March 2018 Newsletter

NW REGIONAL NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH The first quarter is in the books. Closings were up in March by 20% over February but while applications have increased they are not growing as fast as we would like. We have customers who are wanting to buy but with low existing inventories and builders pushed out 6 to 10 months in many of our markets the demand has outweighed the supply. This quandary creates higher emotions for our clients than the usual emotions of buying a home. Rate environment, bidding wars, extended locks, all add to the anx- iety for our borrowers. We need to be their knowledge source and their comfort zone, this is a good time to build relationships, the likely hood of the borrower staying with you is dramatically increased if you can meet with them face to face, and stay in touch throughout the process. I have mentioned before that Adam wants to have all of the regions in a position that they can close a loan in 10 work days. Some of you have been doing this already and some of you think it is not realistic. Those who have accomplished this goal know ex- actly how it happens. Quality application with conditions released to processor within 24 hrs., submitted to underwriting on day 5 with or without appraisal, conditioned on day 6 and CD out, CTC on day 7, doc’s out day 8, fund day 9 or 10. See easy peasy! The most important aspect of this challenge is everyone on your team BELIEVING it can be done. Your brain leads, if you believe it can’t, it won’t. With sensitive interest rates and lenders trying to buy market share we need to beat them with speed, sellers and both realtors like to get their checks sooner than later. Our operations team including admin, processors, underwriters, closers, and funders deserve a round of applause for a solid month in March! We have a very talented group and with business picking up we need you all communicating with each other and your LO partners to create a seamless First Choice experience for our customers. Great spending time with Jason, Dave, Tera, Leon B, Leon M, Whittney, Kelly, Ryan, Scott, Jennifer, John, Lynn, Ev, Laurie, and Christy in Maui! Los Cabos and the Holy Land are wonderful destinations and with 9 months to go there is plenty of time to reach your individual goals, Just do It! We can all look forward to working with our new Production Management Team. As team captain Kevin Haycock has a 34 year history in the mortgage business, filling out the rest of the foursome are very talented players in Rob Shockley, Bill Sohan, and Patrick Welberg. Yes, it’s Masters Week and I am starting to get excited. “It’s a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get!” – Arnold Palmer. -Dave Schile

EVELYN COX That had to have been the FASTEST March EVER and it had the most work days! It was great seeing a lot of you on the Island! This month I would like to start a new trend, it’s going to be a few helpful tips on things we may or may not know. Did you know? When you have K-1 income, and they are less than 25% owners; the income should be listed as “other” and should not be marked as self-employed. When you are documenting assets for an FHA that you should always double check your assets to make sure both your MRI and TOTAL REQUIRED INVESTMENT are met. Total required investment does not allow tax credits to be applied toward funds required for ver- ification at the time of underwriting! When you have a non-occupant co-borrower or a non-purchasing borrower, the income limits on the Conventional Lo MI/No MI do include all household and non-occupant bor- rowers towards the income limits. When gift funds are being used that the donor’s cannot be a trust, funds must come from individuals. When completing a 1003, it is necessary to include work phone numbers and positions. Quotes “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Albert Einstein “The only way that we can live, is if we grow. The only way that we can grow is if we change. The only way that we can change is if we learn. The only way to learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we can become exposed is if we throw ourselves out into the open. Do it. Throw yourself.” C. JoyBell C. “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” Roy T. Bennett

Shared by Evelyn Cox LEARN FROM “OLD WARWICK” A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help. “Warwick can get you out of the ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in the field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted, “Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!” And the mule pulled the car right out of the ditch. The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule and asked, “Why did you call out all those names before you called Warwick?” The Farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.” Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to obtain uncommon results. SUSAN HOLMES Spring is unfolding. I love spring because it steadily builds. Daffodils, tulips & other early flowers. Then the bright yellow of forsythia bushes, and the greening of weeping willow trees. The rest of the trees take their turns. I notice pink blossoming trees one day, and suddenly there are the white ones. They all are steps towards the promise of summer. That is similar to the buildup of our loan volume this spring. Use this time to make sure we have our processes in place. Make sure we are sharp. Don’t let summer catch you by surprise. The riot of summer blooms will be here soon. And the loans. With this team we are set to have an awesome 2018!

CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE: Laugh a little!!

