Helping Washington State homeowners learn more about their mortgage options.
What a game! I love baseball. Speaking of the Mariners. Last week, I was 
pleasantly surprised by a gift. Someone shipped a very nice Mariner’s blanket to me. I’m assuming for my birthday…. However, there was no card and no one has claimed this kind act.
A mystery present! It makes watching the M’s whomp the A’s all the sweeter! 😉
This April Fools is my first anniversary with my husband, Rob. We were married in St. Helena, California at Harvest Inn near Napa. We were suppose to have an outdoor ceremony next to vineyards. However, due to rain (I guess it followed us) we were married indoors underneath an "exit" sign. I was thankful Rob didn’t look up and read the sign. He could have bolted for the door!
April Fools also marks my first day in the mortgage business. I "retired" from fourteen years in title and escrow industry and began my mortgage career at Mortgage Master seven years ago. I must admit, I was hesitant to become a Mortgage Planner. In the title and escrow business, you typically spend an hour with the consumer towards the end of transaction when they’re signing. Often times, the buyer or seller may be feeling pressure even under the most ideal transactions. Buying or selling a home is not something most people do everyday and there is a lot of money at stake.
I also did not have the have the highest opinion of loan originators. A majority of the borrowers that I would sign did not understand their loan program and would expect escrow to explain it (this needs to be done by the Loan Originator well before your signing loan documents).
I have learned so much in these past seven years. It’s incredible. And of course, the industry continues to evolve and new programs and products emerge. My father in law, Bob, is Chairman of Mortgage Master and retired in his young 70’s just a few years ago! This is a wonderful career. I’ve had the opportunity to help hundreds of families with buying homes, restructuring their mortgages and debts or financing their goals. If I have my way, I’ll have my mortgage practice as long as Bob did (he still receives phone calls from clients).
I guess I take some pretty crazy leaps on the first day of April! Maybe this year, I’ll try bungee jumping or sky diving?
They did it…my family and friends SURPRISED me on my birthday! Not only did they throw a wonderful party…JP Patches, my childhood hero, was there.
I decided to take Friday off from work and blogging. All I wanted to do (to my husband’s dismay) was stay at home and work in the garden. Last Friday, it was beautiful out! My sister in law tricked me into a pedicure at Southcenter and forced me to have a margarita and an appetizer with her at Bahama Breeze (hey, how come I’m not sensing any sympathy from my readers?). I just wanted to get home and watch the sunset–relax! Plus, my husband and son were going to treat me to a nice dinner. NOT!!!
I should also mention…I believe in my quarterly newsletter, I printed that JP was not doing public appearances any more. This is not true. This was a story my husband had told me when we went to Fremont to see the unveiling of JP and Gertrude’s statue to trick me since he knew I’ve always wanted a JP Patches birthday party. Please do hire JP and be sure to buy a Patches Paver to help fund his statue and support Children’s Hospital.
This was such a treat. Cheers to JP, my husband, family and friends. Thank so much for making this a birthday I’ll never forget and will always cherish. Filed Under: Just for Fun
Happy Friday… need a hug?
After too much subprime news… I thought I try to spread some happiness in the bloggo-sphere. I first saw this video thanks to fellow CMPS, Todd Ballenger.
The Free Hugs Campaign is nothing short of inspirational and a great way to start your weekend! Feel free to pass this along and share the love with those you care about.
Peace out.
It really is my birthday today. And so… I am taking the day off… off of work and off far far away from the blogs.
I’m going to have my cake and eat it too!
And yes, that’s me! At the old (um…maybe I shouldn’t say "old") Lake Washington Park in beautiful Renton, Washington (my home town).
The building in the background is no longer there…once Boeing. Now I believe there are some nice condo’s in it’s place.
It looks like I’m trying to calculate an APR in my head! Future Mortgage Planner. I’m not sure how young I am in this photo… but I will count this as a "Happy Friday" post.
Cheers, Friends!
Okay…don’t count on every Friday…but if I do stumble across something that I find amusing…you could just wind up seeing it here on a Friday… Dustin of Rain City Guide posted his wanna-look-Dustin-instead-of-the-star-that-I am-look-a-like’s recently and I was SO inspired…
I tried my current photo…the SUPER CLOSE UP…and only a few good men matched up with me… maybe that will be my next Friday funny (if you are unlucky).
Today in Fremont, Center of the Known Universe, JP Patches and Gertrude were honored with the unveiling of a statue to be completed by this date next year. Today marks the 50th Anniversary of JP’s first television show aired in Seattle. Patches Pavers are being sold in order to raise funds for the creation of the statue which will be bronze and at the entry of Fremont Bridge featuring JP, Gertrude and ICU2TV which will be a piggy-bank for donations towards Children’s Hospital.
In addition, Tully’s will contribute 25% of their revenue for beverages purchased on June 4, 2007 towards the statue and Children’s Hospital. I’ll post a reminder when we’re closer to that date and when there’s more information available.
In this picture, I had just given JP a bottle of wine (2005 Mollydooker Two Left Feet) as a gift since we had hired him to perform our wedding ceremony on April Fools last year but had a change of plans since we eloped. If you would like to see more photos from today’s event, click here. Below is the video of him accepting the gift, claiming the wine to be "cough syrup" for his cold.
What’s the world coming to? This is highly unusual two have two post "Rain City Guide–a great blog on real estate issues in the Seattle/Eastside region featuring a panel of professionals from real estate agents, attorneys, tech and me–your mortgage expert!
It has just come to my attention that Rain City Guide is in a competition on Metroblogging’s Blarch Badness with Izzle pfaff. Rain City Guide, as humorous as it can be at times, is a real estate blog…Izzle pfaff is comedy. A tough vote–but please do (click here to vote).
And…one last tidbit of fun…Who said, "Vote early and vote often?"
Rhonda Porter is a Licensed Mortgage Originator MLO121324 living in the greater Seattle area. Rhonda began her career in 1986 in the title and escrow industry and began her mortgage career in 2000. She enjoys helping people understand the mortgage process and started writing The Mortgage Porter in late 2006. Read More…
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