From Santa's Helper ... to Successful Home Buyer - Borrower


From Santa's Helper ... 
to Successful Home Buyer - Borrower     


 Click to Contact Me for Help      My Mother-in-law, Pauline was a super "Santa's Helper".  In fact, she just may have written the Elves' training manual for Santa ...

     All holidays were never too far from her mind. Never too far off on the calendar for her to be thinking and planning for them.  

     Whether it was meals, gifts, preparing her home, or family and friends gathering, she was busy like a bee.  But Christmas?  That was special ... her favorite ... and she pulled out all the stops.

     As a farmer's wife and a child of the Depression, she had learned to prepare well ahead for all occasions.  Lean times or snowy weather preventing trips to town could be just around the corner.  
  
     Holiday planning was an art form for her.  It was truly a year-long event.  It was planned out, choreographed, and executed.  She acquired goodies and gifts throughout the year and safely stashed them away in her secret places within the farmhouse.

     Now, as the saying goes, "the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree".  Definitely true, as my wife learned well from watching her Mother.  

     Marilyn's style of running our household is very reminiscent of her Mom's.  She prepares our family's Christmas and holidays much like her mom did their family's when she was little.  One holiday is barely over before the next is being planned and prepared for. 

     When talking with my clients, I've found that many prepare for the Holidays in a very similar manner.  Extra time ... special effort is given to Holiday planning and preparation.  

     They plan, organize, stockpile, craft, save money, budget, shop, remodel, update decor, (and more) with extra zeal, dedication, and a clear goal in mind.  They execute their plans proactively, wisely, with precision. 

     So what does all this have to do with buying a home or mortgages?

     I'd suggest that all the attributes mentioned above are the very same ones that should be called upon while in the pursuit of a buying (and selling) a home or seeking mortgage financing.   The very same intensity and focus should come into play.  

     The importance and value ... the absolute need ... for devoting ample time, planning, and preparation to the pursuit of mortgage financing during the home buying process, has been a topic featured in many of my prior posts.  

     Three (3) of those posts are:



     The media has given the modern mortgage (and mortgage process) plenty of attention and scrutiny.  

     Because of that scrutiny, most prospective buyers/borrowers are aware ... in some measure ... that the process of buying and financing a home will be more demanding on them than it was for previous buyers.  

     All too often that knowledge proves intimidating. Hopeful homebuyers and borrowers psyche themselves out.  They panic ... feel overwhelmed before they even start the home buying process.  (If they start it at all.)  I see it fairly often.

     They shouldn't feel that way.  So many of them possess the abilities and talents needed to tackle and successfully navigate today's home buying and mortgage financing.  

     They're just unaware of a unique correlation ...  as the abilities and talents called for when buying a home or navigating the mortgage process are really holiday and event planning talents in disguise.  They're just re-focused and put to work in a new and different direction. 

     If you can plan and prepare for holidays successfully, you can successfully manage your home buying and financing process too.

     Let's compare the two:  Both holiday planning and home buying/borrowing require that ample time be set aside for preparation.  

     They both demand saving and budgeting skills.  Each calls for thoroughness, good listening skills to be implemented.  Even the gathering of required items or elements gets called into play with both.  

     Updating, refreshing, maintenance may be demanded or performed during both.  Throw in a need for energy, focus, patience, and good communication skills too.  

     See?  Basically the same talents and skill sets need to be called-upon and utilized for each.  There's no reason to be afraid, get overwhelmed, or avoid the home buying or mortgage process.  The requirements are one and the same.   

     And I'm betting that during the upcoming Holiday Season, that many hopeful Chicagoland buyers and borrowers will be honing these very talents and skills.  They'll just need to continue to rely upon those skill sets when they enter navigate the home buying - mortgage process.  

     Success will be theirs.  They can seamlessly go from Santa's Helper to Successful Home Buyer - Borrower if they put those same talents to work.

     Contact me today to get started ...





