Keeping You In The Know for Mortgage News

It was an eventful week in the mortgage industry. Top 3……

#1- The top news was the anticipated raise to the benchmark interest rate by the Federal Reserve.  The Federal Open Market Committee voted 10-0 to make the move.  The forecast for 2016 is four different rate hikes throughout the year. 

#2- In other news, FHA increased the maximum loan limits in different counties across the state.  FHA is a great loan that allows home buyers to have a minimal down payment to get into a home, by increasing the loan limits, home buyers can actually qualify for a larger loan amount. 

#3- New building permits surged in November, turning around the decline in new building permits in October.  This means that builders are still feeling confident in the economy. 

The first of the year is going to be a great time to get into a house.  A pre-qualified mortgage letter from your lender is a great way to leverage your negotiation power when putting an offer on a new home. 

I would love to be that lender for you… and if you need a realtor that can really work that deal for you….. I’ve got a great Real Estate Agent for you.  Give me a call…. Let’s get you all set up for success in 2016!  Sheri Joi, e mail sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com

'Tis the Season To Get Your Shopping On!! .... Do You Know What This Could Do To Your Credit Score??

Merry!  Merry! And Happy!  Happy!  Tis the season to get your shopping on!!

As the shoppers rush home with their presents and their credit card balances continue to increase... their credit score could pay the price.

Something to keep in mind this "season o' shopping" .... your credit score is determined on many factors and one of these factors is how high you keep the balances on your credit cards.  In order to keep your credit scores in tip top shape, make sure to keep the balances on your credit cards below 30%. 

This means if your credit limit is $1000 then you will want to keep your balance under $300.  Keep in mind if you spend over $300 and are above the 30% point, you will want to make a payment to your credit card company to take your balance below the 30% point before they report to the credit bureaus in order to keep from possibly decreasing your credit score.  You can call your credit card companies and ask when they report to the credit bureaus each month so you can be aware of when you need to make your payments.  This date may or may not correspond with date your payment is actually due.

Another way to make sure you stay under the 30% threshold is to inquire with your credit card company about a higher credit card limit.  Make sure you are being responsible and honest with yourself when making these type of decisions!!  Do not get yourself into a bad situation.  The best policy is to “know thyself” and your spending habits.  If you spend whatever you have available….. maybe increasing your limit isn’t a great idea for you.  Begin this year to really discipline yourself to stay below that 30% threshold each month and watch your credit score start climbing.

Also note.... your score will take a big hit (dropping considerably) if you exceed your high credit limit for your credit card and it is reported to the credit bureaus.... not only do you usually have to pay an over limit fee and you may lose a low interest rate.... you may see a considerable drop in your credit score..... no bueno!  Best practices is to know exactly where your balances on your credit cards are and keep them under the 30% tolerance.

Knowing the factors that determine your credit score is the first step in raising and keeping your credit score in tip top shape.  Self discipline is the action that makes that happen!   

Merry!  Merry!  and  Happy!  Happy!!  Cheers to a wonderful holiday season and may your new knowledge of credit scoring keep YOUR credit score happy all year long.

…..PS….. beware of the temptation to open tons of new credit cards because of the 20% you could save on your purchase….. it may cost you in the long run if it drops your credit score…..another factor in determining your credit score is “opening new accounts”…. Tune in next week for more info on this useful tip! 

The Magical Month of December

The magical month of December!!  I love this time of year because it feels like there is a shift in the way everyone thinks…. For a brief moment in our year it feels like the world begins to think about giving to others instead of “what’s in it for me”.  I love this attitude and the miracles it brings.  I was able to coordinate our holiday fundraiser for my little “circle of love” –as I like to call it— this event really brings the Spirit of Christmas to life for me.  This was the first year that I personally had submitted a families name for our Sub for Santa program.   I recently heard that one of my high school friends house had burned to the ground.  She has been a single mom for years and financially provides for her family by working as a CNA at Ogden Regional Medical Center.  The insurance company is being difficult to work with so it’s been a struggle to financially maintain….. not to mention the emotional stress this must be for her.   We are still tallying all the numbers from the fundraiser but I received an email just moments ago that let me know we would be able to give her $100 for each child and an extra $100 for Christmas dinner or groceries.  I am certain as the numbers come in that this will be the gift that many, MANY families receive from our little “circle of love”.   This was all made possible by the miracle of giving!!!  I am in deep appreciation as I let the true Spirit of Christmas wash over me and sink deep roots in my heart….. “May I keep this Spirit throughout the year and may I echo it out so that those around me may have this incredible feeling as well”….. is my heart’s silent prayer.  Thank you to those of you on my contact list that participated in my fundraiser and opened your wallets with your heart, trusted me to give to someone in need and helped make another one of my dreams come true.