I want to thank the Underwriting and Closing teams for help to cover for both Laurie Funston and Christy Milliren while they were in Maui! You all are awesome and I love have you on the team! I want to give Dave Schile a shout out! Thanks for doing all you do! ~Evelyn Cox I would love to give a shout out to Tak. He does a phenomenal job and is always consistent in delivering what he says he will do as far as time frames and responses to us. We couldn’t do what we do without his continued hard work so thank him for that. Brandi. Honestly words can’t describe what this girl means to us. She is AMAZING at ALL she does and we are so incredibly blessed to have her as part of our team. ~Tera Davis Danielle Costa is the Mosta! She sets up my files, orders everything out and follows up on things in an efficient and timely manner. Her accuracy and attention to detail makes my life so much easier and has made processing for the Coeur d’Alene office a well- oiled machine! Couldn’t do it without you Danielle! Thank you for all you do! XoXo…….Mo ~Manesseh Castro I would like to thank Ev and Laurie for always being available when SHOUT OUT TO DAVE SCHILE FOR CLEARING we need their advice on a loan. It gives LO’s confidence that they are OFF EVERYONE’S CARS DURING A SNOW DAY taking a loan that will close. So blessed to work with Academy! ~Lynn Hergenreder

Cheryl Lipp, Lynn Hergenreder, and Carole Condon all want to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Tyler Borchers in Specialty Clos- ing. We had a bit of a nightmare Homestyle Renovation Loan and we were down to the wire. Tyler’s attitude was so awesome and he even took his computer home and finished sending the CD out from home so the first of two 3-day waiting periods could begin. We were literally adjusting the dates and amounts right up to the final minute. We also need to thank Colleen Kelly Lowden for her support throughout this ordeal. ~Carole Condon Thank you to everyone at our branch that made mine and Ami’s baby shower so amazing! We are so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people! And THANK YOU in advance for everyone that will be covering my desk while I’m out on maternity leave! I appreciate each and every one of you so much!! Much love ~ Lacie Zachary Shout out to Austyn Shuman…. Thank you for pushing in and staying on your Xinnex Training. The persistent sales calls will pay dividends soon! Keep on Keeping on! Shout out to Ela Conner…. Thank you for not only always being on top of the processing files but always willing to take on new duties as time al- lows. You make a great marketing coordinator as well! Thank you for all you do! ~Teresa Metz Thank you to Tina, Tak and Evelyn for covering my desk and loan files for me while I was off playing! ~Laurie Funston

Shout out to Carole Condon, my processor where half way through a Home Style Renovation loan with a different processor had to let go and have Carole Condon who thank goodness took the class jumped in with both feet and never turned back. The borrower was complicated and very much a moving target to credit report expiring and being below the required MI score, income dropping due to more job related expenses, and funds to close let along a very confusing rehab process. Borrowers are signed and should be closed 4/4 when you get a call and your loan could have been stranded, Stacey Feb jumped in with a call to me and prayed Carole would take the loan. If you haven’t done one, I think twice. Carole I’m sure would say never again. But we gotter done. Thanks Carole’s we did it….. ~Cheryl Lipp Shout out to Heidi Williamson! Heidi is extremely hard working and dedicated to her work as well as her team, and still manages to make time to help our whole office whenever anything is needed. She is thoughtful and creative and throws fabulous parties and bakes yummy treats for EVERY occasion and often for no reason at all. Heidi spoils us with her kindness on a daily basis and we love her so much!!! Heidi truly is our office angel! ~Natalie Svaty Thank you to Angela Bowden & Casja Weatherbie for helping cover me while my family & I were sick! Also, Thank You To Ryan Shelby & Jennifer Bender for bringing us the chocolates back from Maui!! To Becky Godina for some of the coffee runs when I needed it! And, for EVERYONE at Branch #115 for putting up with our remodel, but it is basically finished and is so much newer & brighter now! We should be ready to really ramp it up now for April 2018!! ~Laura Alexander

Shout out to Zoe Cruz who is always very responsive to structuring and underwriting questions. Your happy and helpful advice is truly appreciat- ed! What a great resource. ~Dean Gillmore For JoAnn Olsen in the Condo Department – “JoAnn is an absolute rockstar! She really dug in with me on file, even though it took WEEKS to get this specific condo approval. She never gave up, or got frustrated with our continuous issues on this nightmare of a project. Thank you for everything you did to help us make our borrower’s dreams come true. Our borrower was in tears when I was able to deliver the good news!” ~Ami Browen Danielle Hurd has taken on some a new role as a loan assistant to not just one loan officer anymore but to 5 loan officers. She is rocking it. Borrowers call all the time to compliment her on her service and excellent customer service. We are lucky to have her on our team. The second shout out is to Darla Austin. We have a processor out on maternity leave and she has doubled her pipeline in order to get the job done. She has taken on a lot of extra duties to make sure the borrowers close on time. ~Heidi Williamson I would like to thank David Moberly for stepping up and handling the recent pricing exceptions for me while I was in Hawaii. ~Dave Schile Shout out to Fran Larsh, Mike Larsh, Christy Milliren and Jaycee Crow. I see how hard you all work each day and I think you are all truly amazing! ~Angela B.

