What Happens When Homeowners Leave Their Forbearance Plans?

 

According to the latest report from Black Knight, Inc., a well-respected provider of data and analytics for mortgage companies, 6.48 million households have entered a forbearance plan as a result of financial concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s where these homeowners stand right now: 2,543,000 (39%) are current on their payments and have left the program 625,000 (9%) have paid off their mortgages 434,000 (7%) have negotiated a repayment plan and have left the program 2,254,000 (35%) have extended their original forbearance plan 512,000 (8%) are still in their original forbearance plan 116,000 (2%) have left the program and are still behind on payments This shows that of the almost 3.72 million homeowners who have left the program, only 116,000 (2%) exited while they were still behind on their payments. There are still 2.77 million borrowers in a forbearance program. No one knows for sure how many of those will become foreclosures. There are, however, three major reasons why most experts believe there will not be a tsunami of foreclosures as we saw during the housing crash over a decade ago: Almost 30% of borrowers in forbearance are still current on their mortgage payments. Banks likely don’t want to repeat the mistakes of 2008-2012 when they put large numbers of foreclosures on their books. This time, many will instead negotiate a modification plan with the borrower, which will enable households to maintain ownership of the home. With the significant equity homeowners have today, many will be able to sell instead of going into foreclosure. Will there be foreclosures coming to the market? Yes. There are hundreds of thousands of foreclosures in this country each year. People experience economic hardships, and in some cases, are not able to meet their mortgage obligations. Here’s the breakdown of new foreclosures over the last three years, prior to the pandemic: 2017: 314,220 2018: 279,040 2019: 277,520 Through the first three quarters of 2020 (the latest data available), there were only 114,780 new foreclosures. If 10% of those currently in forbearance go to foreclosure, 275,000 foreclosures would be added to the market in 2021. That would be an average year as the numbers above show. What happens if the number is more than 10%? If we do experience a higher foreclosure rate from those in forbearance, most experts believe the current housing market will easily absorb the excess inventory. We entered 2020 with 1,210,000 single-family homes available for purchase. At the time, that was low and problematic. The market was experiencing high buyer demand, and we needed more houses to meet that demand. We’re now entering 2021 with 320,000 fewer homes for sale, while buyer demand remains extremely strong. This means the housing market has the capacity to soak up a lot of inventory. Bottom Line There will be more foreclosures entering the market later this year, especially compared to the record-low numbers in 2020. However, the market will be able to handle the increase as buyer demand remains strong.

It's a Good Life!!! Greg Novak MBA NMLS # 329079 Vice President / Partner American Mortgage Office - 386-756-8228 Cell - 386-846-6686 Fax - 386-756-8108 Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com   Oh, by the way,  If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.   FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, LLC. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Wealth Building part 3

Wealth Building Part III

Get ready because I am about to talk about that dreaded, vial, hated, word. "Budget"

Have you ever gone to the ATM to get cash, and after reading your receipt, find yourself wondering, “Have I been robbed?” Most likely, we have all been there a time or two. Somehow our money just seems to dwindle when we don’t track our spending. Our next step in building wealth, therefore, is setting, and sticking with, a budget.

Creating a budget is as easy as looking at your income versus your expenses, determining spending and saving goals, and making a plan on how to reach those goals. In order to set a budget that you can live with, you will need to set realistic goals by first monitoring your actual spending over a fixed period, (a month or two works best) and getting an understanding of where your money is going. Keep a daily journal of each purchase you make, or bill you pay and categorize these expenditures.

Once you have a good grasp of your monthly outgo, it’s time to measure it against your income. At this point, you can get a good idea of your financial health and set your priorities and goals. A good basic budget consists of five categories; fixed expenses (mortgage, car payment, etc.), variable expenses (utilities, cell phone etc.), savings (try for at least 10% of your take home pay), a contingency fund (for unexpected/higher than expected expenses, say 10% of your take home), and spending money (entertainment, clothing, groceries, toiletries, etc). If you are spending more than you bring in, including setting aside money for saving and emergencies, then it’s time to look at expenses you can cut back on. Now write down your spending categories, and the amount you are allotting for each. Set reasonable goals for yourself and keep it simple. Budgeting is about being cognizant of your money, not about depriving yourself.

Now that you have created your budget, stick with it! No budget, regardless of how well thought out, works unless you stick to it. Here are a few tricks to help you stay on track:

• Pull the cash that you intend to spend for the week, out in one transaction. No return trips to the ATM to pull out additional funds. When the money you withdraw is gone, you are done spending for the week, period.
• Use the envelope system. Put the cash you are allotting for your variable spending categories such as dining out, clothing, and entertainment, in separate envelopes at the beginning of the week. Spend only what is in each envelope. If you do happen to overspend in one category, you must adjust another envelope to maintain your weekly budget.
• Leave your debit or credit card at home when you shop. Bring the only cash you intend to spend. You will buy less when it is your hard earned cash you are turning over .
• Review and adjust your budget as needed. Budgets can only work if you set reasonable expectations and make changes when necessary.
• Make use of budgeting tools. There are several websites that will help you set up and monitor your budget, Budgetpulse.com and Mint.com to name a few. There is also Quicken, an excellent software program for tracking spending and paying bills, as well balancing your checkbook.

Budgeting can be painless when you set yourself up for success from the beginning. Your reward will be a great sense of accomplishment that makes money management fun.


It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Vice President / Partner
American Mortgage
Office - 386-756-8228
Cell - 386-846-6686
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

The information above is pretty universal and widely discussed by most financial people, however, I have been using information for this series from the book The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy.

