<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376</id><updated>2011-07-19T14:31:09.087-07:00</updated><title type='text'>"The Mortgage Expert"</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>20</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-4643648269477439735</id><published>2009-01-02T05:10:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-01-02T05:19:08.223-08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="center"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"&gt;TRUTH&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; about the Mortgage Market&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sub Prime Mortgages are credited for bankrupting hundreds of Lenders and seriously damaging operations at many major Banks and Mortgage Firms. They have reportedly wiped out 5 hedge funds, tens of thousands of jobs, and have led millions of people to foreclosures, with more on the way. If that were not enough, Sub Prime Mortgages are also blamed for massive volatility in the Stock, Bond, Credit, Futures, and Real Estate markets in the US and around the globe! Analysts say losses in the Mortgage Securities Market have reached hundreds of billions of dollars this year. This means if you are looking to buy, sell, or refinance a home, you will be confronting a very different market from the one that existed just a couple years ago! &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;How did this happen? The Real Estate boom was fueled by a period of record home appreciation and historically low interest rates. Banks and Mortgage Lenders, in order to compete, loosened guidelines and began offering more funding to more borrowers through riskier, non-conforming or "exotic" mortgages. These ideal lending conditions persisted for several years, supported by high demand, historical real estate data, home prices, and massive trading volume/profits on mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments on Wall Street. Then, in 2006, a slowdown in Real Estate led to a deterioration of home values, an increase in inventories, and ultimately to today's tightening of credit guidelines and bailouts of many Lenders and even Wall Street! This has left many Investors unable to sell or refinance out of their existing positions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Many people that tapped into their Equity are now suddenly upside-down as home values fell. Foreclosures have followed in record numbers and a re-valuation of Mortgage Bonds and other financial instruments created the credit/liquidity domino effect we are now experiencing. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;Unfortunately, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. According to the latest estimates, over 2 million sub prime and adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) holders will face payment increases of up to 30%-100% when their loans reset throughout the next year. These loans make up less than 40% of the total Mortgage Market, but the negative effects of increased foreclosure activity have had a ripple effect throughout the industry and around the globe. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;What does this mean to you and your Mortgage? &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;Sellers:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; If you're planning on selling your home, be prepared for an even smaller pool of qualified buyers. While some experts predict a settling of this credit crisis over the coming year, tightened credit guidelines and diminishing mortgage products could knock out as many as 15%-30% of potential qualified buyers. Now is &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;not&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; the time to sit and wait for the best possible price. Have a &lt;strong&gt;serious talk&lt;/strong&gt; with your Real Estate Agent. Having experienced buying/selling transactions in your area, they can help you price your home accordingly, and also help ensure that Buyers are pre-approved and stay pre-approved throughout the entire transaction! &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;Buyers:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Get pre-approved by your Mortgage Loan Officer, Steven Goldman!&lt;br /&gt;While there are many great deals out there, getting credit is becoming tougher and tougher, and it's taking longer to complete a transaction. Remember, what you qualify for today could change tomorrow in such a volatile market. For those of you looking to refinance, keep this in mind. There is no time to delay! Call me immediately!&lt;br /&gt;Do not do anything that could negatively affect your credit, and make sure you get all your documentation in on time. Missing a deadline could cost you a lot of money, or worse, the Program may be eliminated and you will not be able to qualify based on new Guidelines.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;ARM Borrowers:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; If your Adjustable Rate Mortgage is going to adjust within the next 2 years, you need to schedule an appointment with me, Steven Goldman right away! Whether your ARM is Sub Prime or even if you have a pre-payment penalty, don't let a default or foreclosure situation sneak up on you. Did you know that your monthly payments can increase anywhere from 30% to 100% once your loan resets? At the very least, give yourself the peace of mind of knowing what your adjusted payment will be. &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Borrowers with less-than-perfect credit:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; Each week it seems Guidelines are getting even more strict and Lenders are shedding more mortgage programs. Borrowers with credit issues need to call me immediately, as I have Credit Repair resources and strategies to help you reach your financial goals. Finally, there's an important concept to embrace: all markets, while cyclical in nature, are self-correcting, be it Credit, Real Estate, Stocks, or Bonds. For the last 6 or 7 years, Real Estate was booming and riding high. The correction we're experiencing now, while it seems harsh and could get much worse , is in a sense, "natural" and directly related to the extremely loose guidelines and perhaps overzealous lending and leveraging during the boom cycle.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;FHA, VA and Bond Loans:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; There are several great programs that are being offered under the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) Government Bond Programs as well as local City, County and State Bond Programs. Rates, fees and costs tend to be lower in these Programs as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;If you or anyone you know may be interested in a Purchase or Refinance Mortgage, please give me a call at 763-557-5608 for more information on these or any of our other loan products.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are most welcome!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/em&gt;Regards!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-4643648269477439735?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/4643648269477439735/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=4643648269477439735' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/4643648269477439735'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/4643648269477439735'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2009/01/truth-about-mortgage-market-sub-prime.html' title=''/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-3959039484139331410</id><published>2008-12-02T08:07:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-12-02T08:15:55.918-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Getting Better</title><content type='html'>Take a good look in your financial mirror and be honest with yourself. What exactly do I “need”, and what exactly do I “want”? No matter how much you have, there is always a want for more, right?&lt;br /&gt;Best way to start; review your Budget (if you don’t have one, make one right now!). Are you staying in your Budget or are you over (most will be over, it’s human nature)? What can you trim or get rid of? Do you really “need” that item, or is it really a“want”? Can you cut down your utilities? Call your Gas, Electric, Cable and Phone Companies to see what they can do to help reduce your costs. Does your Emergency Savings have 6 months reserves? If not, make sure to get it there to stabilize your safety net.&lt;br /&gt;Are you losing money on Investments? If so, can you move them into more secure venues until the Market turns positive? Call your personal &lt;strong&gt;Financial Planner&lt;/strong&gt; to do a &lt;strong&gt;Financial Fitness Check-up&lt;/strong&gt;, also please call your &lt;strong&gt;Insurance Agent&lt;/strong&gt; to make sure you have proper types and amounts of Coverage’s that are needed for emergencies. What you are cutting away put into Savings. Please remember that it is all right to go out and have some fun, a nice dinner, movie or ball game, but make sure to have all of your fixed expenses paid first.&lt;br /&gt;Financial and Housing Markets will turn around and go up! Gas and food prices have finally gone down, and we are all much more thoughtful in both spending and savings.&lt;br /&gt;Refinancing High Interest Mortgage Loans, ARM and Negative Amortized Mortgages or Debt Consolidation Refinancing are all great ways to stabilize your finances, save more money and increase your security. If you or someone you know has a High Interest, ARM or NegAm Mortgage Loan, please give me a call. Please call me direct at 763-557-5608, or stop in to see me at the Bremer Bank-Plymouth, MN Branch.&lt;br /&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are most welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Have a wonderful Holiday Season!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Regards,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-3959039484139331410?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/3959039484139331410/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=3959039484139331410' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3959039484139331410'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3959039484139331410'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/12/getting-better.html' title='Getting Better'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-3811981428963322306</id><published>2008-10-02T08:02:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-10-02T08:06:53.540-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is it really that bad?  Yeah, but....</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;WOW!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; What a mess our economy is in!  Everyday more bad news just keeps coming. Sounds pretty gloomy, but guess what, we did not get there overnight and it will not be fixed overnight either.  We all need to sit down and re-evaluate our finances.  No matter how much you earn or spend, there is always a want for more, right?&lt;br /&gt;Here’s the best way to start; &lt;strong&gt;review your Budget&lt;/strong&gt; (if you don’t have one, make one right now!). Are you staying in your Budget or are you over (most will be over, it’s human nature)?  What can you trim or get rid of?  