Diversity and Real Estate plus Benefits of a VA loan

 

The Benefits of a VA Loan This year approximately 90% of the CLOSED loans have been either VA or FHA. I still believe VA is the sleeper with fewer of them being done than could be. And the quick qualification question; "Do you happen to be a Veteran?" There are many advantages to a VA loan, including; ZERO down payment Loan amounts up to $1.5 MILLION! (Down payments required if greater than $417,000 NO Monthly mortgage insurance premiums! In order for a Vet to qualify they must have served in either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard after 9.15.1940 and was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable after either   90 days or more during wartime 181 days or more; peacetime basically Vets serving after 1980 need to have completed 2 years of service The Veteran or I (as their loan officer) can go on line and check their eligibility but in most cases the Veteran will have a copy of their DD Form 214 as evidence they are eligible.     I Offer the Following Home Financing Options Home Path Loans, 3% Down Manufactured Home Loans: FHA & Conventional Financing Investor "Flip" Loans Conventional Loans FHA Loans VA Loans up to $1.5 MILLION! Jumbo Loans Second / Vacation Home Loans Diversity and Real Estate I have been reading information provided by the real estate profession on diversity. It is appearing to me (I will gladly stand corrected if I am wrong) but all of the information I am finding focuses on race and ethnicity, "minorities". These are but two of many dimensions of diversity! I was a corporate facilitator of diversity for a Chicago firm and traveled the U.S. facilitating workshops for Fortune 500 companies, U.S. governmental agencies and large corporations; Sara Lee, Caterpillar, U.S. Forest Service to name a few...so I admit, I am passionate about this issue! Diversity is far, far beyond race and ethnicity. Yet race and ethnicity are a couple of the primary dimensions of diversity. To have, build and sustain a diversity initiative within any organization...including a 1 person real estate firm!, here is a list of some dimensions of diversity that need to be included; Age Physical Abilities Race Ethnicity Gender Education Class Sexual Orientation Communication Style Thinking Style Political views Language Marital status Parental Status Level within an organization Military Experience Work Style Religious Beliefs Income Generation So even with us working in small communities we have diversity issues; not right nor wrong but in the context of bringing awareness to the issue. For example, I am 52, white, male, married from Iowa. If I come to work in a real estate office that just hired a 30 year old single guy from New York, who just got out of the military, do you think we have different ways of seeing the world? Diversity is about respecting differences, uncovering similarities, valuing everyone's uniqueness and better understanding people for who they are. Remember the saying; "Seek first to understand, before being understood?" Too often people focus on their differences, rather on similarities...causing frustration and breakdowns. When one takes time to understand another from several of the dimensions of diversity, you build trust and a relationship. After all, we all have far more in common than our differences.   Jim Hostler Senior Mortgage Loan Consultant Lenders Direct a division of Gateway Business Bank Direct: 928.225.7418 Email: JHostler@elendersdirect.com Fax: 928.527.7943 NMLS #6410200021