As marketing writer and publications editor at Quicken Loans, Kathy Fawcett took the budget spent on a printed brochure and with the same spend, helped to create a B2C 4-color magazine: Home Advantage.

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2. QUICKENLOANS.COM
800-584-8522
“Our builder caused several unforeseen obstacles while we were closing our home loan
with Quicken Loans.
Our banker was nothing less than outstanding in his service to us during this difficult
process. He kept us informed every step of the way and went above and beyond to get
us to closing in spite of the issues he faced with our builder.
Since our loan closed, we met another couple moving into our building who have been
trying for weeks to get their loan closed because of similar issues with this builder.
They were shocked when we explained the service and extra effort we received from
Quicken Loans!”
- Karen and Roy, Illinois

3. D E P A R T M E N T S :
M O R T G A G E T O O L B O X
14 Secure Advantage
The payment flexibility you need could be right in your own mortgage.
Quicken Loans’ innovative financial tools are helping homeowners see
interesting possibilities.
16 Community100
It’s easy to own a home with easy-to-get-into mortgages like this one!
Who do you want to share this information with?
18 Your Home and Taxes
Misconceptions about taxes may be keeping some people out of the market.
Could you be one of them?
19 Which Comes First: Buying or Selling?
How can you have the confidence to jump on the great deals before your
own house is sold? Find out.
R E A L C L I E N T S . R E A L S T O R I E S .
24 Client Service That’s Miles Ahead!
Mitch heard a Quicken Loans radio commercial while many miles from
home, and what followed is a great story of how our bankers value you, our
Quicken Loans clients.
R E A L E S T A T E W A T C H
26 Real Estate Trends
What’s up? Find out where homes are selling the fastest, and which areas
of the country might be the next “hot spots.”
I N T H E H O U S E
28 Fathead Is Family Friendly!
You’ve heard Fathead mentioned on Leno. You’ve seen the commercials
on sports networks. Now, you can score a Fathead and get free shipping.
Find out how!
Q U I C K E N L O A N S I N T H E C O M M U N I T Y
34 Junior Achievement Finance Park
School-aged kids have the opportunity to learn about real-life finances
long before they head out into the real world.
Y O U R H O M E P A G E
36 Second Life and Online Chat
Second Life is the hot new site capturing the imaginations of people
worldwide. Also, Quicken Loans online chat allows you to multi-task in
private, even completing an entire loan process via chat!
O V E R T H E F E N C E
38 Oops…Home Repair Goofs
We’re telling you ours, and your turn is next. Do you have a story to share?
F E A T U R E S :
CurbAppeal
Buyers are sizing up listed homes online. Even if you’re
not selling right now, how does your home’s exterior size
up? We zero in on the 5 areas that say “welcome home”
to you or your buyer.
TheDirtonFloors
Hardwood or laminate flooring? Your family’s habits should
play a big role in the decision.
SpringCleaning:ThenandNow
Spring cleaning was serious business in the 1800s, but
today eBay®
opens your garage sale to the world wide web.
8
30
20

4. Across America, the first signs of spring that pop up on lawns are “forsale”
signs. Why? Kids, mostly. Every family that’s relocating wants to get their
kids settled into new neighborhoods before summer ends and school
begins. Perhaps you’re a seller without kids, but you’ll want to get your
house on the market in early spring in hopes that a family will make an
offer and close before Labor Day. April, May and June bring a flurry of real
estate activity: nearly 40% of new listings happen at this time. And when
a sign appears on your neighbor’s lawn, it’s natural to wonder about the
value and marketability of your own home.
We want you to enjoy your home to the fullest. We plan on bringing you helpful
articles such as “The Dirt on Floors,” in which America’s Master Handyman
Glenn Haege discusses hardwood flooring vs. laminates. “Spring Cleaning:
Today with eBay®
” just might change the way you look at the stuff you clean out
this spring. And “5 Ways to Maximize Curb Appeal” can help you have your house
ready to sell for top dollar…or just give you a nicer homecoming every day.
If you’re not planning a move, it’s still important to keep up on real estate
trends and home valuation. After all, your home is one of your largest financial
investments. Our “trends” information comes firsthand from Bruce Schwartz,
President of In-House Realty (a preferred partner of Quicken Loans). Bruce
doesn’t just generalize, he names names of cities that are hot—and locations
where caution is wise for buyers. All homeowners should be aware of at least
their own real estate market, because job changes and lifestyle changes can make
us sellers when we least expect it.
Finally, it’s our hope that while you’re taking a good long look at your home’s curb
appeal, you’ll take a long look at the home you live in—and the mortgage that you
have. You may find it to be an incredible financial tool that can help you make the
most out of life. You’ll enjoy reading about our Secure Advantage loan, and how
homeowners have increased cash flow and even funded business ventures with
this innovative mortgage product.
Enjoy this issue of Home Advantage magazine, and please give us your feedback.
We’d love to hear from you.
Kathy Fawcett
Editor
Home Advantage is dedicated to you, our
Quicken Loans client, and the home you live in.
signsofspring
editor
art director
marketing
creative director
contributing art director
contributing art director
contributing writers
photography
Kathy Fawcett
David Cilibraise
Mark Smith
Steve Fawcett
Doug Wood
David Witkowski
Meghan Busch
Beth Newhart
Jeff Hatch
Tina Logan
David Hall
Bruce Schwartz
Tom Drew
Michelle Andonian
David Witkowski
Arizona – Quicken Loans Inc., 16425 North Pima, Suite 200, Scottsdale, AZ 86342, #BK-0902939; California – Licensed by Department
of Corporations, CA Residential Mortgage Lending Act; Georgia – Residential Mortgage Licensee (#11704) – 20555 Victor Parkway,
Livonia, MI; Illinois – Residential Mortgage Licensee, 20555 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI; Massachusetts – Mortgage Lender, #1053;
Minnesota – not an offer for a rate lock agreement; Mississippi – Registered Mortgage Company; New Hampshire – Licensed by the NH
Banking Department, #6743MB; New Jersey – Licensed Mortgage Banker – NJ Department of Banking, first (and/or second) mortgages
only; New York – Licensed Mortgage Banker – NYS Banking Department; Pennsylvania – Licensed as a first Mortgage Banker by the
Department of Banking and licensed pursuant to the Pennsylvania Secondary Mortgage Loan Act; Rhode Island – Licensed Lender; and
Virginia – Mortgage Lender licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, License #ML-444. Restrictions may apply. Equal
Housing Lender.
©2007 Quicken Loans Inc. All rights reserved. Lending services provided by Quicken Loans Inc., a subsidiary of Rock Holdings Inc.
“Quicken Loans” is a registered service mark of Intuit Inc., used under license.
Information cited in Home Advantage magazine is for demonstration purposes only and is not intended to represent financial advice or
guarantee future performance. Figures cited in information graphics may be rounded, simplified or combined for purposes of illustration.
