Kevin Breeland

4 Comments

On the Road Again

02-27-09

Tomorrow morning I start out on a 1130 mile journey to my dad's house. My dad is 75 years old and had some surgery in January. Overall he is in good health but I try to see him as often as I can as I understand our time together is limited. There isn't much to do in the town I grew up in where my dad still lives. In fact, most of the businesses along the main drag are now closed as people like myself moved away and haven't come back. Around town there of signs of yesteryear, how things used to be, places I played a kid, jobs I had when I was old enough to get a job. Many of the people I knew as a child have either died or moved. Its sometimes sad to arrive there, its not really the same place as it was when I was growing up. However, my dad and most of my dad's side of the family still live there so I do look forward to going.

My dad and uncle hang out a lot together. My uncle is 78 years old. They go out to the farm during the day and then later in the day go into town (the city) and have dinner either at Ryan's or Golden Corral. It depends on what day it is because the Senior Citizen discounts are different everyday. We go, eat a lot, talk about everything under the sun, then they of course won't let me pay, and they leave a tip. Over the years they ask me now if that is enough because they were terrible tippers for the longest..but they are better now. Its an interesting experience but what I like about it more than anything is as I have gotten older I really appreciate these times.

So next week I will be blogging to you from Texas, probably talking to you about the farm, the Golden Corral, and of course all the interesting things that happen in places that time has forgotten.

Kevin M. Breeland

General Manager

Residential Mortgage of South Carolina, LLC

427 Johnnie Dodds Rd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Competitive by nature...the Best by choice!

5 Comments

Are we on Life Support?

02-26-09

Well for your sake I hope not but is our economy?

Now this is just food for thought. I am an American, I support our President, I think everyone is trying to do the best they can under the circumstances, but I am beginning to wonder if we are loosing sight of the ultimate goal. Listening to the President's speech a couple of nights ago I have no doubt that President Obama is focused on a stronger, leaner, and more advance = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />America. I favor much of what he had to say and I appreciate his willing to listen to all sides of issue.

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America is the Land of Free Enterprise, the Land Of Opportunity, and it still is. What concerns me this, in our quest for solutions, our quest to avoid another Great Depression, our quest to prevent massive layoffs, are we setting aside the Free Enterprise System so it won't hurt as much? Many have said the road we are traveling is taking us to a Socialist Economy, I don't believe that, but I concerned that in the American's quest to "fix everything" we might be stepping away for the very system that makes us great.

Now, let me clarify something before I get hate mail and have to move....I am not saying that we are I am just asking the question. I want health care reform, I want banking reform, I was a more competitive education system that is geared for the 21^st century, I want better schools, better bridges, better highways, mass transit, and the list goes on and on and on. Let remember this, in our quest for a soft landing lets not forget that sometimes great achievement come with great pain. I don't want 10% unemployment, I don't want hard working American to lose ground, heck I am one of those people. When I look at everything we are trying to do I just can't help but ask a few fundamental questions:

Do we need it?
Can we afford it?
Does it help more than hurt?

America needs large businesses and small businesses...we need Wall Street and Main Street...we all need each other. Let's not get intoxicated on the drink of the bailout and end up on life support. Sometimes progress comes with pain and maybe we should be asking ourselves this question...Is it time to roll up my sleeves and get to work? For me, yes it is....I will continue to write my congressional delegation and give them my opinion, which is our right as Americans. Now though it will be to say no and let us, the American worker and consumer, this finish the job at hand.

Kevin M. Breeland

General Manager

Residential Mortgage of South Carolina, LLC

427 Johnnie Dodds Rd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Competitive by nature...the Best by choice!

4 Comments

It was television at one time

02-25-09

It was television at one time, but now it is not. What am I talking about? Relationship building and the use of Social Media Networking.

One of my favorite shows on television is NCIS. I think one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is the show does a very good job, in my opinion, of developing the characters. It got me to think about how television is really evolving into Social Media Networking. Now I know there will be many of you who will disagree but stay with me just a moment and I will explain myself.

Below, you see a Microsoft Clip Art picture. I have inserted this picture because it shows networking one-one and in a group...meeting setting, the usual things that go with business. It was free to download and took less than a minute to do. I am started talking about NCIS so I went to CBS.com, then to shows, then to NCIS to download a picture. CBS.com would allow me to do is download it to facebook or send it to someone but I just couldn't download for this blog. I thought why not...it is just a picture. Maybe I could have figured it out if I spent more time on it but I actually have a job and can't spend all day on the NCIS website figuring out how to download a picture.

My thought expanded....television as a media is Social Media Networking...it is based on developing viewers, granted a mass number at one time but still a personalized one on one development in one format. Sure you can join a fan club, blog, all of these different things but the television in of itself was the start of Social Media Networking. So what from television can we learn to improve our Social Media Networking. Television's mission is simple...attract viewers by offering a choice of channels. This offering allows many people to participate yet watch only one channel if that is all they are interested. Is the message here to offer a variety of choices...no.

The message, television is consistent in its mission....minute after minute...everyday, every month, every year. Television takes input from its viewers and make changes. We should too...read the comments you receive and read other blogs. Like television we have to continue to evolve.

Kevin M. Breeland

General Manager

Residential Mortgage of South Carolina, LLC

427 Johnnie Dodds Rd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Competitive by nature...the Best by choice!

3 Comments

WE were "Juiced" now our records mean nothing

02-24-09

WE were "Juiced" now our records mean nothing.......is that really true?

No, I am not talking about baseball and baseball players on Steroids...I am talking about the Mortgage Industry and almost Free Money with NO DOCUMENTATION.

Needless to say we have seen major changes in Credit Requirements, FICO score requirements, Underwriting requirements, you name it almost every aspect of the Mortgage Business has changed in the last 17 months. I am not going to lie to you, my income has fallen and I would imagine most people in the mortgage business that would be an accurate statement for most. For others, they are no longer in the business and that may not be all bad.

But, remember the day......the free credit, no documentation, Loan Officers and Realtors were making money hand over fist....no one had to qualify for anything. They fell in what I call "The Warm and Walking Qualification".

I don't mean to make fun of all this, to outcome has been tragic. All of us have responsibly in this and now the withdrawals are more than some of us can stomach. WE were all "Juiced"...and now we actually have to find customers that have good credit and money...or at least access to money. The transition is hard but in the end we are building much more solid neighborhoods, steadier home values, and stronger customer alliances.

Yes, I played a part in it and yes it has been difficult. I expect it will be even more difficult but I understand this is necessary...if we are going to have strong neighborhood for our children to be homeowners then it starts with us today. Prequalify your buyers....here is a hint, if they aren't sure their credit score is not above 620 then I would recommend they get prequalified right away. I would recommend all of your buyers regardless of how "strong" they say they are get prequalified ASAP. If they are Self Employed and did not bring Tax Returns, send them home to get them. Today, Realtors and Loan Officers have to work closer, trust each other more, and develop an alliance with each other so neither is wasting time and both are maximizing opportunities. Working together we can get through the difficult times and all of will be stronger on the other side of this mess. Professionalism and Trust...for all the Loan Officers out there that is what your Realtors want, your customers, and your employers.

I for one am glad my records don't count for anything today...because it reminds me everyday what we almost forgot to do...develop relationships, personal relationships, and alliances...I for one am glad to know I have not forgotten how and also realize I have new tools...ActiveRain, BrokerAgentSocial, Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin just to name a few. I can do a much better job today for my Realtors and my customers and guess what....with these new tools we are "Juiced"...but not artificially.

Kevin M. Breeland

General Manager

Residential Mortgage of South Carolina, LLC

427 Johnnie Dodds Rd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464