By David Vindiola

MVM Mortgage Group is excited to introduce a revolutionary product called the Home Ownership Accelerator that could dramatically improve the speed and lower the cost of paying off your mortgage. It does this by replacing your mortgage and your checking account with one new combined loan/checking account that puts the cash that you usually flow through your current checking account to better use.

How does it accelerate the pay-off of my mortgage?

 If you are like most people, you flow most of your cash through your checking account to pay for your monthly expenses. While this cash sits in your account waiting to be spent, it earns 1% or less in interest. Your bank takes that money and lends it out to other folks at 6% or more, giving them 4%+ profit on your cash. By combining a checking account with a mortgage, you take the bank out of the equation and keep that 4% profit. How? You “lend” your cash to yourself, parking it against your mortgage balance until you need it to pay your bills. This reduces your mortgage balance, saving you interest charges. So, your cash “saves” you 5-6% in mortgage interest, rather than earning 0-1% in a standard checking account.

 If I flow my income through my mortgage, how do I pay my bills?

 The Home Ownership Accelerator is actually a big home equity line of credit with immediate access to your equity. The loan allows you to directly deposit your income into the account, which immediately reduces your mortgage balance by that amount. Then, you use ATM/debit card, checks, bill-pay or automatic debits to pay your bills, just as you do today with your traditional checking account. These withdrawals are simply added back to your mortgage balance.

 How does putting my paycheck against my home loan balance save me interest charges?

 Mortgage interest is calculated by multiplying your loan balance by your interest rate. With this loan, we calculate your interest charges daily and add them to your mortgage balance at the end of the month. Each paycheck deposited immediately impacts how much interest you have to pay because it reduces your loan balance until you pay your bills. If you pay your bills at the end of the month, you could save up to 30 days of interest charges on the amount of your paycheck.

You actually save interest in two ways. First, the money you don’t need for expenses saves you interest by keeping your mortgage balance lower. Second, the money you do need for expenses saves you interest while it is waiting in around in the Accelerator account to be spent.

 What do I need to change to make this loan work?

 One thing you DON’T need to change is your spending habits. If you have positive cash flow now, your current family budget could allow you to almost double the rate at which you pay down this mortgage versus a traditional mortgage.

You will have to change how you view your mortgage. Some key differences are:

• Your paycheck and other deposits are all mortgage payments. You do not write a separate check to “pay the mortgage” every month, unless you max out your credit line.
• The interest you owe is paid automatically, added to your balance on the due date. You do not write a check to pay interest charges either, unless you max out your credit line.
• Your spare cash is in your home instead of in a checking account. Your cash is, in effect, converted to home equity until you need it, saving you interest until it is spent.

 What’s the catch?

 There is no catch, however there are some differences between the Home Ownership Accelerator and the loan you may currently have:

This loan is not a fixed-rate loan. It is a home equity line of credit (HELOC) with an adjustable interest rate. The interest rate is tied to the 1-month LIBOR financial index.

This loan has a range of margins available, (the fixed portion of an adjustable interest rate that provides the lender its profit) and the lowest possible margin will cost a fee to obtain

The loan has a small annual fee of $60 to cover operational expenses just like other HELOCs.  However, the benefit of saving 5-6% on the cash you park in your Accelerator account should far outweigh the additional expense of obtaining a low margin and the annual fee.

 How do I know if this loan is right for me?

 You won’t until you discuss your specific situation with our certified Home Ownership Accelerator professionals and run your scenario through our Accelerator loan simulator. However, refinancing into this product, or buying a new property with it, could result in tremendous financial benefits. If you haven’t already talked to us about this exciting new loan program, call to set up a time to discuss it in more detail.  The results we are seeing with many clients are very exciting to say the least.

MVM Mortgage Group is excited to introduce a revolutionary product called the Home Ownership Accelerator that could dramatically improve the speed and lower the cost of paying off your mortgage. It does this by replacing your mortgage and your checking account with one new combined loan/checking account that puts the cash that you usually flow through your current checking account to better use.

How does it accelerate the pay-off of my mortgage?

If you are like most people, you flow most of your cash through your checking account to pay for your monthly expenses. While this cash sits in your account waiting to be spent, it earns 1% or less in interest. Your bank takes that money and lends it out to other folks at 6% or more, giving them 4%+ profit on your cash. By combining a checking account with a mortgage, you take the bank out of the equation and keep that 4% profit. How? You “lend” your cash to yourself, parking it against your mortgage balance until you need it to pay your bills. This reduces your mortgage balance, saving you interest charges. So, your cash “saves” you 5-6% in mortgage interest, rather than earning 0-1% in a standard checking account.

If I flow my income through my mortgage, how do I pay my bills?