Receipt of this publication does not guarantee qualification for the programs cited herein. Home Advantage magazine ©2007 Quicken Loans.
If you would prefer not to receive Home Advantage magazine, please call us toll-free at 800-466-6480, or send an email to
optout@quickenloans.com, or write to us at Quicken Loans Opt Out, Attn: Client Relations, 20555 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI 48152.
Home Advantage magazine is published by Quicken Loans. You can reach us by email at
homeadvantage@quickenloans.com. Call us at 800-584-8522, or send your letters to:
Home Advantage
Quicken Loans
20555 Victor Parkway
Livonia, MI 48152
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5. If you’re serious about selling your home, don’t count on a potential buyer
getting beyond a shabby or outdated entrance. Overgrown shrubs, unsightly
paint or unkempt surroundings tell a buyer, “This home isn’t worth my time.”
To keep a buyer’s interest as they walk through the front door, pay attention
to these five areas:
Curb appeal has long been a mantra in the real estate world.
The fate of a home’s sale can be decided by a buyer’s first impression,
long before the agent reaches the lockbox. Plus, in this day of
Internet shopping, buyers are sizing up property online from the
comfort of their current homes—possibly thousands of miles away.
BY BETH NEWHART
Mow, Prune, Plant Mulch
The term “landscaping” describes a home’s lawn, shrubs,
flowers and trees as well as pathways, decorative edging
and ground or garden lighting. Consider this: shrubs and
bushes that were planted when a house was built can make
a house feel as outdated as the velvet-flocked wallpaper in
the half bath. On the flip side, healthy trees (even small
ones), perennial flower beds and charming pathways can
add visual interest to even a very plain home.
Buyers size up the landscaping as a gauge to the home’s overall
condition. Overgrown bushes, weeds and outdated lava rocks in
the flowerbeds tell buyers that the current owners have dropped
the ball. Realtors cringe when overgrown bushes are blocking
windows (and please clean the windows). Kill the weeds or
kill the sale! A weed-free lawn is a must, and anything dead,
whether a petunia or a large elm tree, must be removed.
Sakina Zerrel, a successful Realtor®
in the ever-booming Orange
County, California market, suggests planting inexpensive, small
shrubs to replace overgrown and outdated plants. She advises
that you plan ahead and give your new plants time to grow into
their surroundings, when possible. Professional landscapers
can “stage” your yard for maximum curb appeal—this will
be an added expense of course, but one that you could easily
recover with the sale. Darla Rowley, owner of Impact Interior
Design Solutions in Royal Oak, Michigan, helps sellers stage their
landscaping for sale. In one case, Rowley spent a mere $500 to
spruce up a home’s front yard. The result? Amazingly, the sellers
received two offers in just one week!
In contrast to an overgrown yard, a bare yard will leave a house
feeling plain and uninviting. Fresh mulch on planting beds adds a
finishing touch to any front yard. If your planting beds have straight
edges and boxy, squared-off corners, try extending the border
with a free-form shape. Be creative in your planting beds, without
adding too much variety. Give viewers a few pleasing focal points
that will draw their eye to your well-tended garden.
You can take it with you. If you hate to spruce up your
landscaping only to leave it, try gardening in containers
that are placed on your porch and in your flower beds.
Jennifer Wilson, a spokesperson for the home improvement store
Lowe’s®
, says the costs are nominal. “Container gardening is an easy/
affordable way to add appeal to your new entry way.” Plus, most
containers can go right on the moving truck to your new home.
Realtor®
is a registered trademark of the National Association of Realtors.
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6. Color is Key
“What were they thinking with that color?” None of us want
to be that house. And certainly, few want to buy that house!
Not many sellers will repaint their homes to make a sale. But if
you are thinking of painting your home in the near future, and you
know that there’s a possibility you might move within a few years,
keep your future buyer in mind. If you’re selling soon, a fresh coat
of trim paint could make a big change for the better.
Trim and siding colors automatically catch any buyer’s eye,
especially in the current Internet-driven approach to home buying.
Keep the color of trim and doors neutral and appropriate to the
architecture. “Wrong colors will totally turn off many buyers,” says
Michigan designer Rowley.
Let builders do the research for you. Go for a drive through
new-build neighborhoods to find great new color combinations.
Remember to bring your digital camera! Also consider the
architectural style of the home you are in. You might be drawn
to rich, saturated colors on homes that look great with crisp,
contrasting trim. But if your home does not have similar details,
the colors you choose can take on a different look than the one
you anticipated. And on even a small home…the wrong color
is a lot of wrong color!
Play with paint. Go have fun on the Sherwin-Williams®
website. Go to Sherwin-Williams.com, click on “launch
color visualizer” and you’ll have different home styles to
“paint” over and over again.
Front Door, First Impression
What message does your door send? Is your door warm and
inviting…or inviting trouble by being poorly maintained?
Your home’s front door takes a beating. Day in and day out, your
door stands up to snow, sun, wind and rain. Your front door
can look beautiful on a flyer or on a website. But once buyers are
standing on your porch, they’ll get a closer look at the finish, and
the construction of your door. That’s when they’ll come to their
own conclusions. Buyers want to feel that a home will be a safe
haven for their family, and the front door communicates how solid
the home feels.
Older solid wood doors can warp over time, and even begin to rot.
If that’s the case, it’s time to replace your door—typically around
$1,000 with professional installation.
If your door is in good shape and you’re only changing the look,
then a new coat of paint will go a long way. (Be sure to scrape off
any chipping or peeling paint; buyers will be looking closely!)
Fresh paint and shiny hardware show pride in ownership, and tell
a buyer that you have cared for the home.
Any nearby fixtures, such as porch lights or doorbells, should also
be tidied up and replaced if old or broken. Sweep the front porch,
remove any cobwebs and place a welcoming mat at the entrance.
Be sure your screen doors are free of any holes or tears, and storm
doors are free of fingerprints.
Add one of your colorful container gardens to the porch, and
welcome buyers.
Sweat the Details
While the realtor fumbles for the lockbox, buyers are left with
wandering eyes. Peeling paint on trim and shutters, windows
with broken seals and curling shingles are easily spotted, leaving
buyers to start mentally adding up repair costs. Signs of dry rot
and termites tell buyers that the house has been neglected.
Roofs are especially critical to homebuyers. “If the roof is bad,”
says Realtor®
Mary Rettig, “a buyer won’t even want to look at the
house, because the repair is a $10,000 expense.” She continues,
“Buyers don’t have money to put into repairs. They’re putting all of
their money into the (purchase of the) home.”
As with a bad roof and neglected trim, obsolete windows only add
to the list of future large expenses for buyers. Windows should, at
the very minimum, be clean with no cracks or chips.
These improvements aren’t just for the
buyer. Make as many as you can right now—
before you list—so you can enjoy your home
at its best. Then when you’re ready to sell,
your home stands a better chance of selling
quickly and for top dollar.