Do you have enough in your Emergency Savings for 6 months of expenses? If not, make sure to get it there to stabilize your safety net. &lt;br /&gt;Are you losing money on Investments?  If so, can you move them into other more secure venues until the Market turns positive? Call your Financial Planner to do a Financial Fitness Check-up, also please call your Insurance Agent to make sure you have proper types and amounts of Coverage’s that are needed for emergencies.  Put what you are cutting away in Savings. It’s o.k. to go out and have fun, go out for a nice dinner, movie or ball game, but remember to have your fixed expenses paid first.&lt;br /&gt;Financial and Housing Markets will turn around and go up!  Gas and food prices will go down and we are working at fixing global warming too!&lt;br /&gt;If you or someone you know has a high interest or ARM Mortgage Loan, please give me a call. Refinancing may be a great way to lower costs and consolidate debt (which saves you more money!).  Please feel free to call me direct at 763-557-5608 or stop in to see me at the Bremer Bank-Plymouth, MN Branch.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always appreciated and welcome!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Enjoy the cool. crisp fall weather!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Regards,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Steven&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-3811981428963322306?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/3811981428963322306/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=3811981428963322306' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3811981428963322306'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3811981428963322306'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/10/is-it-really-that-bad-yeah-but.html' title='Is it really that bad?  Yeah, but....'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-3837739979369955859</id><published>2008-09-02T14:46:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-02T14:48:38.735-07:00</updated><title type='text'>ARMs Length?</title><content type='html'>Millions of Home Owners are facing the dilemma right now to decide whether or not to Refinance their &lt;strong&gt;Adjustable Rate Mortgages&lt;/strong&gt;. If you are one of the few that have around the 4.0% Rate, when your ARM adjusts, you may only increase to 6%. Most people that have ARM Loans are in the 5.50% - 5.875% range. Standard ARM Loans have a 2% Maximum Cap on increases each year. Some may go up 1% every 6 months, others may go up 2% at one time! If your current rate is at 5.875% you may adjust up to 7.875%! This huge jump will drastically increase your monthly payment!&lt;br /&gt;Do you have a &lt;strong&gt;Negative Amortized Loan&lt;/strong&gt; or the &lt;strong&gt;Payment Option ARM Loan&lt;/strong&gt;? If so, you may probably be in an even worse situation. You could possibly owe more now than what your original Mortgage was taken out for, or even owe more than the current value of your property!&lt;br /&gt;Now is the time to look at your refinancing choices! There are new Loan Programs from FHA and Conventional Programs available to help refinancing out of your ARM, Neg Am or Pay Option ARM Loans. I will meet with you and go over your current situation, review your Mortgage Note and find you a new Loan that will be fixed, stable and help with your Monthly Budget. Please give me a call direct at 763-557-5608 or stop in to see me at Bremer Bank – Plymouth Branch.&lt;br /&gt;If you or anyone you know are interested in buying a new property, or refinancing a current property, please call me at 763-557-5608. To start the Pre-Approval process, please stop in at the Bremer Bank -Plymouth Branch. I will be happy to answer any questions you have.&lt;br /&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always appreciated and welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-3837739979369955859?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/3837739979369955859/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=3837739979369955859' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3837739979369955859'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3837739979369955859'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/09/arms-length.html' title='ARMs Length?'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-8745450832013039854</id><published>2008-08-01T09:32:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-08-01T09:37:03.412-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is now the time to Buy?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color:#993399;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Are there opportunities&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; to get a great value in today’s Real Estate Market? You bet there is! Unfortunately bad news for some people is good news for others. No one wants to lose their home, but unfortunately circumstances may be beyond their control and people are forced to sell for a much lower amount than market rate.&lt;br /&gt;Current Interest Rates are still historically low, and the availability of great homes at low prices keeps increasing. Now really is the best time to purchase a new home. The Real Estate Market has begun to turn upwards. People are buying new homes and many are even moving into larger homes.&lt;br /&gt;To find the "gem in the rough" is always the best way to buy. Buyers can find exceptional values by purchasing a home that may need a bit of work (not major construction). Also, there are many "move-in ready" homes that may just need new paint to be perfect for you! Updating the kitchen, bathrooms and family areas are always a great way to make it your own and increase the value!&lt;br /&gt;Upgrading or "move up’ Buyers are in a unique position. They may not get top dollar on their current home, but will be able to buy a more expensive home for a much lower price than during previous market history! Values will go up and equity will increase!&lt;br /&gt;First Time Home Buyers have the more buying power now than they have had in the last decade. Reduced Property Values are all over the State. While the values are low is the time to buy. Just like with investments, buy low and sell high. Your new Property should increase over time as the market gets better, building more and more equity for you.&lt;br /&gt;If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing a new home, please give me a call at&lt;strong&gt; 763-557-5608&lt;/strong&gt; or stop in to see me at the Bremer Bank Plymouth Branch to start the Pre-Approval process. I will be happy to answer any questions you have. As always referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are most appreciated!&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy the rest of summer!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-8745450832013039854?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/8745450832013039854/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=8745450832013039854' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8745450832013039854'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8745450832013039854'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/08/is-now-time-to-buy.html' title='Is now the time to Buy?'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-957582874458444938</id><published>2008-07-01T05:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-07-01T06:00:32.101-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Time to 401K !</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#993399;"&gt;Do you have a 401Kor 403B?&lt;/span&gt; If not, you need to have one!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Most Employers offer some form of Retirement Plan as a benefit to their Employees in fact, they may even offer matching funds!&lt;br /&gt;401K Programs offer ability to chose your own investments, a chance to save pre-tax dollars and an easy way to save for retirement. Employer Contributions are "free money" to help you save even more for retirement.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Start saving by joining the 401K or 403B Savings Plan at work and save as much as is comfortable for you and your budget, but remember that there always will be a demand on your money, something always comes up, but you must save for the future. Consistency is the key for success! Save a small amount form each paycheck, start with 10% (more or less as you feel comfortable). When you can afford to increase contributions, do so. Over time, earnings on your money typically increases, bringing you even more financial security.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Diversify your investments with a variety of Funds can help to reach your goals. If you do not have an Investment Consultant please let me know and I will be happy to give you referrals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You are in the driver’s seat. Employers and Fund providers usually will make investment education available to you, but it is your responsibility to build up the retirement nest egg that you need. There is no need to micromanage your funds, just use smart saving strategies to help make your money grow over time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Research savings education resources such as &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.choosetosave.org/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;www.choosetosave.org&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Meet with a Financial Planner&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Diversify your investments with a variety of Funds that will help achieve your specific goals&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Rebalance Funds when Equity/Fixed Income percentages are more than 5% off your target goals&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Track savings progress at every age milestone&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Federal Government limits the amount that you can contribute to an Employer Sponsored Savings Plan on a pre-tax basis. You save pre-tax dollars from your gross income, so your contributions will reduce your taxable income. It may make good financial sense to contribute the maximum amount and cut your tax liability. Please consult your Financial Planner or Tax Consultant for advice on your specific financial needs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Refinancing your primary residence, vacation home or investment properties for a lower interest rate, monthly savings or debt consolidation is a great way to add more to your Retirement Savings. Put the savings each month into your 401K, 403B or IRA Retirement Accounts and watch your funds increase quickly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you or anyone you know is looking to refinance please call me direct at 763-557-5608, or stop in to see me at Bremer Bank—Plymouth, MN.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always appreciated and welcome!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Enjoy the Holiday Weekend!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Regards,&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Steven Goldman&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-957582874458444938?