BE WARNED! My wife received this email today "from the IRS" and because she is sharp as a tack sent it straight to me: 

This is my public apology to LINDA FUTRAL, a Re/Max Agent in my great state of Georgia, for a comment I posted on her blog telling her readers what a great area she is in for real estate investors. (1/29 - I edited out some content just because as much as I wanted to say it and it may have even needed saying it was a little below me.)

My comment was this: "And Linda is in a PHENOMENAL market for Real Estate investors - just call me (or her) and I'll tell you why and why you can probably still get 100% financing."

I'm guessing from the tone of her email and the nature of the content she felt threatened by what I wrote and it was completely the opposite of any attempt to take anything away from her. 

Linda, I do apologize and you can rest assured, per your request, I will never comment on your blog again nor will I attempt, per your wishes, to develop a working relationship with you in the future.

You may not feel aggressive or competitive but if you even read this much you are! Business, like life, requires at least one basic desire: To live and thrive! 

It's never over - but it is constantly changing. Making the mistake of thinking you finally have it all figured out is usually a fatal act. At the very least it is incredibly crippling and most often results in a setback that, at the very least, makes you feel like you have to start over. A body that never changes is in a state of stasis - or death. What we want is a style of business (and life) that not only embraces change but causes it.

Today, right now, make the decision to learn to recognize change, to be prepared for change to embrace change and to make change. The challenge is to do all of this without letting go of the basic tenets which got you here. You can modify them, adjust them augment them, increase their strength, and polish them - just don't remove yourself from them.  The same things that make a good politician make a good business person.
1. Have true principles
2. Never wavering on the goal
3. Be transparent with your team
4, Embrace the facts without prejudice
5, Always be available (One Minute Manager)
6. Roll your sleeves up and get dirty
7. Be powerful

Have you ever been in the presence of a truly great statesmen? I don't mean just because they are an elected official I mean a truly powerful human being? I can name the few I have actually had the privilege to speak with and one of them is Robert Schuller. What is even more strange is that, at the time I met him, I only knew his name and nothing about him. It was about 20 years ago - since then I haven't changed much. Still didn't watch him or read his books.

Schuller was the first person I even met who, without saying a word, made me "feel" like I was really meeting someone. First of all he's a large man. His hands are enormous. But more than that he had the most humble eyes! I knew I was going to meet him and I expected him to be a pompous, arrogant and intollerant judge. Not at all. In the short couple of hours we spent together I found him to be most humble "star" I had ever met.

Although he gave me a signed copy of his book I never read it. I didn't rush home to watch his television program and I don't know that I've ever told this story to this date some 20 years later. But it was a powerful meeting. Why? I believe Robert Schuller demonstrated those 7 points as well as anyone I have ever know.

Be powerful. Power is not control - power is presence. Power is authority. Power is assurance. Men who control their wife through mind games and physical abuse are weak, cowardly little beings. Men who are cherished by their wife and children, employees and co-workers - those are powerful men. The same for women. The same for bosses. The same for real estate agents.

Power is persuasion. Do you have to constantly talk to make a sale? What if you could use almost no words and very few actions to help people make the right and best decision for their needs? That is what we do, isn't it? I am persuaded that the greatest salesman in the world need only be present - the client of the greatest salesman in the world should do all the buying without much obvious effort from the salesman. This is accomplished through preparation and presentation.

Study to show yourself approved. Ever fail a test you just knew you were going to pass so you barely studied at all? If you did that was likely no test at all. I imagine the core group of Active Rainers study continuously but how many others don't? As a mortgage lender with a small staff I expect my employees to know, without hesitation, all of the basic qualifications for the foundation group of mortgage product. For this reason we constantly have people in our office who can train us. We drill during our staff meetings - I'll throw out a scenario and the first person with the right answer wins the prize.

Power means attitude. Are you always a whiny, negative minded, "oh why is me" type person? You can change and the only exercise you have to do is to exercise your right to stop being negative. People don't like to be around negative people. I once had a real estate agent on my real estate team who was so negative she seemingly sucked all the light out of the room. She was like a human black hole and everywhere she went it got miserable. I tried just about everything I knew to "fix" her. In the end I guess I was fortunate she refused to come to my staff meetings because she was the type who would have had everyone quitting and going to work in retail within a matter of minutes! The last I heard she is serving lunches in a school cafeteria.

