Well folks, it’s been a SUPER busy… month? Quarter? It’s been so long I can’t remember when it started. I recall a break for a vacation and then a short lull at the end of August.

This week I managed to accomplish something I’ve never done before. Close a deal, start to finish in 5 business days. No, not a typo. Five (5). Like the number of fingers on your hand.

Folks, I really have to recommend you not try this at home or at least with your local mortgage broker. They might have to put you in the insane asylum. Believe me I thought this guy was nuts when he told me it HAD to close next week. Aye carumba! I put up the usual defences, like the lender requires 5 business days just to confirm all the documentation. To top it all off, he’s self-employed (franchise owner). I’m going to need a stack of paperwork from you. “OK, what do you need?”

At this point I decide to call a lender who has given me the straight goods in the past. I’ve tried 3 day closings in the past with other lenders only to get an auto reject. I had to avoid that and at the same time give the lender the heads up that indeed we seriously needed to close in a week. I make the call and they say as long as it is in well before the close of business today, they should be able to do it. What are the critical documents you need? Personal taxes (NOA) and proof of downpayment. I was stunned the list was so short, but didn’t complain.

Phone call came in at 1PM. I had the requested documents in my inbox at 3PM and submitted the deal by 3:30. BOOM! Got the commitment Friday 3PM. Didn’t sign until Monday, which the lender was none too pleased about. Submitted ALL the documents and checked with the lawyer on Tuesday. He had just received the instructions. I couldn’t believe it.

So, I have to say Kudos to Laurentian for getting this deal done for me. Who knows I might have a client for life now, unless he comes to me 5 days before closing again. In which case, I’ll just have to shoot him.

The silver lining in all this? In order to get deals done this fast, I had to get my “status” upgraded to PMPP (preferred mortgage partner …person?). What this means is now I owe them deals as I now have a funding target/ratio I MUST maintain. The real goal here they say is to feed them deals regularly. The do check stats, but as long as I can send them at least 3 deals a month (from my “to be” franchise group), I should be able to maintain this status. Benefits to my customers? 20 Bps off the lowest discounted rates, which today is THE best rate, for fixed and an additional 10 bps off variable. How sweet is that?

For those following along with the marketing saga. The update this week is I just seem to keep running into either little obstacles or some lead generation marketing plan that starts off well, but then ends with some new monthly expense. Of course the idea is if it even generates 1 deal that closes, it’s paid for itself. I just get the impression I might die from a thousand cuts before I get that one deal. I persist. I have to give it my best shot, but man it can get discouraging when I run into a little snag & then start to investigate some new strategy and discover a new cost.

Fortunately he has a forum where the owner himself answers all the questions and/or points you in the right direction. Lets hope he can answer my latest diatribe when I get around to writing it. I’m hoping for a few hours tomorrow.

It’s like a small whirlwind has touched down and suddenly my expenses just went through the roof and I see someone nickel & dime me and all I can think is I need to plug the wholes in the boat before she sinks. The proverbial, cutting my nose off to spite my face.

There’s not much to get excited about but I think the stress of being so busy and doing so much is starting to wear on me.

“Captain, I dunna think the engine’s can handle much more.”

“Ya, canna break the laws of physics.”