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/957582874458444938/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=957582874458444938' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/957582874458444938'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/957582874458444938'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/07/time-to-401k.html' title='Time to 401K !'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-8066591883815821162</id><published>2008-06-18T08:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-18T08:44:52.806-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is it too late?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#6600cc;"&gt;IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO SAVE!!!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;You are not behind the 8-ball and can still start saving today! &lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Every dollar you save is one more closer to a comfortable retirement.  Unfortunately many people today have not been able to save for their future needs, let alone retirement.  This is a goal that we must all have and it can be done (even if your retirement is not far off!) &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;Bit by bit:  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Set aside a small amount from each paycheck, say about 10% and put this into your Retirement Account and/or Savings or Money Market Account for emergency needs.  If your Employer offers either a 401K or 403B Retirement Plan, take advantage of this, especially if they have a matching funds program!  If you can set aside more, then you will be increasing your savings even faster!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Set realistic goals:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  Decide how much money you will need to have the retirement lifestyle you want.  Pay off high interest credit cards and loans now, and only charge what you absolutely need to.  Once you have paid off a bill, deposit the same amount of the payment into your Savings and/or Retirement Accounts, growing your nest egg even larger.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3366ff;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Refinance:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;  By refinancing your primary residence or vacation home for a lower interest rate, monthly savings or debt consolidation you will be able to add more to your Savings.  Put the amount you are saving each month into your Savings and/or Retirement Accounts and watch your funds increase quickly. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you or anyone you know  is interested in refinancing, please call me  direct at 763-557-5608, or stop in to see me at Bremer Bank—Plymouth, MN. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always appreciated and welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy your summer!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:180%;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-8066591883815821162?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/8066591883815821162/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=8066591883815821162' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8066591883815821162'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8066591883815821162'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/06/is-it-too-late.html' title='Is it too late?'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-5924895973848468164</id><published>2008-05-08T07:41:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-08T07:47:58.231-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Challenging Times</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Rising fuel costs, the declining value of the dollar, decreasing home prices, increased food costs and reduced consumer spending are all greatly impacting the economy.&lt;br /&gt;The underlying cause of many of today’s problems may be linked directly to credit markets &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Other factors impacting our current economy: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Home values continue to drop in many parts of the country. Some Economists believe that this represents a "right-sizing of the true cost" of home values which had become inflated. Victims of Sub-Prime Lending and people who simply bought more home than they could afford are driving many of today’s foreclosures.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Unemployment has been on the rise. As a result, Americans do not have the purchasing power of the past five years. That surge in consumer spending has been a key economic driver for some time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Rising fuel costs impact everyone from individual consumers to major businesses. Airlines and trucking companies are becoming less profitable, forcing bankruptcies and consolidation in the industry – and passing higher costs onto consumers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Food prices have had large increases over the past 12 months. Rising energy costs for production and transportation combined with growing worldwide food demand and the shift to producing ethanol rather than food have all had a negative impact. &lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consumers are losing confidence in the economy along with the drop in their Real Estate values. Until that stabilizes, Consumer optimism will most likely remain low, causing fear and caution, impacting spending habits and willingness to invest. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is there light at the end of the tunnel?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the midst of all the doom and gloom, steps are being taken to address the multiple issues facing the U.S. economy. As it has in the past, Government intervention may provide significant relief.&lt;br /&gt;Congress is currently debating several actions to ensure that Student Loans don’t dry up for borrowers.&lt;br /&gt;The Federal Reserve has drastically cut interest rates, lowered collateral standards for banks and created discount windows for brokerages seeking overnight loans.&lt;br /&gt;The IRS will soon begin mailing Americans millions in tax rebates (the centerpiece of the Government's $168 billion stimulus package), flooding the economy with cash that will be used to pay down debt, drive consumer spending and increase savings.&lt;br /&gt;Multiple plans at both State and Federal levels are being implemented to keep people out of foreclosure or provide them with time to ‘catch up’ on loans that are delinquent.&lt;br /&gt;The Government has also allowed the two Housing agencies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to purchase more mortgages, improving liquidity and price. They are expected to purchase more than $300 billion in additional mortgages as a result of the latest government actions. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;More positives?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Some experts are saying that the dollar is stabilizing. A weak dollar isn’t all bad, it makes U.S. produced goods cheaper for foreigner buyers. As a result, the demand for U.S. exports increases. This increase in exports leads to a reduction in the trade deficit.&lt;br /&gt;Existing home sales rose both in January and February. Low interest rates continue to attract both Buyers and Refinance Clients. Plus, certain segments such as Senior Housing have seen prices hold while demand increases. As both house prices and mortgage rates fall, the housing affordability index, published by the National Association of Realtors, has hit a three-year high.&lt;br /&gt;Some businesses, such as energy alternatives and "Green Companies", are actually flourishing in an environment where gas prices rise almost daily. This growth area, combined with an intense focus on ‘green-living’ will create new jobs and drive investment in new technologies.&lt;br /&gt;Farmers are reporting record crop prices. The price of farm land has increased significantly. The growth of per capita income has outpaced the national average by a wide margin. Sales of farm equipment like tractors and combines are strong.&lt;br /&gt;Our economy in the United States is cyclical and we’ve lived through this type of challenging cycles before. Every recession is unique and has different solutions and responses. Americans are very good at responding to and weathering these difficult times.. There’s a lot of energy being put into solving the problems and I think that should give people hope.&lt;br /&gt;If you have any questions regarding purchasing a home or refinancing your current home please give me a call direct at 763-557-5608 or stop in to see me at the Bremer Bank Plymouth location at your convenience.&lt;br /&gt;As always, referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are most welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy the Spring weather.&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-5924895973848468164?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/5924895973848468164/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=5924895973848468164' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/5924895973848468164'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/5924895973848468164'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/05/challenging-times.html' title='Challenging Times'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-629459286886699371</id><published>2008-04-02T07:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-02T07:26:40.230-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Tough times?  Buckle down.</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:arial;"&gt;WHAT CAN WE DO?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mortgage, Banking and Real Estate Industries are all being hit hard. Home prices are down. Retailers are down. Gas and Food prices are up. What can we do? Now more than ever, we need to revise our Monthly Budget and cut where we can.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;If you have a property value that is increasing and have a nest egg that is not shrinking, I applaud you for wise investment and money management. If you are like most people, with bills piling up, declining property values and minimal or no nest egg or emergency funds, there is still time to get out of this situation. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;Here’s how: most importantly, &lt;strong&gt;pay yourself first!&lt;/strong&gt; Set aside a comfortable amount from each check, say 10%. These funds are to be for emergency only! Keep your Mortgage payments on time. Make sure you are paying your credit cards and car loans on time too. If you are able to pay them off, you will be saving on future interest charges to these creditors. By paying them off you can keep the additional interest yourself. Once the bill is paid in full, set aside the same amount for that bill in your savings, you will be amazed how quickly it adds up! (also giving you more financial security).&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;Cut out the frivolous spending. Buy only what is necessary. We all like to eat out, but cooking at home brings the family together (and food always tastes better when its made with love!) Have friends over and pot luck. It’s amazing what one night of fun with friends can do for your spirits. