
To
Lock or Not; that is the Question
This
has become a very powerful question over the past ten to twelve weeks.
Volatility in the market place has led to windows of opportunity that
may have only lasted 24 to 48 hours at a time. According to the Fed
Chairman Alan Greenspan and his fellow bankers we are in a reversionary
stage. On any given day this view point may be shaken by rising stock
prices and news which may indicate some signs or early recovery. However,
people remain concerned about when or if to make a move. Enter the
mortgage Counselor.
A good Mortgage
Counselor will give accurate timely information. For example, recently,
while getting ready for the day, I was watching some pre-market
activity which strongly indicated some breathing room for the bond
market. This means having the opportunity to lock in mortgage loans
at favorable interest rates. On the way into the office, I contacted
my loan officers to inform them of this opportunity and to make
sure they in turn reached out to any client who could benefit from
this market move. Upon arrival, I immediately informed my clientele
of these favorable conditions and recommended they take advantage
today. As a result, we were able to lock in a large block of mortgages.
Immediate action based on trustworthy information gave our clientele
an advantage they might not have otherwise had.
Providing options
is also of the utmost importance. That same morning I phoned a customer
who was purchasing a newly constructed home and was concerned as
to the rational of locking in a rate now or waiting nine to twelve
months when his home was closer to completion. I gave him choices:
either he could wait and be subject to market volatility during
the remainder of his construction or to lock in a rate immediately
which would give him the option of enjoying a lower rate if the
market was in fact lower at the time of his closing. By locking
in timely the client would have the benefit of a guaranteed rate
and allow him to feel secure in the fact that his interest rate
would not go up for the next thirty years.
Similarly, comparative
information allows a client to see reality. Recently a customer
could not decide whether to lock in a rate immediately or to wait
in the hopes the interest rates would go down. I was able to show
the client what the payment would be per month at the current rate
verse where he believed the market was going. He discovered the
difference in payment was minimal and realized that he could avoid
any further risk of rates going higher by locking in
that day.
For the past
18 years, through the management of pension funds for blue chip
companies and mortgage funds relating to new construction, I have
developed the ability to accurately and consistently analyze markets,
by using a conservative approach, sensitive to the preservation
of capital and financial well being. In short, I teach people to
trust my judgment by consistently providing accurate, timely information
in straightforward terms. Choices are clearly explored so that people
are aware of all of their options in financial decision making.
I am confident in my ability to provide helpful information and
feel a sense of pride in being able to have others benefit from
my experience.
In the coming
months I will be discussing useful information relating to mortgage
financing. We will be exploring various options available to new
construction clientele, as well as builder financing and home improvement
lending. Also, you are invited to make suggestion as to topics you
would like me to address.
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