About Miami's Westchester

I am a Reverse Mortgage Broker servicing Monroe County and the Florida Keys. Below is my Biography, which will help you understand more about who I am and what I can offer as a Reverse Mortgage Expert.

Phil Stevenson combines his knowledge, education, and experience with his ingenuity and ethical practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for his clients and colleagues in every endeavor. Earning a reputation among his peers and clients as a detail-oriented, organized, efficient and highly disciplined leader, the experienced reverse mortgage advisor's goal is consistent service to his clients. He puts forth full effort and works diligently to complete all tasks in the shortest time frame possible. Family values, honesty, and integrity are of utmost importance to him.

Born and raised in Miami, Stevenson is always taking the lead and trying to find new ways to succeed. He spent 8 years in the US Army Reverse and was deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq as a Staff Sergeant. With over five years of experience in mortgage processing and origination, Stevenson has a broad understanding of the mortgage process from beginning to end. He joined Mortgage Bankers in 2008 and has been able to excel amidst the largest mortgage meltdown in U.S. history. As a reverse mortgage originator in Miami, he was a top producer for several months during 2009 and 2010 in a company that was ranked #2 in all of Florida and #25 in the entire U.S. in early 2010 for Reverse Mortgages. While others are leaving the business, he and Mortgage Bankers continue to succeed.

Stevenson earned a bachelor's in international relations with minors in economics and geography from Florida International University. Studying interest rates, money supply, and amortization tables has given him in-depth knowledge of past, current, and projected issues in the industry. His economics degree gave him a phenomenal knowledge base that allowed for a seamless transition into the mortgage business from the military.

Seniors who are in desperate need for financial help, in danger of foreclosure, and/or seeking alternative ways for retirement planning have seen Stevenson as a shining beacon of hope. Strategically creating relationships with financial professionals, he is able to assist homeowners in the areas of estate tax savings, prolonging the use of or need for retirement funds, and taking advantage of a largely unused asset, your home. As a husband and father of three, Stevenson is dedicated to improving your quality of life, when it matters most.

WE ARE FULL FHA DIRECT ENDORSEMENT LENDERS. THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE THE BENEFITS OF LARGE LENDERS, BUT NOT THE STRICT RULES THOSE LENDERS AND THEIR BROKERS MUST FOLLOW.

Miami’s 35^th Annual Harvest Festival takes place at the Miami-Dade fair and expo on November 20 & 21, 2010, and is sponsored by Miami Herald. This is an event for the whole family, with something to enjoy for everyone. While there you will see historical re-enactments, music, antique automobiles, quilts, crafts and more, just read below. AND DON’T FORGET TO PRINT YOUR ENTRY COUPON:

A R T & C R A F T S

DELICIOUS FOOD

LIVE MUSIC
Performers on stage…Schedule to be announced shortly
SHOWS are 95% Indoors

Meet Santa Sat & Sun 2 to 4pm

Nationwide Exhibitors, Free Petting Zoo, Live Demonstrations, Model Train Village,

SAMPLE DELICIOUS CANDY, FUDGE, CHOCOLATES, BREADS, HONEY,
JELLIES & GOURMET DELIGHTS

Personalized Gifts, Custom Home Decor, Handmade Quilts Ceramics, Handmade Santas, Red Hat Items, Handcrafted Furniture, Kitchen Decor, Pet Items & Treats, Dolls & Toys, Oil Paintings, Wearable Art, Clay Minis, Decoupage, Fairies, Wood Turnings, Handbags, Painted Wood, Glass & Metal, Fossils/Minerals, Puppets, Clay Flowers, Princess & Pirate Items, Flags, Ornaments, Holiday Treats, Nursery Items, Herb Packs, Windchimes, Wood Carvings, Pottery, Artwork, Baby Clothes, Cuban Art, Stained Glass, and much more..........

Country, Primitive, Victorian, Southwest, Folk Art, Nautical, Shabby Chic and Traditional

Wonderful Potpourri, Soap, Candles and Oils
.