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;The economy will improve, housing prices will rise and we will be able to save more money for future needs! We have all been in situations that seem hopeless, but a ray of sun comes out and all begins to get better. Careful spending, continuous savings and smart money management will help us all make it through these tough times. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;Look at refinancing to lower your monthly payments, get out of an Adjustable Mortgage Loan, or use available equity to consolidate bills to put yourself in an overall better financial position. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;If you or anyone you know is interested in refinancing, please call me at 763-557-5608, or stop in to the Bremer Bank Plymouth Branch.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always welcome!&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Spring is here!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;Regards,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-629459286886699371?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/629459286886699371/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=629459286886699371' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/629459286886699371'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/629459286886699371'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/04/tough-times-buckle-down.html' title='Tough times?  Buckle down.'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-2637187467287421555</id><published>2008-03-05T14:40:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-03-05T14:46:49.601-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Buyers Have Hard Decisions</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:130%;color:#330099;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use a Qualified Mortgage Banker to Ensure the Best Results&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Taking the step into home ownership is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime. There are many factors to consider when starting this venture. There are many loan programs available, both Conventional and Government, and it is important to find the one that best fits your personal long-term goals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First and foremost, you must have a trustworthy Mortgage Banker in your corner that is willing to take the time to know and understand what your long-term goals are. Communication is the key factor here. Be upfront and honest with your information. If not, the truth will come out eventually and you may not be able to qualify for the loan program that you want.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Curious prospective home buyers sometimes turn to Internet-based services just to see what current interest rates are. But a faceless web site will not care about your future financial well being, or guide you through the various stages of the loan process. When shopping for a home loan, be wary of web-based services that offer programs to reel prospects in with attractive rates that are based upon unrealistic time frames.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If a Broker or Lender is offering a terrific rate based on a 10-day lock-in period, it is unlikely that you would actually be able to find your dream home, get through the negotiation process and win approval from a lender within such a short period of time. This is called short-pricing, and when it comes time to close the transaction, the rate that was originally offered is simply no longer available. Which means you as the Buyer would potentially be bulldozed into a loan program with a higher interest rate. As a fully qualified Mortgage Banker whose business is based upon referrals, I would never use unscrupulous tactics such as this to get new customers in the door!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once you are ready to begin the Mortgage Loan Process, lay your goals out on the table because it will have a tremendous impact on choosing a loan program that meets your specific needs. One of the most important factors to consider is how long you wish to borrow the money for. For example, if you know you will only be in the home for five years, it &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;would no&lt;/span&gt;t make sense to opt for a 30-year loan program or pay additional discount points up front to secure a lower interest rate. You would not be in the home long enough to benefit from such action. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I will be able to narrow down a selection of programs based on the information that you have provided, and present you with an easy-to-read proposal that clearly defines viable options for your interest rate and amortization schedule, monthly payment and any potential savings you may realize by paying points up front. Also, if you would like, I will review this information with your tax consultant or financial planner so they may offer additional feedback on your behalf.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Home ownership imparts a rewarding vehicle for building wealth and a strong financial future. As your Mortgage Banker, I will be there throughout the entire process including when your loan closes. Plus, I will also provide you with ongoing service to assist you in managing your largest asset over time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please give me a call direct at 763-557-5608 to set up a convenient time to meet to go over your current needs. Referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are always welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Steven&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-2637187467287421555?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/2637187467287421555/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=2637187467287421555' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/2637187467287421555'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/2637187467287421555'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/03/buyers-have-hard-decisions.html' title='Buyers Have Hard Decisions'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-6943382452171812775</id><published>2008-02-02T17:09:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-02T17:15:36.678-08:00</updated><title type='text'>FED CUTS RATE</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color:#cc0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Historic Fed Move Cuts Both Ways for Borrowers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hot on the heels of its surprise inter-session rate cut of 75 basis points last week, the Federal Reserve cut key interest rates again, the fifth straight cut since September 2007. In its statement last week, the Fed said: "it had decided to cut the Federal Funds Rate in view of a weakening of the economic outlook and increasing downside risks to growth." The economic data suggests the US is on the brink of recession, and the Fed is acting accordingly.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000099;"&gt;Who benefits from this cut?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you have a loan that is directly tied to the Prime Rate, you will see an immediate benefit. Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC's), Variable Rate Loans and charge cards are the types of loans that will have an immediate interest rate reduction.  These changes should reflect on the next statement.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000099;"&gt;What this means for long-term rates?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Long-term Mortgage rates, the lowest we have seen in years, could actually increase after Wednesday's cut, based on historical performance and recent trends.  If you are waiting for long-term rates to go down even more, don't count on it. Your best chance to lock in the lowest rates since 2005 is now. By getting your application in process now will allow you to secure a low fixed-rate before it's too late.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000099;"&gt;What REALLY moves Mortgage rates?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fixed-Rate Mortgage rates are not directly tied to the Fed Interest Rate moves. The Mortgage Rates actually tend to follow in the direction of other long-term Government Bond yields, like the 10-year Treasury Bond, which historically changes in accordance with the economic outlook and in advance of Fed actions. The performance of Mortgage Backed Securities, issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is what really determines long-term Mortgage Rates.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000099;"&gt;How does the economic stimulus package fit into the picture?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The economic stimulus package from Congress and the White House could be a double-edged sword for Borrowers. Combined with recent Fed actions, the package could create inflation and bring about higher long-term interest rates.&lt;br /&gt;On the positive side, Conforming Loan limits are likely to be raised from the current $417,000 to upwards of $625,000. Which means greater potential savings for purchase and refinance Clients who live in high-cost areas across the country.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000099;"&gt;What should you do next?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are unsure how the rate-cut or the proposed legislation affects your Mortgage, don't worry, you're not alone. Please give me a call at 763-557-5608 or stop in to the Plymouth Branch today.  I will review your current Mortgage terms and work with you to see what can or should be done to make the most of your personal financial goals and needs.&lt;br /&gt;I hope that this information has been helpful to you. &lt;br /&gt;Thank you for your past business.  I look forward to working with you again in the near future.&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-6943382452171812775?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/6943382452171812775/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=6943382452171812775' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/6943382452171812775'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/6943382452171812775'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/02/fed-cuts-rate.html' title='FED CUTS RATE'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-159708353652370045</id><published>2008-01-09T08:08:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-09T08:26:41.408-08:00</updated><title type='text'>MORTGAGE TRUTHS</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;TRUTH &lt;/strong&gt;about the Mortgage Market&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Sub prime Mortgages have been credited for bankrupting hundreds of Lenders and seriously damaging operations at many major Banks and Mortgage Firms. They've reportedly wiped out 5 hedge funds, tens of thousands of jobs, and have led to millions of foreclosures with more on the way. If that were not enough, Sub prime Mortgages are also blamed for massive volatility in the Stock, Bond, Credit, Futures, and Real Estate markets in the US and around the globe. Some Analysts say losses in the Mortgage Securities Market alone could reach hundreds of billions of dollars this year. This means if you are looking to buy, sell, or refinance a home, you will be confronting a very different market from the one that existed just 6-12 months ago.