Why It's a Good Idea to Use the RIGHT Real Estate Agent

First of all, thank you to one of my Facebook friends who posted his opinion under my meme of the top 5 reasons to use a Real Estate Agent. My friend said the number one reason to NOT use a real estate agent is that it’s a waste of money. I’m thrilled that he brought this up because I’ve wanted to share just one of the many experiences we had last year being a Real Estate Agent and how our client benefited from hiring us to represent them in selling their property.

Before I get into the experiences we had last year let me address a few concerns my friend brought up in his argument. Here is his direct comment …..

“And the #1 reason not to use a realtor is they way overcharge you. Pay an attorney $500 to do the paperwork. The rest is a piece of cake. If you are trying to sell a home for $500k you will pay $35,000 in commissions. Really? Is it really worth 35,000 to sell the home. They need to work off of a flat fee.”

Now, I will agree that Real Estate Agents get paid a lot but typically a seller’s agent will make about 3% on a deal and the buyer’s agent will make 3% bringing the total to 6% in a transaction, usually paid by the seller but it can be negotiated. A realtor may also negotiate with the other realtor less of a commission to help make the deal work for everyone and a good realtor will know when to do this. In the example my Facebook friend sited, a home that is selling for $500,000 (which is going to have a smaller pool of buyers than the average home of $250,000-$300,000 and in this case especially I would highly recommend a realtor because you will benefit greatly by hiring an agent that is savvy and experienced in finding the perfect buyer for a higher priced home……>breath here<. #queenofrunonsentences #backtotheblog) the commission for the sellers agent will typically be about $15,000 and the same for the buyers agent unless negotiated. Now let’s just break all this down…... If you average that commission by the amount of years you will be living in the house and paying on your mortgage (which is about 7 years) then you would be paying a little over $2000 a year or under $200 a month to get the right price for your house. When you hire a knowledgeable Real Estate Agent to assist you in this process that’s not a lot of money for the expertise you should expect. That is why it is VERY important to choose your Realtor carefully so that you don’t feel like hiring them was a waste of your money.

Statistically, across the United States, a little more than 90% of Real Estate transactions are done through a Realtor. This suggests that the majority of the public has found some sort of success with working with an Agent. A good Realtor is well worth what you will pay. A good Real Estate Agent knows his market and has appraisal skills that will work to your benefit. What I mean by that is a good realtor should be able to go into a house and assess the updates that have been done or need to be done and use these points to negotiate a good price that is a win/win for both sides…. THAT in itself is worth what the commission paid on a transaction. Here is an experience we had with a client last year. We had a client contact us last year to inquire about selling their property. They told us they had a family member willing to buy it for $180,000 and they were debating whether they should just do that or hire an agent to see if they could get more out of their property. They had also contacted a different real estate agency that told them the very maximum they would be able to get out of their property was $200,000 and that their commission would be 8%. This would yield them even less than what the family member was willing to pay for the property. That is when they called us to see what we thought. After assessing the property and having them do some minor touch ups we listed the property at $230,000 and were confident with our market analysis that we could yield them the $200,000 in their pocket that they were looking for. We knew it was very important for them to get this amount as it was part of their retirement plan. The first offer we received on the house was for $200,000 and after much discussion we turned down this offer (which ironically came from the Real Estate Agency they had first contacted.) A few days later we negotiated and accepted another offer at $220,000 splitting a 5% commission between real estate agents and netted our clients the $200,000 she was looking for in the beginning, making her $20,000 more than if she had taken what the family member wanted and far more than the other real estate agency had predicted it could sell for.

There are so many more reasons I can give you for using a real estate agent but what I want to really emphasize is that you need to hire the CORRECT agent. I have been in the real estate game for over 20 years and it seems everyone has been a real estate agent at some point in their life…… but only few are dedicated to their craft…. Find THOSE agents….. Even if your brother’s wife is an agent, it takes more than just getting your license to know how to negotiate and assess a property. Make sure you interview your realtor and feel good about what they will be bringing to the table before you hire them to sell your home or assist you in buying your next home, this will make all the difference.