Great time to buy all your Christmas gifts!!

----------------------------------------------------------

Time:

Saturday Early Bird Shopping Hours
8am-10am
Saturday - 10am - 5pm

Sunday - 10am to 4pm

Admission:

Early Bird Shopping

Saturday 8am-10am

$10 in Advance, $12 at The Box Office

Box Office Opens at 7am
Click Here to Purchase Early Bird Tickets Online

(No Discounts Apply For Early Bird)

Complementary Coffee Provided For Early Bird

General Admission:
Adults $8
Children 5-12 $2 each

& under 4 - Free admission.

FREE PARKING

My fondest memories as a child were when my Mom would take me to Santa’s Enchanted Forest during the Holidays. I remember entering the park and looking up in awe at the blanket of lights all around and towering above on the trees in Tropical Park. There are 3,000,000 lights to be exact. I couldn’t contain my excitement and simply wanted to run free, but then I would come back down to Earth as my mother’s grip would tighten around my hand.

The first section of the park is called Santa Claus Lane, and has over 50 attractions in this part alone. So as we proceeded there were big trains, elves in their work stations, photos with Santa himself, face-painting, the smell of roasting nuts and other mouthwatering foods, a 92 foot tall Christmas tree, and much more. When we came close to the end of Santa Claus Lane, I could hear the rides and the screams from people on those rides in the distance. And my heart would race faster and faster as we got closer.

THIS IS THE LARGEST CARNIVAL OF ITS TYPE IN THE COUNTRY, THIS TIME OF YEAR!

Santa’s Enchanted Forest returns yet again after decades of presence as Miami’s Winter Wonderland in the heart of Miami-Dade County. There is fun, food, and rides for children of all ages. Unlike other seasonal fairs in South Florida, you pay one fee to enter and then all the rides are free. This is great for those kids or even adults who love to ride unlimited times, but of course you must pay for food and other forms of entertainment.

There are 4 roller coasters and many other rides, like the worlds tallest drop tower. Lets not forget the 7 shows that all have a Christmas theme to them. This includes everything from Magic Shows to playful sea lions. You can’t miss watching Santa doing EXTREME SPORTS! Yeah, Santa is a daredevil here in Miami, LOL!

I highly recommend Santa’s Enchanted Forest for children ranging from 2 years old to 92. Its fun for the whole family and it will be an event that you and your kids will never forget. My son, who is turning 15 soon, would go crazy every year when we would drive by Santa’s, and would not leave my wife and I alone until we took him at least once that year. Now, he is old enough to go alone and hang out with friends, and it’s a great place for leaving them to have fun on their own. What that sounds like to me is a break for mom and dad! The price is fair enough so you won't even need to Mortgage your house to afford it!

Basic Info:

Location – Tropical Park - 7900 SW 40th Street Miami, FL

Phone – 305-559-9635

Opens – November 4 2010

Closes – January 2, 2011

Mon - Sun – 5:00 pm - 12:00 am

Click to Join Santa’s Enchanted Forest of Facebook

Official Website

AWESOME VIDEO ON SANTA’S ENCHANTED FOREST!

DISCOUNT COUPON - simply click here

sample coupon and map for direction below:

The Reverse Mortgage benefits have changed for HUD's Fiscal Year 2011, and what a seesaw ride the last few months have been in the Reverse Mortgage Industry. Much of the news has been doom and gloom. First, we waited for congress to sign the $250 Million appropriation that FHA was asking for, but it never came. FHA needed this money to supplement and diminishing Mortgage Insurance Fund, but congress only allowed for $150M and then reduced it to $140M. This in turn caused FHA to announce that they would lower the Principal Limit for Reverse Mortgages a second year in row.

What exactly does this mean?

In 2009, FHA announced a 10% reduction of the loan amount that a borrower receives for the Reverse Mortgage starting FY 2010 (which was Oct 1, 2010). So imagine falling values only compounded by a lower amount that can be used for seniors in need, but wait cause it gets worse! Then because of the failed appropriation I mentioned above FHA was talking about another reduction for FY 2011 to be anywhere from 5% to 20% in addition to the FY2010 reduction of 10%.