The longest
time a
potential
buyer stays
in one place
is at the
front door.
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7. Drainage Problems? If rain sits in puddles on your driveway
instead of running into the street, your concrete has settled into
an insufficient foundation. You’ll want to consult a concrete
driveway professional to discuss your options. Your driveway
should slope upward from the road 1/4 inch for every foot in
length. (A 40-foot driveway should be 10 inches higher at the
garage than at road level.)
Removing Oil Stains: Sidewalk chalk washes away with a
good rain, but oil stain removal takes some work. DIYers might
try this two-step method: Sprinkle cat litter or fresh sawdust
on the oil stain and let it sit for two days before sweeping away.
That’s step one, which removes surface grease. Step two is
dusting the stain with a layer of dry cement powder and letting
it sit for two more days to absorb the deeper layer of oil. Please
check the weather—if it rains on the cement powder, you could
end up with a permanent cement patch. Sweep the powder into
a bag and dispose. (Don’t allow the cement powder to enter
the sewer drain.) You can also purchase oil-removal products
designed for concrete. These can possibly work too well, and
you’ll be trading black blotches for clean white ones.
For answers to any of your concrete questions, visit ConcreteNetwork.com.
Concrete Concerns
Weeds in the cracks of a driveway are unseemly, but according
to Realtor®
Kate Browner, a cracked and crumbled driveway or
walkway is a big sign of neglect and an expensive one at that.
If the pavement is in decent repair, power washing dirt, moss
and motor oil off of driveways, pavers and sidewalks can be
enough to brighten the path. Wilson, on behalf of Lowe’s®
,
recommends applying a fresh coat of sealer every year or two
to keep the concrete in good shape.
see next page for more on cleaning
your concrete driveway.
Decorative stains designed specifically for concrete driveways
and walkways can also add welcoming color and charm to a
home, says Wilson. “Sidewalks and driveways are both ways to
invite guests—and home buyers—into your home and instantly
grab their attention.”
Most sellers think that buyers will only notice updated
kitchens and spectacular master suites. Yet, no matter the
price point, there are three things they ultimately look for:
care, condition and cleanliness. Potential buyers size up
property the second they exit the car and immediately look for
reasons to make it their new home. When buyers encounter a
clean, well-cared-for exterior, they are given hope for the same
conditions inside.
Does your home pass the Curb
Appeal test? Step out to your curb;
take a long look at the front of
your home. The grass should be
green (in season), the front door
warm and inviting. It should tell
anyone driving by, “I’ve been well
maintained!” If it doesn’t, invest in
turning that around. With a little
hard work, your home can make a
great first impression—and a great
first impression can go a long way
towards making the sale.
The least babied of all home surfaces has got to be the American driveway. The most commonly installed
driveway surface, made of grey-toned concrete, is a beautiful sight when it’s brand new. Then comes life, and
before long, sidewalk chalk and oil leaks have given your driveway personality. But with a little effort, you can
restore your concrete driveway’s new appearance, and protect it from future dirt and stains.
Power Washing: The most effective way to uniformly clean your
cement driveway is to have it power washed. A professional will use
the right equipment, water temperature and cleaning product to
remove dirt and stains. The Power Washers of North America can
help you locate contractors near you. Their website is pwna.org.
Seal the Surface: Concrete is durable, but porous. Sealants
should keep your clean driveway looking great for a long time.
Some sealants penetrate the surface to give invisible stain
protection. Others provide a surface barrier while also giving a
glossy sheen, much as if the driveway were wet. Still other options
can enhance the plain grey, such as tinted concrete stains. These
stains are available with or without protective barriers.
Decorative Facelift: If you’re still unhappy with your plain-Jane
driveway, the concrete industry has developed decorative products
that can give a contemporary facelift to the driveway you have.
The Payoff
Have and keep
a spotless cement driveway
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8. Have you ever run into a financial situation where
you wished you’d had some wiggle room with your
mortgage payment? For most, the mortgage payment
is one of the largest payments every month. For some,
the option to make a super-low minimum payment
with the Secure Advantage loan makes a huge
difference in their lives.
Secure Advantage is all about your life and your flexibility…
and having maximum control over your budget. Each month,
Secure Advantage lets you choose to make the minimum
monthly payment…or any amount above it. For instance,
you can choose to make the minimum monthly payment, an
interest-only payment, a 30-year or 15-year fixed payment, or
additional payments to principal. And if your situation changes,
Quicken Loans never charges a penalty for refinancing your
mortgage, or paying it off early.
You can find
the extra cash
you need in
your mortgage
payment
A mortgage payment
with wiggle room
If you are in sales, own your own business, or are in a situation
where your income varies from month to month, Secure Advantage
has the flexibility that can create possibilities for you. In slower
months when you’re looking to cut costs, you can find the extra
cash you need in your mortgage payment. Secure Advantage can
also be a great money-management tool for families working to
pay off debt, save, or invest their money in other assets.
But if you’re like most homeowners, flexibility isn’t the only
thing you’re looking for in your mortgage payment. You want
the security of knowing your interest rate isn’t going to change
unexpectedly. After all, surprises are for birthdays, not for
mortgage bills. That’s why Secure Advantage gives homeowners
a low fixed interest rate for 5 or 7 years. That’s 5 or 7 years of
knowing, planning and paying the amount that’s comfortable for
you and your family.
The Secure Advantage loan provides the confidence and peace
of mind that comes along with a flexible and secure investment.
And when it comes to your family, your home…your life, there’s
no advantage better than that.
To find out more about the Secure Advantage loan, call Quicken Loans at 800-584-8522 and speak with your home loan
expert, or go to quickenloans.com.
SM
The Secure Advantage Loan is also great for
investors of rental properties, or to maximize cash
flow. Call Quicken Loans at 800-584-8522 and ask
about the Secure Advantage loan.
O pportunity knocked … and they
were able to answer
The client who called Paul Dingman simply wanted to
make his wife happy. She found a home she absolutely
loved, but knew if they waited to sell the home they were
in, it would be too late. With the low payment on their new
Secure Advantage mortgage, the couple is able to swing
two payments until their first house sells.
T hey lost a j ob , and found
financial breathing room
Many think that they can’t apply for a mortgage after losing
their job, but Greg Cunningham’s client qualified for the
Secure Advantage mortgage based on his spouse’s salary.
The couple paid off many bills, and lowered their monthly
mortgage payment. Now Greg’s client can job search
without facing financial strain.
Here are Real Stories from Quicken Loans bankers about how they have
helped their clients using the Secure Advantage loan.