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How did this happen?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The recent real estate boom was fueled by a period of record home appreciation and historically low interest rates. Banks and Mortgage Lenders, in order to compete, loosened guidelines and began offering more funding to more borrowers through riskier, non-conforming or "exotic" mortgages. These ideal lending conditions persisted for several years, supported by high demand, historical real estate data, home prices, and massive trading volume/profits on mortgage-backed securities and other financial instruments on Wall Street.&lt;br /&gt;In 2006, slowdown in real estate led to a deterioration of home values, an increase in inventories, and ultimately to today's tightening of credit guidelines, leaving many investors unable to sell or refinance out of their existing positions. Many people that had tapped into their equity were suddenly tapped-out and overextended as home values fell. Foreclosures followed in record numbers and a re-valuation of Mortgage Bonds and other financial instruments created the credit/liquidity domino effect we are now experiencing.&lt;br /&gt;Unfortunately, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. According to the latest estimates, over 2 million sub prime and adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) holders will face payment increases of up to 30%-100% when their loans reset in the next 2 to 18 months. These loans make up less than 40% of the total mortgage market, but the negative effects of increased foreclosure activity can have a ripple effect throughout the industry and around the globe.&lt;br /&gt;What does this mean to you and your Mortgage?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sellers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you're planning on selling your home, be prepared for an even smaller pool of qualified buyers. While some experts predict a settling of this credit crisis over the coming year, tightened credit guidelines and diminishing mortgage products could knock out as many as 15%-30% of potential qualified buyers. Now is not the time to sit and wait for the best possible price. Have a serious talk with your Real Estate Agent. Having experienced both buying and selling transactions in your area, they can help you price your home accordingly, and also help ensure that your Buyers are pre-approved and stay pre-approved throughout the entire transaction.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Buyers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Get pre-approved by your Mortgage Loan Officer, Steven Goldman. While there are a lot of great deals out there, getting credit is becoming tougher and tougher, and it's taking longer and longer to complete a transaction. Remember, what you qualify for today could change tomorrow in such a volatile market. For those of you looking to refinance, keep this in mind. There is no time to delay! Communicate with your Lender. Do not do anything that could negatively affect your credit, and make sure you get all your documentation in on time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ARM Borrowers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If your Adjustable Rate Mortgage is going to &lt;strong&gt;adjust in the next 2-18 months&lt;/strong&gt;, you need to schedule an appointment with Steven Goldman right away. Whether your ARM is Sub prime or even if you have a pre-payment penalty, don't let a default or foreclosure situation sneak up on you. Did you know that your monthly payments can increase anywhere from 30% to 100% once your loan resets? At the very least, give yourself the peace of mind of knowing what your new adjusted payment will be.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;Borrowers with less-than-perfect credit:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Each week it seems Lenders are shedding more and more mortgage products. Many Lenders have stopped offering No-Doc loans and are reducing all forms of Stated-Income loans.  It may be challenging, but Borrowers with credit issues need to &lt;strong&gt;call me immediately&lt;/strong&gt;, as I have Credit Repair resources and other strategies to help you reach your financial goals.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Finally, there's an important concept to embrace: all markets, while cyclical in nature, are self-correcting, be it Credit, Real Estate, Stocks, or Bonds. For the last 6 or 7 years, Real Estate was booming and riding high. The correction we're experiencing now – while it seems harsh and could get much worse – is, in a sense, "natural" and directly related to the extremely loose guidelines and perhaps overzealous lending and leveraging during the boom cycle.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="color:#6600cc;"&gt;FHA and Bond Loans:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are several great programs that are being offered under the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) Government Bond Programs as well as local City, County and State Bond Programs. Rates, fees and costs tend to be lower in these Programs as well.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you or anyone you know may be interested in a purchase or refinance Mortgage, please give &lt;strong&gt;Steven a call at 763-557-5608&lt;/strong&gt; for more information on these or any of our other loan products. As always, referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are most welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy the Winter.&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-159708353652370045?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/159708353652370045/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=159708353652370045' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/159708353652370045'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/159708353652370045'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2008/01/mortgage-truths.html' title='MORTGAGE TRUTHS'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-6755703758669051780</id><published>2007-12-03T09:28:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2007-12-04T12:44:09.074-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Refinancing, is it right for me?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#3333ff;"&gt;REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why Refinance back into a 30-Year Loan? One of the biggest reasons homeowners refinance their mortgage is to obtain a lower interest rate or lower monthly payments. By refinancing, you will pay off the existing mortgage and replace it with a new one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are several refinancing loan programs available depending on your current credit scores, debt-to-income ratio, type of income and asset documentation you use. Also there are loan programs with “no-points/no-fees” which are known as “no cost” to the borrower. In the no-points/no-fees scenario, you will pay a higher interest rate to the Lender for them to pay off non-recurring closing costs for the borrower. These are “one time” fees such as Escrow, Attorney Fees, Title Insurance, Document Preparation, Tax Service, Flood Certification, Processing and Underwriting fees, etc. You are still responsible for recurring fees such as Home Owner’s Insurance and Property Tax payments. I will find the best program and lowest rate available for your current situation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Refinancing typically occurs when mortgage interest rates drop significantly, but borrowers with recently improved credit scores (from paying off credit card debt, making mortgage payments and car payments on time, etc.) are often candidates for better interest rates as well. If you haven’t checked your credit score in a while, it’s a good time to call me to see what you may qualify for.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The question most of my Clients ask is, “Why should I go back into a 30-year loan?” There are different views on this subject. I will work directly with you and your Financial Planner (if you have one) to determine what fits best for your current needs and future goals. If you would like a referral for a very good Financial Planner, please contact &lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;Jeffrey Allen at The&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;Rein Group 952-542-0734 or email JeffA@TheReinGroup.com&lt;/span&gt; .&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One option is to take the route of the “same payment” refinance, and actually pay off the loan faster and save money on interest fees in the long-run. If refinancing gives you a lower monthly payment, you can still continue making the same payment as your previous loan, and the extra money will be applied to the principal balance. This will pay off your new loan much faster and save you a lot of money over the term of your loan!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For example: Let’s say you have 25 years remaining in your current loan, and you refinance to a 30-year loan with a slightly lower rate, giving you a savings of $200 per month. (Note: This is only an example, the actual amount could vary.) You could then take that extra $200 per month and apply it toward the principal on the new loan. At this rate, the loan will be paid off in 22 years and 4 months.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Regardless of the reason to refinance, I will need to know terms of the existing loan, review your immediate and long-term goals, and provide comparisons for new loan programs available. Refinancing could also give a potentail deduction at tax time. I will present all the available options having your best interest in mind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Due to the &lt;strong&gt;“Anti-Predatory Lending Laws”&lt;/strong&gt; in Minnesota, refinancing your Mortgage needs to have “Net Tangible Benefits” for the Underwriter to approve the loan. This is done to protect the consumer. Some benefits are: lower rate, monthly savings, shorter term, and cash out for home improvements, debt consolidation or paying off delinquent taxes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Being a Mortgage Professional, my goal is to provide you with the very best service possible. Please call me direct at 763-515-5050 with any questions you may have. As always, referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are always appreciated!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Happy Holidays!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-6755703758669051780?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/6755703758669051780/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=6755703758669051780' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/6755703758669051780'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/6755703758669051780'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/12/refinance-your-mortgage.html' title='Refinancing, is it right for me?'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-4350042543404654791</id><published>2007-11-02T10:20:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-11-02T10:51:26.582-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is your ARM going up?