WHOA!!! WAIT A MINUTE!!! UP TO 20%???

Fortunately, this did not happen, but imagine what would have happened to the people who NEED the Reverse Mortgage and couldn’t do it! So finally FHA said it would be a sliding scale based on age. Those who are 62 would get about a 2-3% reduction and those in their 80s and 90s would get 7-10% reductions. Not bad considering the majority of Reverse Mortgages is now done by people in their 60s & 70s.

BETTER NEWS!

Then only 2 weeks before FY 2011 (Oct 4, 2010) FHA announced a drop in the “floor rate.” OK, another explanation. The rate of 5.5% would give the borrower the highest possible loan amount or highest percentage of their value. If you went lower it didn’t change the amount they receive, but if you went higher they would get less. So by dropping the floor rate to 5.0% the borrower can now get even more money or a higher percentage of their value. IF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ME AT ALL AND YOUR EYES HAVE NOT ROLLED TO THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD, YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THIS WAS/IS A VERY VERY GOOD THING!

So with all the doom and gloom, the outcome was even better than if there were no change at all. Borrowers are actually getting higher percentages in FY 2011 than they were n FY 2010, but not as much as in FY 2009. Well, I can’t have my cake and eat it too, so I will be happy with the changes. The only downside is that the cost of the Reverse Mortgage's yearly MIP has increased, but this was also almost completely offset by the rate reduction.

SO,

A Reverse Mortgage now gives you more than before = GOOD NEWS!

If you would like to see how much you could receive with today’s rates and limits if you were to do the Reverse Mortgage, please click on the following link. I will get back to you as soon as possible:

REVERSE MORTGAGE CALCULATOR

Thanks!

Below is my Biography, which will help you understand more about who I am and what I can offer as a Reverse Mortgage Expert.

Phil Stevenson combines his knowledge, education, and experience with his ingenuity and ethical practice to achieve the best possible outcomes for his clients and colleagues in every endeavor. Earning a reputation among his peers and clients as a detail-oriented, organized, efficient and highly disciplined leader, the experienced reverse mortgage advisor's goal is consistent service to his clients. He puts forth full effort and works diligently to complete all tasks in the shortest time frame possible. Family values, honesty, and integrity are of utmost importance to him.

Born and raised in Miami, Stevenson is always taking the lead and trying to find new ways to succeed. He spent 8 years in the US Army Reverse and was deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq as a Staff Sergeant. With over five years of experience in mortgage processing and origination, Stevenson has a broad understanding of the mortgage process from beginning to end. He joined Mortgage Bankers in 2008 and has been able to excel amidst the largest mortgage meltdown in U.S. history. As a reverse mortgage originator in Miami, he was a top producer for several months during 2009 and 2010 in a company that was ranked #2 in all of Florida and #25 in the entire U.S. in early 2010 for Reverse Mortgages. While others are leaving the business, he and Mortgage Bankers continue to succeed.

Stevenson earned a bachelor's in international relations with minors in economics and geography from Florida International University. Studying interest rates, money supply, and amortization tables has given him in-depth knowledge of past, current, and projected issues in the industry. His economics degree gave him a phenomenal knowledge base that allowed for a seamless transition into the mortgage business from the military.

Seniors who are in desperate need for financial help, in danger of foreclosure, and/or seeking alternative ways for retirement planning have seen Stevenson as a shining beacon of hope. Strategically creating relationships with financial professionals, he is able to assist homeowners in the areas of estate tax savings, prolonging the use of or need for retirement funds, and taking advantage of a largely unused asset, your home. As a husband and father of three, Stevenson is dedicated to improving your quality of life, when it matters most.

WE ARE FULL FHA DIRECT ENDORSEMENT LENDERS. THIS MEANS THAT WE HAVE THE BENEFITS OF LARGE LENDERS, BUT NOT THE STRICT RULES THOSE LENDERS AND THEIR BROKERS MUST FOLLOW.