On Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 10am to 4pm, the Arizona State Escrow Association in conjunction with the Better Business Bureau, Arizona Department of Financial Institutions and the Arizona Mortgage Lenders’ Association will host the Homeowners’ Survival Event at the Steele Indian School Park / Memorial Hall at 300 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85012

Attendance at this community assistance event is FREE. Throughout the day there will be mini sessions on adjustable rate loans, foreclosure/homeowner eviction, short sales, scams, tax implications and second mortgages/credit impact.

Attendees who would like to meet with a counselor from Take Charge America are encouraged to bring copies of their current loan documents, e.g., Note, Truth-in-Lending Statement, etc.

For more information click here

For many, 2010 will undoubtedly prove to be one of the toughest years in the mortgage industry. The underwriting guidelines still continue to change daily, government regulation and intervention is at an all-time high, legislation is being proposed to change compensation models for Loan Originators, more fraud verification policies are being put in place to protect lenders adding confusion, borrowers are forced to jump through ridiculous hoops and great mortgage professionals are exiting our industry in droves. Let me repeat that…. “Great” mortgage professionals are exiting our industry, not “Good”, but “Great”.

I’m sure you know how we got where we are at, but do you really know where we are at? Everyday I speak with my friends from markets across the United States that are considering changing careers. The same questions come up, “How is it possible to create a great experience for a borrower with this environment?” I don’t pretend to know the answer because, in my opinion, there isn’t one.

• Telling your borrower three months after closing they need to provide proof they’ve personally paid a credit card on their credit report for 12 months, showing their bank statements for the last 12 months. How and why would they have trust and confidence to refer their friends and family?
• When you receive a loan approval with 45 prior to doc conditions, then it takes 45 minutes to explain why so much documentation is needed. How are your clients to have the trust and confidence to refer their friends and family?
• Loan guidelines forcing Mortgage Professionals to order two appraisals on a property, after one has already been received $14,000 above selling price. How are today’s clients to have trust and confidence to refer their friends and family when they feel they’ve been mistreated and forced to pay excessive costs?

When this happens over and over and over on every transaction, why would Real Estate Professionals continue to refer their clients? It’s simple… they don’t. They move on to the next Loan Officer. Your past clients don’t refer you anymore. You soon realize you don’t have a passion for this industry anymore and “Even Great Warriors Die In Battle.”

For those that make it through this, we are the survivors, we are the fighters and we are the ones who will shape the perception of this industry so many love. Live the Dream – Carpe diem quam minime credula postero!