</title><content type='html'>If your Adjustable Rate Mortgage has recently gone up, you are not alone!&lt;br /&gt;Over $600 Billion in Mortgages are adjusting in 2007!&lt;br /&gt;In 2004, the Federal Reserve made it clear that short-term interest rates would be increased at a “measured pace” because of a fluctuating US Dollar, unstable oil prices and an evaluation of other economic indicators. In an effort to curb inflation, the Federal Reserve has kept its word and continued to raise rates, including an incredible streak of 17 consecutive hike announcements! The result of these increases has caused millions of homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages to feel the sting of increases in their annual adjustments.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consumers with revolving debt accounts tied to the Prime Rate have already felt the impact. Prime Rate always rides 3% above the current Fed Funds Rate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;An increase in the Fed Funds Rate does have a direct impact on financial markets as a whole. Mortgage rates are affected rather indirectly, they go up or down based on the prevailing perception investors have of current economic statistics and their reaction to the Federal Reserve’s after-meeting statements.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In general, when economic data indicates we have a slow-down occurring in our economy, investors tend to sell off stocks and reallocate that money to the safe haven of bonds and mortgage-backed securities. The purchase of mortgage-backed securities drives interest rates down. When economic data indicates growth in the economy, the stock market typically rallies and mortgage-backed securities sell off to fuel that stock market rally. This drives mortgage interest rates up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our current market reflects the reaction of investors having read between the lines on comments made by the Fed, and will continue to have an affect on homeowners with ARM Loans tied to indexes that are based on short-term interest rates. This includes the 11th District Cost of Funds (COFI), 12-Month Treasury Average (MTA), London Inter Bank Offering Rates (LIBOR) and others.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This does not mean that everyone with an adjustable mortgage is in immediate danger. Some indexes are more volatile than others. COFI moves much slower than other adjustable rate indexes. LIBOR fluctuates with more volatility. When an ARM adjusts, the new interest rate is a sum of the borrower’s fixed margin plus the current rate of the index the mortgage is tied to.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are going to be paying an interest rate that has either already adjusted, or will be soon, you may want to consider refinancing to take advantage of the stability of a fixed-rate mortgage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This is also a good time for borrowers who -- due to a poor credit score -- started out in an adjustable rate loan to transition into a fixed-rate loan if they can. If a positive track record of making mortgage payments on time and in full can been established, there’s a very good chance the borrower may now qualify for a loan with a lower interest rate.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With any decision to refinance, it is important to take the terms of the existing loan, the cost of the new loan, and your long-term needs into consideration. As a qualified mortgage professional, I will be able to explain the differences so you can choose the best the option for your needs.&lt;br /&gt;Please give me a call at 763-515-5050 or 763-458-9007 to discuss your current situation.&lt;br /&gt;As always, referrals to family, friends, neighbors and business associates are welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-4350042543404654791?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/4350042543404654791/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=4350042543404654791' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/4350042543404654791'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/4350042543404654791'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-your-arm-going-up.html' title='Is your ARM going up?'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-8473270111577631056</id><published>2007-09-19T10:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-09-19T10:49:11.563-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Tips To Spruce Up Your Home</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="color:#000000;"&gt;Tired of your surroundings?&lt;/span&gt;  Want to revitalize or are you planning on selling your home?  Here are great tips to improve your living space or to make your home even more attractive to Buyers in today's very competitive market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt; Unclutter:  &lt;/strong&gt;Go through each room and get rid of items you no longer need or use.  It's fine to keep a few magazines and a recent newspaper, but get rid of the piles!  Store out-of-season clothing to make your closets seem more spacious.  Don't forget the garage!  Donations to charity are always needed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;2.  &lt;strong&gt;Clean up the yard:&lt;/strong&gt;  Put all toys and tools back where they belong.  Trim trees and bushes for more visibility to your home as well as letting more light inside.  Edge your grass for a cleaner look.  Clean out gutters, rake up leaves and clippimgs.  Add seasonal plants and flowers near the entryway for a warner greeting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3.  &lt;strong&gt;Reseal or patch&lt;/strong&gt; driveway as needed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;4.  &lt;strong&gt;Clean interior of home frequently:&lt;/strong&gt;  Especially before every showing!  Wash floors, chairs and windows.  Wipe off all fingerprints from tables, chrome, brass and light switch plates.  Vacuum carpeting and sweep all floors.  Clean out both the oven and refrigerator.  You want the Buyers to have the impression of a well cared for home.  Be sure to get rid of cooking, pet and smoke odors.  Open up the windows to allow a fresh breeze to flow through the home.  Potpourri and candles are great choices to add a special scent to your home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;5.  &lt;strong&gt;Polish or replace house&lt;/strong&gt; numbers, doorknobs and doorknockers.  Shiny attracts attention.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;6.  &lt;strong&gt;Add fresh flowers and plants&lt;/strong&gt; throughout the home, even try adding a centerpiece to your tables for an added punch of color.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;7.  &lt;strong&gt;Add new sheer curtains&lt;/strong&gt; for more light.  Make sure to clean the screens and windows.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;8. &lt;strong&gt; Buy new towels.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;9.  &lt;strong&gt;Add artwork: &lt;/strong&gt; Tasteful and simple will do just fine.  No need to go overboard, just a few pieces throught the home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;10.  &lt;strong&gt;Consult &lt;/strong&gt;with a professional Interior Designer or Home Stager.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Improvement&lt;/strong&gt; projects such as kitchen and bathroom remodeling, adding new windows and doors or expanding the deck are great ways to increase your value. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Equity Lines&lt;/strong&gt; are a great way to fund these projects and even get tax deductibility depending on your tax situation.  Both &lt;strong&gt;Home Equity Lines and Fixed Rate 2nd Mortgages&lt;/strong&gt; are available.  Please give me a call at 763-515-5050 to discuss the opportunities available.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As always, referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are most welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy the Fall!&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:lucida grande;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-8473270111577631056?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/8473270111577631056/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=8473270111577631056' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8473270111577631056'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8473270111577631056'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/09/tips-to-spruce-up-your-home.html' title='Tips To Spruce Up Your Home'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-1809831718252858606</id><published>2007-08-03T10:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-08-03T10:31:41.538-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;p align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#6600cc;"&gt;First  Time  Homebuyers ?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Are you tired of renting and throwing your money away? Become a homeowner and enjoy the benefits and pride of owning your own home.&lt;br /&gt;If you live in Minnesota, you may be able to qualify for a terrific Loan Program thru the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;MHFA’s mission “is to meet Minnesotans needs for decent, safe affordable homes and stronger communities”. Mortgage programs are provided that are below market interest rates to eligible first-time homebuyers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Benefits of the MHFA Loan Programs:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Below market interest rates&lt;br /&gt;Interest-Free loans to help with down payment assistance&lt;br /&gt;Monthly Payment Assistance&lt;br /&gt;30 year and 40 year Mortgage Terms&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mortgage Program Guidelines&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To qualify for MHFA Loan Program you must:&lt;br /&gt;Be a first time homebuyer, or have not owned a home in the past 3 years&lt;br /&gt;Meet the requirements for income and home purchase price limits&lt;br /&gt;Have acceptable credit&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:130%;"&gt;Mortgage Loan Programs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Minnesota Mortgage Program (MMP)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Available Statewide&lt;br /&gt;Below market interest rates&lt;br /&gt;30 year maximum Loan Term&lt;br /&gt;Homeownership Assistance Fund (HAF) available for Targeted Borrowers for down payment and closing costs&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community Activity Set-Aside Program (CASA)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Supports Community-based initiatives&lt;br /&gt;Below market interest rates&lt;br /&gt;Optional 40-year loan term&lt;br /&gt;Homeownership Assistance Fund (HAF) available for Targeted Borrowers for down payment, closings costs and monthly payment assistance&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are interested in these programs, or know someone who may be interested, please give me a call at 763-515-5050. As always, referrals to friends, family members, neighbors and business associates are always welcome!&lt;br /&gt;Enjoy the hot weather. It will be getting cold soon enough!