I haven’t. People are not passionate about mortgages! Wait…did I say that out loud? Oh well! I don’t think that will come as a surprise to anyone. Mortgages are not very sexy! You won’t see a big group of people outside a mortgage company in all kinds of weather with big foam fingers and cooking out ribs.

 However, there are 2 groups of folks who care about mortgages. Real Estate agents and people who are currently trying to buy or sell a home.

If you’re a real estate agent then finding a mortgage company who will work as hard as you do and get the job done right is vital. What does an agent look for?

• No surprises. Nothing is worse than being told one thing and then having the script flipped at the last minute.
• Communication. CALL ME! Let me know where we are. Return my call. Tell me the truth about how things are looking. Email, smoke signals, texts, pigeons, pony express…something…just do not leave me hanging with nothing to tell my clients!!!
• Speed. Getting things done right is awesome! Getting things done right AND closed quickly is awesomer! (pretty sure that is not a word…but it should be) If the market average closing time is 40-days and you can do it 25–then guess what–I can have more happy clients!
• Send me some leads from time to time. That’s right. If I send you business…keep your eye out for leads that may help me.

If you are a home buyer then you have probably heard the mortgage companies commercials and now…just now…only now…. does it really matter. So you go from being uninterested to very interested. What are you looking for…rates! It is all about the money! Period! Right? (dramatic pause for effect) Well…maybe? Ask someone who got a good rate, but had a horrible experience, if saving a few hundred bucks was worth it! NOT. Lets be honest, most mortgage banks are going to be pretty close in the rates they can offer. So what makes the difference? Relationships…trust…service…integrity. All the corny things we laugh at; but they are also the same things that make the biggest difference when applied to day-to-day transactions. So…it is not just the money. It’s like your special BBQ sauce (you have one right…it’s the south…everyone has one). It’s not just 1 thing that goes into making it work…it is a combination of things that create the sauce and the mortgage experience.

Now if you are selling your home you are just as anxious about the mortgage world. Your agent has a great showing. They seem like nice folks…they dress nice…smell nice…have 2.2 kids…a dog and some gold fish…drive a environmentally friendly car that just happens to be green…love the house…love your family…as a matter of fact they have potential to be your next best friends. So they make an offer…you counter…they agree. Now, are they pre-approved????? PLEASE FOR ALL THAT IS GOOD IN DETROIT…BE PRE-APPROVED! No…ok…can they get approved??? IN THE NAME OF ARETHA FRANKLIN…I HOPE SO!

So you see…there may not be mortgage tattoos out there. No big fan fare…but to a select group of people…mortgages are very important. Plus our economy depends on a healthy housing market…not just for the sake of selling homes; but to help with job creation and all the money that home owners spend on homes as they get ready to move out and move in.

If you happen to be in that ‘select’ group of mortgage minded folks. Check out Peoples Home Equity. Located in Chattanooga they are the local mortgage experts. Find them at www.chattmortgage.com or on Facebook. Call them for a free introduction 423-591-9801. If you’re a real estate agent they are a great resource…if you’re a homebuyer they have a great track record of helping home owners just like you. Listen to them on the radio every Monday on Talk Radio 102.3fm for ‘The Buyers Market’. Find us and friend us on facebook!