In the Spirit of Giving I want to make sure everyone knows that not only am I happy to help you with all your mortgage needs….. refinancing and purchasing…… I have also developed some amazing relationships with incredible professionals in our communities.  Through Trents business of flipping houses, Trent and I have met some amazing people with incredible talents and skills, so if you are looking for new paint, new roof, upgrading your kitchen or baths with granite, need a great contractor, new carpet or flooring, landscaping help, plumbing or handyman assistance….. or just about any other upgrades for your home…… “I’ve got a guy or gal!!!” and I have asked them all if they would please pass along our fantastic “flippers” pricing on to my clients…. And they have said “YES!”  I have also been developing some incredible relationships in our community with real estate experts, investment specialists, attorney’s, tax advisors and financial planners.  It’s great to be able to GIVE a referral to some amazing professionals that I have been able to work with myself and really do trust.  I’d be happy to pass along anyone on my list of pros.  I’d also be honored to have you consider me your source for referrals for all types of business.  I love being back in this professional world where I am able to partner with so many really great professionals.

Happiest wishes to you and your family for a Merry, MERRY month of December!!!  Give big, love openly, laugh with your loved one, hug your babies (no matter how old they are) and may the Spirit of Christmas ooze out all over this world ……

Cheers!!!  Cheers!!!  Cheers!!!  ...and Merry EVERYTHING!!

This was a picture taken at our Holiday "Seeds of Service" Fundraiser!!  
I'm so in love with the magic of December!
Designs By Jessi

Appreciation! Appreciation! Appreciation!

Appreciation!
Appreciation!!
And Appreciation!!!

Whether you are talking about the appreciation that means "thank you", the appreciation that means “a good understanding” or the appreciation which means you’re earning money on your Real Estate….. the word “Appreciation” is a great conversation for the month of November.  I love the month of November because it feels like from the moment the calendar turns to November 1^st there is a heightened sense of appreciation and gratitude for life! 

Now I’m going to switch it up a little on you and talk about how you can appreciate the APPRECIATION in the Real Estate market right now…. I’m going to spend a few minutes chatting about your home appreciation because after all, this is a mortgage blog.

It’s exciting to see the upswing in the market and home appreciation being in the news as opposed to depreciation.  I did a little investigating to find out where the HOT spots were in my little part of the world and this is what I found.  (Numbers and stats were pulled from the report in the Salt Lake Tribune.)

Home prices for the third quarter of 2015 in the Salt Lake County were UP compared to the prices for the third quarter of 2014.  Can I get a Hallelujah!!!!  There are over 30 zip codes in the SL County area and almost every one of them has seen a rise in home appreciation.  This is exciting and amazing news for home owners and hopeful home buyers as well.  The zip code 84103 had the highest average home price at $427,950 with an increase of appreciation of 9%.   The SLC zip code 84104 has been historically the lowest in home prices but is now boasting an average home price of $157,000 which was an amazing 15.9% increase in appreciation over last years home prices.  The home price of about $292,475 is the median price range for the SL County area, which is GREAT news for anyone looking to purchase a new home and even better news for anyone that is needing to upsize their current home for whatever reason.  This kind of appreciation enables sellers to sell their current home and have a down payment for a new home, creating new inventory for future home buyers.  This kind of appreciation also allows buyers to act NOW so that they can get in on the rising appreciation that comes with home ownership in this kind of economy and begin to play the appreciation game.  Sweet!!!  There were only 2 zip codes in the SL County area that did not see a rise in appreciation over the last year, 84065 and 84088 (Riverton and West Jordan) but the decrease was a minimal 1.6% which only means the market was balancing itself out over in that area and will begin to see a rise again soon as all the areas around it are on the rise. 

Other areas along the Wasatch Front….

In Davis county, EVERYTHING is looking up.  All 10 zip codes had an increase of anywhere from 2.9% all the way up to 13%.  The average price is right around $265,875 with a high in the range of $340,000 for the Farmington, 84025, area and $191,750 for the Clearfield 84015 area which had the highest number of units sold in any of the counties along the Wasatch Front.  Woods Cross 84087 had the highest rate of appreciation with home appreciation rising by 13% over last year.  Nice stats Davis County!!! 

