Mike Rankin's Blog

 HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GREAT BENEFITS OF THE VA LOAN?   They're almost too good to be true... which is why this is my favorite loan option! The VA Loan program is the best home loan program on the market for veterans and their families. These flexible, easy to get, government-backed loans come...

Have you found that “almost perfect” home in the right location that is selling at a reduced price because it needs a little rehab work or would you like to complete remodeling projects in your current home?   A Rehab Loan may be your answer to turning that “fixer-upper” into your dream home!   T...

The one game in life you have to play... The Credit Score Game Whether we want it or not, we all have a number slapped next to our name called our "Credit Score".  It can help us or hinder us based on how high or low it is. (If you follow my blog, you might remember that I previously wrote about ...

GETTING RID OF PMI...One way to put more money back into your wallet! What is PMI/MIP and why should you get rid of it?PMI/MIP is “Private Mortgage Insurance” or as I like to refer to it, “a necessary evil to put less money down on a home”. Take a look at two standard loan types below that requir...

        Picking the right bank is like picking out a restaurant.   If every time you decided where to eat you had one objective- the cheapest meal possible, then you would always end up at McDonald's Dollar Menu.  Which we all agree is not the case for anyone.Yet, when deciding a bank, many are t...

Get a good CRM (Contact Management System) and Increase Your Business In December of 2013 I began researching a CRM.  My assistant was so diligent and thorough. She found one called "Mortgage Planner CRM". I'm telling you, this was the best investment I've made in the past few years in my busines...

      Anyone Seeing Appraisals Coming In Short On Purchases More Than Ever?In the last 2 months, I have seen 4 homes appraise for less than the purchase price. 3 of them were over $20,000 short and 1 over $40,000 short.  At the same time, I have seen a few appraisals value the home a couple thous...

                 What To Do When Your Appraisal Comes In ShortJamie was referred to me a handful of months ago.  She was afraid that she wouldn't qualify due to her rocky credit history. She had was in the middle of "Credit Consumer Counseling" that was helping her get back on the right track fin...