The Home Ownership Accelerator is actually a big home equity line of credit with immediate access to your equity. The loan allows you to directly deposit your income into the account, which immediately reduces your mortgage balance by that amount. Then, you use ATM/debit card, checks, bill-pay or automatic debits to pay your bills, just as you do today with your traditional checking account. These withdrawals are simply added back to your mortgage balance.

How does putting my paycheck against my home loan balance save me interest charges?

Mortgage interest is calculated by multiplying your loan balance by your interest rate. With this loan, we calculate your interest charges daily and add them to your mortgage balance at the end of the month. Each paycheck deposited immediately impacts how much interest you have to pay because it reduces your loan balance until you pay your bills. If you pay your bills at the end of the month, you could save up to 30 days of interest charges on the amount of your paycheck. You actually save interest in two ways. First, the money you don’t need for expenses saves you interest by keeping your mortgage balance lower. Second, the money you do need for expenses saves you interest while it is waiting in around in the Accelerator account to be spent.

What do I need to change to make this loan work?

One thing you DON’T need to change is your spending habits. If you have positive cash flow now, your current family budget could allow you to almost double the rate at which you pay down this mortgage versus a traditional mortgage. You will have to change how you view your mortgage. Some key differences are:
Your paycheck and other deposits are all mortgage payments. You do not write a separate check to “pay the mortgage” every month, unless you max out your credit line.
The interest you owe is paid automatically, added to your balance on the due date. You do not write a check to pay interest charges either, unless you max out your credit line.
Your spare cash is in your home instead of in a checking account. Your cash is, in effect, converted to home equity until you need it, saving you interest until it is spent.

There are some differences between the Home Ownership Accelerator and the loan you may currently have:
This loan is not a fixed-rate loan. It is a home equity line of credit (HELOC) with an adjustable interest rate. The interest rate is tied to the 1-month LIBOR financial index.
This loan has a range of margins available, (the fixed portion of an adjustable interest rate that provides the lender its profit) and the lowest possible margin will cost a fee to obtain
The loan has a small annual fee to cover operational expenses just like other HELOCs.

On balance, however, the benefit of saving 5-6% on the cash you park in your Accelerator account should far outweigh the additional expense of obtaining a low margin and the annual fee.

How do I know if this loan is right for me?

You won’t until you discuss your specific situation with our certified Home Ownership Accelerator professionals and run your scenario through our Accelerator loan simulator. However, refinancing into this product, or buying a new property with it, could result in tremendous financial benefits. If you haven’t already talked to us about this exciting new loan program, call to set up a time to discuss it in more detail. The results we are seeing with many clients are very exciting to say the least.

As we fly into the New Year I am reminded of the 20 important rules that I try to live by.  I thought I would share them with you:

1. Be in the moment
2. Everyday be thankful for the small things
3. Make someone else feel special each day
4. Recognize everyday miracles
5. Breath deeply
6. Think before you speak
7. Revisit your goals everyday
8. Mean what you say and say what you mean
9. Be clear when you speak

10.  Do what you say you are going to do

11.  If you do something good or nice, do it because it feels good to your heart, not to get recognition

12.  Be humble about your accomplishments – get your satisfaction from yourself, not from others

13.  Use your ears twice as often as your mouth

14.  Be your best in EVERY moment

15.  Focus on improving yourself, rather than “fixing” others

16.  Accept others for who they are

17.  Don’t make mountains out of mole hills

18.  Learn to let go of things that cause you pain or frustration

19.  Ask questions

When the seasons change it is a sign of bigger changes to come.  Something happened last week that rocked my confidence in people.  When I get a shake like this I begin to wonder what I am doing and how I might be able to avoid that punch in the gut again.  My initial reaction is to not trust others, to only rely on myself and to keep all others at an arms-length.  Then I remember why I am in this business – to help others AND to provide a place for others to make a living. 

It is hard when someone you know and trust and think of as a friend, disrespects the opportunity you have given them and therefore affects you and your business.  What do you do?  I cannot change the way in which people act.  I cannot make them be a more professional.  I cannot make them act (what I perceive to be) appropriate.  I cannot make them thankful for all that I have provided them.  I cannot make them understand why their behavior had such an effect on my business or on me.  I can only accept and ultimately forgive. Ah, and that is the hard part.

When I am rocked to my core, I begin to evaluate my life, my job, my purpose and my passions.  If I am in business to help people and provide a place for others to make a living, how can I attract the people who see this as a special opportunity and who will treat it with respect?  How do you find good people who will share your vision and passion and be an extension of that when they are out doing business?  How can we trust anyone with that big responsibility?  You must.  I must.  I must continue to trust and to have confidence in others.  I must remember that everything happens for a reason and that reason is yet to be determined.  I must see the good in people, even the ones that have hurt me.  I must look beyond me and my business to that person’s bigger picture.  I must continue to do and be the best I can be, even if they are not doing and being their best.  And, I must forgive. 