Weber County also has mostly up arrows as the appreciation rates continue to climb in all zip codes except the neighboring little city of my home town, Eden 84310, but never fear little town of Eden…it was only a small decrease and I’m sure with the unprecedented growth spurt of Huntsville 84317, with an outrageous growth of 69.8% of appreciation over last year…. Cute little Eden will be right back up there soon!  Farr West/Harrisville 84404, has seen the most growth as far as the amount of units sold in this county and Hooper, 84315, has a great average price of right around $277,500.  Nice Hooper!!!  I have to say, I love seeing these positive stats for this county I grew up in.  Yay Weber County!!

Utah County boasts the highest average home price of $606,000 in the Alpine 84004 zip code.  They have held steady with the number of units being sold right around 30 for the past 3 years but have been able to realize a 10.2% increase over last year for appreciation which is great news for the entire county.    Utah County also experienced increases in all zip codes except 2, which were Lindon 84042 and Salem 84653 but the decrease was again very minimal of about 7% and the other zip codes (19 zip codes total) all are seeing appreciation ranging from 2.4% up to 24% with Lehi having the second largest amount of units sold along the Wasatch Front.  The average home price overall for this county is $274,645, making this still a very affordable and GORGEOUS place to live at the base of those FABULOUS Rocky Mountains.

So what does this all mean???  It’s time to truly APPRECIATE that our economy is up and running and we in Utah are certainly benefiting from this appreciation!  If you are thinking about buying, now is the time because you want to get in on the appreciation game!!!  Worried about a down payment???  Don’t be….. I have a fabulous little secret that is going take that worry right away!!!  Need help with your credit score???  I’ve got that mystery figured out too…. We just need to connect.  Feel free to email me at sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com or call/text me at 503.380.1156 or you can reach me on my direct business line at 801.736.2036.

Would you like to know what your house is REALLY worth…. Not just some random crazy zestimate you find online??  Text “Personal Home Evaluation” to this number 801.828.8015 and we’ll hook you up.

Enjoy November!!!  Enjoy YOUR appreciation and feel free to join in on the appreciation game.  If you haven’t joined the Real Estate Appreciation game yet, you can always join in on the gratitude (appreciation) game whenever and wherever you are!!!  It’s easy to play…. every day…. Find at least 5 things to be grateful for!!! 

Cheers to APPRECIATION in all its many forms!!!

Written by Sheri Joi

Mortgage Professional and Cheerleader for the Soul

Passionate about Lending since 1995

Welcome to November.... Harvest time!!! So, What Does That Mean??

Hey Everybody!!!

Whew!!  What a month October was.  First and foremost, thank you to everyone that watched or came out to our watch party see Trent’s episode of Naked and Afraid.  The watch party was HUGE and fantastic. We especially loved having our special guest, Kimberly Kelly from Moab--who was featured the week before on Naked and Afraid!  Thanks for joining us Kim and family!

To check out fun photo’s from the party and some of the exciting events that followed his episode you can visit Trent Nielsen Adventure Page on Facebook.   Also, if you missed the blog I wrote titled, Scary Question #3 “What did you think about Trent going on Naked and Afraid, knowing that his partner would be another woman and they would both be naked?”  it’s a must read!!

Wow!  I can hardly believe it is November already.  The trees are magnificent, the air has a crisp little bite and the mountains (if you’re in Utah) are glorious.  This is such a wonderful time of year for harvest.  It’s also the perfect time to harvest all the experiences from our past year and give gratitude for the accomplishments we have made.  This is a perfect time to reflect on the good, better and different aspects of our past year.  What I mean is take some time to do a personal overview of what we feel we did really good this year,  what things we can do better next year and what we might want to do differently….  in other words the “I’ll never do that again” adventures we ALL have in our life.  Discovering these events and going through this fun little practice of “harvest” can be a perfect way to uncover what seeds you have planted through out this past year and what you want to continue to nurture and grow next year.  There are a few ground rules (that I often have to remind myself of)…. No judging, no beating yourself up….. just a fun little discovery of the growth you have experienced, the gift found in EVERY situation (if you are open and willing to look for it) and an acceptance that all things work together to make a better YOU!  