     * Hoping to Buy or Refinance a home in New Lenox or elsewhere in the Chicagoland area?  Contact me!  I'll put my 40+ years of Mortgage experience and expertise hard to work on your behalf.
     I'm easily found at:

Gene Mundt

Mortgage Originator - nmls #216987 - IL Lic. 031.0006220 - WI Licensed

American Portfolio Mortgage Corp.


nmls #175656

Direct: 815.524.2280
Cell/Text: 708.921.6331
eFax: 815.524.2281


   


Gene Mundt, Mortgage Originator, an Originator with 40+ years of mortgage experience, will offer you exemplary mortgage service and advice when seeking: 
Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, USDA, and Portfolio Loans in Chicago 
and the greater Chicagoland region, including: 
The Lincoln-Way Area, Will County, (New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, 
Manhattan, Joliet, Shorewood, Crest Hill, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, 
Romeoville, Naperville, etc.), DuPage County, the City of Chicago, 
Cook County, and elsewhere within IL & WI.


Referrals are Appreciated and Welcomed!


     

     

     

     

     
         

       

          

     


     
     

     

       

Experience Haunted Houses - Frightening Venues in Will County, IL - Halloween 2016


Experience Haunted Houses - Frightening Venues 
in Will County, IL - Halloween 2016      


     
     October is the time ... and Will County is the place for all things Halloween ...

     If you LOVE spooky ghostly things and being scared out of your wits, Will County provides them ... offering all manners and levels of outlets, venues, and opportunity to frighten yourself.

     
     Below you'll find a list.  It contains many of the scary venues and events found throughout Will County during this Halloween season (2016).  Venues, times, and availability of each are subject to change, so when possible ... confirm all info in advance of your attendance.

     Because:  Some towns have areas of themselves that lie within the borders of Will (as well as other counties) ... for your enjoyment, I've expanded my list to include those area's venues as well.



2016 Guide to Will County Halloween
Haunted Homes & Spooky Experiences



Statesville - Haunted Prison & City of the Dead
23 "Maximum Security Cells", 100's of criminal prisoners.
Not for the faint of heart!
Consistently rated 1 of the best in Chicagoland
Dates and Hours: Click HERE
Ticket Info:  HERE

144th Place Haunted Cemetery
Haunted 14' taxidermy house, haunted butcher shop, 
90+ tombstones, much much more!
Yard Display
Dates:  October 8th - 31st & November 1st - 8th
Hours:  Sunday through Thursday:  4 pm to 11 pm
Friday & Saturday:  4 pm to 12 Midnight


Hayride of Horror  -  Dellwood Park
Eerie movies, hayride, bonfire, food, drinks, entertainment
Age Range: Ages 10 & up
Dates: October 21st, 22nd, 28th & 29th
Ticket info:  HERE


Dead End Cemetery
Yard Display
Dates: Until October 31st
Hours:  All day/Every day.  
Lights on @ Dusk/Off @ Midnight


Haunted!
A caretaker and his spouse watch over this haunted yard.  Witches. Animated Displays.  Family fun.
Yard Display
Dates:  October 17th thru October 31st
Hours:  6 to 9 pm
No Display during Rain



Haunted Barn & Festival  -  Round Barn Farm
Haunted Woods, Corn Maze, Rat Rods Car Show, Dance Party, Pumpkin Bowling, Haunted Round Barn
Enjoyable for the entire family!
Dates:  October 21st & 22nd
Cost & More Info:  HERE
(Costumed children - 50% off Entry Fee)
      
Sickhouse Haunted Attraction - Hickory Creek Mall
Event:  Haunted House
Dates:  October 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 20 31st
November 3rd and 4th
Age Range:  13 years and up
Scare Factor:  HIGH!
Website:  SickHouseHaunt
Phone:  708.829.5872


HellsGate Haunted House
Multi-level haunted mansion - a real adventure!  
Zombie-infested woods.  Lost Souls Cemetery & Trail.
Age Range:  Age 13 and up
Very HIGH Scare Factor!
Dates:  October 20-23rd, 27th-31st
Admission:  Info HERE
Website:  Hellsgate.com


 Looking for a new home for next year's Halloween? Contact me!Count Kuhajda's Haunted Haus
Event Type: Home Haunt/Yard Display
Animated characters. Good for all ages.  Closed if Rain.  Accepts donations for charity 
Dates:  October 23 - 23rd & Oct. 28th - 31st
Hours:  Fridays: 7 pm to 9 pm
Saturdays & Sundays:  6 pm to 9 pm
Phone: 815.722.2760
Website:  CountMarksHaunt


Creekside Hauntings
Event Type:  Yard Display
See numerous life-size Animated Props, creepy lighting, and more effects up close.  Skeletons, zombies, coffins, corpses.  High Scare Factor!  Award-Winning Haunt!
Dates:  October 23rd  -  31st
Hours:  Dusk to 10 pm

