Everyone has a neighbor, friend or family member who always seems to find the best deal on just about everything. I have a neighbor and friend who has a knack for finding unbelievably phenomenal deals on mint condition cars at unheard of prices. He’s started a great car deal collection and has amazing search and find stories behind each vehicle on display. He even gives some of them away. As if he were catching a fish and throwing the small ones back in the lake.

I must say, I’m glad to know this guy for some very obvious reasons. But I am particularly glad to know that in him lies a beacon of hope for all those out there who have given up on finding that ideal bargain and are about to throw in the towel, throwing away their hard earned money in order to get that car or house they’ve had their eye’s on for months. This happens all too often when buying a home or refinancing a home mortgage.

Shopping Around For Attractive Refinance Rates
Some folks fail to take the needed time to shop around. As a result they fail to protect their one tangible security, their money. One may argue that real bargains won’t crawl out from under a rock and beg you to notice them. They won’t cry out from street corners or flash down from Billboards. They will never drop out of a tree and land on you lap. And most of us just don’t have the time to find them. True, bargains have to be searched out, hunted down, discovered and uncovered. Some folks have a knack for this. Others don’t. The key is finding the most time efficient methods in which it’s done and applying those methods yourself.

Check Your Credit Score
So how do you find bargain home loan deals over a relatively short period of time? The first step is to look in the mirror, figuratively speaking. When shopping for good deals on home loans or home refinancing programs you want to take a good hard look at your own circumstances. For starters take a look at your credit score and ask yourself if you have put yourself in a bargaining position. If your credit score is sound, fair, good or excellent, you are in position to get what you want in just about any way you want it. If your score is less than perfect or just plain bad you won’t necessarily feel inclined to insist on a great deal. This can lead to hours upon hours of calling leading to frustration and loss of hope of ever finding a much-needed low refinance rate. So take the initiative to examine your credit record for errors and make the needed corrections. Make certain that you have honored your credit agreements and bring payments up to date.

Read Reviews Survey Scores and Fine Print
Next take the time to shop around for great rates. Low interest rates are literally everywhere. Almost every major search engine runs ads featuring low interest rates, mortgage payment reduction and some incentive to choose one lender over another. Take time to closely examine the ad and the site linked to from the ad. Read the small print and policies. Consider reading user opinions, survey scores or reviews regarding a particular lending institution.

NOTE: Not all interest rates you see advertised are the actual rates a lender offers. Many of these advertised rates are merely designed to get you in the door. Your best bet is to get a quote from a lender and go with that. Many rate shoppers chose to shop rates by phone. This can take a lot of time and leave you sitting and waiting for a return call. If wasting time is not bad enough there is another down side to spending days calling and comparing low rate quotes. Each time you call a lender your credit report is pulled. Each time your credit report is pulled and a loan is not secured your credit score is lowered. The only way to bring it back or at least close to the original score is to get a loan shortly after the report is pulled.

Sparing Your Time and Credit Score
The most time saving, score sparing approach to rate shopping is shopping at what I like to call “Online Mortgage Loan Marketplaces.” Others call them mortgage shopping malls or loan auction houses. What ever you call them, mortgage loan marketplaces can save you hours of time and spare you the unwanted frustration of being turned down. How? These home mortgage refinance rate quote resources feature hi-tech screening and profile matching technology. This enables lenders to flag and respond to applicants that match a given criteria. A lending marketplace that features over 2000 lenders with vary in criteria so that even those applicants with less than perfect credit are matched to lenders with great reviews. Most lending marketplace will pull your credit report once and transmit the report to several lending institutions that contact you with competitive refinance rate quotes.

An online resource, RefinanceLoanRates at http://www.refinanceloanrates.fimark.net helps mortgage loan shoppers take full advantage of the vital time and money saving tools found at lending marketplaces. The web site shows users how to shop loans deal, lending institutions and compare interest rates all from one interface. This approach spares your credit score and gives you the flexibility to choose among several loan deals and associated home refinancing rates.

Mortgage Rip-offs and Money Savers reveals how the mortgage industry cheats borrowers out of billions in extra costs every year. Mortgage industry insider Carolyn Warren taps her decade of experience with lenders to expose the tricks, lies, and dirty little secrets they don’t want you to know. With her expert guidance, borrowers will save tens of thousands when they avoid the traps so many consumers fall into. Having this inside information is the only way borrowers can truly get the best possible deal. This book presents that knowledge in an interesting and easy format that anyone can understand. Readers won’t be victims of the mortgage industry with this invaluable resource in hand. Instead, they’ll get the best possible rates, avoid bogus fees, and get the great deal they deserve.