Wealth Building Part 2

Wealth Building Part II
Let’s face it American’s love to spend and consumerism is alive and well. We can however, find creative ways to get the things we need and want, without breaking the bank. Here are 5 ideas that might work for you and your family:

1. Cut back on your biggest money drain. Do you pay for unused cell phone services, subscribe to extra cable stations you don’t need, (especially in the age of HULU and NETFLIX), or spend too much on food that ends up getting tossed away? When was the last time you reviewed ALL of your insurances? Home, Health, and Auto insurances have a way of creeping up over time just becasue the insurance companies think you are not looking. Take a few minutes to review this items and determine if you really need all of what you are paying for, and shop around to see if you can find better rates when your contracts and policies come due.
2. Research your purchases. Take a trip to the store to see an item in person and choose the model, color or size that works for you. Try it out or try it on to find the item that suits your needs, then do your research online. This way you can find the lowest price for the desired item, and you won’t have to spend money shipping back items that don’t meet your expectations. Don’t forget to check out discount and coupon sites to see if you can reduce your price even further.
3. Speaking of the internet, check out some money saving sites, such as Restaurant.com, and Gift CardGranny.com. Restaurant.com offers dining discounts at local restaurants. Buy a $25 certificate for $10, or a $75 certificate for $30. There are several different denominations, and many restaurants to chose from, making for big savings. Giftcardgranny, and several other similar sites are gift card exchanges. They purchase unused gift cards and sell them for less than face value. For example, you can purchase a American Eagle gift card for 23% less than face value. Keep in mind that deals change daily and that most of the cards need to be mailed to you (at no cost). You can sell your unused gift cards on these sites as well.
4. Plan ahead. Don’t wait until airfare goes up, or you have to use a credit card to purchase a special occasion gift. Set aside a bit of cash each week or month. You are much more likely to stick to budget if you have set aside a fixed amount to spend rather than anaesthetizing yourself by pulling out the plastic later.
5. Spend less on the weekend. The majority of us break our budgets on weekend activities, so why not try some free or inexpensive ways to enjoy your time off. Find free local events like concerts or movies in the park. Or how about learning something new. Take a free home improvement class at Home Depot, or learn a new skill on YOUTUBE. There are many classes and videos to choose from, no matter what your interests are. You can also host a movie night or potluck at home, visit the library or take a tour of a factory. (you can find free or low cost tours at FactoryToursUSA.com).
   
   Spending thoughtfully doesn’t mean enjoying life less. Get creative, think before you spend and enjoy your time at least as much as you enjoy your money.
   
   It's a Good Life!!!
   Greg Novak MBA
   NMLS # 329079
   Vice President / Partner
   American Mortgage
   Cell - 386-846-6686
   Office - 386-756-8228
   Fax - 386-756-8108
   Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com
   
   Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.
   
   FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Wealth Building Part 1

Wealth Building Part I
Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing and highlighting several points from the book The Millionaire Next Door: Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy. As followers of the book know, true monetary wealth is determined not by the size of your paycheck, but by the amount of your paycheck you are able save. On that note, I thought I might give a quick refresher on the basics of building wealth. Here are a few pointers to get you started or refreshed on the fundamentals of reaching your savings goals.

1. Eliminate debt. The first step to saving is, of course, having enough expendable income to invest. What is the best way to free up more of your income? Pay off your debt. Simply calculating the monthly amount you spend on debt repayment will illustrate that eliminating debt is the fastest way to free up money. The only saving that should take precedence over debt repayment, is setting aside an emergency fund of 2-6 month’s salary. Once this is done, pay off your debt and re-purpose the money to savings. Let interest work for you instead of against you.
2. Set savings goals. Short term goals can be as simple as setting aside cash for a new dishwasher. Achieving your short term goals helps keep you motivated to reach your long term goals, including saving for retirement. How much will you need to set aside for a retirement that could last 20 or even 30 years? Set your goals, seek financial advice if needed, make a plan and get started towards reaching those goals.
3. Make a plan. Figure out how much you will have to save per week, per month or per pay check to reach your goals. For most savings goals, it’s best to save the same amount per period. If you will need to purchase a $20,000. car in three years (hopefully after you have driven yours as long as long as you possibly can), you will need to set aside approximately $128. per week. It might involve cutting costs in other areas, but it beats making car payments for 5 years, and think of the interest you’ll save.
4. Track and trim your expenses. Go through your monthly budget and see what you can eliminate or cut back on. You may be able to live with a haircut every 6 weeks instead of 4, or get up just a bit earlier and eat breakfast before you leave for work instead of stopping off for coffee and a doughnut. Your wallet and your waistline will be the better for it.
5. Most importantly, stick with it. If you mess up, don’t beat yourself up. Vow to do better next paycheck. We all falter occasionally, but success comes to those who keep trying.

Most people would admit that saving for the long haul instead of feeling the instant gratification of buying the latest gadget is tough, but the rewards outshine any fleeting joy you may feel. True satisfaction comes with the security of knowing your future is set, and nothing beats that!
  
It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Vice President / Partner
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Problems

QUOTE>>> I am grateful for all of my problems. After each one was overcome, I became stronger and more able to meet those that were still to come. I grew in all my difficulties.
James Cash Penney
1875-1971, Founder of J.C. Penney Stores

Reading this quote made me think of an e-mail I received from a business partner of mine, so I am steeling it and forwarding the info to you.

Here is a link to an article about a guy who decided to take his problems to a new level. Rather than getting dejected, he got rejected, and it got him featured in Business Week and invited to be on a couple of talk shows. Click on this link or copy and paste and see this inspirational story about a guy who is turning rejection into something very positive and powerful.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/rejection-therapy-hundred-days-no-022822280.html

What is the craziest thing you ever asked for or the biggest problem you ever had that made you stronger and you prospered from?


It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Vice President / Partner
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Achieving Success

Achieving SUCCESS = P + I + P + P + O = S

On July 20th, 1969 Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aboard Apollo 11 became the first men to walk on the surface of the moon. SUCCESS!!! A goal was set, a Plan was made, doubters and critics were Ignored, limits were Pushed, Positivity was promoted, and fears were Overcome. Success was achieved.

Plan - Create a PLAN with your Goals in mind. Your Goals are what you see as success. Just having goals does not automatically mean you are going to achieve them. You have to make a plan for each goal and put it in writing in a step by step plan to achieve that goal.

