Bay Area Mortgage Blog

  Orange clouds over the redwoods at 6AM      Blushing orange: The first tomato from the garden            The one and only orange sunflower (among the yellows).               Papaya squash, orange and ready to pick         Pictures taken by Janet Guilbault, Mortgage Banker/Broker Based Out of t...

There was always a reason I couldn't go to INMAN CONNECT . From the very moment 2 years ago when Brad Andersohn told me about it, I wanted to go in the worst way. I am the dork that you always see at these events, on the front row, taking notes, asking questions, and ready for endless discussion....

Since HVCC reared its ugly head, I have one less job to do as a mortgage person. I don't need to CANNOT order appraisals. You see, I am forbidden from talking to appraisers (obviously my amazing ability to brainwash appraisers coupled with my ruthless quest for a commission render me completely i...

Recently, a featured post told the story of an agent who decided to "SAVE" a real estate sale because the lender refused to allow a $7000 credit. He believed it was okay to exchange some funds under the table to solve this problem. Ha! We knew better over here at ActiveRain. Just those words "und...

The first sunflower bloom...and a beetle. Too Many Peaches Wine After Picking Peppers Morning glory at 7AM Written by Janet Guilbault, Mortgage Banker/Broker Based Out of the San Francisco Bay Area

After reading Lenn's featured post offering ideas on HOW TO GET A FEATURED POST....I would like to turn things upside down: Ask not what the members can do to appeal to THOSE THAT SELECT FEATURES.  Ask those that select the features what they can do to PROMOTE more features among the members. I a...

Because I am in the trenches of mortgage madness daily, let me just tell it like it is: Getting a mortgage these days is NOT A PLEASANT THING. Why is this? Because quite honestly, BANKS ARE NOT A PLEASANT THING. They are woefully understaffed:"get in line, we'll get to you when we get to you" is ...

Okay, I know as real estate agents the last thing you want to do is ENCOURAGE FSBO's (or encourage a fee that is less than your standard commission). So even if there ARE ways to pay a real estate agent in a FSBO transaction, you wouldn't want to blab about it. "Hey, Mr. Seller, why don't you try...

Question: Why do celebrities die young? Why do they morph from fresh and beautiful to warped and paranoid? Answer: Celebrity messes with your mind. I can still remember my father's lecture to me about "celebrity" when I was young. He framed it around Marilyn Monroe's untimely death at age 36. His...

First time home buyers: Are you still at the computer, doing endless "research" on how to snag the $8000 TAX CREDIT for buying a house this year?  Does the November 30th deadline seem like a million years away as you think about fireworks (not turkey leftovers)? First time home buyers: Get your b...