So, this is a healing for me.  As the seasons change, so do our businesses.  We do not question the change in the weather or the season, we accept the change with, perhaps, a little sadness, but none the less, we accept the change and then move on. 

I was riding my bike through some of the farm lands North of Grand Junction, Colorado yesterday morning with one of my triathlete friends.  This time of year it is so beautiful – green pastures, beautiful horses, fresh air and the Colorado National Monument as the backdrop.  This particular morning the air was a bit crisp, but the temperature was perfect as we warmed our legs and got to our cruising speed.

My friends asked me “aren’t we lucky”?  Yes, yes, I responded, absentmindedly, as I focused my mind on my spinning legs and burning lungs. 

About 30 miles later, near the end of our ride, she said again, “we are so lucky”!  This time, I paused to take in the attitude that she was projecting and really think about the words she said.  That is when I realized “we ARE lucky…oh my goodness, we are SO lucky”!

I write about the things that I notice in my life and how they relate to the bigger picture.  I continually feel a sense of gratitude toward my life and the events that unfold, but sometimes I forget to really stop and appreciate my immediate circumstances as much as I could.

What would happen if we all paused in our daily lives to appreciate the small things in life?  What if we really took a moment to be thankful for each blessing as they unfolded?  What would happen if each of us felt that sense of luck as we lived our daily lives?  If we think about it, nothing is too small or too insignificant to appreciate!  Start right now.

“In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The following is an expression of my experiences with everyday normal occurrences and how I see them as they relate to management, marketing and leadership.  Being a real estate investor and owner of several businesses including Western Slope Real Estate Investors, GJ Property, and MVM Mortgage Group, I will likely intertwine my experience with these businesses, as well.

I had one of the most amazing experiences yesterday.  I was out on a run in the high country near Leadville, Colorado.  I was on a beautiful trail, among trees and wild flowers.  It began to rain.  I heard the rain first, hitting the high tree branches, and then I began to feel it as it tricked down to the forest floor.  The music on my I-pod changed with the weather and a monk’s chant filled my ears.  I smelled the evergreens and wet dirt.   My feet were light, my breathing steady, my body strong and my mind clear.  I ran with a feeling of gratitude and I felt full as I tried to soak it all in.  My I-pod continued to chose songs that matched the environment and as I came to a clearing the music changed again and I knew it was time to turn back. The experience left me so thankful and honored that the forest shared its day with me. 

I began to think back through the events of the day.  I had 314 reasons not to go on this run today.  I was tired, I was hungry, I wanted to get home, I had a pain in my hip, I didn’t want my husband to wait for me, I wasn’t sure I could run in the altitude, and I just plain didn’t feel like running!  I decided to do my run anyway because I NEEDED to.  I am signed up for a 10k race in four weeks at 8,000 feet.  I NEEDED to get a good run in at altitude.   My NEED to run is what ultimately got me out on that trail.  I took one step and then another and soon I began to run.  And because I did it ANYWAY, I was rewarded beyond my expectations! 

How many times do we NEED to do something and we make 314 excuses NOT to do it?  What would happen if we just did ANYWAY?  Would we be rewarded beyond our expectations?  What project, item on your to-do list or phone call do you NEED to make, but just haven’t?  What would happen if you began with just one step…and took that one step today? 

My husband and I had known for some time that we NEEDED to get a will and a trust in place in case something happened to us.  Having a will is one the first steps in our Wealth Creation plan and we encourage all of our clients to have a will in place.  A few years ago we met a man named Steve Gammill.  (www.stevegammill.com) Steve focuses his practice on Estate and Wealth Strategies Planning including Legacy Planning, business exit and asset protection planning, and Family and Business Strategic Vision Planning. With our NEED to get a will, we met with Steve and he not only helped us with our will and trust, but he helped us in many areas of our wealth and business planning.  We’ve also become fast friends with Steve and his wife, Jan.  Since meeting with Steve and taking that first step, we’ve been rewarded beyond our expectations!   

I encourage you to stop making 314 excuses today for those things you NEED to take care of and instead do it ANYWAY or take just one step forward.  Expect to be rewarded beyond your expectations!

Why is it that some people strive to be better people, learn more and do more, while others do not?  What makes some people want to do, act and be their best in every moment? 

Why do you climb that mountain – because you CAN! 

Some of you may know the story of Dick and Rick Hoyt from Massachusetts.  Together this father and son team has competed in just under 1000 different races including 66 Marathons, 84 Half-Marathons, riding and running across the United States and 229 Triathlons, six being the Ironman distance! 

For any person or team this is a major accomplishment, but for this team it is even more amazing.  Rick Hoyt was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.  He cannot speak, he does not have the use of his limbs, and he certainly cannot swim, bike or run.  But his father, Dick can.  Dick Hoyt swims with his son in a raft behind him, carries his son from the water onto a specially made bike, rides with his son, and then pushes him the entire run.  Why do they do it?  Because they CAN!