Ignore - Ignore all of the critics and doubters. No matter how big or small or crazy your goal may be there will always be someone to tell you that you can not do it. Ignore those people, they obviously don't know what success is. Surround yourself with successful people who will encourage and support you.

Push - Push the limits. Some people will tell you to know your limits so you don't go to far and fail at something or get disappointed. I say know your limits so you know what to push. People tell me all the time that they can not believe some of the things that my kids can do at such young ages. They play Hockey, and gymnastics, and climb trees, and ropes, and shoot archery, and do all kinds of things that kids their age don't do. Why because I have never told them they can't. Now obviously I protect them and do everything I can to keep them from seriously hurting themselves, but I let them do things where they push the limits. They might get a little hurt doing some things, but my opinion is that will only make them stronger. We have friends that are so over protective of their children they have conditioned them to not take risks and to be afraid of anything new. You must push your limits.

Positive - You must stay positive. Stinkin thinkin never helped anyone achieve success. Immerse yourself, in positive books, CD's, articles, other information, and surround yourself with other positive thinking people.

Overcome - In order to acheive success you must be an overcomer. You must be able to overcome your fears and past failures. Zig Ziglar says this about overcoming your past failures "Failure is an event, it is NOT a person. Yesterday really did end last night, and today is your brand new day. You have to make friends with your past, be focused on the present, and optimistic about your future. You know that success (a win) doesn't make you, and failure (a loss) doesn't break you."

Points of Fact - Here are a couple quick points of fact about the goal and race to put a man on the moon.

1. On May 25th 1961 President John Kennedy set the goal to congress that the United States would put a man on the moon and bring him back safely before the end of the decade.
 
2. Prior to the successful Apollo 11 Manned Moon landing, there were 15 failed lunar missions, 2 Partial success, and only 8 successful lunar missions. (3 of the 8 successful missions were crash landings into the moon. They were considered successful because they were able to break earths gravity and have the correct calculations to get to the moon. The partial successes were successful because they broke earths gravity, but the trajectory was off and they missed the moon.) (The Soviets had 28 Failed lunar missions and only 9 successful unmanned moon missions)


It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Vice President / Partner
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

HARP 2.0 - "Obama Loan" update

Good Morning,

     Back in December I wrote an e-mail post about current rates and “The Obama Loan”, more accurately Known as HARP 2.0.   HARP 2.0 has been back in the news a lot lately and I have received many inquiries regarding the program and how it works. 



     Back in November when the program was announced, the lending community did not know exactly how this program was going to unfold or what “overlays” to the guidelines they were going to place.   The one thing we did know is that whatever the guidelines on the new program were, they were not going to take effect until March 2012.  Fannie Mae published an update to its “Refi Plus” program which HARP 2.0 falls under, so I figured I would e-mail this information out because we are now getting very close to the launch of the HARP 2.0 program.



     Here is a link to the actual Fannie Mae announcement.  CLICK HERE  Then Click on the link for HARP 2.0 Guides in info,  or cut and paste this address to your browser.   http://americanmortgagenow.com/custompage-view.aspx?id=27

 

The Bullet Points – Here are the main points and things to know about this program to determine if you or someone you know may benefit from it. 

1^st – Your current loan must be a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Loan.   Here is a link to my website that has two Look up tools to determine if Fannie or Freddie owns your mortgage.  http://americanmortgagenow.com/resources.aspx

2^nd – You must be current on your Mortgage.  You cannot have had any late payments in the last 6 months and no more than 1 late in last 12 months. 

3^rd  - Loan to Value.  At this time we are not 100% sure what the loan to value restrictions are going to be on this program.  As you can see from the guidelines put out by Fannie Mae, they are removing the LTV limits from the prior HARP 1.0 of 125% to unlimited LTV.  Unfortunately, I doubt any lenders will truly offer unlimited LTV, I do however expect the maximum LTV requirements to go up significantly.  (You may have already seen lenders advertising that they are now doing the HARP 2.0 loan.  They are not, all they have done is increase their Max LTV to 125% to match the already in existence HARP 1.0 loan.  Many lenders previously were only offering LTV’s up to 105%) 

4^th  -  Removal of Bankruptcy & Foreclosure policy.  HARP 2.0 removes the required waiting periods and reestablished credit requirements to qualify for this program.  The only time you would have to credit qualify is if your payment is increasing as a result of the refinance.  This would occur if someone was going from an ARM, Interest only, or Negative Amort loan, etc. 



     I hope you find this information useful.  As we get closer to launch date and we receive more updated information I will be sure to pass it alone.  Please call me directly if you have any questions or would like to see if you will qualify for this program.  Greg Novak  386-846-6686.



Additionally here is a direct link to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) official website.  http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/programs/lower-rates/Pages/harp.aspx

 

It's a Good Life!!!

Greg Novak MBA

NMLS # 329079

Vice President / Partner

American Mortgage

Cell - 386-846-6686

Office - 386-756-8228

Fax - 386-756-8108

Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

 

Oh, by the way,  If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

 

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

 

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Rates & "The Obama Loan"

So the news Media has been Harping on two subjects lately regarding the mortgage industry, I figured i would really quickly touch on both of them.

First, Rates. Rates again are pushing all time lows in the 3's and APR's in the high 3's or low 4's. Now truly is a great time to buy or refinance.

I recently refinanced a client who had a 30 year fixed rate of 6.25%. We refinanced them to a 15 year loan and there payment only changed by $6 per month.

If you know anyone who is thinking about buying or refinancing, please have the give me a call. Greg Novak 386-846-6686



Second, "THE Obama Loan." I have received a number of calls from people seeking information on the new "Obama Loan". I figured a lot of people are probably curious about the loan and what the actual facts of what the program entail.

1st - Lets get my political opinion's out of the way. The Media hype and spin Washington has put on this loan is not a whole lot more than campaign efforts to help with their re-election. Once again, Washington has failed to come up with a program to help the people who need it the most.

2nd - Facts about this loan. It already Exists. The actual name of this loan is HARP 2.0. It's predecessor and current sister loan HARP 1.0 has been out and in the tool belt of the mortgage industry for over 2 years now.