Rate is variable and subject to change. After the initial fixed-rate period, the rate will adjust every 6 months. The initial, minimum payment on a 30-year $150,000, 5-year Adjustable Rate Loan and 80% LTV is $437.50. The minimum
payment is based on a rate that is implied solely for the purpose of calculating the minimum payment which in this example is 3.500%. Interest will accrue at a rate of 6.500%. Paying only the minimum payment will result in deferred
interest or negative amortization since you will not be paying all of the interest that is owed each month. The unpaid interest is added to principal. Interest can be deferred until the outstanding principal balance is 15% (10% in New
York) higher than the original loan amount. If the maximum limit is reached during the first 5 years, the payment automatically converts to an interest only payment. In this example, the maximum limit will be reached in the 53rd month,
which is when the loan balance is $172,500 and at this point, the minimum payment will convert to an interest only payment of $935. After 5 years, the interest only payment is $1,096. After 10 years, the principal and interest payment
is $1,403. The Annual Percentage Rate is 7.403%. Rates could change daily. Actual payments and rates may vary depending on individual client situation and current rates. Some restrictions may apply.
T he business grew, and the house
payment grew smaller
Banker Romeo Radulici spoke with a California homeowner
with a good deal of equity who wanted to grow his television
production company. With the Secure Advantage loan, Romeo
was able to help his client not only take the cash-out option
that he needed for his business, but also reduce his monthly
mortgage payment by several hundred dollars.
“ You ’ ve inherited a house ! ”
Kristen Ulin’s client inherited a house…and the mortgage
it came with! The client couldn’t afford the monthly payment,
but with Secure Advantage, she was able to keep the house
and significantly lower her payment. Plus, her new low
payment included the property tax escrow, so she will not
face a budget-crushing lump sum at tax time.
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mortgage toolbox

9. New homeowners make
great neighbors.
Great neighbors build
strong communities.
fixed for the full 30-year term of the mortgage, the payment stays
the same for the life of the loan (no matter what interest rates
do). Also, buyers who don’t want to make a 20% down payment
will find low PMI with the Community100 loan.
S E E M OR E AB OUT PM I ON N E XT PAG E.
Even if you already own your home, the Community100 loan
could give you a lower interest rate than the one you have right
now. And if you pay your loan off early…that’s great! We never
have pre-payment penalties. Interest-only payment options are
also available.
The Community100 is one of our many Power Buyer™
loans. To
find out more about the Community100 loan, or being a Power
Buyer, contact your home loan expert at 800-584-8522.
“The Community100 loan allowed my fiancé and I to get
into our first house as first-time home buyers for literally
zero out of our pocket. I was not only able to do 100%
financing but also get an extremely low interest rate as if
we were putting a 20% down payment. The best part of
this program is we have a 30-year fixed rate that may never
have to be touched again because the rate is so low! The
word amazing sums it all up!”
- Jason E., Michigan
Do you remember your first house? It could be the one
you’re in right now, or a home that someone helped
you get into long ago. Many homeowners can point to
someone—an employer, a relative, a friend—who said:
“Hey, you really should buy a house. I’d like to help you.”
The new Community100 loan is our way of helping
folks get into a home.
Who do you know that would love to own a home? Maybe a young
family, just starting out, or someone still building their credit and
watching every penny. A new college graduate, for instance.
With the Community100 loan, prospective homeowners enjoy
an easy approval process and low rates. Also, since the low rate is
The payment on a $130,000 30-year fixed-rate loan at 6.25% and 100% LTV is $800.43 with 2.125 points due at closing. The Annual Percentage Rate is 7.022%.
Rates could change daily. Actual payments and rates may vary depending on individual client situation and current rates. Some restrictions may apply.
sm
“Overall they were great to deal with.
They deserve an A+. Everything was well
organized and explained well. When there
were questions and concerns they were
very prompt with answers.”
- William A., Ohio
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is insurance
that you’ll have to pay—on top of your mortgage
payment—if you choose not to make a down
payment on the home you’re buying. A typical
down payment to avoid PMI is 20% of the home’s
purchase price. Your PMI payment can be eliminated
after the home’s equity increases to 25% of the
current market value. Ask your home loan expert
about our Tax Smart or PMI Buster mortgage
programs. And consult your tax advisor. In many
cases, PMI could be tax deductible.
“All of the people that we have worked with (at
Quicken Loans) have been so helpful, polite and
knowledgeable. It has been a pleasure to encounter
this type of customer service.”
- Peter A., Georgia
Opening doors for
new homeowners
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mortgage toolbox

10. What a difference a few years can make in real estate.
A few years ago, a seller would often get an offer
before their “for sale” sign was pounded into the
front yard. Today, the market has reversed throughout
much of the country, leaving homeowners to decide
whether to grab their dream home at a bargain price
before they sell their home, or try to sell first.
Quicken Loans is often asked for advice on the best approach.
Although the answers should be applied on a case-by-case basis,
here are some points to ponder while making the decision.
A bridge loan is the first thought to cross most people’s minds
when they consider carrying two mortgages, but there are often
better avenues to explore. For instance, if you’ve found the
The bottom line: it’s
usually better to sell
first in softer market
conditions. Once you
have closed the sale,
you should still have
plenty of good deals
to choose from.It used to be that tax law stated that any gains from the
sale of a home had to be immediately reinvested in
a new home. If you didn’t reinvest quickly, you were
subjected to substantial capital gains taxes.
But the rules changed in 1997. You can now sell your primary
residence every two years and KEEP the money you make, up to
$250,000 for a single person or $500,000 for a married couple.
Here’s the breakdown of what you owe when you sell:
• If you owned and lived in the home for less than a year, your
profits will be taxed at the same rate as your ordinary income.
• If you owned and lived in the home for more than one year but
less than two, you will owe 15% of the proceeds for the long-
term capital gain.
• If you owned and lived in the home for two years out of the past
five years, you pay no capital gains tax!
Although state and local taxes may still apply, this flexibility on
the federal level gives you a great deal of freedom when shopping
and working your way up the property ladder (graduating to a
bigger and better home).
One approach to consider is buying a home as your primary
residence that is below market price because it requires a bit of
updating. Then spend the next two years sprucing it up to sell
again—but because of your hard work, this house isn’t a fixer-upper
anymore. You can now sell it at a premium. Let’s say you bought the
house for $200,000 but your updating makes it worth $250,000—
you could walk away with up to $50,000 in your pocket that is free
of capital gains taxes (depending on real estate agent commissions
and renovation costs).
Work your way up to the home of your dreams.
Your Quicken Loans home loan expert is a great resource to discuss
low- or no-down-payment mortgage options with. You might find
it useful to have a mortgage with a flexible payment plan that allows
you extra renovation money every month if you choose.
Remember, under current federal tax laws, you are able to
decide how to handle your property investment without losing a
considerable amount of your gains to taxes.
Please consult your tax advisor. Still have questions?
Talk to your home loan expert at Quicken Loans by calling
800-584-8522 or visiting quickenloans.com.
Old capital gains tax laws have changed for the better,
but many still don’t know this important information.