WELCOME OUR NEWEST EMPLOYEE I am so glad to join the Academy family. I was a Branch Manager at Chase for over 5 years and am new to the mortgage industry. I have 2 sons ages 13 and 7. They are currently both in football. My husband and I have been together for over 16 years and met while jeeping in the wilderness of Yakima  We moved to Walla Walla a little over 6 years ago. We also have a German Shephard/Blue Healer mix named Axle who is our youngest furry child in the family. HEATHER MCLEAN ADORABLE CUTENESS A big shout out from the Legacy Branch to Lacie and Adam, they have a beautiful baby girl!! Aloha!! Madison Mae Zachary arrived 4/2/18 @ 7:28PM 7lbs, 8oz. Anyone want to hula?? Congratulations!!

WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON? CONGRATULATIONS TO LEON MCKEAN FOR MAKING THE TOP THREE FINALISTS FOR DUANE SHAW ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2017 Leon McKean, Anchorage, AK Years of Service with Academy: 6 This nominee is a natural mentor with an eye for raw talent, coupled with the ability to motivate others to perform to their highest potential. It is of utmost importance to this person that their team members are independent, confident, and knowledgeable. He is focused on ensuring their team members are always learning, not just “getting the answer.” While nine times out of 10 this person will likely already know the answer to a question with his solid knowledge base, he/she will take the time to “check the guide” to teach staff how to locate the information for themselves. This person has exceptionally high expectations of him yet is willing to put in the effort to help others meet and ex- ceed their goals and expectations. A teacher at heart, this person is patient and thorough when guiding others, whether it is through the intricate nuances of loan configuration with staff or reviewing a multitude of loan options with clients. This person has a long-standing affiliation with the local Special Olympics program. His participation began as a part- ner athlete in basketball. Three years ago, he/she was asked to step up to assist with coaching and has since became Head Coach. With genuine enthusiasm, patience, and gentle coaxing, this person’s team won the state title and will represent their state in the National Special Olympics Games this summer in Seattle. Several times a year, this person delivers a car-load of supplies and household items to the Covenant House, a transi- tional living program for local youth. He makes monetary donations to the local Junior Theatre to help cover the ad- mission charges of children who can’t afford to attend youth productions through the school district. He also donates money each December to feed over 750 children who would go without lunch during the school year. This person’s team sponsored 28 students at The Makwetse School, after the nominee’s participation in Academy’s President’s Club Service Expedition. This person is an affiliate member of the local Board of Realtors and the MLS. He is a well-respected and constantly-in- demand guest speaker at Realtor meetings for their thorough, insightful, and entertaining presentations. This person is a member of Academy’s Leadership Academy. Pictures from Lacie Zachary and Ami’s Browen’s baby shower held at the Legacy Branch in Meridian, ID Dave Perry and Jason Oswald provided dinner, they are terrific bosses.

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MARCH NUMBERS TOP FIVE BRANCHES IN THE NORTHWEST REGION LEGACY MERIDIAN 11,155,854 MERIDIAN 10,732,817 COEUR D’ ALENE 4,844,679 WALLA WALLA II 4,010,963 NAMPA 3,764,500 TOP TEN IN VOLUME TOP TEN IN PURCHASE VOLUME Tera Davis 4,010,963 Leon McKean 3,706,904 Scott Petersen 3,956,039 Tera Davis 3,319,963 Leon McKean 3,706,904 Mike Lipinski 2,962,346 Jason Oswald 3,058,347 Scott Petersen 2,874,511 Mike Lipinski 2,962,346 Jason Oswald 2,871,347 David Perry 2,909,944 Ryan Shelby 1,705,628 Leon Baker 2,424,364 Whittney Curran 1,587,974 Ryan Shelby 2,386,854 David Moberly 1,551,484 Whittney Curran 2,113,974 Leon Baker 1,405,728 David Moberly 2,010,234 Vicki Leavitt 1,212,910 “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it” ~Henry David Thoreau “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better” ~ Jim Rohn