Throughout November I will be sharing Gratitude Challenges on my Facebook page Redefining Joy.  I will also be sharing how my 15 years of mortgage experience can help you and your friends achieve the American Dream of Home Ownership on my Mortgage page.  I would love you to go “LIKE” both my pages so we can keep in touch throughout the month.  I am loving the work I’m doing and being able to share that with you.   Please share this message with your friends and family.  We all have someone we know that has a questions about mortgage or just needs a little support in their life….don’t keep me a secret…. echo it out even further in your world by sharing my posts, blogs or simply telling others about your experience in working with me.  What we can not do alone, we can do together!

Happy Harvesting….. please keep in touch, I love to hear what you are up to and the discoveries you find along the way.  When you feel inspired to send me some of you a-ha moments, please share….. these are some of my favorite emails to receive.

Cheers to the upcoming holiday season!

  

Warmly,

Sheri Joi

Mortgage Professional and Cheerleader for the Soul

PS….

Watch for new Mortgage Blogs on Tuesdays and my Redefining Joy posts for tips and tricks in transforming your life on Saturdays. 

Catch up on last months blogs:

Mortgage ….

Scary Question 1 How Will I Ever Come Up With a Down Payment?

Scary Question 2 Will I Really Be Able to Afford a House?

Scary Question 3 Who Can I Trust?

Scary Question 4 What If my Credit Score Isn't Good Enough?

Scary Question 5 What is the Most Important Thing I Need to Know About Home Ownership?    ….. it’s not what you think!!!

Transformation …..

Scary Story 1  The Scariest Story We Tell Ourselves

Scary Story 2 It Could Be Risky....Is It Worth The Risk?

Scary Question 3 What Did You Think of Trent Going on Naked and Afraid, Knowing His Partner Would Be another Woman and They Would Both Be Naked?

Scary Story 4 Will I Ever Find or Have a Healthy Relationship?

Welcome to November.... it's Harvest time!!! So, What does That Mean???

Hey Everybody!!!

Whew!!  What a month October was.  First and foremost, thank you to everyone that watched or came out to our watch party see Trent’s episode of Naked and Afraid.  The watch party was HUGE and fantastic. We especially loved having our special guest, Kimberly Kelly from Moab--who was featured the week before on Naked and Afraid!  Thanks for joining us Kim and family!

To check out fun photo’s from the party and some of the exciting events that followed his episode you can visit Trent Nielsen Adventure Page on Facebook.   Also, if you missed the blog I wrote titled, Scary Question #3 “What did you think about Trent going on Naked and Afraid, knowing that his partner would be another woman and they would both be naked?”  it’s a must read!!

Wow!  I can hardly believe it is November already.  The trees are magnificent, the air has a crisp little bite and the mountains (if you’re in Utah) are glorious.  This is such a wonderful time of year for harvest.  It’s also the perfect time to harvest all the experiences from our past year and give gratitude for the accomplishments we have made.  This is a perfect time to reflect on the good, better and different aspects of our past year.  What I mean is take some time to do a personal overview of what we feel we did really good this year,  what things we can do better next year and what we might want to do differently….  in other words the “I’ll never do that again” adventures we ALL have in our life.  Discovering these events and going through this fun little practice of “harvest” can be a perfect way to uncover what seeds you have planted through out this past year and what you want to continue to nurture and grow next year.  There are a few ground rules (that I often have to remind myself of)…. No judging, no beating yourself up….. just a fun little discovery of the growth you have experienced, the gift found in EVERY situation (if you are open and willing to look for it) and an acceptance that all things work together to make a better YOU! 

Throughout November I will be sharing Gratitude Challenges on my Facebook page Redefining Joy.  I will also be sharing how my 15 years of mortgage experience can help you and your friends achieve the American Dream of Home Ownership on my Mortgage page.  I would love you to go “LIKE” both my pages so we can keep in touch throughout the month.  I am loving the work I’m doing and being able to share that with you.   I would love for you to echo it out even further in your world by sharing my posts, blogs or simply telling others about your experience in working with me.  What we can not do alone, we can do together!

Happy Harvesting….. please keep in touch, I love to hear what you are up to and the discoveries you find along the way.  When you feel inspired to send me some of you a-ha moments, please share….. these are some of my favorite emails to receive.

Cheers to the upcoming holiday season!

Warmly,

Sheri Joi

Mortgage Professional and Cheerleader for the Soul

PS….