Hire the best, hire an expert!

Mortgage Rates Are Still Low

The real estate market has never been better.  Although rates have crept up slightly, rates are still low and FABULOUS!

That being said, when you are ready to look for another house and it's time to get pre-approved.... be aware that some of the great new commercials you are seeing on TV or you hear on the radio will take your information and farm it out to numerous mortgage companies.   These services will claim to get the best deal for you but remember that each company that receives your information will pull your credit and no matter what ANYONE tells you, those inquiries will affect your credit score.  That being said, it is necessary to have your credit pulled so make sure it is with an institution you trust and are ready to commit to doing your loan with.

To be really honest, most institutions are going to be able to get you about the same rate and hopefully charge you reasonable fees.  The mortgage industry is now HIGHLY regulated and the consumer is well protected by these regulations so you don't have to worry about secret fees and things like that anymore (the industry truly needed these regulations, thank you!).

I have some great partners that I work with in this industry (been doing it for 20 years, I know a few peeps) and I would be happy to guide you through your questions on credit, down payment, refinance, home improvement loans or whatever other mortgage related questions you might have.  Feel free to reach out via a phone call or text 503.380.1156 or pass this information along to someone who might need it.

Best wishes for a great year
of real estate!

The Housing Market Just Keeps Getting Better

According to the new president of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors, Troy C. Peterson, things are just going to get better in 2017 for real estate.  Even though mortgage interest rates increased slightly, it has not deterred home sales.  Utah has been named the “Fastest Growing State” by the U.S. Census Bureau which means things are going to keep getting better for 2017.  We have many big companies moving in which means steady job growth.  This in turn means the demand for housing will continue to grow.  

Other great news was announced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in raising the maximum conforming loan limits.  In most areas of the country a one-unit property will go up from $417,000 to $424,100.  There hasn’t been an increase in conforming loan limits since 2006 so this is a sign of more good things to come.  Higher conforming loan limits allows buyers to purchase a slightly higher priced house at conforming rates rather than the slightly higher jumbo loan rates.  

Even though we have seen an increase in the home prices in the Salt Lake City area, the majority of all homes that sold in the third quarter were easily affordable to families earning the area’s median income of $74k.  

With all the current events happening, it is exciting to see the economy coming back and being in excellent shape as well as the housing market boasting the highest sales since February of 2007 (pre-crash era).  Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, assures us this last quarter has been the healthiest housing market as well as job market since the Great Recession, with nothing but good to predict in the future.  

We know it’s only January but if buying or selling your house….. Or just doing some renovating is one of your New Year’s resolutions, we’d love to sit down with you and help you put a plan together.  Last year we sat down with a new home buying client at the end of July to formulate a plan and by Thanksgiving they were celebrating in their new home.  We’d love to be a part of your dreams for home ownership or remodeling this year.  Feel free to reach out via email, private message or text.  

Cheers to an amazing start to a FANTASTIC year!  

Tis the Season to Get Your Shopping on..... How Will This Affect 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! 

5 Hot Tips to Sell Your House for Top Dollar

Want to sell before the end of the year?  801.828.8015

This year has been a HOT year for real estate and there is still time to sell your house by the end of the year if that’s what you’d like to do.  You can also take a little time to give your house a little face lift and really get the top dollar when selling your home.  Going into the winter months is a great time of year to do that.  There are many things that will help sell your house for top dollar and we have learned the tips and tricks to do just that.  Here are five hot tips we have found that will sell your house for the highest price.

First of all if you want to sell your house before the end of the year then you will want to get your house listed ASAP.  If you live in Utah and you’d like to know what you could sell your house for right now send a text to 801-828-8015 with the word “comps” and your home address.  We can look at the houses that are similar to yours in the area and give you a good idea of what you could sell your home for right now.  If you are just curious what “projects” you could do that will give you the biggest **Bang** for your $$Buck$$ then read on, we have some other HOT tips for you below.  Listing your house with a real estate agent puts your house on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) so you have a much wider audience and listing with an experienced SELLING agent that also flips homes, gives you insider information on the best way to sell your house fast and get top dollar for it.  That’s what we do….. so text us today if you want to sell by the end of the year.

