Archive for February, 2012

February 17, 2012

My partner took me for a delicious dinner on Valentine’s Day and an odd thing happened at the restaurant. We were seated at the end of a row of 10 tables of 2 where the inside seats were booths and the outside, chairs. Each couple dining was comprised of a man and a woman.

About halfway through our meal we noticed that the arrangement of men and women was identical for all 10 tables: Men on the outside, women in the booths. Huh. That was funny, and we kept eating.

As we got up to leave, we noticed that there was an identical organization of tables on the other side of the booths. Again, 10 tables of 2, and the arrangement was the same: Men on the outside, women in the booths. What was going on?

Did we decide to see the pattern? Did each man make a chivalrous decision and let his lady enjoy the comfort of the booth? Did any of the men actively decide to sit on the outside? Which cues determined who sat where? The chairs were definitely closer to the activity of the restaurant, there was certainly the possibility for spilled drinks and meals, but why did each woman end up away from the action?

Brains are funny. We see patterns when we’re scared (check this out, it’s 60 seconds: http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=brain-seeks-patterns-where-none-exi-08-10-03) and Valentine’s Day can be an anxious day before a glass or two of Merlot. Though I wonder what would have happened if one couple had decided to mix it up. If some daring lady had opted for the seat instead of the booth, she would have stood out. She would have stood out in a really big way.

And this is my point: you can be comfortable and sit in the booth, or you can stand out. You can set yourself apart from every other realtor/broker/coach/consultant/distributor/decorator/event planner/writer/merchandiser or you can hang out in the welcoming softness of comfort doing what you know over and over again, away from the action.

Find what it is that sets you apart from your competition (maybe it’s a life experience, maybe it’s a skill set, maybe it’s longevity, maybe it’s a strong empathic quality) and tell people about it! I will never cease to be amazed by the amazing stories I learn from my clients long after we start working together. If I had known that you speak 4 languages, or about your ability to thrive through a divorce/illness/passing, don’t you think I would want to work with you sooner? You have an amazing story, and I can help you share it.

Stand out. Don’t sit in the booth. Be courageous.

Annelies

At the time of recovery is when we know if we had a good backup plan, but we should not wait that long to figure it out, because it might be too late then if it weren’t that good.

Let’s try a simple questionnaire: IF you answer NO to any of these four questions, you should consider a review of your current backup and disaster recovery plan, as soon as possible:

1. IF you delete an important file or email, can you get it back?
2. IF you change a document by mistake, can you recover a previous version?
3. IF your computer or laptop is lost or broken, can you restore all your data?
4. IF your office is in a disaster situation (thief, fire, flood), can you recover all your information?

We can help on the evaluation of your current plan, just Call for Free Consultation.

Remember, DATA is the lifeblood of your business.

Some professionals have designations that can offer instant credibility to those who carry them, whether they are doctors, lawyer’s scientists or mortgage professionals.

The degrees and credentials people have earned in their lives are usually conveyed by the acronyms following their names. There’s MD for a doctor, LP for a legal practitioner or AMP for an accredited mortgage professional – the person probably best equipped to guide any consumer looking for the most sensible mortgage for them.

AMPs primarily focus on determining the best options available in the market after interviewing clients. They work closely in communicating and performing proper due diligence, particularly if clients aren’t educated on what the process entails. It’s a lot like how a family doctor would send a patient to a specialist for a more thorough examination.

A ‘good’ mortgage’ is far more than just the best interest rate, as we‘ve all realized with the launch of BMO’s 2.99% restrictive product. Our responsibility is to educate the borrower on the true effective interest they may pay to own their home. Currently, there are about 50 mortgage lenders (including Banks) in Canada and their terms, policies, options, and privileges are not the same. Mortgage contracts can vary significantly and it’s imperative the consumer understands what they’re committing to before executing any mortgage.

But what an AMP does isn’t limited to just finding the lowest interest rate, as a mortgage must ultimately fall within a plan that takes into account the client’s current and future budget, as well as how the life of the mortgage affects their future financial plans or ambitions. AMP’s keep clients up to date throughout the process prior to closing of their mortgage, and keep them informed after closing with value added information. AMP’s credentials are the only national proficiency standard for mortgage professionals in Canada.

Bottom-line: Instead of going to the banks, I recommend you contact an AMP who can offer you more than one product and several solutions, keeping in mind your long term goals. It can be a renovation loan, complete debt consolidation, transfer at renewal, a first-time homebuyer, an investment property or a commercial property.

Jason Hall
Dominion Lending Centres Forest City Funding
Office: 1-866-343-7846
Cell: 647-893-8305
Email: jhall@dominionlending.ca
www.mortgageswithjason.ca