cucamonga, CA 3 Central Installment Credit...

How to Get Rich in Your Niche: Build your marketing plan around your strengths or suffer the consequences.
December 1, 2005... One of the problems facing most underachieving salespeople is that they start too many projects and finish too few. I am constantly teaching and coaching loan originators that most of the time, doing more doesn't produce more. Scattered efforts...

Hitting A Double: Ohio mortgage broker Erick Parker created a new industry standard by passing two NAMB certification tests on the same day.
December 1, 2005... In baseball, when they play two games on the same day it's called a doubleheader. Erick A. Parker completed the first ever mortgage broker doubleheader when he became the first mortgage professional in the country to attain dual certification...

Requirements For Certification.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... To become a Certified Mortgage Consultant, the applicant must meet the following requirements: * Have at least five years of work experience in the mortgage industry. * Document at least 100 qualifying points through work experience,...

LOS War Truce: The two largest providers to mortgage brokers come to an agreement.
December 1, 2005... CALIFORNIA Calyx and Ellie Mae Settle Suit After a year and a half of legal wrangling, Calyx Software, San Jose, Calif., and Dublin, Calif.-based Ellie Mae have agreed to settle their dispute out of court. A joint statement was...

Faith-based Lending: Christianity: Working with church groups has been the key for one Chicago builder to help put low- and moderate- income families into new homes.
December 1, 2005... Being a good Christian means extending a helping hand to your fellow men in need. In the mortgage industry, more than anything it means helping provide affordable housing even to some of those among us who dare not dream of ever becoming...

Lutherans Help Through IDAs.
December 1, 2005... In January of this year, Faith in the City, a coalition of seven major Lutheran institutions from the Minneapolis-St.Paul metropolitan area introduced the "Philips Saves" program designed to establish individual development accounts for low- to...

Upcoming Sales and Marketing Conferences - January 2006.(Calendar)
December 1, 2005... This calendar of events contains a number of key events worth noting: CampusMBA is presenting a seminar on the basics of commercial lending. JANUARY 10 CampusMBA: Creating New Customers Mortgage Bankers Association Wyndham...

Advertisers' Index.(Illustration)
December 1, 2005... Aames Corp Cover 3 Aegis Home Equity 36 Aegis Mortgage Corporation 51 Allied Home Mortgage 27 Allquest ...