Eric McGowan

While driving in this morning I saw "A Parents Life Is a Child's Guidebook" on the billboard for a local church. With the holiday season upon us I thought what a timely topic.

Personally, while growing up I never gave much thought to what my mother sacrificed for us.

She basically stayed at home and took care of my grandmother--her mother. My grandmother, you see, had Parkinson's Disease and although she was a strong woman in earlier years she was quite the handful in the latter as one helped her with daily life. The handling was not an issue of personality, more so an issue of the disease and its' complications.

After my grandmother passed away my mother did go into the work force. Having been technically unemployed, except as a caregiver and housewife, she found work as a paid caregiver locally and became "sought out" at times. This changed her confidence level and helped her to do many things she never would do before.

After a few years she became disabled, although never in truly good health from the time that I remember. It took quite a while for her to even acquire the penance she has since obtained.

From her, my mother, I obtained my own sense of compassion and generosity. It took me years to realize this but that is how life presents itself.

The following words below are from a fellow co-worker who, as a parent, gave me his thoughts on what he wished for his children to remember of him

"The legacy that I would leave my children is one of

generosity and love. .... And, I want them to know above all

that my love for them is unconditional."

What imprints are you leaving from your life?

**Images complements of flickr.com

A Christmas MeMe-oh my (ARE You IMMUNE?)

Yet another MeMe. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Change all the answers so that they apply to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? This depends on how tired I am.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, they leave nothing to pick up and you do not have to worry about having to water.

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime after Thanksgving

4. When do you take the tree down? Towards the end of January

5. Do you like eggnog? Don't like it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Rubik's cube

7. Hardest person to buy for? My sister as she is very picky

8. Easiest person to buy for? My mother

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Both

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't recall

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Normally in August

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, unfortunately I have

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Green Bean Rollups

16. Lights on the tree? Clear

17. Favorite Christmas song? Jingle Bells

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Not normally

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Of course

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I use different things

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? This depends on what family is around and when.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The extra bills that you always accumulate

23. What theme or color are you using? Red & Silver

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner. Honey Glazed Ham

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Nothing except rest and time with family.

As we are entering the holiday season full swing

Thursday, November 20, 2008 Come out and help celebrate sports rivalry at its best in Alabama from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm

Watch as Waynes Environmental as Team Auburn cooks off against Trussville Utilities as Team Alabama. The event supports two great causes--T.E.A.M. and VOCAL or Victims Of Crime and Leniency.

T.E.A.M. provides services to meet the spiritual and physical needs of individuals and families within the community.

VOCAL, is a non-profit organization which helps to improve the quality of justice for the victims of crime.

Local sponsors include: Wayne's Environmental, Trussville Utilities, Coca-Cola, and Wal-Mart.

I am personally liable. Again, I am personally liable as a loan officer.

It used to be that one screwed up, they may or may not have been caught, either quit or got fired, and then moved onto the next company or even country, with their same old ways, and leaving the company holding the bag.

GONE!!! .......................................

We all make mistakes and no one can claim to be perfect. With the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, which was enacted as part of H.R. 3221 this past summer, a national database is to be setup to monitor loan officers, track defaults, and provide for a means of accountability. This is a matter of ethics, honesty, and fairness to the consumer. I have always prided myself on my own ethics and standards without a database to monitor me. This is a good idea in many ways. As Jeff Belonger put it in his article, Realtors-have-a-Fiduciary-Responsibilty-What-about-loan-officers, loan officers also have a responsibility to the customer and all involved.

"What is in the best interest of the customer?"

This registry asks questions about one's personal affairs (including previous bankruptcy), employment history, positions of authority, companies affiliated with and other identifiable information on you--the loan officer. This registration process gets quite personal in the disclosures and the questions asked.

As Alabama now falls as HUD exempt I currently do not have a license; however, our parent company does. With previous employment I have either worked under the jurisdiction of banks or other larger mortgage companies. Upon going back and trying to register on the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System, the database is not recognizing Alabama nor Alabama loan officers. With further review, each state does have time leeway in establishing their own systems or alternately using this one. To see if this is required in your state please go here.

Is your lender required to sign up? Are you, as a loan officer, required now to sign up?

**Image complements of flickr.com

We all run into them---the dreaded unique property. This is One that Only One in a Million Loves and Will Ever Buy.

I basically ask some brief questions upon getting started with potential clients and figure out what may work best for them in their situation.

Signs that realtors and loan officers should beware of:

"It was once a bus.... we just put it up on pilings and it is home."

"I pulled it off the river, drained it out, and added a room."

"Yep, you can change the oil in the motor ..."

"It was once a single wide. We moved it onto our parents' land, and have added a bedroom and ..."

Unique properties are one thing; however, utilizing the equity in them can be quite a challenge.

Parts of an old barn or the stern of a ship add character. Whereas, the "oddity" that endears a property can be the very liability as well when trying to finance it or for an appraiser to find comparables for it. Should one ever want to finance these "unique" properties then the lender, if it is approved, would likely loan on the land--not the home.

Image of bus complements of flickr.com.