JD Crowe in AJC Today "New Real Estate Boom"

Recently, an Atlanta couple became frustrated with their search to purchase a home. They made several offers on homes they liked but kept losing out to higher bidders. One day, they found a home that had hit the market that very day. They were so determined to win that bid, they immediately submitted an offer — and then asked if they could see the house for the first time the next day. They just wanted to jump in line and be considered as a buyer early.

That story and others like it illustrate what is happening in Atlanta’s residential real estate market today. It has become a sellers’ market. Due to the low inventory of homes available — coupled with a large wave of qualified buyers coming back who are now looking to buy — housing prices are on the rise again in almost every submarket.

We are witnessing the beginning of a new boom in real estate. Realtors and mortgage lenders have never been busier, but it is certainly different in a number of ways than the one we all witnessed in the middle of the last decade that triggered the Great Recession. The last time we had a run-up in housing prices, it was based on buyers who had access to credit that should not have been available to them in the first place.

The government was pushing mortgage companies to allow more people into home ownership, so there were many products that allowed buyers to obtain 100 percent-financed mortgages without having to put any money down. They were able to sign a document stating how much income they earned without any verification, even if they had low credit scores. My company didn’t engage in that type of lending.

In this market, we will have a boom, but it will not be an uncontrolled boom similar to the last one. During the last five years, even though homeowners suffered through periods of price depreciation, many still invested in their homes — doing renovations and creating value. Now, they are putting their properties on the market and getting the price at which they list it or a higher one.
Much of our economy is tied to residential real estate, whether it is on the financial side, construction, landscaping, carpet, granite — you name it. There is nothing you can do to untie this economic driver from our metro area.

Atlanta will always be tied to the housing industry, but we won’t be as dependent this time on the ability to cash out or flip homes for cash. In the past decade, there was such a rapid appreciation, people used their homes as piggy banks.

Nevertheless, home ownership is popular again, and I predict it will be for a long time. The couple who recently bid on the house before they ever saw it didn’t win the bidding; they are still out there looking. They are persistent, and they will eventually be the highest bidder and be back in the housing game.

J.D. Crowe is senior vice president for Southeast Mortgage of Georgia.

The Benefits of a Mentor Relationship - Saporta Report - Thought Leadership

The Benefits of a Mentor Relationship

Posted on June 17, 2013 by admin

At the onset of my career and in positions following that led me to be President and CEO of Southeast Mortgage, I’ve had a number of influential people in my life that mentored me and helped me develop the skills I needed to succeed. I remember each of them and still hold them in high regard.

Cal Haupt, President and CEO of Southeast Mortgage
 

The role a mentor can play in a young professional’s life is unparalleled by any knowledge that can be gained from online forums or self-help books in a bookstore. In an industry that is by nature constantly fluctuating, the mentor role becomes increasingly important to success.

A good mentor not only provides knowledge and experience, but also invests in the success of the mentee. We’ve written before about the various programs Southeast Mortgage has created to harness the mentor relationship, with our MLO Associates Program. We’ve personally experienced the benefits of a good mentor and seek to emulate those experiences in a clearly set-forth and measurable way.

Our team takes pride in paying forward the mentor experience. We assess young professionals’ strengths and weaknesses and create personalized training paths that will leverage skills and feed ambitions. However, a successful mentorship takes effort on both parts.

One has to be willing to learn from and heed the advice of the mentor in order to fully reap benefits of the relationship. To do well in the mortgage industry specifically, one has to truly invest the time it takes to understand the industry basics and take advantage of the advice from seasoned professionals that have seen the various cycles of the fluctuating industry.

To watch that young professional take advice and learn the industry quickly is incredibly rewarding as a mentor. The way of the world today means sometimes mentors see their budding young professionals make career changes, but the way a person navigates the transition can maintain that mentor relationship.

As a mentor, it is disheartening when a mentee fails to live up to his or her promise or fails to be appreciative. But despite the bad seeds that don’t flower, the success and appreciation of those that do flourish allow a mentor to continue believing in others and creating opportunity.

To build a successful business, one needs not only loyal and dedicated employees to pass on their knowledge, but an appreciation of those who provided leadership and insight that paved the way for the business’ success in the first place.

In appreciation for my various mentors throughout the years – Roger, Roseanne, Rick, Robert, Pat, Tom and David – here is the culmination of the best advice they taught me that I hope to pass on: Build a layered real skill set over many years that is diverse and deep and you will exceed your expectations for your career and ego – because it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

Original Writing: http://southeastmortgage.blogspot.com/2013/06/respectful-presence-mentors.html

770-279-0222
www.southeastmortgage.com

JD Crowe, Senior Vice President, Southeast Mortgage explains why now is a great time for consumers to buy a home

JD Crowe, Senior Vice President, Southeast Mortgage explains to FOX 5 why now is a great time for consumers to buy a home.....