Author:Carolyn Warren
Paperback:256 pages
Company:Wiley(2007-05-04)
ISBN:0470097833
List Price:$17.95
Amazon Price:$9.65
Used Price:$11.61
Mortgage Ripoffs and Money Savers: An Industry Insider Explains How to Save Thousands on Your Mortgage or Re-Fi

Tags: mortgage, mortgage online, low price mortgage, business mortgage, best credit mortgage

The well-known and respected authorship team of Geltner and Miller bring you a new edition of what has become the undisputed and authoritative resource on commercial real estate investment. Streamlined and completely updated with expanded coverage of corporate and international real estate investment, this upper-level text presents the essential concepts, principles and tools for the analysis of commercial real estate (income producing) from an investment perspective. This new book continues to integrate relevant aspects of urban and financial economics to provide users with a fundamental analytical understanding and application of real estate investments now using ARGUS software. Contributing author Piet Eichholtz from the University of Maasstricht contributes an entire chapter that explores international real estate investments, both opportunistically and structurally, by outlining elements for developing and implementing real estate investments successfully abroad. Jim Clayton from the University of Cincinnati thoroughly revised and updated the finance coverage and real-life applications throughout. Geltner and Miller enhance their pedagogy by adding in a discussion of the real options application to real estate development and streamlining the discussion of data returns.

Author:David M. Geltner,Norman G. Miller,Jim Clayton,Piet Eichholtz
Hardcover:880 pages
Company:South-Western Educational Pub(2006-12-01)
ISBN:0324305486
List Price:$133.95
Amazon Price:$101.76
Used Price:$107.63
Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investments (with CD-ROM)

These days, many mortgage professionals are turning to the Internet for marketing and lead generation. And rightfully so, given the number of home buyers and mortgage shoppers online.

But while most mortgage folks know they need to be active online, they’re just not sure where to start. So in this article, I’ve offered ten “jumpstarts” for your online mortgage marketing. These are strategies you can start using tomorrow to improve your online marketing success. These ten points will also serve as jump-off points for further research.

So without further ado, here are ten online marketing ideas for mortgage brokers.

1. Create an online Mortgage Q&A forum and pay somebody to help you moderate it and promote it. Can you imagine having your own “captive audience” of consumers seeking mortgage information?

2. Use a keyword research tool to identify your top three search phrases, based on the number of people who search those phrases. Have a reputable SEO company help you increase your search engine ranking for those phrases (and similar ones).

3. Publish a mortgage blog about your particular niche or specialty. Check out the Mortgage Fraud Blog for a great example of this. Talk about search engine success . Google the phrase “mortgage fraud” and see where Rachel Dollar’s blog appears.

4. Take the articles you created in the last step and publish them through article directories like EzineArticles.com, and also place them with real estate niche websites like HomeBuyingInstitute.com.

5. Have news to share? Maybe a new loan package or qualification process? Announce it with optimized press releases through service like PRWeb.com or PRLeap.com.

6. Create a “Reading Room” of high-quality mortgage articles and then offer them to real estate news websites, mortgage websites, your local news, and any other relevant online publication you can think of. Allow republication of the articles with the stipulation that they keep your author’s note with link to your website.

7. Write an ebook on a certain aspect of mortgages, and promote it on your website, through press releases, etc. Offer the book for free, but require an email address so the book can be emailed to people. Make the book very specific to your target audience so only qualified prospects will request it.

8. Create a massive FAQ section of your website pertaining to the various aspects of mortgages you work with. Make every question link to a separate page with the answer in full. This will help you grow your website, keep people onsite longer, and boost your search engine visibility. Add to your FAQ library on a weekly basis.

9. Do you work with certain real estate agents on a regular basis? Why not cross-promote each other? The agent could recommend your services on his or her website, and you could recommend the real estate agent on your website.

10. If your mortgage website has (A) valuable online resources and (B) an effective form of lead generation in place, then drive traffic to the website through as many marketing channels as possible — direct mail, SEO, online articles and press releases, email signature block, etc.

Conclusion
When it comes to mortgage marketing online, you have to keep trying new ideas to find out what works best. So use your imagination. Blaze new marketing paths. No mortgage marketing idea is so absurd that you shouldn’t at least try it.

Tags: best credit mortgage, home mortgage, mortgage online, low price mortgage, business mortgage

Refinancing your mortgage is a good bet if your adjustable rate mortgage is about to change or your credit score has improved by 25 points or more. If you have paid down a jumbo loan to a conforming loan size, you can also save money with a refi.

Online mortgage lenders offer the easiest way to find a cheap refi loan. When you are searching rates, look for a financing company that lists its information, provides personal contact, and discloses all loan information before signing.

Look For More Than Just A Low Rate

Nearly every online mortgage lender will provide you with a free loan quote. You can even use a broker site, which will provide you with a number of refinancing offers from different lending companies.

While you are checking out loan estimates, also be sure that you know the name, address, and telephone number of the potential lender. Legitimate lenders list their information and are easy to contact.

Easy Contact With The Lender

Mortgage lenders can process your entire loan application online with the final paperwork sent to you for signing. Or if you are like 90% of online mortgage applicants, you can choose to contact the lender and complete your application over the phone or in person.

You can also have questions answered through online chat, email, or phone. Most lending sites will have a representative available 24 hours a day.

