Brooks Rawlin's (brawlin_99) Blog

Our financial market may be in turmoil, but the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy news is yielding one important byproduct for you: rates are set to drop sharply again today!  Take advantage now!  Rates typically go up right before a presidential election, so our window may be a small one.    If you or ...

I know I'm one of thousands of people with airline horror stories as of late, but once I was done being irate while trying to fly with my daughter this past weekend, I started thinking about how I could use the experience and apply it to our industries.  I was in St. Louis last weekend for a frie...

Here's a question for all the realtors out there: Have you had a deal lately that went to a loan officer, and the deal falls into a black hole, and 45-60 days later you're still trying to figure out what happened? It's all too common in this market.  Three years ago, the industry had what I call ...

Okay, for all you folks in California, New York, and other "high cost" areas, take advantage!  Pricing has improved yet again for mortgages with loan amount sup to $729,000 in these areas, and the interest rates and closing costs now largely match the rates for loan amounts under the $417,000 mar...

Well, it appears that we have found the new bandwagon that everyone seems to be jumping on...and that's the REO bandwagon (no, NOT Speedwagon!)  But, like any other trend in real estate (read short sales), there are people out there doing things the right way, and a lot who aren't. Let's take len...

Update on mortgage insurance, important to be aware for both your buyers and sellers! We are seeing even more tightening from the companies that provide PMI (mortgage insurance) for borrowers putting less than 20% down.  In a surprising move, they announced today that they are refusing to insure ...

Some of you may have heard that the news was on the way, but now it's offical!  I have accepted the position as Orlando Manager for IndyMac Bank Home Lending.  Indymac is the second largest provate lender int he entire country!  We are THE low cost leader in the market, and we are offering absolu...

As the market continues to move, you'll hear a lot of rhetoric about FHA financing.  But the truth of the matter is this: less that 20% of the loan officers on the country know how to do FHA loans, and few of the ones who know how actually use it as a viable option.   With the new proposed FHA re...

I am looking to assemble a "dream team" in Orlando, and I am putting the call out for all solid loan officers that have been producing over the past 90 days.  I have an excellent opportunity for you with the most aggressive commissions by far of any mortgage bank out there, along with excellent b...

More and more in this market, I am asked the same question by my clients:  "Where's do you think the bottom is for this market?"  Allow me to start with the short version of my answer: "The only place you'll see the bottom is in your rear-view mirror."The reason I say this is from my experience w...