NORTHWEST LOAN OFFICERS 1. Tera Davis 4010963 20. Frank Keller 760448 2. Scott Petersen 3956039 21. Cheryl Lipp 714985 22. Lisa Steinke 702237 3. Leon McKean 3706904 23. Alice Thomas 621764 4. Jason Oswald 3058347 24. Eloisa Rawson 619812 5. Mike Lipinski 2962346 25. Karen Wright 571628 6. David Perry 2909944 26. Michael Louden 480904 7. Leon Baker 2424364 27. Kristi Lacroix 477127 8. Ryan Shelby 2386854 28. Teresa Metz 475000 9. Whittney Curran 2113974 29. Kelly Beebe 412192 10. David Moberly 2010234 30. Craig Ballhagen 407025 11. Maureen Miller 1773327 31. Stephanie Johnson 318155 12. John Spiker 1507567 32. Dean Gillmore 289900 13. Jennifer Bender 1290035 33. Mike McLean 276844 14. Vicki Leavitt 1274910 34. Bob Beisly 260833 15. Terry Anderson 1074500 35. Lance Sweet 237500 16. Anissa Franklin 1058426 36. Tina Ellis 180390 17. Michael Julius 989209 37. Adam Zachary 147079 18. Anne Erickson 888640 38. Heidi Bateman 107000 19. Dave Baldwin 855420 Total 48312826

Overcoming Rate Objections By CHRIS COHAN Mortgage and Lending with Countrywide Home Loans Hello fellow originators. I came across these scripts from Todd Duncan and thought I would share them with you. I receive a lot of incoming calls from clients I don't have any relationship with and I am always looking for a way to transition them from thinking the interest rate is the most important factor when choosing the right mortgage to fit into their overall long and short term financing goals. I do believe that the interest rate is important but without sitting down with the client and having a high trust interview I might cost them more money in the long run. I hope these scripts help you turn a potential shopper into a new client. Rates And Fees - Borrower, Internet And General Script #1: Borrower \"There are really two ways to look at rates - quoted and real. Many lenders today will give you a quoted rate. It is not a real rate. My goal is to help you make smart choices when selecting the right loan program and the right rate. Through integrating the loan program and the rate into your overall financial strategy, I will provide you with the overall lowest cost of borrowing. Based on that commitment, do you feel comfortable moving forward?\" Script #2: Borrower \"One approach to mortgage financing is in looking for the lowest rate. Another is in looking for the overall lowest cost of the rela- tionship you have with a mortgage professional. This loan is one of the largest pieces of debt you will ever have, and there are significant strategies that, when integrated into an overall mortgage plan, can save you tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary expense during the life of your loan. Most lenders do not have this approach. I do. I want to help you make smart choices through our Mortgage Planning Program. The money you save with this approach is significantly larger than the money you will save with a lower interest rate. Based on my commitment to help you save tens of thousands of dollars, do you feel we have a basis for doing business together?\" Script #3: Internet \"There is no question that the Internet is one of the best ways to find out what the market is doing and what rates are available to you as a consumer. Many of my clients use the Internet for exactly that reason. However, one piece of information I should share with you is that most Internet lenders do not provide a consultative approach to helping a client integrate their mortgage into their overall long and short-term investment goals, nor do they help them meet their payment and equity objectives. The way the Inter- net can afford to give you low rates is by removing the expertise of a consultant from the equation. With a transaction of this size, I find most people are willing to pay a little higher rate in exchange for professional advice. Based on my commitment to help you make smart choices, do you feel comfortable moving forward?\" Continued Page 1 of 2

Script #4: General \"I understand it might appear that our rates are slightly higher today. However, all of us are subject to the same secondary market. No lender has a \"monopoly\" on \"the best rates\". There are no \"special deals\" or \"cheap money\", and portfolio lenders are usually in and out of the market. In fact, what is often perceived as a better rate is nothing other than modifications to standard loan programs and higher fees. Based on the fact that we are always \"in the market\", do you feel we have a basis for doing business together?\" Script #5: General \"Interest rates are often an illusion. There is no monopoly on the lowest rates. Rather, all of us attempt to present our pro- grams in the most attractive manner possible. With modifications in product features, fees and terms, I can always obtain a rate that will satisfy your client. Based on the fact that we are always \"in the market\", do you feel we have a basis for doing business together?\" Script #6: General \"I understand the way you feel about our rates being a little high. Depending on when you check rates, you can almost always find a lender who is lower. However, at closing all of my clients have felt that the overall service we provided them and what they paid in rate was a fair exchange. My goal is to create satisfied customers. Based on that, do you feel we have a basis for doing business together?\" Script #7: General \"Let me ask you a question. You are a professional who feels that what you do is worth what you charge. When someone with whom you desire to do business says you charge too much, how do you handle that? (Generally, they don't lower their price.) I believe what I do is worth what I charge. There is no reason for you to refer your customers to me if I cannot give them the best overall combination of price and product. The only way you’ll know if I can do that is to try me. Based on that, do you feel we have a basis for doing business together? Page 2 of 2