Full Disclosure Of Loan Rates And Terms

Getting a loan quote is just the first step in the refinance process. Before you sign any document, make sure that the lender hasn’t changed the rates or fees without your knowledge.

Legally, financing companies are required to give you a ?good faith estimate? and provide the loan contract at least one day prior to signing. Remember, you have the option to walk away from the loan up to three days after signing.

Mortgage Encyclopedia: An Authoritative Guide to Mortgage Programs, Practices, Prices and Pitfalls

A one-stop reference for in-depth explanations of mortgage topics

With the creation of so many new, complex mortgage programs, it’s difficult for consumers –not to mention real estate agents, attorneys, closing agents, and mortgage brokers–to keep track of them all. Written by nationally syndicated real estate columnist Jack Guttentag, The Mortgage Encyclopedia helps readers understand the various mortgage terms, features, and options by offering clear, precise explanations. The alphabetical organization of terms makes it easy to quickly find information on any topic, from FHA, Investor, and No-PMI Loans to Origination Fee and Rate Float. Each entry includes not just a description of the term, but also relevant advice for consumers, such as answers to the questions “Is this loan right for me?” and “Can I negotiate this fee?”

• Guides readers through the bewildering array of new mortgage programs
• Features definitions and explanations of common mortgage, escrow, and closing fees and arcane mortgage terminology

Author:Jack Guttentag
Paperback:350 pages
Company:McGraw-Hill(2004-05-07)
ISBN:0071421653
List Price:$21.95
Amazon Price:$7.99
Used Price:$7.00

Tags: best credit mortgage, mortgage online, home mortgage, mortgage, business mortgage

A one-stop reference for in-depth explanations of mortgage topics

With the creation of so many new, complex mortgage programs, it’s difficult for consumers –not to mention real estate agents, attorneys, closing agents, and mortgage brokers–to keep track of them all. Written by nationally syndicated real estate columnist Jack Guttentag, The Mortgage Encyclopedia helps readers understand the various mortgage terms, features, and options by offering clear, precise explanations. The alphabetical organization of terms makes it easy to quickly find information on any topic, from FHA, Investor, and No-PMI Loans to Origination Fee and Rate Float. Each entry includes not just a description of the term, but also relevant advice for consumers, such as answers to the questions “Is this loan right for me?” and “Can I negotiate this fee?”

• Guides readers through the bewildering array of new mortgage programs
• Features definitions and explanations of common mortgage, escrow, and closing fees and arcane mortgage terminology

Author:Jack Guttentag
Paperback:350 pages
Company:McGraw-Hill(2004-05-07)
ISBN:0071421653
List Price:$21.95
Amazon Price:$7.99
Used Price:$7.00
Mortgage Encyclopedia: An Authoritative Guide to Mortgage Programs, Practices, Prices and Pitfalls

The Washington DC-based Mortgage Bankers Association of America reveals that mortgage applications rose over 150 percent in comparison to a year ago. The see-saw events chose an unfortunate time to occur, squashing many pending loans or leaving consumers no choice but to pay more than planned.

Getting in your mortgage payment while it?s due is no easy task whether or not the mail is on time. Recently the extra holiday load has made the sorting process even slower, increasing chances of delays in your recent mail deliveries. Your previous practice of timing your mortgage check for a day before levying of late charges may start proving costly in cash and credit ding.

Electronic Mortgage Payments

Electronic mortgage payments could be a viable alternative. Lenders are being lenient on foreclosure and collection measures on military personnel and direct victims of September 11 events. Both moves have contributed positively in a trickle down effect on many mortgage holders.

Nevertheless, penalties of late charges and credit report damage still remain the right of lenders, being entirely unaffected by any events. Electronic mortgage payments and phone transactions are not just cost-saving in postage terms but often also in terms of late fees and credit damage, provided your lender allows this option.

New Tendencies

Naturally then, check payments are rapidly being replaced by electronic payments if a recent Check and Electronic Payment study by the Federal Reserve is to be believed. The first comprehensive studies of the retail payments system by the Federal Reserve System in over 20 years find American consumers and businesses making 80 billion retail payments annually with 50 billion by check and 30 billion electronically. The decline of checks approximates 85 percent of non-cash payments following the last study in 1979 to almost 60 percent today.
The study included feedback from nearly 1,300 financial institutions comprising banks, thrifts and credit unions and 89 electronic payment processors.

It?s usually a better option to make electronic payments directly to your lender or loan services rather than second-party electronic bill payment services. Particularly if only mortgage is being paid online. Most online visitors, the real consumers using the services rate almost all electronic bill payment services highly. However if you only want to pay mortgage online in order to simplify your life, you wouldn?t want to face another administrative layer with a complaint in case of any doubt about your electronic payment.

Then there are some online bill-pay services that carry charges. Should your lender charge for an electronic payment option, though most don?t, it?s up to you to decide if it?s worthwhile? (Lenders mostly don?t charge as electronic payments mean quicker cash and therefore additional interest on the funds. Consequently electronic payments mean more money for lenders.)

Tags: , home mortgage, low price mortgage, mortgage online, mortgage