Let me begin by saying "thank you" for electing me as your president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) for 2010-2011. It is certainly a trying time to be in the mortgage industry, but I firmly believe that together, we can make a change for the better. NAMB has downsized just as you have in your business and hopefully in your state associations. Expenses must be cut everywhere and cut deeply. I am sure you have felt the cuts personally in your own business as we have at NAMB.Read more

I am sure everyone is buzzing with licensing requirements that all loan originators for non-depositories have to complete in the next two to four months. Whether we agree or not, it is the law and we must comply with it to be licensed. The reason I bring this up is because of standards and a basic thought process.Read more

If you did not attend the 2010 National Association of Mortgage Brokers Legislative & Regulatory Conference in February, you missed one of the very best conferences NAMB has sponsored that I have ever attended. Every panel covered a topic that was crucial to our industry, and the panelists were experts on the topics presented. There was plenty of time for the attendees to address the panelists with questions that were answered in a straightforward manner. The highlight of the event was the luncheon where Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner David H. Stevens spoke to us.Read more

I have thought about the many seminars and classes we take from people who have information and advice for our careers and lives. After thinking about the many directions I could take, I have decided that I want to be a part of the “Be” group. I have listed a few key concepts we are all familiar with and may even already follow. But, I know I need to review them frequently and thought a support group of “BE”lievers could help us all connect.

The following is my initial “BE” list”Read more

It is now January, and our thoughts look back to the holidays as we are often side-tracked by many things this time of year. We are busy changing clocks, changing our wardrobe (well most of us anyway), and especially in our industry, changing our regulations and laws. The media does not have negative stories about us every five minutes, but our regulators have not forgotten how to get media attention using consumer protection as the focus.Read more

We are currently all immersed in change. It is one thing we can all be certain of. But, have you considered that change has always occurred? We have seen what we consider major changes and it makes me think of my grandmother telling me about one her most vivid memories, the first time she saw a car. Her father was sure it would be the downfall of the country. They were noisy, smelled bad, scared good-working horses, and were expensive … how could anyone afford them?Read more

Stan Wang, CMC, CRMS has announced the launch of Premier Brokers Network LLC (PBN), an organization created to facilitate the selection of outstanding mortgage brokers throughout the United States by PBN members and the public. This is accomplished via access to a database of carefully selected mortgage brokers, so that members may confidently recommend top rated brokers for their client’s financing needs in states where they are not licensed. PBN is a user-friendly Web-based service unlike any other.Read more

Beliefs are very personal and specific. Some of us believe that anything is possible and others believe that nothing is possible. I believe that anything is possible and you may be asking why you care about my beliefs. I would answer that I believe that everyone reading this article has the ability to obtain one or more professional certification, expand their knowledge, and grow their professional careers to new heights even in this market.Read more

Are you looking for ways to earn more money in an economy and legislative climate that definitely does favor a mortgage broker and loan originator? I am “old school” and learned quickly, 32 years ago, that referrals and reputation was the key to my success or failure. Moving through various positions and companies in my background, as with many I think, it became clear that education was and still is a key component to becoming a true trusted professional.Read more

Do you remember the business just five years ago? What about 10 or 20 years ago? I can remember back 32 years ago when it was a male-dominated industry and brokers owned real estate or insurance companies. You might be wondering why reminiscing is important. I use it to learn from and plan where I want to go and sometimes need to go. Working hard is second nature to those of us in the industry, especially this year.Read more