If you’d like to take a little time over these next wintry months to work on a few things around the house but just don’t know where to start or what is going to be the best return on value we have some GREAT ideas for you.  One of the best things you want to do to get the highest possible market value for your house is give it a quick face lift.  Paint is an inexpensive way to give your house a fresh feel.  Make sure you are using the newest trends in color themes, not just your style. We can let you in on the latest trends in the market and how to make it really work for your house.  Also, not all paint is created equal and we’re happy to give you some great tips whether you are doing it yourself or hiring a professional, give us a call first and we’d be happy to give you some short cuts that make a BIG difference.

Next, you want to DECLUTTER. You might love all those pictures on the walls and all the many knickknacks and decorations that fill your house but a potential buyer wants to be able to see the space and create what it could look like with their “stuff” in it.  To allow the buyer to get a feel for this you need to really go through your house and get rid of a lot of the clutter, by keeping it very minimal you will give the feel of an open and fresh space…..this is the key to every new home buyer’s heart.  You might consider getting a short term storage unit if you have a lot of precious “things” you want to save….. OR…… begin to get rid of what is not necessary because it will be a lot easier to move when the day arrives to box everything up!  An added bonus is it is a lot easier to paint when there is less “stuff”…. Win/win!

After you have cleared your clutter and given the inside walls of your house a fresh face lift think about updating some of the hardware. It’s amazing what new light fixtures, door handles and cabinet knobs can do for a place.  Of course, you want to be replacing the hardware with the HOT NEW trends so again, reach out to us for the hook up on these updates.  You don’t want to make the mistake of spending money on hardware that is not going to really catch the eye of your new home buyer.  We can help with this and make sure the paint and new fixtures all flow with the existing space and pack a WOWSER punch for new owners.

And the last thing you can do without spending a ton of money is give your home some great curb appeal.  Cut down ratty old trees, trim those overgrown bushes (or pull them out), put down new bark dust (did you know you can get free bark dust from Murray City?), cut the grass and trim the edges.  You’d be surprised just how much these little things can do to bring back LIFE and ZEST to your homes curb appeal.  You might want to pressure wash the garage door and the siding if it needs some sprucing up.  Also, consider putting up some inexpensive shutters or painting your front door.  Again, we can help tell you exactly the compliments we get on our houses from future home buyers and the right tweaks that will let your house stand out far above the competition.

At the end of the day, if you want to sell your house for top dollar you have to start thinking about what the future buyer of your house is looking for in a new home.  We know the trends, we know what sells and we have some pretty sweet hook-ups we can refer you to.  We’d love to list your house for you and walk you through the selling process so you can get top dollar.  It all starts with a call or text to us.  Want to sell by the end of the year???  Text or call and we’ll help you start the process.  We’ll even help you find your new place too.  Buying and selling houses is what we do, we’d love to help you do it too!  Trent Nielsen and Sheri Joi 801.828.8015

5 Pros and Cons to Using a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home

To Realtor or Not to Realtor?  That is the question....

As I explored the benefits of using a Real Estate Agent and not using a Real Estate Agent the bottom line was this; there certainly are people who are qualified to sell their own homes but if you take a look at the FAQ on most for sale by owners websites, it suggests that the process is not as simple as you may think.  I’ve been doing mortgage for 20 years and my wisdom suggests it is well worth what you will pay, to have a professional on your side.  With that said…. Here is a list of what you will want to consider when putting your house up for sale.

1-      A good realtor has a sense of the market.  They have insider information on the hot trends and what really “sells”.  They can give you a report of comparable homes for sale and the historic data for your neighborhood.  Of course, you can also do some of this research online ….. you just need to know what you are looking for and you will want to weigh how much of your time will be spent “figuring out” what you are looking for.  A good agent won’t have to figure it out, they will know and be able to guide you through the process.