Watch for new Mortgage Blogs on Tuesdays and my Redefining Joy posts for tips and tricks in transforming your life on Saturdays. 

Catch up on last months blogs:

Mortgage ….

Scary Question 1 How Will I Ever Come Up With a Down Payment?

Scary Question 2 Will I Really Be Able to Afford a House?

Scary Question 3 Who Can I Trust?

Scary Question 4 What If my Credit Score Isn't Good Enough?

Scary Question 5 What is the Most Important Thing I Need to Know About Home Ownership?    ….. it’s not what you think!!!

Transformation …..

Scary Story 1  The Scariest Story We Tell Ourselves

Scary Story 2 It Could Be Risky....Is It Worth The Risk?

Scary Question 3 What Did You Think of Trent Going on Naked and Afraid, Knowing His Partner Would Be another Woman and They Would Both Be Naked?

Scary Story 4 Will I Ever Find or Have a Healthy Relationship?

“Scary Question #5 What is the most important thing I need to know about home ownership?”

It's October and I'm answering the scariest questions my clients ask me.....

There are so many things to know about home ownership, the list is long and honestly quite exhaustive.  My answer might surprise you but the number one thing that hands down I advise my clients is most important is .....Home ownership is best when it is a team effort with lots of good communication.   Approaching home ownership with a team attitude can help avoid some contention and frustration down the road, because let’s face it, we all know what the number one source of contention and argument in relationship is……right?  Hands down the answer is…. Finances….. and home ownership equals the biggest financial decision you will probably ever make in your life.  

By working as a team, you are able to explore questions you may not have even thought of asking. Then, once you know the questions, it’s easy to find the answers. Your team will probably consist of you and the person you have the most significant relationship with.  This is probably your spouse, partner or maybe a close family member.  This person should be someone that knows you fairly well, you are able to communicate openly and honestly with and cares about making great team decisions with you.  Planning to buy a home or planning to move onto a larger home is best when planned together as a team.   There are always unexpected turns in life and you want to make sure that the decisions you make for home ownership are a well thought out team decision.   When having these discussions here are a few conversations you might want to think about and discuss.

1- How much house can we afford comfortably and still be able to afford all our other expenses?

2- What strategies will we put into place to save money for regular maintenance on the house?

3- What are our long term plans for our house?  How long do we plan on staying in our home?   What mortgage strategies do we have? …. For example…. Do we plan on using our first house as an investment property and renting it out after we have lived here for several years?  Do we plan on selling and upgrading after several years?  Will we use our home as a tool to finance future college expenses? 

4- What plans do we have in repaying our mortgage.  For example…  Do we know how much additional principal we would need to pay each month to cut our mortgage from 30 years to 15 years?

5- Do we have a plan in place as to how the mortgage would be paid if financial troubles unexpectedly came our way.  (Heaven forbid this ever happen, but it’s nice to have the conversation just so you know you have a plan.)  Would we sell?  Down size?  Take in a renter?  Use savings??  And for how long would we use savings?

Start with some of these discussions and more will arise naturally.  This is a great way to start putting plans in place and hopefully avoid the contention that can arise from financial disagreements.  Make sure you are on the same page going into this decision, it’s one of the biggest financial decisions you will make and it is best to have a team attitude.  A good Real Estate Agent and a trusted Mortgage Professional are great additions to your team in helping guide these financial discussions.  Make sure your team is really listening to what you are saying and doing what is in your best interest AND likewise make sure YOU are listening to what your team has to say.   When you are ready to have these discussions, I would love to be a part of your team and help guide you and the rest of your team think about all the different aspects of home ownership.  Call or email me and we can start the conversation.  If “finances” is one of the biggest sources of contention in a relationship, a team attitude with great communication is one of the best ways to avoid that kind of contention in your relationship.   –You can contact me directly,  email sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com and text phone 503-380-1156.    Cheers to the end of scary questions and stories!!!

(The above blog ties in nicely to Scary Question #2 from a couple weeks ago “Will I be able to afford my own home.”  A great read if you missed it.)

Scary Question #4 “What if my credit score isn’t good enough for a mortgage?”

It’s October and I’m talking about the scary stories and scary questions we ask ourselves……

Scary Question #4  “What if my credit score isn’t good enough for a mortgage?”