3rd - Facts about the current program. The HARP loan was designed for people who currently are able to make their mortgage payments and have not had any late payments in the last 12 months. The applicant for HARP must be able to prove income, assets, and credit worthiness. Qualifying for a HARP loan is basically the same as qualifying for a standard fannie mae mortgage refinance, with one exception, the Loan to Value. HARP currently allows you to refinance your current 1st Mortgage as long as your total combined Loan to Values, including all subordinated loans does not exceed 125% of the appraised value. You can not combine first and second mortgages together. The second mortgage must be willing to re-subordinate and the total can not exceed the 125% loan to value.

4th - The Change. HARP 2.0, "The Obama Loan" only changes one thing, and that is the loan to value restriction. HARP 2.0 is supposed to remove restrictions on loan to value allowing home owners to refinance their home regardless of what they owe on it vs how much it is worth. You still can not combine firsts and second mortgages, and contrary to what seems to be a popular belief, the government is not going to reduce your loan balance down to what the appraised value is.

5th - The bad news. The bad news is that although this mortgage was supposed to take effect in the beginning of November, Fannie Mae has announced that they will not be adjusting their underwriting systems to the new program until at the earliest March 2012. Therefore, lenders will be unable to sell loans based on the new guidelines and will not be offering them until that time. Additionally, current speculation is that no lender is actually going to allow unlimited Loan to Value. It is expected that the current 125% max will increase, but lenders will impose their own overlay's based on their own desired risk tolerances for LTV.

6th - The Good News. The good news is that, as I stated before, this loan already exists. You can have all of the benefits of this new great super loan right now with one exception, and that is the max 125% loan to value. So if you think that you may benefit from this loan and you owe less that 125% of what your home is worth, give us a call. Greg Novak 386-846-6686

Here are a few links to some news articles regarding the Updated HARP 2.0.

HARP 2.0 – The New Mortgage Plan http://smartmortgageadvice.com/?p=942

Sizing Up HARP 2.0 http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/real-estate/sizing-up-harp-20-1322685479452/

HARP 2.0 rules, and who will benefit http://www.marketwatch.com/story/harp-20-rules-and-who-will-benefit-2011-11-18

The Official Website Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/programs/lower-rates/Pages/harp.aspx

It's a Good Life!!!

Greg Novak MBA

NMLS # 329079

Vice President / Partner

American Mortgage

Cell - 386-846-6686

Office - 386-756-8228

Fax - 386-756-8108

Website - http://www.americanmortgagenow.com/

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Do you Have It????

What is it? Most people would consider IT to be success. But Success is a relative term, it means different things to different people.

Good Morning,
This week I have decided to take a break from the market updates and mortgage info to discuss a personal growth topic. I will take a moment to define success and then discuss some key characteristics of the Successful Person.
It's a Good Life!!! Greg Novak, American Mortgage, 386-846-6686

IT = SUCCESS ???

First let's define success. Wikipedia defines success as the following: "Success might mean, but is not limited to: a level of social status, achievement of an object/goal, or the opposite of failure."

First of all, I personally disagree with success being defined as a level of social status, because in my opinion social status has nothing what so ever to do with success. Some of Hollywood's most social elite, might have a ton of money, but are far from what I would consider to be successful. Case in point the "WINNING" train wreck Charlie Sheen. He might have tiger blood, but success he has not.

The only one of those statements I can go along with is the achievement of an object or goal. Additionally, I don't believe that success is static, I believe that success is is constantly changing for each individual person. My definition of success was very different 10 years ago, from what it is today, and I am certain it will be different 10 years from now. Perhaps even 1 year from now.

THAT is how you can determine whether or not you are Successful, If your definition of success is constantly changing and advancing because you have reached what you used to believe was Success.

Success is Relative, so lets take a quick look at some different individuals views of success.

• To the new graduate success could mean getting a decent job in this economy.


• To the addict, success could be staying sober for a month, a year, a decade, etc.


• To the lonely person, success could be finding a friend and companion, or love.


• To the couple struggling with infertility, success could mean a healthy baby.


• To the rich billionaire, success might mean giving away his fortune.


• To a lot of people, success is constantly moving forward in a positive direction.

 

Here are some Characteristics of Successful people.

1. Highly Self Motivated- People who have achieved personal success are motivated by what that success means to them and it their drive to achieve.


2. Strong Ethics and Integrity- Although success means different things to different people, I believe that no matter who you are, you will never be truly successful unless you have a clear conscience. That is why acting with Ethics and Integrity in everything you do is so important.


3. Willingness to FAIL- Success is not always about winning. Success is about learning. Some of the best life lessons I have learned have come from Failed attempts at Success.


4. Have Goals and a Plan- People typically don't stumble upon success. You have to decide what you want (Make a Goal), then break down the steps of what you have to do to accomplish that goal. Have a roadmap for success.


5. Great Salesperson - Successful people have to be great salespeople not because they are selling things to other people, but because you have to constantly be selling yourself on the fact that YOU CAN. You can succeed.

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Vice President / Partner
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Perseverance

This morning I was speaking with someone who was complimenting me on my perseverance and how impressed he was that we have been able to do so well over the last few years with what the real estate and mortgage industries have gone through. I thought it would be nice to share some encouraging words and information with you as well. Below is a really great paragraph on perseverance along with a few video links to a short interview with someone on the 60 minutes TV program.

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance is a month by month, week by week, day to day, and for some, even an hour by hour decision not to give up. Wikipedia defines Perserverance as a persistent determination; to adhere to a course of action; and persistence.

In the videos below, the interviewer asked the subject if he feels as if he has a disability. The subject of the interview states that "The definition of disability is something that is stopping you from being able to do something. In my life there is hardly anything that I have found that I can not do."