When you walk into a room do people turn to greet you? Hold your head up but don't be snotty - snotty is worse than miserable. Unfortunately our industry has that reputation already so let's not do anything to further that belief! Walk with purpose, shake hands like you mean it and only speak when you have something to say. When you do speak do so with authority. I don't mean loud and obnoxious - I mean with certainty and accuracy of point.

Now - go change our world for the better! 

Copyright(c)2007 Ken Cook. Novation Mortgage, Marietta GA. Real estate mortgages.

KEN COOK IS ON THE WARPATH on behalf of all real estate professionals, all home buyers, all mortgage borrowers, real estate investors and more. The target is big banking who are trying along with help from low people in high places to regain control of the industry they so controlled and harvested for many years without any interference from one of the greatest consumer advocacy groups in the mortgage industry in modern history: ethical mortgage brokers.

Big Banks - I have news for you:

1. Brokers are better at generating leads for you than you are for yourself.
2. It costs far less to accept a file from a broker than to originate one.
3. Brokers you are screwing by leaving their clients out to dry WILL REMEMBER THIS CRAP.
4. Brokers provide YOU with a recourse you do not have when only doing retail.
5. Now you'll have to compete DIRECTLY with EACH OTHER - let the blood fest begin!!!
6. We remember how you are treating our clients and they will KNOW IT and it WILL make a difference.

Note to buyers:

You think this is a good thing - brokers being squeezed out. Let me remind you that before brokers came into existence you had very little choice. You were treated like little pigs unless you had hundreds of thousands of dollars "on deposit" at the bank. Let me remind you that before brokers if you wanted to invest in real estate you had to be wealthy BY BANK STANDARDS. Let me remind you that when banks knew you weren't likely to shop (a FREE service provided by mortgage brokers) they felt free to stick it to you then break it off inside you. And that was when banks were local and friendly. Now they are mega-behemoths who don't give a rat's ass about YOU. Brokers at least have VOLUME on your side. If there are no brokers you will have absolutely no advantage in the market.

Liquidity problem my ass! Okay REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS, INVESTORS, MORTGAGE BROKERS and all other interested party. If you bank with a bank who once had a wholesale division but has closed it in the last 2 years go tomorrow - or on pay day - and remove all of your liquid assets. Take them immediately to a bank which is REAL ESTATE FRIENDLY.

Let's immediately send a message to the big banks and pull your deposits and put them into a local institution even if you don't have all the bells and whistles and I am DEAD SERIOUS. Send a message LOUD AND CLEAR to people like Aurora, Wells Fargo, Washington Mutual, Bank of America and move your money to Flagstar, Fifth Third, Mutual & Trust (M&T Bank) and others. Fortunately my bank does have a wholesale division and they are a huge bank, too. I bank with Suntrust. I don't use their wholesale division because they are overpriced and a pain in the butt but they work with brokers.

Why:

Let me tell you the most recent reason these crap-heels do not deserve YOUR business. On January 17th (last Thursday) an account executive from a medium sized wholesale only lender told us Aurora was closing their wholesale division. We immediately called our Aurora Account Executive who confirmed and said it was a hell of a surprise to her. We told her about one of our very best clients who we had pre-qualified at Aurora for a non-seasoned cash out (investment, stated, $200k walk away) and she told us all we needed to do was lock the loan. "All loans that are locked by Friday will still be closed."

We went ahead and ordered the full appraisal costing our valuable client $350 (we got him a discount for being a repeat client). On Tuesday (remember Monday was King Day) we received the RESPA package and immediately sent it to Aurora. They called and said, "Duh, what is this? We're closed?" To make a very long story (most of you have NO IDEA HOW HARD BROKERS FIGHT FOR YOU) after 3 full days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Today) of chasing rabbits around Aurora asking for help and mercy we were told, "Nope. Too bad, so sad. Piss off."