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Regards,&lt;br /&gt;Steven&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-1809831718252858606?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/1809831718252858606/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=1809831718252858606' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/1809831718252858606'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/1809831718252858606'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/08/first-time-homebuyers-are-you-tired-of.html' title=''/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-1954450485259674743</id><published>2007-07-01T12:06:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-07-02T18:41:58.290-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Negative Amortized Mortgages</title><content type='html'>Did you decide to get into a &lt;strong&gt;Negative Amortized Mortgage&lt;/strong&gt;?&lt;br /&gt;Did your loan perform the way you wanted it too? If you were expecting your value to increase, did it go as high as you thought it would? Are you now owing more than the value of your home? If you have answered &lt;strong&gt;yes &lt;/strong&gt;to any of these questions, you are not alone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A lot of people were convinced or &lt;em&gt;had&lt;/em&gt; been convinced that taking out a Negative Amortized Mortgage was the &lt;em&gt;perfect loan for them! &lt;/em&gt;In retrospect, the only ones that benefited were the Realtor, Mortgage Company and the Broker.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The basis of the Negative Amortized Mortgage is that you will pay a minimal amount for your Mortgage, instead of a full principle and interest payment factored over 30 years. In fact, the payment will actually be below the Interest Only Mortgage payment that you chose not to go with.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You were probably told by your Realtor, Lender and Broker that you will be able to "afford a much better and bigger house" by using this program. If your value has increased significantly, congratulations as you are one of the few who actually benefited from this program! Most people unfortunately have found themselves "upside down" on their Mortgage and now owe more than their home is worth! Also, they more than likely will not be able to refinance until their value goes up significantly, or they will actually have to pay money out of their pockets to cover not only the amount of the loan needed to payoff over their value, but also the closing costs. Some people even have to sell their home at a loss, plus pay their Realtor commissions (hopefully they chose a new Realtor!) or even go into Bankruptcy to protect themselves!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I had a Client who wanted to go with this program, their Accountant had &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;recommended&lt;/span&gt; using the Negative Amortized Mortgage to their Clients' benefit. Despite my advice, they chose to enter into this type of a Mortgage. They felt that "their property value will dramatically increase as it's a 'very hot area' and the values have gone up every year." This Client was only financing 80% of their home's value, so they would still have equity in the home. My advice then was to contact &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;several&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; Realtors from different Realty Companies throughout the Twin Cities area. These Realtors should offer their &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;market analysis&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; on the current marketing conditions and provide an "educated guess" on the potential future growth value over the next 5 years. If this area truly was a &lt;strong&gt;"&lt;em&gt;very hot area of town with&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;values&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;strong&gt;going up every year",&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; then these professionals should be able to provide my Clients a "guesstimate" for a future potential value.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After speaking with this Client recently, they told me that their decision had been a very good one. The Clients &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;did&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; do the extensive research that I had recommended. Now almost 2 years later, the Realtor's "guesstimates" are pretty close to the actual current value of their home. This Client is now able to refinance into a 30 year Fixed Rate Loan that is at a better interest rate. Even though they will be making a fully amortized principle and interest payment, they have more equity in their home, a better rate and are actually making headway on paying off their mortgage. Unfortunately many other people were not as lucky as this Client. I personally do not offer this program to any of my Clients as it is too risky and may not put them in a good financial situation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It pays to do your research. If you want the best program available, be ready to provide your entire current financial situation plus your current and future financial goals. Consulting a Financial Planner is also a great source of information to help you with one of the most important decisions of your life. It would be my pleasure to assist you in finding the right loan for your needs. If you need a referral for a Financial Planner or Realtor, please call me direct at 763-515-5050 or visit my website &lt;a href="http://www.stevengoldmanloans.com/"&gt;http://www.stevengoldmanloans.com/&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As always, thank you for reading my blog and visiting my website. Referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are always welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:georgia;"&gt;Steven&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-1954450485259674743?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/1954450485259674743/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=1954450485259674743' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/1954450485259674743'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/1954450485259674743'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/07/negative-amortized-mortgages.html' title='Negative Amortized Mortgages'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-8006923258982298850</id><published>2007-06-01T13:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-06-01T11:08:13.101-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#000000;"&gt;In today's fast paced "credit card" lifestyle, we can find ourselves spending more than what we really need to, which can lead to adding more debt and stress to our lives. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;span style="color:#ff0000;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div align="left"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"&gt;10&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Quick&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;ways to pay down your debt&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pay more than your minimum:&lt;/strong&gt; Add a little extra when making your monthly payments. This is a small step that makes a big dent over time!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pay off expensive debt first:&lt;/strong&gt; Start paying down accounts that charge high interest rates.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Avoid Late Fees and Over Limit Fees:&lt;/strong&gt; Know when your payment due dates are. To make sure you are not assessed a Late Fee, leave time for your payment to be received on time. If paying by Internet, check the posting time frame listed on the Company’s website. Also, be aware of your pre-determined Credit Limit. If you should go over this amount, the Credit Company may charge you a Late Fee.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Use cash:&lt;/strong&gt; Pay for everyday expenses like gas, coffee and food with cash. This will help keep your Credit Card balances down and reduce your monthly debt obligations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Priority spending:&lt;/strong&gt; Pay at least the minimum payments on all bills before you spend money on extras.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Make your money work for you:&lt;/strong&gt; If you have outstanding credit card debt, and you have a Savings Account, use some of your savings to pay off high interest debt. You will eliminate Credit Card debt that is costing you more interest than you are earning in your savings account.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Refinance Loans:&lt;/strong&gt; Contact your Mortgage Banker to see if you can qualify for a lower Interest Rate on your Home Mortgage. Check with your Auto Finance Company or Local Bank for lower rates on your Auto Loans. A lower rate can save quite a bit of money over the length of your loans.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Stop leaking money:&lt;/strong&gt; Premium Cable Channels and over-priced Internet Services can “steal” your money. Contact Cable and Internet Providers to see if they can give you a better monthly rate, then check with your current Provider to see if they will match or beat their competition to keep your business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Even out expenses:&lt;/strong&gt; Contact your Utility Companies for a “Budget Helper Plan”. This will give you consistent equal payments for a specific period of time, eliminating or reducing huge heating or cooling bills. The money you save can be put towards paying off your high interest Credit Card debt.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Equity Line of Credit:&lt;/strong&gt; Why pay high interest charges to your Credit Card companies? A Home Equity Line of Credit may have a lower Interest Rate. Also check with your personal Tax Advisor to see if your HELOC will be tax deductible (saving you even more money!)&lt;/div&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope you found this information helpful and easy to use. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email or phone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Please visit my website &lt;a href="http://www.stevengoldmanloans.com/"&gt;http://www.stevengoldmanloans.com/&lt;/a&gt; for additional information, useful links to my Referral Partners and to Apply for a Mortgage.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As always, referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are always welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have a terrific summer!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven&lt;/em&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-8006923258982298850?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/8006923258982298850/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=8006923258982298850' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8006923258982298850'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/8006923258982298850'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/06/in-todays-fast-paced-credit-card.html' title=''/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-2821479888010146888</id><published>2007-05-21T12:34:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-12-04T12:46:43.935-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Mortgage Basics</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Whether this is your first mortgage, or you have already financed a few times, here are the steps involved during the entire mortgage process.