Intensity

The mortgage process is INTENSE!  Let me repeat that: the mortgage process is INTENSE! There are many different aspects of a loan: shopping around for the best rates and fees, completing an application, collecting data and statements, submitting forms and paperwork for underwriting, understanding closing costs, and much more.

Let's be honest: applying for a mortgage is not the easiest thing in the world.

Source

Why?  Because the lender who is loaning the borrower the money wants to make very certain that the borrower is credit worthy.  And all lenders have different requirements.  Which is why no mortgage is ever identical (and why I have to be ready to handle any and every situation).

And also: most people don't purchase or refinance their home on a regular basis; so therefore they aren't completely versed or up-to-date in how everything works.  Applying for a mortgage is more like having surgery (something that happens not very often) than it is going through the drive-through (something that happens often).  It is hard to manage expectations due to the infrequency with which mortgages take place in one household.

I have explored the idea of making some videos to help explain the loan procedure A to Z so that our clients can better understand how the process works.

While browsing around on the Internet, I found this short and easy video about closing costs that I really liked.  (Much credit to the title company who created this video.)

This video, as well as others, has inspired me to work on having a library of information that my clients can turn to for quick and easy explanations.  I will update you as I work on creating a painless, less intense, mortgage process for you!

A Kindred Spirit

Oddly enough the phrase, a kindred spirit, has been coming to mind a lot lately.  Maybe it's because I recently watched Anne of Green Gables, an all-time favorite book and movie from my childhood.  Anne refers to anyone she admires or loves as a kindred spirit!

Well, one of my kindred spirits is moving to the DFW area.  She is one of my oldest bestest girlfriends and we played AAU basketball together for many years.  We spent lots of summers together, literally thousands of hours of basketball playing time.  When you spend that much time with someone, you can't help but develop an awesome bond!  Her move to this area is an answer to prayer and God is good!  I can't even wait for her, and her family, to move here!

1992ish? She is on the front row to the left (#15) and I'm standing up behind her (#11)

Young Guns @ Salt Lake City, UT

National AAU Championships (she on the front row in the middle and myself on the second row to the far left)

She will be here in July, and I am so blessed because Xcel is working on her mortgage and assisting her as she and her husband purchase their very first home!  We love working with our friends!

Happy day!

Everyday I'm Hustlin'

The fact that we now have a Texas license has most certainly taken things up a notch around here!  This week was full of busy-ness and craziness!  Ryan came home with comments like, This feels like the good ole days back when I was a loan officer and I did lots of multi-tasking today and I've got a lot to do tomorrow.  You know, it really feels great to work.  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. --Colossians 3:23

The kids had lots of activities this week, so the dropping off and the picking up combined with the things that needed to be done in the office equaled one busy week.  I worked on our Facebook business page and our CRM system, which is a really sophisticated database management system.  I'm pretty excited about the CRM because it will put us ahead of the game technology-wise, and it will be a huge benefit to our clients.  More on that later.

Also considering creating some videos for our clients to view as they work through the mortgage process.  Ryan speaks Mortgage-ese and I speak Real Estate-ese, but we realize that not everybody (and especially first-time homebuyers) speaks our languages.  So we hope to create some videos that will clearly explain the basics of interest rates, closing costs, the mortgage process, etc.

Realizing that many of our clients prefer social media (rather than telephone), we plan to amp up our social media presence over the next few weeks.  We love social media but we also love good old-fashioned talking on the phone too.  Anybody remember what a land line is?

It feels great to hustle!  Looking forward to a relaxing weekend!

Pop Open the Bubbly!

Well after a very frustrating morning, we were elated to find out this afternoon that our Texas license has FINALLY been approved!  We have been waiting for months to get over this hurdle so that we could start working on some Texas loans.  Two words: Divine Intervention.

We are now ready to serve our Texas clients!

Happy day - we will be toasting with some bubbly tonight!

My Perspective

I'm so proud of Ryan and the perseverance he has in beginning his own company.  Starting from scratch!  He has always been a hard worker with more than adequate dedication to his job, and I admire his ability to build...whether it is building a company, building a family, or building me a desk for my art studio...he always builds with his whole heart.

Xcel Lending will be a place he can pour his big heart into: he can leverage his strengths and enjoy serving the needs of others using his expertise and natural abilities.

We have both laughingly said how exciting and wonderful this time is because it's like when we first moved to Texas and began our careers and we had this whole huge road in front of us with no clue what was to come.  (It's kind-of like when you are dating and you don't know the other person yet but you are just blown away by what you do know.  The infatuation stage!)  This is how the business is for us right now: super exciting, hard to sleep at night, eager to build and serve, challenging in a marvelous way, anticipating the future!

My role for now at Xcel (as we start from the beginning and start small) is accountant, social media helper, and personal assistant (i.e. director of Ryan Grandi's happiness)--ha!  I'm really just trying to use my experience and knowledge to contribute however I can.  I am enjoying this sweet time with Ryan when we communicate throughout the day, work together using our strengths, and problem solve together.  Don't get me wrong, it's not all roses and loveliness--however most of the time it's wonderful and exciting!

Have a great weekend!