Get Your Mortgage Phil

Brad Andersohn constantly provides great content about how to imrove our social media marketing for us in the real estate industry. Here is his latest article about improving our SEO for the video and images we use in our social media marketing. I am going to post this on my Facebook page that focuses on social media marketing for real estate agents.

In my opinion, the number one way to make a loan transaction fly through the process is by submitting an Awesome Loan Package! An Awesome Loan Package is actually very easy to put together. All it takes is a little attention to detail.

Let's start with the loan application. The key idea I want you to remember is to be accurate and complete. Some items are extremely important to be accurate with. Others are very important to be complete.

You want to be extremely accurate with:

• The number of units
• Occupancy (is it your primary residence, vacation home, or investment property)
• Length of time at address (if any less than 2  years supply the former address(es) for a complete 2 year history
• Time on job (any less than 2 years supply former employer(s) with accurate dates of employment. If you have any gaps in employment, prepare a letter explaining the reasons for the gap
• Checking the Self Employed box if you owned 25% or more of a company

It is extremely important to be accurate with this information on the application because YOUR LENDER WILL FIND OUT IF IT IS NOT ACCURATE! They have extremely good quality control systems these days. If you are not accurate with this information, you will have some explaining to do! Explanations take time, and time is your enemy, especially on purchase transactions.

You want to be extremely complete with:

• Sources of your down payment and/or settlement charges
• All addresses where you have resided in the last two years
• All employment in the last two years
• All sources of income
• Listing all of your accounts that hold liquid assets (don't forget about the cash value of life insurance)
• List all real estate owned, even if there is no mortgage on a property

 Being complete with these parts of the loan application is important not only because it speeds the process, but also because it can make the difference in qualifying for the loan. For example, your lender wants to know that your cash reserves are enough to make the payments if times get tough for you income-wise. Listing all of your liquid assets is a simple step to take that answers this question.

Once again, accuracy and completeness are the two key ideas to remember when completing your application. Part 2 of the Awesome Loan Package will focus on income documentation - stay tuned!

Finding unclaimed money in California has been made much easier than in years past.

And who wouldn't like to learn they have a forgotten stash, large or small, waiting for them?

California's Unclaimed Property Law requires corporations, businesses, associations, financial institutions and insurance companies to report and deliver property to the California State Controller's Office. This must be done annually after there has been no activity on the account of contact with the owner for a period of time specified in the law, generally three years or more.

To start your search, simply go to the web site of the California State Controller's Office and follow the simple directions outlined there.

Best of luck!

San Carlos, California, 97070, is a real down-home kind of place, located on the Peninsula in San Mateo County, mid-way between San Francisco and San Jose. The motto of our town is "The City of Good Living."

Well, this story I came across today shows that is more than empty words--San Carlos really is the City of Good Living!

Last month a Good Samaritan found several $100 bills dancing along a downtown sidewalk, in the heart of our shopping area; looking further, he saw a whole stack of bills, totaling $2,000. He immediately took the money to the Police Department, where it was held for safekeeping.

Meanwhile, the woman who had withdrawn the cash from the local Wells Fargo Bank discovered a hole in her jacket pocket and the cash gone. After properly identifying herself, and with the assistance of the bank teller, the police were able to turn the money over to her. The thankful woman not only gave the finder some award, but made a donation to the police department's Juvenile Diversion Program. The police also acknowledged the Samaritan with their Citizen Appreciation Coin.

If you want to learn more about living on the Peninsula, log onto the Facebook page, Peninsula Living. San Carlos might just be the place you want to call home. Our real estate market is strong and active, and it's the people who help make it so great, not to mention the hiking, biking, trail running, schools, youth sports, rec center classes, concerts, farmers' markets, shops, libraries, etc.!

2448 Coronet Blvd., Belmont, CA 94002
Open House - Sunday, May 16, 1:00 - 4:00 PM

If you haven't had a chance to visit this 4-bedroom, 3-bath Belmont beauty -- or if you'd like to see it a second time - join us at the Open House this coming Sunday.

Today in Belmont, California, there are 20 4-bedroom homes currently listed on the multiple listing service. Of those, only 7 are listed at a lower price. Most of those are short-sales or in the flat lands, close to Highway 101. There is tremendous value at 2448 Coronet -- a view house with a relatively level back yard for barbecues, play and relaxation. Come by and see for yourself.

FREE is good! Here's a great opportunity for you--but you have to act now!

When: Today, May 12, and May 19, 6:30-9:30 PM (2 nights)
Where: Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City, CA 94061

This session of the Retirement Planning Today course taught by John D. Lee, Certified Financial Planner, did not fill up completely. John has very kindly offered FREE attendance to friends and colleagues of mine, waiving the $59.00 fee. He has space for 4 or 5 couples.

Just call John Lee's office, 650-227-0366 or email him at jlee@sgc-financial.com and he'll put you on the student roster free of charge.

This very valuable class will teach you how to:

• Determine the amount of money you need to retire
• Create your own goals for a "successful retirement"
• Eliminate debt and improve cash flow
• Properly convert your IRA to a Roth IRA
• Select the retirement plan distribution choice that is right for you
• Plan your retirement income to preserve a comfortable standard of living
• Transfer the risk of potential financial losses before or during retirement
• Reduce or eliminate taxes, expenses, delays and legal challenges with estate planning

My husband and I took the class last Fall, learned a ton, and are very impressed with Mr. Lee's knowledge, integrity and thoroughness.

Highly recommended at the regular price--super opportunity for FREE!