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;PLAN&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you dream of owning your own home, investment property or commercial property, we can make your dreams come true!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;START&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have confidence by knowing exactly what you can afford. In today's market, most Realtors and Sellers need to know that you are a qualified Buyer. Let us pre-qualify you for your new home purchase. Please click on the APPLY ON LINE Tab or contact us at 763-515-5050.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Interest Rate&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Interest rate on your Loan is used to calculate the monthly payment. The higher the rate, the higher the payment. The reverse is also true, the lower the Rate, the lower the payment.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can lower your rate by paying Points to the Lender. One "POINT: is equal to 1% of the Loan Amount. For a $150,000 Loan, 1% equals $1500, 2% equals $3000. By paying these "POINTS" to the Lender as part of your Closing Costs, you can "buy-down" your Contract Interest Rate. If you have the money or can negotiate to have the Seller, Builder or Developer contribute funds for your Closing Costs, you can buy-down the Interest Rate and save money over the life of your loan.Annual Percentage Rate:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your new Home Loan is more than Rate and Points. It also involves several other costs that are listed on your Good Faith Estimate as "Closing Costs" and Pre-Paid Items". The Truth-in-Lending Law requires all advertisements for Home Loan Credit Terms disclose all Closing Costs and Pre-Paid items and must include the APR. This is intended to enable you to compare the terms of Loan Products from various Lenders. The Good Faith Estimate will be mailed to you within 3 days after Application Submission. To make an accurate comparison, look at each item on the Good Faith Estimate. The Loan with the lower APR is the less expensive Loan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Lock or Float&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you are ready to secure your Interest Rate, you will need to "lock" the Rate. As rates do go up and down daily, you may want to lock-in your Rate. You can "float" your Interest Rate instead of locking it. You can watch the Rates go up and down. The moment you tell your Mortgage Banker to lock your Rate you will be protected for the length of your lock. Interest Rates are very difficult to predict just like the Stock Market. If Rates suddenly jump up, your monthly payment will be higher than you planned and this can cause you to be qualified for a lower loan amount or worse, not be able to qualify for the home of your dreams. Most Lenders will allow up to a 45 day lock. Longer Lock Terms and Lock Extensions are available on some products, please ask your Mortgage Banker for details.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Loan Types&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Fixed Rate Loan: This is a lower rate over a fixed period of time, such as 15, 20 or 30 years. This is a great strategy if you plan to live in the house for many years, or are looking for a low monthly payment. The shorter the Loan Term, the quicker you will build equity and pay down on the amount that you owe.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM): Your Rate will be fixed for a specific time period such as 3, 5, 7 or 10 years. After the fixed time expires, your Rate will adjust either up or down. Each Mortgage Note will have an ARM Rider that will list your specific loan details about when the Rate will change and how it will be calculated. Please ask your Mortgage Banker to explain the exact details of your Loan and how changes will effect your monthly payments. ARM Loans are a good solution for people that have incomes that are going to grow and they plan to quickly refinance or will be able to afford the larger payment in a few years if the Interest Rates should rise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LOAN PROCESS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Lender needs to analyze your Loan Application for Pre-Approval.&lt;br /&gt;Borrowing Limit: Lenders will calculate your Borrowing Limit based on your earnings and debt, this is called Debt-to-Income Ratio. They take into consideration all of your earnings, all your current monthly housing expense, credit card payments, property taxes, home owner's insurance, student loan and auto payments. The total Debt-to-Income Ratio should not exceed 45% . Some Lenders do have Loan Program Exceptions and are evaluated on an individual basis.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Documentation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Underwriters may require different types of proof or documentation of your earnings and assets. Each Borrower is evaluated on their own merits. No two situations are exactly alike. The Lenders need to make sure that there are Net Tangible Benefits or "good reasons" for your refinance. Examples of these "NTB's" are; lower Interest Rate, refinancing out of an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) or Negative Amortized Loan (you owe more than what the Original Mortgage Balance was). Shorter Term (paying off your loan faster), cash out for debt consolidation and payoff of delinquent Taxes also are included.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pre-Approval&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;After the Underwriter has approved your Application, we will provide you a Pre-Approval Commitment Letter. This needs to be given to your Realtor to include with your Purchase Agreement to give to the Seller. When you get the signed and dated accepted Purchase Agreement back from the Seller, this needs to be submitted to the Underwriter so we can start on your Appraisal and Title Work.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Final Approval &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once we have received the independent Appraisal on Title Work back, your loan is submitted for final approval. After evaluating the entire file, the Underwriter will either give a list of "conditions" or items that need to be corrected, or they will give us a "Clear to Close" and we can set your Loan Closing date and time. You will also be sent out a final HUD 1-A Settlement Statement which will detail all your Closing Costs and Pre-Paid Items. This also will show the exact amount of funds you need to bring for Loan Closing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LOAN CLOSING&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Loan Closing or Settlement will usually take place at your Mortgage Banker's Office, a Title Company or Law Office. You will review all Loan Documents and have your signature notarized by an Independent Loan Closer or Title Agent. Many of the people involved with this transaction will be at your Loan Closing. You will be joined by the Sellers, their Realtor or Attorney and the Closing Agent. To provide the best service possible, your Mortgage Banker will also attend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here is what will happen during and after your Loan Close:&lt;br /&gt;1. Closing Agent will review all Loan Documents and HUD 1-A Settlement Statement. Both you and the Seller will need to sign this document.&lt;br /&gt;2. Signatures are collected on all Loan Documents, such as the Mortgage Note or Deed, Truth-in-Lending Statement, etc. You will also need to provide evidence of Home Owner's Insurance and Inspections.&lt;br /&gt;3. If all parties agree to sign all Loan Documents, you will then submit a Certified or Cashier's Check to the Closing Agent for the funds needed for your Closing Costs and Pre-Paids. Your Earnest Money (the amount of money you gave with your Purchase Agreement) will be deducted from the amount you need to bring with you.&lt;br /&gt;4. The Lender or Bank will provide a check or wire funds to the Closing Agent covering your Loan Amount.&lt;br /&gt;5. Escrow Account will be established for you if you are escrowing your Home Owners Insurance and Property Taxes.&lt;br /&gt;6. You will receive the keys to your new home!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope that you have found this information helpful and interesting. Should you have any questions or to apply for a new Mortgage, please either contact me direct at 763-515-5050 or visit our website at &lt;a href="http://www.stevengoldmanloans.com/"&gt;www.StevenGoldmanLoans.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Thank you for reading my blog. Have a great day!&lt;br /&gt;Referrals to friends, family, neighbors and business associates are walways welcome!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"&gt;&lt;em&gt;Steven Goldman&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-2821479888010146888?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/2821479888010146888/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=2821479888010146888' title='2 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/2821479888010146888'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/2821479888010146888'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/05/plan-if-you-dream-of-owning-your-own.html' title='Mortgage Basics'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>2</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6663603036850229376.post-3598361242301820530</id><published>2007-05-21T12:30:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-12-04T12:49:09.503-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Mortgage Expert</title><content type='html'>New and exciting updates on today's Mortgage Market.&lt;br /&gt;Check back at this blog for great information on Mortgages.&lt;br /&gt;Please visit my website &lt;span style="color:#3333ff;"&gt;www.stevengoldmanloans.com&lt;/span&gt; for further information or to apply on line.  Referrals to friends and family are always welcome!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6663603036850229376-3598361242301820530?l=stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/feeds/3598361242301820530/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6663603036850229376&amp;postID=3598361242301820530' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3598361242301820530'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/6663603036850229376/posts/default/3598361242301820530'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://stevengoldmanloans.blogspot.com/2007/05/mortgage-expert.html' title='The Mortgage Expert'/><author><name>"The Mortgage Expert"</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/10571290627187892104</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='22' height='32' src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GNJ7VwfR50o/SOThGxhyRbI/AAAAAAAAACs/IPVMf-QTpdY/S220/SGoldmanPic.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