Put Tax Laws to
Work for You
by david hall
perfect home at the perfect price, consider putting zero down for
it and taking out a mortgage for the full purchase price. Once your
old home sells, apply the proceeds to the principal of the new loan
as the equity.
Remember, if you decide to finance the new purchase before you
sell, you will be carrying two mortgages for an unknown period of
time. You might feel safe if the home you’re selling has increased
dramatically in value, but only you can determine how long you can
comfortably pay both payments.
The bottom line: it’s usually better to sell first in softer market
conditions. Once you’ve closed the sale, you should still have
plenty of good deals to choose from.
Buy before you sell?
It’s tempting to bargain hunt in a buyer’s market.
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mortgage toolbox

11. If you’re in the “walk and grind” category,
there may be a honeymoon phase when
you baby any new flooring, but let’s be
realistic. Your family’s shoe habits are not
going to drastically change in the long
run. After all, you can’t teach old dogs new
tricks…oh yeah, then there’s the dog!
When it comes to flooring in your home, the choices you make
should fit in with your lifestyle and habits, and not the other way
around. Michele Zelman, spokesperson for Armstrong®
flooring,
told Home Advantage that lifestyle—how your family lives—should
be the deciding factor when choosing a floor. Armstrong sells solid
hardwood flooring and engineered flooring, and is one of the top
sellers of laminate wood flooring, which is growing in popularity as
a fuss-free alternative to wood floors. According to Zelman, wood
flooring and wood-look laminates are growing in popularity. “Not
so long ago, wood flooring never belonged in bedrooms, and was
never put in kitchens.”
Thanks to better insulation options that protect wood floors from
warping when they are wet, hardwoods, engineered hardwoods
and laminates are very popular for kitchen flooring—overtaking
even high-end linoleums. The only rooms that Armstrong
recommends not installing wood flooring in would be full baths
and laundry rooms, as they have the potential for full flooding.
Laminate wood floors are getting better looking all the time.
In fact, when you visit websites of flooring manufacturers,
it’s almost impossible to tell the solid hardwoods from their
laminate counterparts. That’s because the laminate finish is an
actual picture of wood. The new laminates even have the grooves
and textures of real wood, which is a big improvement over the
smooth-surfaced laminates of not so long ago. Yes, walking on
a laminate floor can sometimes sound a little synthetic, but
Armstrong tells us that newer and thicker underlayment can help
with that.
For more on hardwood and laminate flooring, America’s Master
Handyman weighed in. Read on, check out samples of both types
of flooring for yourself, then let Home Advantage magazine know
what you decided for your home, and your family.
Do you barge into your home and walk
straight to the kitchen, grinding your heels…
your boots…your clogs…into the floor as you
rush to put the groceries on the counter? Or
do you stop and slip your shoes off each and
every time you come through your door?
The Dirt
on Floors
BY KATHY FAWCETT For more dirt on floors turn the page
How do you live? That’s the big question.
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12. Laminate flooring has a fused, layered
construction featuring (a) an easy to clean protective
surface, (b) the photo image of hardwood or stone,
(c) an inner-core layer made of high-density fiberboard
and melamine and (d) a moisture barrier to help
prevent warping (see above).
The interlocking installation system built into new
laminate flooring and engineered hardwood flooring
makes it easy for do-it-yourselfers to install.
E ngineered hardwood flooring
is a layer of solid hardwood flooring adhered to a
layer of both an interlocking installation system and a
moisture barrier to help prevent warping. This gives
you the hardwood look with better insulation and
easier installation.
A CLOS E R LOOK AT FLOOR I N G
When you buy hardwood, each piece is unique and
may have imperfections or differences in shading.
Laminated flooring is a photograph. Because it is a
photograph every piece is picture perfect.
Laminate is excellent transitional flooring. If you are
only going to be in a place temporarily or want a specific
flooring look, but want to be able to change that look
without destroying a big investment, laminate could be the
perfect choice.
Some laminates are very durable and have 8, 12, even
20-year warranties. But you have to realize that they are
photographs on paper with a protective coating. There is
often a distinctive “clip-clop” sound when walked upon and
they will be destroyed if you have water damage. My office
manager has had her laminated kitchen floor replaced twice
because of problems with her automatic dishwasher.
When people ask me about flooring, they usually ask about
laminates or other man-made materials. If I ask, “Have you
considered wood?” I get responses like: “Too expensive.”
“I want something that’s very durable.” “I want something
that’s easy to care for.” “I want something unique.”
You can get wood flooring competitively priced to high-end
carpeting or laminates.
Nothing but stone is more durable. Like stone and ceramic
tile, a wood floor is rated as being “life of the structure.”
Vinyl, carpeting and laminates are not.
Many people who want something unique are going into
the exotic hardwoods grown in Africa or Brazil. Traditional
American woods like oak are beautiful when coated, but are
naturally quite pale. African and South American woods are
very dense and oily. Brazilian cherry is so dark and lustrous
most people think that it has been stained or coated.
Because of the short growing season, American wood is the
most color stable in the world. By contrast, Brazilian and
African woods grow all year long. Since the color has never
been locked in, it changes over time. Indoors, Brazilian and
African hardwoods actually become darker.
A hardwood floor should usually be refinished every
20 years. Many go 30 or 40 years before refinishing. A
professional usually takes 1/16th of an inch or less off the
surface when he refinishes a floor.
A factory-finished or engineered hardwood floor has
enough surface wood so that it can be refinished twice. Solid
wood flooring can easily be refinished four or five times.
Many of the hardwood manufacturing and hardwood finish
companies have proprietary cleaning systems. All you
really need is a decent vacuum cleaner, a non-ammoniated
cleaner and a sponge mop. My wife, Barbara, uses a bottle
of non-ammoniated window cleaner and a damp mop or a
damp Swiffer™
.
Installing some laminated flooring can be a relatively easy
DIY project. You save money and earn bragging rights big
time. Hardwood installation is best done by a professional.
If you want to try doing it yourself you can download my
book Glenn Haege’s Complete Hardwood Floor Care Guide©
free from my help site, MasterHandyman.com.
©Master Handyman Press, Inc. 1224 Rankin, Troy, MI 48083. America’s Master Handyman®
is a registered Trade Mark.
You can purchase a copy of Glenn Haege’s Fix It Fast Easy Book Combo: Save $14.05. Buy one copy of Fix It Fast Easy! 2, Upgrading Your House for
$19.95 plus $5 shipping and handling and get a copy of Glenn’s best-selling, Fix It Fast Easy—The Most Asked “How To” Questions for FREE. Total
Price $24.95! Order available from the publisher only. To order by phone call 1-888-426-3981, or order on the web at MasterHandyman.com.
Hardwood or
Laminate Flooring?by glenn haege, America’s Master Handyman®
You can listen to the award-
winning Handyman Show with
Glenn Haege on the radio
every weekend. For stations
and times in your area, visit
MasterHandyman.com and
click on Radio Show Info.
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13. Mitch’s story is great, but it’s not unusual.