2-      Negotiating a real estate deal can be tricky business.   A good agent knows which part of the deal to negotiate on…. Whether it is closing costs, purchase price or repairs…. A real estate agent knows where they can best “push” the deal.  Negotiating the purchase of a new home can be emotional and it’s nice to have a third party to help you navigate this process.  Of course there are online tools to help you do this on your own, but having a professional handle the details will ensure that you don’t miss any of the little details of the contract and wind up losing your earnest money because of one of these small details.

3-      Real Estate agents know all the different avenues to find and sell homes.  Depending on the agent you are using, a realtor may have the inside scoop on homes that haven’t even hit the MLS yet.  Through their relationships, realtors may be able to leverage their networks in order to sell your home more aggressively to other agents within their network.    The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent relationships through previous clients, friends, family, referrals and personal contacts.  Of course your sphere of influence is a great place for you to begin your own marketing efforts but hiring an agent that “does this for a living” will have more people expecting them to have what they need…. And hopefully that will be YOUR home!

4-      Selling your home can take longer if you don’t have the time to do open houses and showings often…. And those last minute showings in the middle of the day can begin to stress you out.  Real estate agents can be a lifesaver when it comes to getting potential buyers in and out of your house during your work hours.  An agent can also help you stage your home so that prospective buyers can “see” themselves in your house and also point out all the benefits to your home to potential buyers.  Realtors know what is selling in your area and can give you advice of what your home may need to compete with what’s “hot” in your area.

5-      When buying or selling a house, you may need to hire additional professional services… this may include a painter, lawyer, inspector, a title company and more.  Your real estate agent does this for a living and has developed relationships with these professionals.  You may even be able to get better pricing because of the referral relationships some agents have created with these type of professionals.  You can google yourself any of these professionals but we all know that having a referral from a trusted source usually pays off both ways…. Better customer service satisfaction because they want to continue to be referred by these partners. 

What it boils down to is how much time and effort are you willing to put into selling your house.   Yes, there are many sources available for you to do this on your own but my personal opinion is you will save yourself a lot of time, frustration and unknown questions on contracts/paperwork by having a professional on your side.

Sheri Joi, email sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com

The Top 7 Mistakes That May Prevent You From Getting a Mortgage

Yikes!!  Today in my FB news feed I saw that one of my clients bought a new vehicle….(yes, I love that my clients are my friends and my friends are my clients!!!)  I was thrilled they were able to get a shiny new car…BUT.....I gasped a little as I knew this may have an effect on their pre-approval.  I made a few quick calculations and then a phone call …. Phew…. All was well but – "No more buying cars in the midst of our transaction please" -- this little seemingly unrelated event could have prevented my clients from getting a mortgage.   Do you know what could prevent you from getting a mortgage?  Here is a list of the top 7 mistakes that may prevent you from getting a mortgage.

1-      Your credit score.  I’m pretty sure that everyone is aware of the importance of a high credit score but did you know that it can also make a difference in your rate?  This will factor into how much your mortgage payment will be and if your score is a little low, making your rate a little higher… you may have a problem with your debt ratio….. we’ll talk about that next.  Moral of this story…. Understand how your credit score is driven so that your credit actions drive it up!

2-      Your debt ratio. Your debt ratio is the amount of your monthly credit payments… like your car payments, credit card payments and your proposed mortgage payment…. Divided by your monthly income (gross…before taxes and deductions).  Most lenders want your debt ratio to be under 45.  If you buy a car in the middle of the mortgage pre-approval process it could possibly bump your debt ratio up.  This may result in not being able to qualify OR having to lower your purchase price.  Make sure that you talk with your mortgage professional before making any new credit actions while you are in the process of getting a mortgage.  Your mortgage professional will be able to give you the guidance you need so you don’t make a mistake and cost yourself the loan.