Domum Diaboli Haunted House
Event:  Home Haunt
No Admission charge, but donations to the 
American Cancer Society are appreciated
Dates:  October 30th & 31st
Hours:  7 pm to 9:30 pm
Find them on Facebook
Phone:  815.931.3796

Hambly Halloween Light Show
Event: Yard/Light Display
Scare Factor:  Family Friendly
Simulcast on 88.5 FM
Donations of non-perishable food items 
for local food banks appreciated
Dates:  Open through October 31st
Hours:  Dusk to 10 pm

Darken Asylum
Event:  Yard Display - Home Haunt
Zombie graveyard, caskets, spooky Carnival, 
Asylum display, Clown room.
Scare Factor:  All Ages
Member of Horror Tourers Hall of Fame
Dates:  Through November 1st
Hours:  Monday thru Thursday: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday:  5:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Website/Video:  YouTube/Asylum  

The Nightmare Haunted House
Event:  Haunted Home Attraction
Scare Factor:  All Ages - Medium
No Admission Fee Required, but Donation Requested 
Dates:  October 30th & 31st
Hours:  Halloween/31st:  
4 pm to 10 pm
Phone: 1.779.225.8340

Monee Manor
Event:  LARGE Yard Display
Animated and static props.  Graveyard, skeletons, 
shock chamber, spiders, clowns and more.
Scare Factor:  All Ages - Medium
Dates:  Through November 4th
Hours:  7:30 pm to Midnight

The Official Ghost Tour of Naperville
Tour, lead by best-selling author Kevin Frantz, takes 
you through the pitch dark street and notorious 
haunts of haunted, ghostly Naperville.  
Age Appropriate:  Ages 16 & Older
Scare Factor - Medium
Dates:  October 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31st
Admission Info:  HERE
Website/Info:  HERE
Location/Map: Central Park

Wilmington Lions Spook Hike
Event Type:  Haunted Hayride(s), Haunted Trail(s)
Zombies, Freaky Clowns to frighten ALL Ages.
Wheelchair Accessible
Dates:  October 21st & 22nd
Hours:  Dark (approx. 7 pm)  
Gates Close @ 10 pm
Admission:  $5.00

Basement of the Dead
Hauntworld.com & Magazine rates this venue as one of 
America's Top 13 Scariest Haunted Houses!
Dates & Hours:  Click HERE
Ticket Info:  HERE
Phone:  630.896.2466
Website/Info:  HERE  


     Hope you have a chance to visit and enjoy many of these venues being offered throughout Will County, IL during Halloween 2016 with your family and friends.  

     Note:  If you and your family and friends love corn mazes, pumpkin farms, fall festivals, and hayrides too ... Will County is the perfect place for you for those things, as well.  Check out my post detailing the many Fall Festivals, Pumpkin Farms, Corn Mazes, & Hayrides available throughout Will County this October, 2016.  

     Remember to always enjoy yourself, but do so safely.


     Should you have mortgage, credit, or homebuying questions "haunting" you, contact me.  I'll be happy to answer your questions and remove any fear you're experiencing ...     

     I'm easily found at:
Gene Mundt
Mortgage Originator - nmls #216987 - IL Lic. 031.0006220 - WI Licensed

American Portfolio Mortgage Corp.

nmls #175656

Direct: 815.524.2280
Cell/Text: 708.921.6331
eFax: 815.524.2281


   

Gene Mundt, Mortgage Originator, an Originator with 40+ years of mortgage experience, will offer you exemplary mortgage service and advice when seeking: 
Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, USDA, and Portfolio Loans in Chicago 
and the greater Chicagoland region, including: 

The Lincoln-Way Area, Will County, (New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, 
Manhattan, Joliet, Shorewood, Crest Hill, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, 
Romeoville, Naperville, etc.), DuPage County, the City of Chicago, 
Cook County, and elsewhere within IL & WI.


Referrals are Appreciated and Welcomed!







     


Credit Reports and History: No One Cares More Than You

Credit Reports and History: 
No One Cares More Than You  


     No one cares more about your Credit and credit standing than you ... right?  Or should ...