Our clients experience this level of client
service every day, and you can too.
Call your home loan expert today at 800-584-8522.
Truck driver “Mitch” Shelley was driving across the country from West Virginia on a cold
day this past January. He was passing the time, listening to his radio, when he heard a
Quicken Loans commercial. Mitch called us to find out more and reached Banker Andrew
Chevalier and Director of Banking Joe Keller.
After answering all of Mitch’s questions, Andrew and Joe were able to offer Mitch a new mortgage payment
that would give him an extra $500 every month, plus allow him to pay off his debt.
The best part of this real story? Mitch was coincidentally passing through Detroit when he called, near Joe
and Andrew’s Quicken Loans branch location. Without missing a beat, they asked: “Where’s your next stop,
we’re coming out to meet you.”
The guys hopped in a car and drove to meet Mitch so he could review and sign his loan documents! This is
what our team at Quicken Loans refers to as:
Every Client. Every Time. No Exceptions. No Excuses.
Robert “Mitch” Shelley (L) was happy to find Quicken Loans Banker Andrew
Chevalier (R) waiting for him at his scheduled Detroit-area truck stop. Mitch was
able to sign the loan documents that would help him pay off his debt…grab a
cup of coffee…and hit the road again in no time! (Director of Banking Joe Keller
got the picture!)
Client Service
“Where’s your next
stop? We’re coming
out to meet you.”
that’s miles ahead
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R E A L C L I E N T S . R E A L S T O R I E S .

14. Flagstaff, AZ
St. George,UT
Salt Lake City, UT
Boise, ID
Bend, OR
Longview, WA
Wenatchee, WA
Greeley,CO
Gulfport, MS
Miami, FL
Myrtle Beach, SC
Springfield, OH
Anderson, IN
Kokomo, IN
Detroit, MI
Flint, MI
Holland, MI
Hottest real estate activity;
don’t wait to make the offer.
Great values for home buyers,
but maybe not for long.
Steady new-home construction to meet the
demand of new buyers.
Real estate activity holding its own, in spite
of predictions to the contrary!
Check out our
Trends Map
The real estate market is alive
and well and could get very
interesting. It’s a buyer’s
market in many states, and
buyers are starting to take
advantage of the bargains
available out there today.
While most of you are already
in a home, baby boomers are
finding this a great time to purchase
investment or vacation property. With
home values stabilizing in much of the nation,
we’ll probably see buyers starting to jump on the
amazing home prices more aggressively, especially
if interest rates stay low.
The red hot spots show where the greatest real estate
activity is taking place right now. The hottest real estate
markets (homes are increasing in value, and not sitting
on the market for long) are Bend, Oregon; Boise, Idaho;
and Gulfport, Mississippi.
Coastal communities will always be in demand. While
Florida properties are not moving as fast as they did
two or three years ago, places like Miami and Orlando
are still building at a furious pace. Up and down the
East Coast existing home sales seem to be holding their
own. In North Carolina, South Carolina and even New
England we were expecting to see declines, but not so.
Arizona and Texas are two other states that have seen
steady growth. Texas in particular seems to have some
great deals. They have homes that are selling as low as
the mid $60 dollar range (per square foot) as opposed
to the $250 per square foot you’ll find in some hot areas
of the country.
Real Estate TrendsBy Bruce Schwartz, President, In-House Realty, a preferred partner of Quicken Loans
They’re not making any more land.
The population is growing and many baby
boomers are buying more than one home.
1
2
here are two facts we know about
real estate:
Don’t be fooled by the cool
spots—these areas are just
being discovered by the
masses. By our next issue,
some cool areas could
easily change to hot spots.
When deciding where to buy for the money, Texas is one
of the best buys in the country right now. Georgia and
Tennessee are two other states that seem to be growing
(and building) to meet the demand of new buyers.
Don’t be afraid to buy in this buyer’s market. The best deals
will be in areas that are the coolest in the country (Midwest)
or the areas that have not experienced the bubble effect
in the last couple of years like Texas and the Carolinas. If
you have a choice of where you can live then make sure you
explore all of your options.
In-House Realty has the advantage of being able to
compare its firsthand real estate information with the
trends Quicken Loans sees as it writes the mortgages
for homeowners nationwide. Get in touch with a home
loan expert at Quicken Loans by calling
800-584-8522, or contact the team at
In-House Realty. We will be glad to help
you in any way we can.
What’s a Bubble?
A periodic economic condition
characterized by a rapid increase
of housing purchases, usually
accompanied by historically low
interest rates.
*
You can email Bruce Schwartz and
the In-House Realty team at
bruceschwartz@in-houserealtyonline.com.
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R E A L E S T A T E W A T C H

15. hoping to make everyone happy. Fathead graphics are made of
thick, high-grade vinyl that resists tears, rips and fading. They
also have an adhesive coating that helps them cling to your wall.
With Fatheads featuring helmets, logos and the athletes
themselves from the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR,
college sports…plus your favorite faces from Star Wars,
the possibilities are endless.
Your son can celebrate opening day with a life-sized Derek
Jeter in action. You can prep the “Man Cave” for the Daytona
500 with Greg Biffle’s #16 race car. Fathead even has your
favorite Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders!
The best part? Fatheads are more temporary than paint. You
can move them from room to room as often as you’d like. Peel
and place whenever, wherever. They’ll never lose adhesion
and they don’t leave any wall damage behind. Now the kids can
change Fatheads as often as they change moods (which is a lot),
and the team logos in the den can change with the seasons.
Who said it wasn’t easy to please everyone?
Fatheads are available online at Fathead.com
Quicken Loans clients get free shipping on their Fatheads.
Just enter in this code during checkout: FHADV
Fathead is the
Real Deal for
Real FansBY MEGHAN BUSCH
Does this sound like any family you know? The women
have one decorating scheme in mind while the kids—and
the men—have another. Your daughter wants to ditch the
floral bedroom motif she’s had since pre-school in honor
of her teenage independence. Your son has deemed
his fire truck wallpaper a “gross embarrassment” and
demands a change. And the man in the house, well, he’s
been trying to turn the finished basement into his own
private “Man Cave” for years.
How does everyone come to a reasonable solution? Fathead. Fat
what? Fathead. They’re the big, bold, in-your-face wall graphics that
let everyone in your family show their love for their favorite sports,
athletes, or even their favorite Star Wars™
characters. Fathead images
are available in sizes as tall or wide as 7.5’. If you don’t see your
favorite Fathead today, keep checking Fathead.com—the company
currently offers over 250 images, and is adding more all the time,
You can check out the entire
Fathead line-up on Fathead.com,
but check back often! Fathead is
constantly introducing new teams,
athletes, and coming soon…your
kids’ favorite movie characters.
special offer j ust for you :
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in the house

16. When we say we’re spring cleaning, chances are we’re
moving our winter boots to the back of the closet and
shifting the flip flops to the front. Spring “shifting” is
actually what we’re doing.