3-      No credit.  Gone are the days when it was ok not to have any credit.  If you want to obtain a mortgage you will have to demonstrate you are responsible with credit.  In order for a lender to give you a loan, they must know what your credit habits are.   The lender does this by looking at your credit history.  To be an ideal candidate a lender would like to see that you responsibly pay your installment loans on time as well as your revolving credit.  They also prefer to see that you keep your revolving balances managed…. (this will also help keep your credit score higher...bonus).  Check with your mortgage professional to get the specifics details of credit requirements if you have never had credit or you don’t have any credit reporting currently.  A mortgage professional will be able to guide you in the best way to obtain credit or possible ways of using alternative credit.

4-      Down Payment.  Most lenders require you to put a down payment in order to get a mortgage.  Talking to a mortgage professional before buying a house will give you the details of how much of a down payment will be required, if it can be gifted or how long it needs to be in your bank account before it is an acceptable source for a down payment.  Of course there are some FABULOUS down payment assistance programs available so make sure you talk with a mortgage professional to get pre-approved before you start shopping for the perfect home.  Also, you may need to have some savings (reserves) in the bank, a mortgage professional will be able to let you know if this is a requirement of your specific loan program.

5-      Closing Costs.  When you are saving for a down payment also remember there will be some closing costs involved.  Many times your realtor can negotiate with the seller to pay some of these closing costs.  The amount of closing costs the seller can pay will depend on your loan program so make sure your mortgage professional is involved and is communicating with your Real Estate Agent right from the beginning.  You don’t want to get to the end of the deal and be short on your funds to close.

6-      Job history.  Believe it or not you do need to have income coming into your household when you obtain a mortgage so just because you are pre-approved does NOT mean you can now quit your job.  It is possible that a lender may ask for a paystub or do a quick verbal verification to your employer right before the funding of your loan to make sure you are employed.  If you are anticipating a job change before you close on your mortgage, make sure you speak to your mortgage professional to make sure there won’t be anything that will hold up your transaction.

7-      Mortgage Pre-approval.  I can’t express enough how important it is to meet with a mortgage professional before beginning the process of buying a home.  I know sometimes it feels scary because you might not be ready to buy right now but by meeting with a mortgage professional you can put together a road map with all the details in place so when you FALL IN LOVE with that PERFECT house.  You can be confident that you are ready to move forward and there won’t be any anxiety in losing your Earnest Money Investment. 

Buying a house is exciting and there is a lot to know.   Find a mortgage professional you feel comfortable with and ask a lot of questions.  This is likely going to be one of the largest purchases you ever make, you owe it to yourself to do the homework and understand what you are about to step into.  I’ve been in the mortgage industry for 20 years and the reason I started was because I truly wanted to understand what the process of getting a mortgage was all about, I love to answer my clients questions and help them feel comfortable about making this fantastic step into home ownership.  Call or email me to set up a mortgage consultation.  –Sheri Joi,  sherijoi1972@gmail at gmail dot com

Mortgage Insurance Vs Mortgage Hazard Insurance….it’s so confusing!

"I can get rid of
Mortgage Insurance?!?
Whhhaaattt???"

We don’t usually talk about refinancing much because the purchase market is so fantastic right now but I wanted to share an experience I recently had with a client that was confused about Mortgage Insurance……………..

My client was referred to me because she had been making her monthly mortgage payments for over 5 years and she was still paying monthly Mortgage Insurance, which was included in that payment.  My referral source wanted her to sit down with me and see what options she might have to remove the monthly Mortgage Insurance.  When I talked to the client about doing this I could tell she was a little hesitant so I asked more questions to make sure she understood what I was talking about.  I discovered that she thought that Mortgage Insurance was the insurance that would cover the costs if a natural disaster happened to her house.  This is a VERY common misunderstanding.  I explained that there is a difference between Mortgage Insurance (Also known as PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance on a conventional loan and MIP – Mortgage Insurance Premium on an FHA loan) and Hazard Insurance.  Let me share how I explained the difference to my client.

