Question one: What's my mission and purpose? Every plan starts with a mission … a reason why. For example, if your mission in 2013 is to make $200,000 in income, you would conceivably do anything and everything to achieve that goal, regardless of whether your actions are healthy or unhealthy for you, your business or your relationships. It becomes easy for you to lose focus, and engage in daily habits that meet your immediate needs for money at the expense of your long-term needs for money and growth.Click to continue

Apex Home Loans Inc. has announced that the large majority of its mortgage loan originators have taken and passed the Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS) certification administered by the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based CMPS Institute.Click to continue

Churchill Mortgage has announced that mortgage broker Larry Q. Richards has earned his Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS) designation granted by the CMPS Institute, a training and certifying organization created to help mortgage professionals integrate financial planning concepts into the mortgage process. As one of only two CMPS mortgage professionals in Middle Tennessee and less than 25 in the Southeast, Richards will offer clients strategies that encompass mortgages, debt, home equity and real estate investment.Click to continue

We’ve all the run the numbers: There’s only one small problem with this formula. Who has time to close 20, 30 or 40 loans per month AND have a life outside of work? I’ve spoken to hundreds of loan originators in the past few months and this is what I’ve heard:

► “I have 100 e-mails in my box right now and I can’t possibly get to all of them…”

► “I’m having my best month EVER, but I’m working 12-14 hour days…”Click to continue

Now that you’ve passed your Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) licensing exam, what’s next? Do you even need certification above and beyond the minimum licensing requirements? Here are four questions that help you make an informed decision about (a) whether to get certified, and (b) which certifications to pursue.Click to continue

“The U.S. debt crisis is likely to cost homebuyers at least $122 per month,” said Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies mortgage bankers and brokers. “Bonds issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will probably lose their AAA status if the U.S. credit rating is downgraded. This means that mortgage rates will likely go up.Click to continue

When the team at National Mortgage Professional Magazine asked me to write an article, I was thrilled because I am literally brimming with ideas on how to help businesses succeed in the upcoming year.Click to continue

The Certified Mortgage Coach certification course was recently created as a joint venture between the CMPS Institute and Mortgage Coach to help loan originators stand out from their competition and make more effective sales presentations to clients, prospects, and referral partners. “This is the all-inclusive online training, testing, and software solution that the mortgage industry has been waiting for,” said Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies mortgage bankers and brokers.Click to continue