Home Advantage recently got a closer look at real spring cleaning by
talkingtofolksatTheHenryFord.ThisDetroit,Michiganmuseum
is home to the world’s premiere automotive collection and the
90-acre Greenfield Village, which houses authentic, transported
buildings such as Thomas A. Edison’s laboratory and the Wright
Brothers’ family home and bicycle shop.
Jim Johnson orchestrates special programming and filled us in on
spring cleaning 1800s style, at homes such as the Firestone Farm—
theoriginalchildhoodhomeofHarveyFirestone,founderofthetire
company—which now resides at Greenfield Village.
What we may devote part of a weekend to now, was in the 1800s
a non-negotiable two-week block of time. Consider this: in the
nineteenth century, every source of heat and light—be it wood,
coal or kerosene—left layers upon layers of soot on every surface
within the course of a winter. According to Johnson, most
American homes were “gamey” by the end of winter.
Spring cleaning was a thorough gutting and dismantling of the
entire home. Houses were cleaned from the attic to the cellar.
Heating stoves were cleaned, disassembled and stored for the
summer. Carpets were completely removed from the home so
underneath flooring could be scrubbed. After the carpets were
allowed back in the house, women would keep the rugs clean by
applying a layer of shredded, damp newspapers to the carpets.
The damp paper would then be swept around—and out the
door—to take the dirt and dust with it.
Spring cleaning was a flurry of non-stop activity in an American
home. The chimney sweep might show up during this time, and
possibly a whitewash crew as well. Every layer of textile and
décor was scrubbed and polished, leaving the distinctive smell
of whatever caustic chemical was the cleaning solution of choice
at the time.
And perhaps the hardest to swallow: no pizza delivery at the end
of a long, hard cleaning day. Spring was the “bean season,” a time
to feast on dried legumes, the last of the preserved meats and
(often shriveled) apples and potatoes. But take heart, while the
women were handling the cleaning of the home, the men were
hard at work outside, plowing and planting the next season’s
fresh food supply.
In the 1800s, women would keep
the rugs clean by applying a layer
of shredded, damp newspapers to
the carpets.
Spring Cleaning: 1800s Style
The Harvey Firestone Farm is
just one of many historically
significant homes and buildings
relocated to The Henry Ford’s
Greenfield Village in Dearborn,
Michigan. Discover more at
thehenryford.org.
BY KATHY FAWCETT
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17. Spring Cleaning: Today with eBay®
BY JEFF HATCH
If you don’t have at least a few boxes of stuff to get rid of
after spring cleaning, you’re not trying very hard. But
what do you do with it? That depends on the stuff. If
you are seriously weeding out, you may have enough to
stage a decent garage sale, which is time consuming and
unpredictable. You could spend a full week cleaning out,
sorting, pricing and advertising—only to get rained out.
This is why lots of people are selling their wares on the world-wide
garage sale: eBay®
. The big reason, however, is the money. Instead
of having two neighbors fighting over that designer basket that
you paid too much for (only to have the cat claim it for a bed), you
could have the entire world fighting—er, bidding—over it, and get
top dollar.
Thanks to popular auction websites like eBay and uBid, you could
easily have thousands of dollars just sitting around your house
right now in the form of “stuff you don’t want anymore.”
Last year, an amazing 724,000 Americans claimed that they relied
on eBay as their main or supplemental income. Another 1.5 million,
who aren’t professional sellers, said that they made money selling
goods on eBay.
Manag i ng You r Vi rtual Garag e Sale
For first timers, eBay features a user-friendly resource on their
site called Seller Central, which tells you everything you’d ever
want to know about selling online.
Getting Started delivers several primers for beginners and a
complete room-by-room walk-through of a virtual house to show
you where to find popular sales items in your own home. Some
currently in-demand goods include computer hardware and
software, toys and video games, consumer electronics, musical
instruments, antiques, books, designer apparel and accessories,
and even cosmetics and fragrances.
Seller Central also gives you fast facts, like those in the What’s
Hot section, which lists the top 10 most-searched categories
and the most widely watched auctions. This way you can
continuously spot trends and stay up to date on how your items
might fare.
eBay treats its sellers like business partners by publishing
a comprehensive report each month that shows which
products have increased in demand from the previous month.
Currently construction tools and light equipment are super hot
commodities.
S lig htly I nti m i date d?
You’re not alone. One of the biggest obstacles in getting people
to sell online is the fact that many don’t feel technologically
savvy enough. Plus, it can be demanding to post your items,
stay on top of the bidding and ship them once the auction ends.
If that’s the situation you find yourself in, you may want to
consider enlisting a trading assistant.
A trading assistant is someone who will look at each item,
research it, let you know how much money you can get for it, and
then handle the entire auction. You drop off the item and collect
a check, but take note—a trading assistant will get anywhere
from a 10 to 30 percent commission on the sale of your item.
H m m m…Spr i ng Clean i ng J ust Took an
I nte r e sti ng Tu r n
Once you sell the stuff you don’t want anymore at top prices
(some guy in Japan insisted on overpaying for your overpriced
cat basket) you might be tempted to go out and buy more stuff to
sell online. Flea markets, local liquidators and auctions are all
good places to look for in-demand merchandise. You can even
check out your neighbor’s garage sales. And while you’re there,
buy a can of soda pop from their kid. It’s only a buck.
Ship Out
Shipping can be one of the most
challenging aspects for many eBay
sellers. If you set your shipping costs
too high, you could lose potential
customers. But if you charge too little,
you eat into your profits. First, you can
ballpark your shipping costs by viewing
what other online sellers are charging
for similar products.
eBay has several online tools, including
a shipping calculator that provides
real-time shipping costs to destinations
all over the world. You’ll also find Top
10 Shipping Tips on eBay, FAQs and
information on purchasing and printing
shipping labels online.
Serious sellers can visit InterShipper.com
and iship.com, which help you calculate
the least expensive ways to send
packages.
Sometimes you have to leave your
house! To know true costs, including
any special packaging you may need
to purchase, take your item to the post
office or the UPS Store and find out.
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18. Financial planning, budgeting and saving are
foreign concepts to many adults, but thanks
to a new program in Detroit, children from
all over southeast Michigan will master these
important life skills at an early age.
RockFinancial—TheMichigandivisionofQuicken
Loans—contributednearly$1milliontodevelopDetroit’s
newRockFinancialJuniorAchievementFinancePark,
whichwillgivemorethan10,000studentsayearafun,
realisticenvironmentinwhichtolearnaboutmoneyand
howitworks.
After six weeks of classroom instruction, the kids visit
Rock Financial JA Finance Park, a 12,500-square-foot,
hands-on learning center. The facility is set up like a
mall, and includes storefronts such as a Rock Financial
mortgage center, General Motors dealership, Pulte
Homes design center, AAA travel and insurance center
and Little Caesars pizzeria.