This is one of the biggest questions that everyone is afraid to ask.  I know this because I don’t get this question BUT the people who refer their friends over to me get this question.  Thankfully…. They know that Sheri is somewhat the expert when it comes to damaged credit so I'm able to answer this question even if I'm not the one that gets the question to begin with and I'm thrilled to be able to help! 

This question seems to come with a little bit (or A LOT!) of shame and guilt attached to it and I’m guessing that’s why I don’t get this question very much.  We’re all afraid to say…. “Hey!  I screwed up once or twice and my credit might reflect that.”  First of all, your credit does NOT reflect the person you are so let’s just stop attaching our self worth to our credit score.  Phew…. That’s the biggest, hardest hurdle to overcome.  Next, let’s just look at what’s going on and THEN we can fix it…. Yep!!!  I said we can fix it!!!  But we have to KNOW what’s up before we can head on down the fix it up road.  

Now, I’m going to get very vulnerable here and give you a peek into my past that I was so ashamed of until I realized that the shame and guilt were actually keeping me from what I really wanted.  The shame and guilt kept me small and I was so afraid to ask for help.  I never wanted anyone to think less of me because of my (scary music inserted here) DAMAGED CREDIT.  For over 20 years I had perfect credit.  I had never missed a payment on my car, on my credit cards or my mortgages….. my rental or my primary residence….. and then it happened.  I separated from my was-band (that’s a nice way to say he “was” my husband) and I didn’t have the money for the mortgage.  I remember watching the day approach on the calendar with horror and anxiety.  It was 2009, the mortgage industry had crashed and I had been laid off midway through 2008.  I was desperately trying to find work that could pay my bills and feed my kiddos.  I was also going through the greatest emotional battle, divorce, that I had ever faced in my life.  As I watched the first of the month approach on my calendar, I was mentally, emotionally and physically sick, knowing I would not be able to make my mortgage payments.  The day came and I huddled by myself, too ashamed to tell anyone what was going on.  As the month progressed I knew that by the 30 day past due mark, my perfect credit was about to have a big, huge, fat, RED, bad mark on it….. or at least that was the scary story I was telling myself and I truly made myself sick for quite a while over this.  I was so ashamed.  Fast forward to 2015, I eventually had to file Bankruptcy because of the outstanding balance on the mortgage from the short sale as well as several other creditors that were not paid off by the agreements made in the divorce decree.  So what did I learn from all of this.  Life happens…. Sometimes we get knocked down….but it's the fact that we CHOOSE to get back up when it does knock us down.  I chose to get back up!

So when an unfortunate circumstance happens in our life and our credit takes a hit because of it, it could be a little blip on the credit radar or it could be a BIG blip on the credit radar but regardless of what it is, it can be fixed.  I have been able to climb out of that self created hole of shame and with small, easy steps I have been able to build my credit back to a respectable level.  In this journey back to emotional, mental, physical and CREDIT health I have learned so much and feel so blessed to be able to compassionately have a conversation with anyone that may be traveling the credit-shame highway.  Knowing how to rebuild your credit is an amazing tool to have in your personal tool belt, not only for yourself but also to be able to teach your children as they head off to college.  Let’s face it, we learn more about igneous rocks and stratospheric clouds in school then we do about how we can take charge of our credit score.  If.... uh-hum.... when you are ready to add this tool to your tool belt, I would be honored by your trust and would love to share the mysteries behind your credit score.  Call or text me, let’s start you on your road to credit health!  - Sheri Joi   text/cell number 503-380-1156  email sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com   

Scary Question #3 Who Can I Trust?

October is the month I will address your scary questions and the scary stories we tell ourselves.....”

For as long as I can remember I have been a cheerleader in one way or another.  I like to think of myself as a cheerleader for the soul as of late, and that continues to evolve, so what does that mean?  

Being a cheerleader for the soul is scrumptious!  It’s an honored position that allows me to get a glimpse into another person’s soul and see the amazing passions and purpose in this person.  Sounds fantastic right?  It is!!!  One problem….. we all wear masks and put walls around those passions and purposes to keep them safely hidden from critics that smash them into pieces.  This is absolutely understandable and I’m actually a huge proponent of keeping your deepest dreams very sacred until you can share them and build on them with someone safe, someone you can trust. 