Let me add that over the last 7 years we have sent no less than tens of millions of dollars in GOOD PERFORMING LOANS to Aurora wholesale on behalf of our most valued clients. Aurora Bank of Colorado, do you think we will ever trust you again? Do you think we didn't tell the real estate agents who are members of the NAR, the appraiser who is a member of their organization, the attorney who happens to have over 80 locations in Georgia, the Carolinas and Florida? Do you think I'm not going to tell the members and readers of every blog I write on? Every member of every association I am a part of? 

This is not BROKERS these people are saying no to - it's YOU. Remember: BROKERS and BROKERS ALONE must disclose their full commission and have had to do so for YEARS. This is nothing new and it's damn sure nothing those freaks DODD and FRANK are "doing for TO you." 

Copyright©2008 Ken Cook - FOR THE PEOPLE! Blog Around at http://blogx3.com - The 24: Top American Real Estate Bloggers

Interest rates shot up from.75% to 1.25% on PRICING. This means opening rates tomorrow could be as high as 6% at PAR. Why? Simple: The DOW shot up nearly 300 points in a late rally.

Folks, you can't eat your cake and have it too. When the mortgage people tell you: No, the rates aren't going to drop just because the Feds changed the target rate, thank you very much, you better LISTEN! I had at least 10 phone calls today asking how the rates are today. I said, worse than yesterday. Of course they said, "But the Feds dropped the rate three quarters!"

Listen this is simple - the Feds do not set mortgage rates. Like I said yesterday the rates will probably go up because if the market likes what the Feds did the bond market will be offset with a run on stocks. DING DING - pay attention y'all this is basic economics 101. 

Don't worry. Investor confidence generally precedes buyer confidence which can either mask inflation or signal economic growth. If fuel and grain comes down over the next 48 period it could be a signal of growth. If fuel and grain increase over the next 48 hours we're likely still okay BECAUSE of what many people don't understand - the strength of the economic stimulus package even being proposed.

We have to team together and work on eliminating UNSECURED DEBT and offsheet spending.

Hang in there, kites fly much better on days where there are strong gusts. 

Ken Cook - 100% Financing for Owner Occupied Properties, 90% Financing for Investors, 97% for Small Commercial (owner operator), FHA Home Loans, Small Business Capital, Small Commercial Loans, Georgia Home Loans, Real Estate Investment Loans

Seriously - you all know how I do love to blog - then we've got that great little project going on over at BlogX3.com with The 24. I haven't posted to my personal blog hardly at all nor have I posted to my Blogger blogs.

And in the midst I am still having idiots who pull boneheaded moves during the loan process.

The truth is if we don't close most of these deals I'll be working at WalMart pretty soon and I think my house payment and car payment alone would eat up anything WalMart could pay even as GM ... so I am very glad we seem to be busy. Additionally I have 16 new investors signed up for the investor workshop I've been doing for the last 6 years and that's the most in the last 6 months.

Still the market is as confused as I have every seen it. People (buyers/borrowers) remind me of either a deer in the headlights or a baby who has slipped under the water for the first time. 

Lane passed me on points and I may not be able to do much about that until Al passes me! You see, I really don't blog for points but it's fun to be on the leader board. 

Ken Cook - 100% Financing for Owner Occupied Properties, 90% Financing for Investors, 97% for Small Commercial (owner operator), FHA Home Loans, Small Business Capital, Small Commercial Loans, Georgia Home Loans, Real Estate Investment Loans 

Many of you are following many other blogs and the idea behind The 24 is to keep a big grouping of your favorite bloggers in one outside location. If you have not visited The 24 please do and see what your favorite bloggers are saying there. In fact there are just a handful of spaces left for a few more top real estate bloggers.

The idea behind The 24 is to have a small group of prolific bloggers looking to juice up their search engine optimization and gain further exposure. It's so small it is like a gnat in the wine glass of Active Rain but it has already garnered major attention from all of the main search directories.

Here are some of the top posts on The 24 from the last week or so:

Scott Schang posted Realty (Reality) Check and has over 78 fresh views in less than 24 hours. Way to go Scott!

Jason Crouch posted So, You're Going on a Listing Appointment? How to Win Almost Every Time with over 70 views, excellent post Jason!

Cheryl Hale posted a zinger with Countrywide on a Refinance Mission..Will it Help??? with over 60 views.

Sharon In The OC gave us Pricing Your Home to Sell favored by Californian web surfers some 55 times! 