The individual who is the subject of the interview is Nick Vujicic. Nick was born with out arms and with out legs. Nick is an amazing individual and has preserved through some of the most difficult trials and lowest times that anyone could imagine. Nick is 28 years old and has a college degree, and has been extremely successful as an entrepreneur. Even though Nick may be what most consider as physically disabled, he is in no way a disabled person. To me Nick is the definition of Perseverance.

I highly encourage you to take a look at the video's below, and then ask yourself the following question. Even though, I am not physically or mentally disabled, or even if you are, Is there something that I have given into, that is holding me back, that I am using as an excuse, and that I am not persevering past?

If there is something that is holding you back from reaching your goals, making the money that you want to make, getting the job you want, or that promotion, etc., once you identify it, you can start to overcome and push past it.

Have a great weekend, enjoy the videos.

Nick Vujicic - 60 Min Interview - Part 1 -

Nick Vujicic - 60 Min Interview - Part 2 -

Nick Vujicic - Robert Schuller interview -

It's a Good Life!!!

Greg Novak MBA

NMLS# 329079

Vice President / Partner

American Mortgage

Cell - 386-846-6686

Office - 386-756-8228

Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

 

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

 

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

 

Be Positive Today

Good Morning,

My last few blogs have been all about business, so today I decided to pass along a little personal growth info.
I don’t know about you, but it seems to be getting more and more difficult to keep a positive attitude with all of the negative news and the struggling economy.
So, I decided to send you some good news. Below are several links to some positive stories that hit the news papers. (yes, believe it or not, I was actually able to find some) Also, below are a few tips to help you keep control and maintain a positive outlook.
As always, please keep me in mind for any one you know who needs to buy or refinance a home. Greg Novak (386) 846-6686 www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Stay Positive Today

Step 1- Avoid watching the news in the morning. If you want to know that weather, just check weather.com, if you want to check the traffic you can do that online also.

Step 2- Write some positive affirmations and tape them to your bathroom mirror so the first thing you see in the morning will help you get started on the right foot. (For instance: Today is going to be a great day. Or, I am having my best year ever, and things that are specific to you, etc.)

Step 3- Sleep!!! Make sure you get enough sleep. Let’s face it, your grumpy when you are tired.

Step 4- Eat Healthier. Make a decision to eat healthier foods. This one has been a struggle for me, but I do my best. And, I feel a lot better about myself when I eat a turkey sandwich and an apple, than when I have a Big Mac and Fries for lunch.

Step 5- Avoid the negative people. You know the ones in the office that are ALWAYS complaining about something. Stay away, don't get sucked into their negativity.

Step 6- Lastly, remember there is a difference between successful people and unsuccessful people, and across the board successful people look at change and adversity as OPPORTUNITY. Unsuccessful people assume all change and adversity will be negative. Whether the change or adversity is negative or positive you must believe that in the long run you will benefit and learn something. It is an opportunity!


Here are some links to some recent news that you may have missed because it was buried underneath the “stuff that sells” the paper.


The Happiest Carreers in America

Making Money & Doing Good

Homeless man finds $1,400 and returns it to the owner.

Teacher for America = $100,000,000

Marriage on the run


It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Assistant Vice President
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA-American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Realtors, Don't Miss Out!!!

Have you ever walked away from a home with a buyer because it needed repairs?
Do you have a listing that needs Repairs?

Regardless of how you answered those two questions, you need to be familiar with the FHA 203k Renovation Mortgage.
In today's real estate environment, this mortgage can be a valuable tool.

Below is some basic information about the program and a couple of links to a video blog that give more detailed information as to why having information and educating yourself about this mortgage can benefit you and the clients you work with.

We are experts in closing this loan, and have worked with many 203K borrowers. This loan is not difficult if you know what you are doing, and we know what we are doing.

Don't be afraid to show a client a good home that needs a little repair, or one that the listing agent says in the MLS it won't pass FHA. This loan will help that buyer purchase and fix up those homes. Not only is this loan good for your buyers, but it is good for our real estate market in general. With this loan we can get more homes off the market that are hurting our overall values.

If you have a home listed that needs repairs, call me and I can give you 203k fliers to place in the listing so buyers and their realtors who are not aware of this mortgage wont walk away because they don't have the money to fix it up out of pocket even though they like the house.

203k Info Video 1

203k Info Video 2


Program Bullet Points:

· Purchase a Home and Finance the Repairs Needed.
· Only 3.5% down required from Buyer.
· Seller Can pay Closing Costs & Prepaid expenses. (Up to 6% of the Purchase Price)
· Replace an old or damaged roof.
· Replace old or damaged Heat & AC units.
· Purchase & Install New Appliances. (Refrigerator, Stove, Dish Washer, etc.)
· Make repairs to a property in disrepair due to a foreclosure Situation.
· Make upgrades - Update Kitchens and Bathrooms, Replace & Change Flooring, Paint Interior or Exterior, etc…...

Don't Forget!!! I work weekends!!! Call me any time for a pre-qual, or questions.
Have a Great and Profitable Weekend.

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Assistant Vice President
American Mortgage
Cell - 386-846-6686
Office - 386-756-8228
Fax - 386-756-8108
Website - http://www.americanmortgagenow.com/

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

Lift off of American and Discovery

With the launch of one of America’s greatest achievements yesterday, the space shuttle discovery, I thought I would take a moment to give you some interesting facts about the shuttle and introduce you to something as American as apple pie.

American Mortgage is the premier mortgage broker in the state of Florida. After a lot of research and consideration, I am proud to say that I have affiliated myself with this company and look forward to a long partnership with them. For over 25 years American Mortgage has been providing mortgage assistance to Florida communities. We work with our clients to create a desirable mortgage that will best fit their needs and goals. I can provide an affordable Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, USDA, or FHA mortgage, for a purchase or refinance; we shop lenders to providethe lowest rates available. We also provide the fastest turn times and can close in less than 30 days. As a locally owned mortgage broker, we understand things the big banks don't and realize that only two things matter.

• First and foremost, that we provide impeccable service and are accountable to every need and request of our mortgage customers.
• Second, that we make sure our customers receive the lowest possible mortgage interest rate and fee structure that a mortgage company can provide.