So how do you earn someone’s trust so you can be a cheerleader for their sacred dreams and passions?  This is a great question. I take earning trust very serious!  I know I’m a little wild, crazy and possibly flippant in a lot of things in life but earning trust and keeping trust is something that I take very seriously!    This is one of the reasons I decided to jump back into the mortgage industry after a 5 year sabbatical.  Buying and selling a house is one of the largest financial decisions that many people will ever make and this kind of a decision needs careful guidance from a trusted advisor.  I have worked in this industry for over 17 years and have seen all the changes and challenges the mortgage world has gone through.  Being an underwriter and account executive for a Mortgage Bank for most of those 17 years has given me the unique perspective of knowing how to structure a loan for what is in the best interest of both the person getting the mortgage as well as the bank.  When I sit down with someone to go over their goals for home ownership, we discuss much more than the numbers involved to get qualified.  I want to make sure that the loan program that I will be putting together for you is the best fit for you and your family, whether your family is growing in size or maybe even downsizing and heading into retirement.   I want to earn your trust by really knowing who you are and how I can best take care of you in the biggest financial transaction you will probably ever have.  I want to be very clear what your goals are so that I can do my part in assisting your success in these goals. 

This is why I work primarily by referrals from people who already know and trust me.  By doing this I can dedicate my time to giving you the best service possible. 

I recognize that I must earn your trust so that I can earn future referrals from you, so my goal is always to exceed your expectations.  It is my goal that you become such a raving fan of how well the process worked for you that by the time we are finishing up your mortgage that those close to you will be wondering how they can have the same experience. 

My journey has brought me back around to this wonderful opportunity in the mortgage world to help you and those you might know, make the most of home ownership.   I appreciate your referrals and assure you that I will do everything to earn and keep the trust of those you send over to me.  So you never have to ask the scary question, “Who can I trust?”   I look forward to this opportunity to sit down and listen to you share the hope and dreams of you heart in regards to a mortgage.  I really want to gain the trust of the people in your life and your referral will begin this relationship.  Please share my name and number with anyone looking to buy, sell or refinance their home.  – Sheri Joi text/voice 503.380.1156 or you can email me at sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com

Scary Question #2 Will I Really Be Able to Afford a House?

October is the month I will address your scary questions and the scary stories we tell ourselves.....

The second scariest question that I've heard since being back in the mortgage industry is one that is uttered under hopeful breaths, this question is hopeful but at the same time, defeating and full of the fear of "what if's".   The question is just barely whispered... "Will I really be able to afford my own home?"

Owning a home is a big responsibility and over the past few years we have heard all to much about the tragedies of foreclosures and short sales so it is no wonder the second question I hear is “Will I really be able to afford my own home?”

This is a great question but it doesn’t need to be scary.  When you speak to your mortgage professional they will ask you questions about your household income and your monthly expenses.  A good professional will be able to explain to you what your debt to income ratio is and help you find a mortgage payment that is comfortable for you.  On top of the mortgage payment you will want to think about some of the monthly upkeep that you will be spending money on such as yard maintenance, furnace/air conditioning maintenance and all those little things that need to be maintain and/or replaced.  It’s always a good practice to add some additional money into your monthly mortgage budget to go into a “home maintenance” fund.  This is a great way to save for that rainy day when the roof may need to be replaced (and it will.... when you least expect it.)

Are you ready to start thinking about owning your own home?  Call or text me and let’s talk about all those things you will want to think about in beginning the road to home ownership.  Knowing what to be aware of is the first step in taking the fear out of this fantastic decision.  Let's chat about it!  –Sheri Joi

(email sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com)

Scary Question #1 How Will I Ever Come Up With a Down Payment?

October is the month I will address your scary questions and the scary stories we tell ourselves.....

"How will I ever come up with a down payment?" This is the most frequently asked question I've heard since jumping back into the mortgage industry.  This is one of those scary stories that roll around in our mind about home ownership.  This one little thought can sabotage our dreams to home ownership if we don't ask the right person the right question.

The smartest thing we can do is ask the scary question to a trusted professional that has the answers for us.  A down payment is definitely something you can do something about and I have some great answers for that question.

There are many different plans you can use to save for a down payment and there are many programs that have down payment assistance available for you.  Speak to a mortgage professional for more details about the current payment assistance programs available.

Now you don’t have to worry about asking that scary question about down payment any more.  If you’d like to see if you are eligible for these great programs, set up a phone call to talk about what your plans for home ownership will be in the future.   Getting rid of the scary question and the scary stories is about taking the risk to find the answers.   Call or text me to set up our first strategy call.    *Text/voice number 503.380.1156* or email me at sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com