For so many it is easier for us to just allow the world to go by.  “It’s too hard, it’s too much work, I am too lazy, and I’m too busy”.  We are complacent.  We do not know we CAN. But, what you focus on, you bring into your life.  What would happen if all of us focused on excellence?  What would happen if each of us did our very best today in our businesses, with our clients, in our marriages, and with our children?

You don’t have to go out and do an Ironman Triathlon.  Start small.  Focus on doing your best in each moment.  Consciously decide to do your best this week in your business.  Do what you say you are going to do.  Do your absolute best on that next project.  Give your full attention to those that need it.  Say thank you and please.  Look everyone in the eye.  Push yourself a little harder to be a little bit better.  Make a choice each minute of your day to make that minute count. 

Ask yourself: “Am I doing my best this moment?”  If not, what are you going to do about it?  What would the Hoyt’s do? 

Why strive to do your best in each moment?  Because you CAN!

To learn more about Dick and Rick Hoyt visit: http://www.teamhoyt.com/

The following is an expression of my experiences with everyday normal occurrences and how I see them as they relate to management, marketing and leadership.  Being a real estate investor and owner of several businesses including Western Slope Real Estate Investors, GJ Property, and MVM Mortgage Group, I will likely intertwine my experience with these businesses, as well.

Ever notice that the more you focus your thoughts on something the more of that “something” you get?

Like snakes, for example, I’ve not met many people in my life who likes snakes. I, myself, have struggled with a huge fear of them for years. Fortunately, I have finally come to a place where I can be at peace with them…but I still don’t LIKE them.

So, I spend a lot of time out on the local trails – mountain biking, hiking and trail running. Be it the time of year, the temperature, the food sources, (my focus) whatever you want to call it – snakes are EVERYWHERE! The more I focus on them the more I see them. The more I think about seeing them on the trail, the more they show up! The more I look, the more I SEE! I KNOW I am attracting them!

What things in your business or life do you constantly focus on, pay attention to, or SEE that continue to show up, simply because you are focusing your energy on that very “something”? What would happen if you simply changed the item of your focus to something more positive? Like instead of allowing your thoughts to be on your mounting debt – focus on increased income, instead of focusing on bad luck – count your blessings and instead of expecting ugly reptiles – anticipate butterflies!

Pay attention to your thoughts and what you are attracting into your business and life. You may be surprised that a change in your everyday thoughts will create big positive changes overall!

Don’t expect the snakes!

The following is an expression of my experiences with everyday normal occurrences and how I see them as they relate to management, marketing and leadership. Being a real estate investor and owner of several businesses including Western Slope Real Estate Investors, GJ Property, and MVM Mortgage Group, I will likely intertwine my experience with these businesses, as well.

Author – David Vindiola – Certified Mortgage Planner

A Mortgage Planner is the antithesis of a Financial Planner. Where a Financial Planner focuses on your assets, a Mortgage Planner focuses on your liabilities or your debt. The two are complimentary in the creation of your wealth strategy.

Wealth Balance is the planning approach to your wealth strategy… growing forward.

Wealth today is so much more than money or success, and without a plan of action there is no way to grow or create new wealth. It is through a “balanced” approach that we as Mortgage Planners look at both your long and short term goals to build your plan for wealth creation. Additionally, we help you create your wealth management team of professionals that are integral to your success. This may include but are not limited to your insurance agent, financial planner, tax accountant, asset protection attorney or perhaps even your local bank.

Another benefit of Wealth Balance lies in the fact that most consumers have a lack of knowledge when it comes to mortgages and investing (selection, strategy, evaluation and management) at the individual level. The mortgage industry for so many years has focused on qualifying clients rather than helping them plan for their future. A mortgage is no longer just a plain vanilla thirty-year fixed rate package that works for every individual consumer. It now comes with frills and options that weren’t available years ago. Also, mortgage decisions impact other long-term and short-term financial goals; therefore, developing a strategy, whether you want plain vanilla or the frills and options, is not only good financial thinking it is just good common sense.

The sometimes hurried pace of mortgage applications does not lend itself to the thoughtful process of planning beyond the short-term goal of loan approval. This is where the Certified Mortgage Planning Specialists (CMPS®) at Monument Valley Mortgage can help you start planning for your future. We understand that your mortgage is expected to last longer than one year, and therefore is considered long-term debt. It is the long-term nature of mortgages that makes it tremendously beneficial to establish your mortgage related goals, strategies and action steps. Housing is the largest cost the average consumer has; therefore, when it comes to discussions of the best ways to minimize those costs and maximize benefits including tax strategies of homeownership, mortgage planning and Wealth Balance should be the place to start.