Jennifer Fivelsdal takes home some gold with The Impact on a community when the young are priced out of the real estate market and 169 unique visitors! 

Many other of your favorite bloggers are there as well hitting us with some good original content and racking up even more notoriety every day!

Listen folks, there are sharks in the water. Investors are coming out of the woodwork looking for people who are facing foreclosure so they can take advantage of them. There are many, many reasons you should never quit claim your property to ANYONE else EVER. Here are just a few.

1. The reason you are facing foreclosure is probably because you haven't called your lender to ask for help. Not the servicer - that's a collection agency. Call the LENDER. Can't find the lender? Call a TITLE AGENT in your area and ask them to find the lender for you. Trust me, with all the negative press about how crappy lenders are the ones who are remaining are going to do anything reasonable to help.

2.  Investors want EQUITY. Investors who aren't buying equity or futures are really bad investors. Chances are you have little or no equity in your property. The only way an investor can get your property with any equity in it is to purchase it on a SHORT SALE. You can initiate the short sale even though the investor will want to control the deal - DON'T LET THEM! It's YOUR house, YOUR credit and YOUR future. Get yourself a LISTING AGENT who has experience in short sales - do NOT get into further trouble.

3. Once you sign a quit claim deed it doesn't matter what the investor told you or promised you the house is now theirs. If they tell you to get the hell out you have no choice but to leave.  They can throw you out and put a renter in there at any time. Just because they were nice doesn't mean anything now.

4. An investor NEVER has your best interests at heart - investors have one goal: profit. If you are not profitable you're just in the way. Investors who aren't profiting aren't investors - they are fools.

5. Read your mortgage agreement. There is a paragraph in there called the DUE ON TRANSFER, DUE ON SALE, or ACCELERATION CLAUSE. One of the many things it says is that if you transfer the property to another person or entity (including investment trusts, LLC's, LLP's, and anything other than YOUR NAME) you are violating the DOS clause and now the lender doesn't even have to wait for due process that accompanies a foreclosure.

Theft By Quit Claim * Michigan Taking On Equity Strippers * US Bank v. Angela Price * Don't Be A Fool (AR Post)

It took less than five minutes to find those posts using Google. There are thousands more. So let me say it one more time NEVER SIGN A DEED, CONTRACT, PROMISSORY, or ANY DOCUMENT when the ownership of your home is in question.

There are some very kind looking, friendly acting, smiling investors out there who would LOVE to have you sign your home over to them. They will promise to bring your loan current and get the heat off your back (and they will) but you tell them this, "No, Ken Cook says that's the dumbest thing I can ever do. Here's what I will do: I will sell you the house and the closing attorney can get you to sign the QCD at the closing table. There is no other way you're getting this property." Now they will act like you're just over-reacting or assure you they aren't one of those kinds of investors. Pick up your phone, dial 678-946-0101 and get me on the phone. Then hand the phone to the investor.

DO NOT LET ANYONE PRESSURE YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION!!!

Foreclosure resources for consumers from recommended agencies. 

Foreclosure Rescue Scams *  WE BUY HOUSES! * Home Owners Warned * Grand Theft Home

Okay, so you need help. I understand and hopefully you can find help from these HUD Tips For Avoiding Foreclosure. 

You should also download my newest book "Can I Keep My Curtains? Facing Foreclosure in Uncertain Times". 

Similar to the Punt, Pass and Kick challenge for youth sponsored buy the NFL his grassroots program provides boys and girls, competing separately, an opportunity to showcase their excellence in the core basketball skills of dribbling, passing and shooting and is intended to encourage youth participation in sports while promoting sportsmanship.

My brother-in-law and husband of Broker Susan McClure is Ray McClure a WNBA referee urges youth to attend this  Skills challenge. Anyone between the ages of 7 and 14 may register the day of the event and must bring a copy of their birth certificate and a completed registration/waiver form prior to the start of the competition. Forms are available in Marietta’s Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department, located on the third floor of City Hall, 205 Lawrence Street.

Winners from the local competition will have the opportunity to advance to one of 25 regional competitions across the country. Winners from the regional competitions will advance to the national finals in Orlando, Florida.

For more information, call the Marietta Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department at 770-794-5604 or visit www.nba.com/jrnba.