Seattle Washington Real Estate

UpFront mortgage brokerage represents Seattle home buyers better

I am an UpFront mortgage broker.  Always have been.  Always will be.  I have been practicing a personal philosophy for over 20 years,one which represents my clients best interest in their Seattle home buying and mortgage decisions.  As it relates to my clients mortgage there has always been the requirement to educate the client as much as they wanted, to act as if they were educated consumers and to provide the best financial advise for each individuals situation and requirements.  To do no harm.  Always represent the best interest of the client.  Wouldn’t you?

By the way, recent changes in Washington State laws have required that mortgage loan originators become licensed in order to provide their mortgage services.  At the end of 2007 there were something like 15,000 full and “part time” (read opportunists with little or no mortgage, client knowledge) and only about 6,500 people bothered to get licensed to originate Washington state mortgages.

I and my mortgage associates, provide mortgages statewide in Washington State

How fortunate I am to do business with my son, Tyler Todhunter 206-575-7495 ext. 302  and a good friend in Fernando Rodriguez 206-575-7495 Se Habla Expanol.  Both of these mortgage loan originators meet my requirements and expectations in looking out for the best interest of their Washington state mortgage clients needs.  They have a vast mortgage product knowledge and you will enjoy their style.  Of course you can always call me, Dick Todhunter, at 206-898-3776 any time.

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Representing the best interest of others has always felt good. I believe that most people would do the same, although plenty of people don’t.  And therein lies the rub.  The real problem comes from the fact that everyone says that they represent their clients best interest.  How’s a client to know?

It is a lot harder to find the right mortgage loan originator (LO) than you can imagine.  Clients come in many flavors, you have seen them in your work, your life. 

1. There are those clients who just want to get a mortgage and assume that the LO will do the right thing.  Personally, I wish they would call me. 
   
2. Some mortgage clients want to know everything about the mortgage process, under the impression that the more they understand the more protected they are from scoundrels.  Education works really well, as long as they are told the truth.  As long as they are told exactly how the loan officer gets paid.  As long as they understand the true benefits of their proposed mortgage.
   
3. Then there is my least favorite client.  Too many clients “Shop until they drop".  They call everyone and try to beat them up on how much income the loan officer can make.  Fair is Fair.  Unfortunately, these clients become someone else’s client because they continue their search, looking beyond the decent folks.  They find the biggest liar of a LO, the LO who doesn’t seem to actually need to make money while providing a mortgage.  You have all heard the horror stories of consumers being injured by unscrupulous LO’s.  They may have gotten one of the 8,500 Loan Originators who were part time financial advisers or who work for boiler room Internet mortgage companies.  Possibly Countrywide, or Ameriquest- companies either closed or in the process of being banned from originating mortgages in Washington State. 
   
   1. Many times I have heard from these people after they have gone away to conduct their mortgage business with someone else.  Too often it turns out to be a sad story.

The UpFront Mortgage Brokers Association was The Upfront Mortgage Brokers Association (UMBA) was founded for consumer advocacy.

Now, after 20 years of practicing consumer advocacy someone has come up with a National movement to create an organization of mortgage brokers whose interests are fully aligned with those of the consumer.  I set up a web page in 1999 for precisely that purpose.  RealtyAndAMortgage.com was set up to negotiate between Seattle real estate agents and Seattle mortgage loan officers for the benefit of the consumer.  I recognized that the consumer needed an advocate.  About the same time i got sidetracked by forming a mortgage company with over 120 LO’s at any one time, closed over 4,500 mortgages for a volume of over $850,000,000. 

The UpFront Mortgage Brokers has a established a set of ground rules, the UMB commitment which is in line with my own personal philosophy in providing Seattle WA mortgages.  The UpFront Mortgage Brokers Association is in it’s infancy but will hopefully grow to represent more mortgage clients needs.  I hope that the UpFront Mortgage Brokers Association does manage to survive it’s infancy as the public should be served well by adherents of their commitment.  Under any circumstances I will always represent my Washington State mortgage clients and Seattle WA mortgage clients.

The UpFront Mortgage Brokers Association was founded by Jack Gutentaug, “The Mortgage Professor“.  JackGutentaug is a Nationally syndicated columnist, who writes locally for the Seattle Times/ PI.  JackGutentaug articles appear in the Sunday addition and are very informative.  I have not found anything duplicitous and JackGutentaug says it the way it is.  Jack Gutentaug is truly a mortgage consumer’s advocate.

 As members of The UpFront Mortgage Brokers Association we are available to discuss your mortgage needs and gain your confidence, sufficient for you to decide that we are the people for you to place your financial needs into our hands.

Call us today for your Seattle WA purchase money mortgage, Bellevue WA Jumbo mortgage, Seattle WA jumbo mortgage.

Your local UpFront Mortgage broker,

Dick Todhunter