Jim Cleffi

A number of years ago, I began to notice a "slump" in production and energy among my Team during the cold, dark winter months. I tried running contests with prizes being all expense paid trips to a warm tropical Island and encouraging more vacations in hopes of regenerating my Team. The results varied but were not impressive. I soon learned that more than 70% of our population is affected by "Seasonal Affective Disorder" (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.

Don't ignore that yearly feeling as simply a case of the "blues" or a funk that you have to tough out on your own - you may have seasonal affective disorder. Treatment for seasonal affective disorder includes light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Understanding that the problem exists and that it is real and then addressing the problem can help you keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year. It can also help managers understand and wage war against this productivity disruptor.

Some of the symptoms are Depression, Hopelessness, Anxiety, Loss of energy, Social withdrawal, Oversleeping, Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, Appetite changes - especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates, Weight gain, Difficulty concentrating and processing information. I am not skilled in diagnosing this problem but knowledge is power. Good luck!

PS - Visit Florida, the Caribbean or the warm South to combat SAD. Take me with you!

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I have seen an upturn in home sales and mortgage applications. It does my heart good. I have also seen a steady tightening of qualifications to obtain a mortgage.....a mixed blessing. We take what is good for all and adjust our goals and processes to make the best of a more difficult situation. I suspect that is how we have managed to survive in this industry. Honesty, integrity, perseverence, conscientious follow-up, genuine care and professionalism have kept us all in the game when others have been benched.

However, I am concerned about the 1.3 million homes that are over 120 days late on mortgage payments that the banking industry has not foreclosed on yet. I am hoping that the government has sufficient influence to incentivize the banks to continue to work with homeowners. If banks started to foreclose on all of the homes that have fallen into default, we would have an incredible supply of available homes back on the market and ALL at such low prices that it would further deteriorate the housing market.

I am just sharing my concerns. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!

As a result of the new regulations, guidelines and increased sales and mortgage activity from the Tax Credit extension, it is now taking between 30 and 60 days to close a loan from the time the agreement of sale and application are submitted to a lender until closing. Some lenders are doing a pretty good job but many lenders are bringing "inexperienced temp" help on and then releasing them after a few months only to extend processing and underwriting times again. Some of the largest lenders are struggling the most and many lenders are losing FHA accreditation. Yes, HVCC still contributes to extended time frames. All of the issues going on in the industry are having an accordian effect on the time it takes to close a loan. I can not speak for every area of the country or every lender but I am suggesting that all agreements of sale be written so that all parties understand that it may take between 30 and 60 days to close on a home sale. It may also take between 21 and 50 days for a commitment. These are just my thoughts based on some experiences. I believe that if we communicate openly and honestly with all parties involved and set a realistic expectation level we can work to deliver on superior service. Time and timing are major factors in keeping everyone happy throughout the process........give it to them on the level and anticipate the unexpected. We're professionals and superior service is what we do.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We are actively pursing successful Mortgage Originators and Loan Officers to become part of our TEAM. As an employee of our company you are NOT required to be licensed in any of the 50 United States in which we originate loans. However, we do hold our Team to the highest standards. You will not be offered a position with our Team until you have successfully met our credit, background/criminal check, drug screening standards, been interviewed several times and found to be a perfect fit with our mission, goals and culture.

We offer the highest commission potential coupled with exceptional pricing and low fees. Our TOP 12 Corporate Producers have all earned over $240,000 year to date.......with 2 months left. Our highest producers over $340,000 this year. They are all located within 100 miles of the Lehigh Valley. If you know someone that has a successful background in mortgage origination and needs a change or wants to become part of a company that offers W2 commissioned employees a full benefit package with incredible earning potential. Please call me for an appointment. I will not waste your time.

Jim Cleffi
Branch President
Office Phone: (610) 419-8575
Office Fax: (610) 419-8576
Cell Phone: (610) 360-3889
Email: JCleffi@IvyLeagueMortgage.com

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Knowing that I have a Schwanoma (benign tumor) growing between my inner ear and brain, an old Army buddy recently forwarded the following to me. I want to share it with you and my team because it pertains to all of us. I believe he read it on www.military.com .

Everyone has limitations; I know for a fact that I will not be running a 4 minute mile in my lifetime. I know for a fact, because I've tried -- vomited -- tried again, and again and again (threw-up all along way) to realize that 5min and 20 secs is the best I'm going to do...and I'm absolutely comfortable with that. I discovered my running limitations over years of trying and winning such prestigious high school cross country awards as: "Swifter than the Continental Drift Award" or "Faster than a Growing Hickory Tree Award" (actual awards I received at my cross country awards dinner in high school). I can sleep at night knowing that I'll never run a 4 min mile because I know in my heart that I have given everything that I WAS WILLING to give it to try to conquer this limitation. I discovered this limitation on my own -- I didn't take the word of my coach or my friends (they said I'd never break 6 mins).

However, there's another kind of limitation that is much -- much - more insidious, and if you're not careful and cognizant of it, you may commit one of the great travesties in life, that is, living a life with self imposed limitations. I call it "one of the great travesties" -- hell you can call it a great sin -- for no one should accept someone else's limitation as their own. Ask Lance Armstrong is he'd be happier right now if he had accepted the first doctor's recommendation to give up cycling!

I use the word "insidious" because self-imposed limitations creep up on you -- they come from credible sources such as doctors or friends or even fathers. They're not trying to intentionally sabotage your chances of success -- they are (in most cases, unless we're dealing with the jealous and insecure types) usually trying to protect you from "failing" or perhaps from injury either mentally or physically (from failing). They're passing along limitations that they've either discovered or have chosen to accept as true because they heard it from some one they trusted. The trick is to identify the self-imposed limitations from the ones you've discovered and accepted as fact.

We all have limitations, after all there's only so much time each of us has to pursue goals in our lives (and in my 4 min mile quest, I was unwilling to move to Kenya, lose a 100lbs and be chased by lions in an attempt to break my 5 min and 20 sec mile limitation!). The key is living the life we want by determining which limitations we are willing accept versus the ones we willingly commit to crushing. When you identify the limitations in your life that are holding you back from living the life you want -- well then -- CONGRATULATIONS!!!, because you my friend have just discovered your path to freedom!

What are you waiting for? Go find some limitations worth crushing! And let your teammates know the joy you've encountered from conquering them! HOOYAH!!

I appreciated reading this and it inspires me and makes me want to stretch a little more each day.

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