Give me a call anytime if you or someone you know is buying or refinancing a home; remember I work weekends. Greg Novak 386-846-6686. For more info, check out our website. www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

On to the cool stuff! Here are some interesting Facts about the Space Shuttle Discovery.

NASA's most heavily travelled spacecraft, the shuttle Discovery, has had a storied 27-year career that has broken ground in many ways.

Here are some facts about the shuttle and some of its most memorable moments.

• First mission, STS-41D, was on August 30, 1984.
• Has completed 38 missions, and logged more than 5600 trips around Earth.
• Traveled a total of 230,003,477km so far, will add 7.2 million km on this final trip.
• Spent 352 days in space until now, for a total of 363 days by the end of this mission.
• Carried the Hubble space telescope into orbit in April, 1990.
  Has twice been the first shuttle to return to orbit after a major disaster: in 1988 after Challenger exploded in 1986; and again in 2005 after Columbia disintegrated in 2003.
• Is the oldest shuttle in the three-member fleet, due to the demise of Columbia and Challenger which were older.
• Was the first shuttle to be piloted by a woman, Eileen Collins in 1995.
• First shuttle to be commanded by a woman, also Collins, in 1999.
• Carried the first African-American astronaut spacewalker, Bernard Harris in 1995.
• Transported first sitting member of Congress in space, senator Jake Garn in 1985.
• Delivered part of Japan's Kibo laboratory to the ISS in 2008.
• Was the first shuttle to rendez-vous with the Russian Mir Space Station 1995.
• Has received 99 upgrades.
• By the end of this mission, will have transported 180 people in total.

The information about the shuttle was found on Nasa.gov.

Here are a couple of links to videos about the space shuttle and Discovery’s final launch.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/when-we-left-earth-the-shuttle.html
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4555653/discoverys-final-liftoff

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
NMLS # 329079
Assistant Vice President
American Mortgage
Cell- 386-846-6686 Office - 386-756-8228
Website - http://www.americanmortgagenow.com/

Oh, by the way,If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

FLORIDA- American Mortgage Loan Services, Inc. - NMLS Company ID 330596

Doing The Remarkable

So, we are almost through the first month of the New Year. How are your goals / resolutions coming along?

This week’s blog is designed to help you get on track with you goals for this year and help you get past all of the negativity out there. With the economy the way it is and everything going on in the world, you have to work hard to not get caught up in negative thinking and negative news.

Below is a letter written by the late great Jim Rohn, that I found on http://talentdevelop.com. I hope you enjoy. I also put a you tube link here with a motivational excerpt of Jim Rohn.
“The Day That Turns Your Life Around”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoW_jAzZKcs&feature=related Really good stuff.

Enjoy, and remember I am never too busy for your mortgage referrals.

Greg Novak 386-846-6686

Doing the Remarkable

by Jim Rohn

When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: what can you do, starting today, that will make a difference?

What can you do during economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong?

What can you do when you've run out of money, when you don't feel well and it's all gone sour?

What can you do?

Let me give you the broad answer first.

You can do the most remarkable things, no matter what happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite the most impossible or disastrous circumstances.

Here is why humans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable.

Humans are different than any other creation.

When a dog starts with weeds, he winds up with weeds. And the reason is because he's a dog.

But that's not true with human beings. Humans can turn weeds into gardens.

Humans can turn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success.

And the reason they can do such remarkable things is because they are remarkable.

Try reaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of those remarkable human gifts.

They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.

With those gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. And I challenge you to do that because you can change.

If you don't like how something is going for you, change it. If something isn't enough, change it. If something doesn't suit you; change it.

If something doesn't please you, change it.

You don't ever have to be the same after today. If you don't like your present address change it — you're not a tree!

If there is one thing to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessary things, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success.

That's true excitement.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Copyright © 2000 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.
You can visit www.jimrohn.com to review and purchase his motivational material.

Click here for a Jim Rohn Youtube clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoW_jAzZKcs&feature=related


www.MyNationwideLender.com
Daytona Beach Mortgage, FHA, VA, HOMEPATH

How do 1 Million Americans have Perfect Credit?

Good Afternoon,

Here is a little bit of useful info I put together for you about credit scores and how to obtain that elusive perfect score.

Did you know it is possible to achieve a perfect credit score? About 1 million Americans have one.

To hit the magic 850 you'll need to do more than make your payments on time and keep your debt-to-credit ratio low.*

Here's a profile of the top tier:

• They have a long, impressive payment history and a clean financial record. They use credit but they pay it off on time, every time. And no bankruptcies, bank repos or settlements. None.


• They have a balance of installment and revolving accounts. Think a mortgage, a car loan and credit cards.


• They have a long credit history. Those with perfect credit are often older, but what really counts is the length of their credit history. So you may want to keep that that credit card you obtained when you turned 18.


• They don't have a lot of credit inquiries on their records. They don't open accounts unless they need to.

Most of us won't ever reach perfection, but the good news is that a score of 760 or above will get you the benefits of excellent credit.

What if you or someone you know does not have perfect credit and needs some help? Take a look at Smart Credit, the consumer-directed credit service that can be accessed right on my Website in the bottom right hand corner!

*To read the full article on MSN Money, click here .

I hope you found this tidbit of info helpful! Please keep me in mind for anyone you know who needs a mortgage.

It's a Good Life!!!

Greg Novak MBA

NMLS # 329079

Branch Manager

American Mortgage

Office - 386-756-8228 Cell - 386-846-6686

Website - www.AmericanMortgageNow.com

Oh, by the way, If you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

Research for this blog was done on MSN Money. The article refrenced was written by Jeanine Skowronski for Mainstreet.

Part 3 - Steps to Personal Transformation

Step 3 – Abundance

Do you have an abundance mentality? Dr. Wayne Dyer writes “It is a simple procedure to calculate the number of seeds in an apple. But who among us can ever say how many apples are in a seed? The reason that no one can say how many apples are in a seed is that the answer is infinite. Endless! That is what the abundance principle is all about: endlessness.”