Upon arrival, each student is assigned a unique personal
scenario that includes information about annual
income and family size. They use this information to
develop a realistic budget while conducting 10 financial
transactions at the storefronts.
Rock Financial JA Finance Park officially opened in
October 2006 at a ceremony involving Quicken Loans/
Rock Financial Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert,
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Junior Achievement
officials and more than 100 Detroit school children.
TOP: School kids from Detroit
enjoy being the first to check
out the Rock Financial Junior
Achievement Finance Park, as
well as meeting Detroit Mayor
Kwame Kilpatrick.
Quicken Loans Helps Kids
Learn About True Life Finances
by mike dunklee
Bottom: Quicken Loans
Founder and Chairman
Dan Gilbert speaks at
the opening ceremony.
Quicken Loans
commissioned an
original mural to be the
focal point of the new
JA Finance Park. The
mural is replicated in the
reception area of the
Quicken Loans offices
in Livonia, Michigan.
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Q uicken loans in the community

19. What’s new and cool on our site? Our clients are pretty excited about the convenience of Quicken Loans’ online chat.
You can chat back and forth with a home loan expert in real time on your computer. Online chat is an easy, informal way to
ask questions and it’s great for:
• Our hearing impaired clients
• Multi-tasking at work
• Keeping your private financial conversations private
• Military clients who are far away from home
What’s
Web HotRight Now?
At Quicken Loans, we spend a lot of time on the web.
After all, we’re the nation’s #1 online mortgage lender,
so we keep up with what’s out there and what’s cool.
Second Life is a phenomenal site on the web that has over 3 million
people worldwide spending an average of 40 hours per month
creating an entirely new world. A free Second Life download (at
secondlife.com) allows you to create your virtual self, or “Avatar.”
You can then buy objects, virtual land, homes, clothes and many
other items in Second Life using currency called Linden Dollars. You
earn Linden Dollars by “working,” or you can create virtual clothing,
construct buildings, or write scripts that you can sell in-game. You
can also buy or sell Linden Dollars in exchange for U.S. Dollars—yes,
you can spend real money at Second Life, and many do. (I confess I
do!) You might feel confused at first about creating your own objects,
but there are free in-world classes to help you learn.
In Second Life I have so much fun driving my own Scion, going
to the zoo, concerts and Yankees games, or just hanging out and
shopping with friends. I just bought my first piece of land and a
house. A friend and I live on an island, across from a beautiful
lighthouse. The sunset is just amazing! I love to go sailing and I’m
thinking about racing. I spend a lot of time at my virtual home and
I’m learning how to create objects and clothing as well. I have so
much fun learning new things and hanging out with new people.
Maybe I’ll see you there!
by tina logan
You can go through the
entire loan process via chat,
which is completely secure.
Check out Quicken Loans’
online chat for yourself at
quickenloans.com
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your home page

20. Bryan felt like he was stuck in a lackluster career. He spent year after year working hard for the same airline company.
On the tarmac. In the tower. In rain and shine. But after ten years he wasn’t feeling any sense of accomplishment. Then Bryan
heard about the Mortgage Banker position at Quicken Loans. He heard about the challenge and potential and jumped at the
opportunity. Bryan’s enthusiasm in his interview made it clear that he is a difference maker. He came on board in 2004, was
promoted to Senior Mortgage Banker in 2005, and was already submitting his application for Director of Mortgage Banking in
2006. In turn, Quicken Loans made the difference in his career. “It’s much better working for a company that considers you an
asset rather than a liability.” His hours are more predictable, he has complete control of his future and his rewards continue to
add up. “Every time I turn around, things are changing for the better,” Bryan says. “I love it here.”
To find out more check out
quickenloanscareers.com
Quicken Loans gave Bryan a new Flight Plan.
®
Quicken Loans is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Maybe you or someone you know would love it here, too. Quicken Loans is always looking for difference makers like Bryan.
If you know someone who would be a great addition to our team, visit quickenloanscareers.com today.
Honey, I’m home!
My husband and I had just bought our first home. Everything
in the house was “original.” We were very excited to replace the
blue metal cabinets and glitter laminate counter top. While I
was on vacation, the cabinets arrived early. My husband wanted
to surprise me by having the new cabinets installed by the time
I returned. He worked diligently to remove all the old cabinets,
move and change plumbing, etc…then he opened the boxes
of cabinets. More than half of them were damaged and the
counter top was cut too big. Now my only surprise was that I
had no kitchen! Moral of the story, open the boxes and inspect
the items prior to demolition. It takes a long time to re-order
replacements!
Keli Adis
Title Processor, Title Source Inc.
Get the picture…THEN get help!
With only rafters and drywall along our attic floor, I wanted
to lay down some sturdy flooring so we could use the attic for
storage. I was about halfway finished when I went back up with
another 2 x 8 piece of plywood and stepped down onto what I
thought was the floor I had just installed. What I didn’t count
on was the loss of depth perception I had with my reading
glasses. Needless to say, I was quickly made aware of my
“misstep” when I came crashing through the ceiling, and
was dangling from a rafter with one leg
over the first floor foyer. My wife—
the comedian—went for the
camera before coming to
my rescue. The lesson?
Look before you leap…
and don’t leap while
wearing reading
glasses.
Dan P.
South Carolina
Is there anything that switch can’t do?
I had decided that I wanted to make the light switch at the top of
the basement stairs control the light above the laundry (in addition
to the single light at the bottom of the stairs). So I re-routed the
power line for the laundry light into the circuit controlled by that
switch. Unfortunately, when I turned the switch off, the washer
and dryer stopped. Here is the dialogue that followed:
wife: Honey, the dishwasher just stopped and the garbage disposal
doesn’t work! me: Huh…
After I followed the circuit
I had just re-routed, I discovered
that circuit not only controlled
the light, but it also controlled
the garbage disposal,
dishwasher, clothes washer,
dryer and doorbell.
Mildly embarrassing.
Dan Colbert
Business Intelligence Team,
Quicken Loans
Say it, don’t spray it!
It was time to put the finishing touches on the new bathroom
we had built in the basement by adding some shelves. I drilled
the pilot holes as noted in the instructions—perfect 3/8” holes. I
noted that drilling these pilot holes was by no
means easy, but chalked it up to overuse of
a dulled drill bit. Before I could finish
putting in the wall anchors, I heard
the toilet upstairs flush and was
immediately sprayed through my
perfect pilot holes. It seems that
I had drilled through the drywall
directly into the pipe leading to
the upstairs bathroom! When they
say, “Measure twice, cut once”—this
goes for drilling holes as well!
Mark Smith
Marketing, Quicken Loans Now it’s your turn.
Do you have an “oops” story? Send it to
homeadvantage@quickenloans.com. If we
publish it, we’ll send you free movie passes!
Oops...home repair goofs
from our readers and team members
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over the fence