JD Crowe, Senior Vice President, Southeast Mortgage

www.southeastmortgage.com



Southeast Mortgage of Georgia, Inc. announces a Mortgage Loan Originator Associate class for US Military Veterans

Southeast Mortgage of Georgia, Inc. announces a Mortgage Loan Originator Associate class for US Military Veterans, MLOA. 

Southeast Mortgage is taking applications from Veterans for our August 2013 MLOA class.  The class is the same one currently training talented sales professionals on best practices in the Retail Mortgage Industry and licensing them for a career in Retail Mortgage Banking. 

Veterans are encouraged to apply at: http://www.southeastmortgage.com/originator-opportunities-2/   click employment application at the bottom and then email to: hr@southeastmortgage.com . 

 

“Veterans possess the internal fortitude to serve and protected the freedom we enjoy as US citizens.  The blanket of security they provided allowed us to pursue the interests that support our families.  The traits that make these Americans our heroes are the exact traits that can help them create a stable profitable career with Southeast Mortgage.  They helped us take care of our families, now its our turn to help them take care of theirs.”  Cal Haupt - CEO

Cal Haupt

Chief Executive Officer
Southeast Mortgage of Georgia, Inc.
www.southeastmortgage.com

770-279-0222

Respectful Presence - Mentors

Respectful Presence J Mentors

In my opinion, maintaining Respectful Presence, the force generated by a person's actions and its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's existence, is essential to life.  Whether it is how you treat others that help you or how you help living things, good Respectful Presence helps.  Saving a turtle crossing the road, taking in a stray cat or simply respecting those that helped you make our world a better place.

During my career I have had many influential people in my life.  I call them mentors and they helped me develop the skills that provide the strong foundation for my shareholders, employees, and my family.  Even though my choices lead me out of Commercial Banking into Mortgage Banking, my mentors are still held in high regard by me.  I owe a lot to my mentors Roger, Roseanne, Rick, Robert, Pat, Tom, and David; thank you.  They all work in Major Banks and compete with Southeast Mortgage; however, I maintain the highest respect for their skill and willingness to strengthen my knowledge base.  To this day, I tell the great stories about how they shaped my career.

The mentors above each created the value in my skill set that opened the next door.  Careers are ultimately driven by skill and opportunity provides the leverage.  Another valuable lesson Roger taught me fresh out of Georgia Tech was “An opportunity without skill is soon wasted”.  Roger’s other words of wisdom were successful people “never drive in traffic” and “never get on a crowded elevator”.

Life is an evolution and Respectful Presence in my opinion is doing positive things and taking the higher road when two roads present themselves.  I have tried to return the support I received from my mentors by giving people an opportunity when no one else would.  Some I have helped have been very successful and a few elected the lower road.  Given my gratitude for those that took an interest in me and my career, I struggle to define those that have no respect for someone providing an opportunity to re-start their career.  The answer may not be logical and may be driven by other factors whether tangible or intangible.  I am sure my mentors had a few bad seeds that did not grow from their watering over the years.

Resigning and accepting a new position is the evolution of our work life.  The last position opened the door for the new opportunity.  The way a person navigates this transition can either maintain mentor support or elect to forgo Respectful Presence.  Do you appreciate the High School or College you attended?  They both opened doors for you and created a base for your career to evolve. 

From time to time I see a phenomenon in our industry when the mentor becomes an enemy for some bizarre reason.  When someone is doing well they generally remain positive and display the commensurate Respectful Presence and the resource mentors provide.

One example:  I had a person who used to be in the wholesale side of the mortgage business during the few boom years before she lost her job due to the changes in that industry.  After many years of calling me and asking me for a chance to get out of a clerical processing position at a bank, I decided to help.  She was always friendly at social events and I truly thought she deserved a second chance and knew Southeast Mortgage's, SEM, reputation would give her the credibility to get that chance. 

Tenacity as long as there are barriers to behavior is one of the traits successful people possess.  Assertive vs. Aggressive:  The difference is an Assertive person steps up to the line of good social behaviors and the aggressive person tends to cross the line creating friction.  A honey badger would be considered aggressive and attack without thought where a lion would be assertive but weigh the potential of catching its prey before wasting energy.  