These concepts of infinity, endlessness, and abundance to us a humans are difficult concepts to understand. We as human beings have a beginning and an end in our life cycle, therefore everything we think about we try to put boundaries or limits on. We try to compartmentalize or box thoughts, concepts, and even money into something with limits, when in fact most things do not have limits.

Dr. Dwyer states “it is difficult to imagine that the universe has any boundaries, or that it simply ends someplace. If it does, what’s at the end? And so I suggest there is no end to the universe, and there is not end to what you can have for yourself when this principle is part of your life.”

In my opinion this could be the most important part of personal transformation, realizing that there are no limits to what you can obtain, and abundance really is an obtainable thing.

In another book entitled The Top Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class, author Keith Smith breaks down the goals of our social economic classes of people and asserts that the primary goal for the poor is survival, the primary goal for the middle-class is comfort, and the primary goal for the rich is abundance. He also believes that the reason the poor seek to survive and the middle class seeks to be comfortable is that they have a scarcity mentality. They believe that there is not enough money for everyone to have more than enough. The rich on the other hand know the truth, and that is that there is enough money for everyone for have more than enough, which is an abundance mentality.

So how do we transcend a scarcity mentality? Dr. Dwyer states “The first step toward discarding a scarcity mentality involves giving thanks for everything that you are and everything that you have.” You have to be thankful for what you have regardless of how much or little, before you can have and appreciate more.

The second principle we need to understand when it come to abundance is that abundance does not start and end with money. Dr. Dwyer states, “abundance is not something that we acquire. It is something we tune into. This thought is paramount to making the abundance principle function in our lives. Keep in mind that there is an infinite supply of energy in the universe, and that everything, including you very for and all of your accumulations, is essentially energy.”

How do you accumulate an abundance of wealth? Well you first have to accumulate and abundance of energy. What is energy? Energy is fuel.

First you must determine what is your fuel that you will need an abundance of in order to create an abundance of wealth. What is your path to wealth? What type of fuel do you need to propel yourself down that path, and how much do you need to have an abundance.

When you answer these questions, you will be able to better see what abundance means to you and how you can obtain it.

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg NovakMBA
Office - 386-756-8228
Cell - 386-846-6686
Fax - 386-756-8108
Web site - www.MyNationwideLender.com

Oh, by the way, if you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

Part 2 - Steps to Personal Transformation

Step 2 – Thought

Wayne Dyer says “Thought is much more than something you do. It is in fact what you, and all the rest of us, are as well. Thought constitutes our entire being except for the portion of us that is form, or the packaging that carries around our minds… Here is a mini-lesson in what thought is. Your desire to improve your life is really your thought to improve your life. Your will to live is really your thought to live. Your attitudes about your entire life are really your thoughts on these matters… Your determination to succeed is nothing more than your thought to do so. The idea of success is really the thought of success.”

Why is “Thought” such an important part of personal transformation? Have you ever heard of Stinking Thinking, and the opposite, positive thinking.

Your thoughts and what you believe about yourself are probably the most important key to personal transformation. Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t, your right.” Your thoughts really do determine who you are. If you read this and think to yourself, “this personal growth and positive thinking is just a bunch of garbage, my thoughts are not going to make me wealthy or a better person, only my actions and abilities are going to do that.” Well where do you think your actions come from? Your thoughts. You do not just get up and start doing something, you have to think about it first and then you do.

Now positive thinking is not going to give you the ability to do everything to want to do, but it will help you do everything better than negative thinking will. Our physical being does limit us in certain ways. Positive thinking is not going to make 6 foot 5 NFL offensive lineman win the Kentucky Derby as a horse jockey. But with the right positive thinking and research, that offensive lineman might be able to buy a horse, hire a tiny jockey, and win the Kentucky Derby as an owner.

The biggest problem people have today in my opinion is a lack of perspective. That lack of perspective leads to negative thinking. People complain all the time about their jobs and how much they hate going to work. it makes me want to tell them to be grateful that you even have a job at all. There are probably a million people who are out of work and would love to have your job or any job at all. If you just sent half the time thinking about the positive things at your job, or ways to make your job more enjoyable, you would enjoy your job more, and with a positive attitude an progressive thinking, you might even get promotions and raises. Very few people who constantly complain about their job ever get raises and promotions. People complain when they are at McDonalds and there fries are not piping hot and ready the second they place the order. What about the people and children in third world countries who have to wait days before their next cold scrap of a meal. And so on and so on and so on. There are thousands of examples of like these. I don’t know if it is the way I was raised, my faith, the type of books I have ready, or the seminars and tapes I have listened to that help me to have perspective on the important things in life, but perspective and a positive attitude are two of the things that I have struggled with the least in my life.

If you want to transform yourself you must first start with your thinking. No matter what you want to change, whether it is your income and wealth, or your health, or your relationships, or anything, you must start with your thoughts.

To finish up here are 4 points from Wayne Dyer’s book to help thoughts become positive reality.

1. “Your actions come from your images. All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded it. If you visualize yourself as incompetent in a given area, and you continuously reinforce this with a mental picture, eventually you will act out this scenario… Apply this notion of thoughts as things to the acquisition of wealth. If you picture yourself acquiring abundance, if you keep this vision in your mind regardless of the obstacles you encounter, and if you absolutely see it for yourself, then you will act on this image. You will allow this picture to be the dominant image in your mental world. You will make fifteen calls a day instead of three or four. You will find yourself saving part of your income thereby paying yourself first, a crucial step in the acquisition of wealth.”
   
2. “Tell yourself that everything you visualize is already here. Remember what Einstein taught us about time! Time does not exist in the linear world-it is man’s invention because of his limited vision and his need to compartmentalize everything.” If there is something you want, you need to see it in your mind as already being yours, that will help you obtain it.
   
