Mark Holan's (markholan) Blog

Realtors, What Are You Doing?In most areas of the country, sales are slowing and inventory is building. Many buyers are looking for a great deal. Most sellers don't want to give their home away. So why aren't you calling your favorite loan officer(s) and taking them out for coffee? Yeah, you hear...

Different PostOkay, so I know this has nothing to do with mortgages, but let's talk baseball! Specifically, Chicago baseball! If you live in the Chicago area, the title pretty much sums up our attitude. It's Cubs fans vs. Sox fans. As the old saying goes, "My two favorite teams are the Cubs and w...

Gas Prices and Real EstateReal estate will not bottom out and start it's recovery until gas prices stabilize. Pretty drastic statement? No. Name one product who's price is not affected by higher gas prices. We've seen food prices rise substantially for a couple of different reasons and all of the...

Are You Receiving A Check?I think I'm getting one but I'm not really sure. Do you know if you're getting a check? Do you know how much it will be? I think I'm getting $1800.00 ($1200 for married couple and $300 per child). I hope I'm getting that much.Spend or Save?You're probably expecting me to...

Is this truly "the biggest no-brainer in the history of the world!"Maybe you've heard the radio ads exhorting you to refinance with no closing costs. Telling you that you can save thousands of dollars with this loan. Act now while rates are low. Where is the small print when you need it?The Basic...

Home Buyers Are Buying!Good news! Business is picking up! Calls for new mortgages, not refinances, are on the rise. The best news is that many first time buyers are back in the market. These buyers seemed to be sitting on the sidelines waiting and watching. Rates are low and homes are affordable,...

"We'll Work With You After You've Ruined Your Credit"Okay, so the quotation marks are made up. Nobody actually says that to a home owner. But here's a story that might open up your eyes.A few weeks ago, I received a phone call from one of my mortgage clients. He bought his home 4 years ago and ha...

That Pesky Credit Report!I've been a mortgage loan officer for 18 years. Through the years, I've looked at a lot of credit reports and heard a lot of excuses for collections and late pays! Here are some of the more common excuses I hear."That's why I have insurance!"Medical collections. Used to b...

It 's February and already I broke one of my resolutions!Accountability can be a good thing, but sometimes it comes back to haunt you. I resolved to blog more this year and got off to a good start. My first blog of the year stated that resolution and sure enough, I blogged 3 times in the first 2 ...

What Comes Next?So, if you read my last blog, you sat down and created a budget. You know how much you can afford to pay on your monthly mortgage. You started implementing any changes to your spending to make your dream come true. Now, you're psyched to buy a home!Don't Sign a Contract to Purchas...