I assessed her strengths and weaknesses to create a training path that would leverage her skills, contacts, and her desire to attend every social function in Atlanta.  To do this right, I explained she had to invest the time to truly understand how the retail mortgage business works and why SEM exceled in service and support.  I explained that once she had the retail mortgage basics she would be allowed to align her skills with opportunity.  In the interest of doing the right thing for her by creating real skill and knowledge she needed to understand the basics of retail mortgage lending.  After 6 shaky months in processing she was allowed to explore other opportunities that were in her wheel house.  Long story short, after 10 months with SEM she asked and lobbied to be an Officer and I explained that position is earned and is not based on entitlement.  SEM Officers have years of good works under their belt and a belief in a common goal.  They have Respectful Presence.   I outlined a strategy to mentor her to the position she wanted with a list of current strengths and weaknesses.  Although she stated she understood and appreciated the plan, she resigned without notice the next pay day. 

Since her departure she fell into the bizarre phenomenon that is not quantifiable.  Unfortunately, she attempted to interfere with SEM via SEM employees who paid the price with their job.  Although disappointing, the drama she created has all the traits of a Hollywood movie.  Although entertaining, we are not sure it has real business learning value for an article.  Who knows, we may write about it.

Every now and then I learn the hard way appreciation falls on deaf ears for some and they sometimes go farther attempting to tear down those that reached out when others would not.  This example will not deter me or SEM from continuing to believe in others and creating opportunity.  When you help that one that truly appreciates what you did and you facilitate a better life, it is worth the failures along the way.  The many 20+ year people are a part of the SEM family are a testament mentoring works.

All my mentors stressed patience and belief in the bigger picture. I was in banking about 4 years before becoming a bank officer.  Given I graduated at the top of my Georgia Tech Class and passed on the higher paying consultant jobs to learn the financial industry I too felt my mentors should expedite promotions based on my academic status.  I took a different road than the example above and listened to my mentors and they were right.  Build a layered real skill set over many years that is diverse and deep and you will exceed your expectations for your career and ego.  Thank you once again to my mentor Pat, “it’s not how you start it’s how you finish and trusting those that have been before you will pave the way to your goals”.

Cal Haupt, President and CEO, Southeast Mortgage of Georgia, Inc.

www.southeastmortgage.com
770-279-0222

Over 200 at SEM Social Max Event in Cobb County!

Another Fantastic Social Max Event at one of our Perimeter Offices.  We thank the 200+ Realtors, Real Estate Agents, and Referral Partners for attending and the fellowship.

Cal Haupt, Jan Shell, Kathy Gyselinck, and Shaun Graham

Early in the evening while we had room to get a wide shot

 

Ready for our Partners to Arrive

 



CRM at Work adding images for the co-marketing

These events help us understand each other better and learn how we can serve our client's needs.

www.southeastmortgage.com
770-279-0222



The Greatest Compliment You Can Give is the Referral of Your Family and Friends

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Real Estate Agent, Realtor, and Consumer Must Know about the Mortgage Industry
Click the link below
http://southeastmortgage.blogspot.com/2013/09/what-consumers-must-know-about-mortgage.html

Service Matters....
via Email 5/9/2013

Hello Mr. Haupt,

My name is Letonya Bush and I recently purchased a new home through Southeast Mortgage. My Lender was SEM and although it's been over a month since I closed on my new home, I went online to search for the President of Southeast Mortgage to express my wonderful experience working with SEM.

As you know, securing a mortgage loan and anticipating the purchase of a new home can be very stressful. And although there were many challenges with the builder, the onsite agent and the construction project itself, I can honestly say that I would have decided against new construction had I not had the pleasure of working with SEM. Patience and dedication is inspiring.

SEM treated me as an individual which means more to me than anything. Although this wasn't my first time purchasing a home, in10 years, many things have changed that can actually detour even the most viable candidate from wanting to purchase a home. 

From day one of the process, SEM was honest, available and provided feedback even when there weren't any updates just to make me comfortable as that is the type of client I was. Additionally, having started a new job did not make the process any easier to cope with. But SEM took that stress into consideration and provided the type of Customer Service that I would hope is the Standard within your Organization.

I am proud to say that I am the owner of a new home and only because of SEM's diligence and understanding will I not only recommend friends and family to consider new construction, but will only refer them to SEM.

Please forgive the delay in providing feedback as this is customary for me and especially when the service is exceptional. Feel free to contact me either via phone at XXX-XXX-XXXX or  email if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Letonya Bush

 

www.southeastmortgage.com
 

Call us: 770-279-0222

Southeast Mortgage Senior Management Team