     While we expect creditors (banks, credit card companies, collection agencies, student loan lenders, medical providers, retailers, etc.) to act on our behalf regarding the recording of transactions, payments, and accounts, it's a fact ... errors occur.  Errors that result in damage to our Credit History, Credit Scores, and our wallets

     How's that?  

     Errors on our Credit Reports have repercussions.  Some errors remain undetected for long periods of time.  But even if short in duration, errors can result in lower Credit Scores.  

     Those lower Credit Scores, in turn, can cost you money when you apply for insurance(s), as insurance rates may be higher as a result.  They can result in costlier cell service, higher car loan interest rates.  

     Or you may find that you're denied when applying for utility service(s), trying to rent, or if hoping to buy or refinance a home ... applying for your mortgage.  

     Got your attention?

     It's a simple fact:  People don't check their Credit Reports and Credit Scores as often as they should.  Many issues, plus higher costs, could be avoided if they did.    

     But even when errors are found and corrected within a creditor's accounting system?  Don't assume that those corrections will get reported to the Credit Bureaus, or reported correctly.   

     Here are just 4 examples of the errors and issues I've seen on past clients' Credit Reports:


  • A client made a payment to a Collection Agency regarding their delinquent Utility Bill.  Neither the Creditor or the Collection Agency reported that payment to any of the 3 major Credit Bureaus*.  The client had assumed they would.
  • A client paid a Judgment in full to a county clerk's office. An official "Release" or "Satisfaction of Judgment" was never recorded or forwarded to the Bureaus.  The client had assumed it would be taken care of.
  • A past client shared their name with another family member.  Only the "Junior" and "Senior", plus their social security/date of birth, differentiated them from one another.  We found information and transactions had been reported incorrectly to both family member's Credit Reports.  Both parties had assumed the name differences were clear.
  • A client's Credit Card payments had been made on time, but they hadn't automatically calculated onto their Credit Report.  Creditors may or may not "report" or send data immediately, or even for weeks following a payment or transaction.  The client assumed (during a very narrow processing timeframe) that the payment would be recorded immediately.
     *  The 3 major Credit Bureaus are:  Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian ...

     I want to stress:  What is assumed or may seem like a "given", such as a payment of a debt, or a transaction that is straightforward and easy to accomplish, isn't always so.
     
https://genemundt.goapmc.com/contact

     We each 
need to take control of our credit profile and history.  Acknowledge its importance.  Make it a priority.  


     But the magnitude of the importance grows as you come closer to the time you hope to buy a home or refinance a loan.  Because it's absolutely true ...  

     No one will care (or should care) more about your Credit and credit standing than you.  No one will suffer more consequences should something not be reported ... or perform an error. 

     Make this a routine:  Go to  www.creditreport.com, at minimum, once per year.  

      It's simple to accomplish this important task ... and FREE.  Under federal law, you're entitled to obtain a copy of your Credit Report from each of the three major Credit Bureaus once annually.  

  • Review your Credit Report and personal Credit History. 
  • Check it for accuracy, as mistakes do happen.  

     Why wait until you're making application for loan or credit to discover that an error is on your Report?  Why pay more for services and products when you deserve better rates?  

     Act proactively.  Take action now.  Doing so will save you time, frustration, and great stress later ...  




     * Hoping to Buy or Refinance a home or investment property in New Lenox or elsewhere in  Chicagoland - IL and WI? 

Contact me!  I'll put my 40+ years of Mortgage experience and expertise hard to work on your behalf.
     I'm easily found at:


Gene Mundt



Mortgage Originator - nmls #216987 - IL Lic. 031.0006220 - WI Licensed #216987


American Portfolio Mortgage Corp.
nmls #175656



Direct: 815.524.2280
Cell/Text: 708.921.6331
eFax: 815.524.2281










Gene Mundt, Mortgage Originator, an Originator with 40+ years of mortgage experience, will offer you exemplary mortgage service and advice when seeking: 
Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, USDA, and Portfolio Loans in Chicago 
and the greater Chicagoland region, including: 
The Lincoln-Way Area, Will County, (New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, 
Manhattan, Joliet, Shorewood, Crest Hill, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, Channahon, 
Romeoville, Naperville, etc.), DuPage County, the City of Chicago, 
Cook County, and elsewhere within IL & WI.


Referrals are Appreciated and Welcomed!




     


Procrastination Does Not Pay When You Hope to Finance a Home

  Procrastination Does Not Pay When  You Hope to Finance a Home   “If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off d...