Mortgage Secrets…Learn What the Experts Say

This quote is a perfect fit for what I talk about in my video today:

“The great thing in this world is not so much where you are, but in what direction you are moving.” And it’s completely up to you!!  ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Great Big Dreams Require Great Big Thoughts & Little Tiny Steps from Janet French on Vimeo.

It’s really quite simple to enlist the help of a Trusted Advisor team. All it takes is one simple phone call to schedule a short 1-2 hours of your time to sit down with me and get your finances on track. From that point forward, all you need to do is keep committed, meet with us annually and let us handle the rest. Now you’re on your way to a balanced life!!

And if even if it’s not the time to refinance your loan, you may be thinking, “What on earth could a mortgage consultant do for a client that doesn’t need a loan? After all, the loan is closed…what else is there???”

Read the rest of this post

Like with anything else, simple advice is never appropriate in all circumstances. It all depends upon your particular situation. Today’s personal finances are much more complex. A house and mortgage are not just a component of a proper financial strategy. You need to examine all of the other factors of your finances such as your assets, liquidity, tax situation, credit, and your credit availability.

Your mortgage is not “just” the loan on your home; it is an important piece of your overall financial picture. A better way to look at your mortgage is to examine it in the context of your entire portfolio. A piece of real estate is an asset to your portfolio. The mortgage on that piece of real estate determines how much of that asset is leveraged versus how much is tied up with real cash.

Sure, you might have some equity or not at this point but your payments are the same, your tax deductions may be less and you still have x amount in savings and are struggling to put enough money away for retirement. Ask yourself, has much changed in your life since your property value had increased so dramatically over the previous years or you refinanced last time to pay off high interest credit cards and are they still gone?

Read the rest of this post

Human progress and excellence comes when someone goes beyond “why” to “why not?”
~ John Glenn, astronaut, U.S. senator

As you watch this video, think about the following:

Often you don’t know what you can do until you do it; what you can be until you become it; or what you can have until you have it. Enjoy!

Read the rest of this post

Quote of the Week:

Vision (I made “vision” realllly big because it takes as much energy to think BIG as it does to think small. Pretty cool, right?)

“People who say that life is not worthwhile are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals which are worthwhile. Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project. Always have something ahead of you to look forward to…to work for and hope for.”

Dr. Maxwell Maltz

Author and Psycho-Cybernetics

The inspiration for my video this weeks comes from a very personal story of mine that happened last week and it has everything to do with asking the right questions of your paid professional before AND during the loan process. A great point that I mention in my video this week is the importance of knowing what your trusted advisor is going to do for you AFTER your escrow is closed. I mean, don’t you want to know? If you are working with someone who isn’t a cheerleader for what his/her company does for their clients after a transaction is closed, well, I hate to break this to you but, there probably isn’t a whole lot that company AND that person has to offer you by way of continuing education and debt management. It’s an unfortunate part about the mortgage industry. We are doing our part to fix that problem!

Please take a few minutes to watch this video (that was supposed to go out two days ago….arrrrgh!), then read the rest of my email:

http://www.vimeo.com/1125901
Read the rest of this post

Today I talk about what I have been seeing and hearing in the real estate market. There is a lot of fear about buying property because values are still dropping and yet when you look at the facts, homes are on sale, interest rates are still at historic lows and money is still available. BUT, it’s next to impossible to time the bottom of the market AND money is getting harder to get every week and interest rates are expected to rise.

You have a choice. Risk is waiting until you think prices have hit rock bottom and hope that you can still get financing OR be stoked that homes are on sale today and financing is still relatively decent.

And that brings me to my Quote of the Week….

“When you realize that by changing your perspective, big things can be seen as little things, it becomes much harder to worry about anything at all.” ~Tut - A note from the Universe

80% of all millionaires in this country made their money in real estate, and it wasn’t simply because they owned investment property! Owning real estate as an investment is a great tool because you can leverage the asset to further your wealth. BUT of course you have to own it first before you can take advantage of appreciating and declining home values. Shouldn’t you get to be one of the 80%? Absolutely!