Home insurance, also called hazard insurance or homeowner’s insurance, is a type of property insurance that covers a private residence.  It is an insurance policy that combines various personal insurance protections, which can include losses occurring to one's home, its contents, loss of use (additional living expenses), or loss of other personal possessions of the homeowner, as well as liability insurance for accidents that may happen at the home or at the hands of the homeowner within the policy territory.  It is always a good idea to sit down with your insurance agent and find out exactly what your home owners policy covers.  I have a client I’m working with right now that had experienced a fire several months ago and she is in the midst of working with the hazard insurance company to get the contents and structure of the home covered….. I’ll write more about this as it unfolds but this gives you an idea of what the purpose of Hazard Insurance is. 

Now the confusion I find is usually about Mortgage Insurance.  What the heck is that and why do you pay that every month?  What does it do for you?  The answer is, unfortunately, it does nothing for you.  Mortgage Insurance is about the lender.  It protects the mortgage lender against losses that may result from you defaulting on your mortgage.  The benefit to you in having mortgage insurance is that you probably didn’t have to come up with a giant down payment.  You were able to put less money down as a down payment in exchange, you pay a monthly Mortgage Insurance payment.  This extra insurance allows the Mortgage lender to feel more comfortable lending on your home with less equity investment from you.   The important thing to remember is that once your home has at least 20% equity in it, either from you making all your payments on time or market appreciation…. Or both…. You will want to do yourself a favor and get rid of that monthly Mortgage Insurance payment. 

In my client’s case we were able to refinance her into a 15 year fixed loan, cutting 10 years off her mortgage and saving her about $50,000 in interest payments and the great news is that her mortgage payment only went up about $12/month.  “What???  It went up???  You’re supposed to say it went down!!”  Well, think about it…. We were able to get rid of the monthly Mortgage Insurance Payment (usually anywhere from $150-$200 a month) and we shortened the amount of years she will now be paying her mortgage.  This is why there was an increase in the payment.  Would you pay an additional $2160 (that's $12 a month for 15 years) to be able to pay off your mortgage 10 years faster and save yourself $50,000 in interest payments??  Well, my client thought it was a great idea.  She was already used to her payment so it wasn’t a stretch to add an additional $12 to her payment each month and now she’s on track to pay off her loan in 15 years (or sooner if she makes additional payments) as opposed to 25-30 years.

If you are wondering about whether you have mortgage insurance or not….. or if you have enough equity to get rid of that monthly Mortgage Insurance payment then reach out and let’s see what your options are.  – Sheri Joi,  email sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com

5 Tips for Buying a Home

The New Year has just begun and for many that means making goals and resolutions.  If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to buy a house here are a few tips to keep in mind.....

1- Buy a house priced no more than 2.5 times you annual salary.  This is a realistic guideline to ensure that you are not overextending yourself on your mortgage.  Even with this guideline though.... use your inner barometer of what you feel comfortable paying each month with a mortgage.

2- Buy a house in an excellent school district, even if you don't have children.  This will increase the resale value, as many home buyers do have children.

3- Before you buy, hire your own home inspector to detect any potential problems. This report could be a negotiating factor on the price of they home.  You'll want to do this before your due diligence date is expired on your purchase agreement to get maximum negotiating power.  Talk to your realtor (or mine...*wink*) to get more information on this.  A good realtor will be able to refer you to an inspector they trust to work hard for your best interest.

4- Getting pre-approved on a mortgage will give you more negotiating power with the seller. (I promise I'm not just saying that because I want you to come and see me soon.... but I would love that too.)  Getting a pre-approval let's the seller know that you are serious about this transaction and are ready to move ahead quickly.  That is joy to their little selling hearts.

5- Get a realistic view of the neighborhood before you buy.  Drive from your potential home to work and shops at "key" hours to evaluate traffic and make sure you know what it will be like for your commute.

If you or anyone you know is getting ready to buy a home, pass this along to them along with my name and number.  I'd be happy to discuss the first few steps of buying a home....whether this is your first home..... or your 15th investment. -Sheri Joi ,e mail, sherijoi1972 at gmail dot com

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