3. “Be willing. Forget about the word ‘determination’! Forget about perseverance! Forget about personal drive! These are not concepts that will help you understand the visualization process and bring it into your life. Over and over I hear, ‘I gave it my best shot.’ ‘I really tried hard, and it still did not work out.’ ‘I persevered for months, and I still did not get what I wanted.’ The key word that is missing from these statements is willing. In order to make a visualization a reality in the world of form, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.” Also we have to remember that most of the time it is a matter of being willingto have patients and allow for time. In our fast food, gotta have it now, environment, we forget that we have to be willing to pay the dues, put in the time, and put forth the EXTRA effort. Millionaires do not make their money overnight. Most millionaires worked 30 to 40 years before they achieved that status.
   
4. “Realize there is no such thing as failure. Keep this in mind and you will achieve all that you conceive in your mind. You never fail, you simply produce results. Always results. If you make an attempt to hit a golf ball one hundred yards and it dribbles off to the right, you have not failed. You have produced a result. Your concept of failure comes from believing someone else’s opinion about how you could have hit the golf ball. But in our reality, you could not have hit the golf ball any other way than how you hit it. You have produced a result. Then you either berate yourself, or you place the ball back up on the tee and proceed from the result you produced. If you do this two hundred times, you still have not failed, you simply have produced two hundred results.” Zig Ziglar says “Failure is an event, it is not a person, yesterday really did end last night, and today is a brand new day.”

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
Office - 386-756-8228
Cell - 386-846-6686
Fax - 386-756-8108
Web site - www.MyNationwideLender.com

Oh, by the way, if you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.

Part 1 - Steps to Personal Transformation

Step 1 – Transformation

To start this series on personal transformation, I feel it is necessary to take a close look at the word transformation so that we can better understand the rest of the series, and not only the points and purpose of personal transformation, but also how we can transform ourselves, and WHY we might want to.

A lot of people might read the first part of this and think to themselves that they like who they are and that they do not need to change, and who does this guy think he is telling me that I need to make some personal changes. First let me state that I am not talking about changing, or that you need to be a different person, I am talking about transforming, and that is a total different thing. I am married, and for those of you who are or were ever in a relationship and have tried to CHANGE your significant other, you know that does not typically work to well. So please understand I am not trying to change you, this series is more about growth than change.

Let’s take a look at the word transformation.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Transform as the following 1 a : to change in composition or structure b : to change the outward form or appearance of c : to change in character or condition.

Wayne Dyer defines transformation as “The ability and willingness to live beyond your form”

I am going to copy an excerpt from Wayne Dyer’s book You’ll See It When You Believe It, because I really like how he describes what transformation truly is.
“I feel as if I have gone through a gate which will not allow me to go back to the place where I used to live. To me, going through the gate symbolizes transformation. But what do I mean by that?
Start with the word “form,” the center of transformation. It is a term that describes the physical you. It includes all of the physiological properties that you have come to associate with the human being that is you… Now consider the prefix ‘trans,’ which means ‘beyond,’ ‘above,’ or in literal terms, ‘over.’ When we place that prefix in front of ‘from’ we get ‘transform.’ We now add the suffix ‘ation,’ which means ‘action’ or ‘result,’ and we have the word ‘transformation.’ To me this word means the result or action of going beyond one’s form...

The ultimate in becoming a transformed person is seeing ourselves as unlimited by our form.
When you live exclusively in form, you live in a world of limitation. Think about all of the limits that are placed on your form. Limits are boundaries that dictate things. You can only lift so much weight. You can only run so fast… But limits are all in the dimension of form.
Now consider the part of you without physical limits, the dimension of thought. There are no limits to your ability to think. You can imagine yourself doing anything… You can be anything, go anywhere, experience all that you want in this dimension of thought, exclusive of form…
The emphasis in our culture is on the value of the external, the physical appearance. I am suggesting that the emphasis be shifted to a concern for the formless self, being ever mindful that the form houses the real you.”

I am a father of a 5 year old and a 3 year old. I sometimes watch my kids playing, and it seems like they are not bound by their physical form, or their surroundings in anyway. They play imaginary games, and build an imaginary pirate ship and put on paper hats, and they are pirates. When I watch and listen to them play, they are NOT playing pirate, for that time, they ARE actually pirates.

Do you remember when you were young, and some of the games you would play using your imagination? Do you remember not just playing in, but actually being in that imaginary world.
What happened? Why as adults are we unable to use our minds like that anymore, why do we feel that it is unproductive, or a waste of time, or bad to be a dreamer.
Did you know that the most successful people in this world are dreamers, and have the ability to use their imagination, and then let that imagination control their “form” being. Unfortunately, for the majority of adults, they allow their physical form and the objects around them dictate their limits instead of their inner being and their minds.
If you are unhappy with the way you life has gone, or what you have done with yourself after middle school, it is most likely not a matter of physical limitation, but that of mental limitation. If you are not happy with your job, or your income, or your life, it is most likely a result of simply forgetting how to go past physical form, and not using your thoughts in a more productive way. I understand times are tough and people are losing their jobs, and often that has nothing to do with being able to use your imagination or not. However, tough economic times don’t necessarily mean that you have to lose everything or that you cannot be successful. Some of the most wealthy and successful people made their fortunes during the worst economic times in history. They did it because they did not allow their surroundings and the outside forces dictate their thoughts and attitudes.

In closing, the first step to personal transformation, is TRANSFORMATION. Once again, transformation is the result or action of going beyond one’s form. You have to throw out what you think you know about yourself, or what you think defines you as a person, and reinvent yourself mentally, and then take that mental image and break the barriers of FORM to make it a reality in the physical.
Your mother was right, you can be anything you want, and accomplish anything you desire, if you just put your mind to it.

It's a Good Life!!!
Greg Novak MBA
Branch Manager
Eagle Nationwide Mortgage Company
Office - 386-756-8228 Cell - 386-846-6686 Fax - 386-756-8108
E-mail - Greg.Novak@ENMCdirect.com
Web site - http://www.mynationwidelender.com/

Oh, by the way, if you know someone who is thinking about buying or refinancing a home, please give me a call with their name and number, I will be happy to follow up with them for you.