“If you owe the bank $100.00, you have a problem. If you owe them $1,000,000, the bank has a problem!”
Donald Trump

3 Ways to Make the Fed’s Moves Work for You

Here’s how to take advantage of low interest rates without letting lenders take advantage of you.

Written by Kimberly Palmer of U.S. News on April 30th, 2008

Consumers still have the chance to negotiate favorable interest rates, which are close to historic lows. Now is the perfect time to call credit card companies to ask for lower rates, lock in favorable financing on car loans, or refinance homes. But it’s not as simple as checking the latest move from the Federal Reserve. Here’s what consumers need to know:

1. Credit Card Companies Are More Willing to Offer Lower Rates

Card providers often say yes to consumers who ask for lower rates, especially when those consumers have a record of paying off their bills each month. But now is a particularly opportune time to shop around or call providers and ask for lower rates, says Bill Hardekopf, chief executive of LowCards.com. Companies are eager to keep their best customers, and the average credit card rate is just over 13 percent, a two-year low, according to IndexCreditCards.com.

More from USNews.com:

• What Fed Moves Mean for Mortgage Rates

• Is Bernanke Worse Than Greenspan?

• FAQ on Paulson’s Regulatory Reform

The downside: Even consumers with so-called fixed-rate cards can find their interest rate climbing again for a variety of reasons unrelated to their own behavior, including economic ones such as higher inflation.

Read the rest of this post

Quote of the Week:

“This one step - choosing a goal and staying to it - changes everything.”
~ Scott Reed, Bob Dole Presidential Campaign Manager

The average American has been brought up to believe that paying off their mortgage is a smart financial decision. Considering that the Average American retires later than they want and with less financial freedom than they want, it’s easy to understand why people don’t want to be in this ‘average‘ group. When we ask our clients what their top personal financial goals are there is always a common theme. Most everyone wants to Pay Off Their Mortgage and Build Their Net Worth as their top two goals.

What most people don’t realize is that these two goals can work against each other.
Read the rest of this post

For Immediate Release… Homeowners Gain Edge in Changing Real Estate Market 

It’s no secret that the softening real estate market has caused considerable confusion among homeowners and investors alike who wonder what will happen next and what they can do now to safeguard their investments and still continue to meet their financial goals in the declining real estate market.  

To clear up some of this confusion and provide homeowners and investors with an edge on the changing market, The SC Group Realtors, Silverstar Finance and The CA Educational Institute are providing a free educational seminar titled “Common Sense Strategies to Successful Equity Management.” The seminar will be held at SeaCliff Country Club in Huntington Beach on Thursday, February 21^st at 5:30pm.  

“Never has it been more critical for homeowners and investors to be educated on the current state of the real estate and mortgage markets but more importantly how they can implement successful home equity management strategies to protect their investments from further market fluctuations. As real estate consultants we understand the necessity and value in providing services that allow our clients to make more informed financial decisions and that’s exactly what we plan to deliver with this workshop”, says Tawnya Henderson of The SC Group. 

“In addition, the liquidity crisis that resulted in the recent failure of a number of lenders has shaken confidence in the mortgage industry and left many homeowners wondering how to take the safe road when securing a loan. Many are fearful of their home values continuing to decline and the possible re-cast of an adjustable rate mortgage loan on the horizon. This workshop is designed to address those concerns and provide practical solutions to help clients achieve continued financial freedom”, says Kurtis Kooiman of Silverstar Finance. 

Also, featured at the Learning Annex of Los Angeles this seminar has been incredibly valuable and seats fill quickly so reservations are required and recommended.  

To obtain more information or RSVP to this workshop call Toll Free 1.877.892.1002 or email knewberry@silverstarfinance.com. For more information on The SC Group Realtors call Toll Free 1.877.672.4768, email info@myscgroup.com or go to www.myscgroup.com.

Did you know that there $800 billion dollars of loans that still need to adjust in 2008?

I have recorded a special message for you to start the new year. Please take a quick 3 mins. to listen.

Go to: http://silverstarfinance.mypodcast.com/index.html

In this turbulent time it is critical that you plan and take control of your personal finances.

This is the secret to success in this kind of market. This is the secret to success in reaching your financial goals.

Become educated, have peace of mind!