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As with any profession, mortgage loan officers need to complete training and pass examinations in order to obtain a professional license. Since mortgage firms and banks can not hire employees who do not have a license, training is a necessity. It is also illegal to broker or originate mortgage loans without a license, leaving those who do so subject to prosecution by their respective states.
In simple terms, officers need to complete a certain number of hours of professional training in order to be eligible for a license, or to renew a license. The number of hours varies from state to state, but most set twenty hours for new licenses and eight to ten for renewing licenses.
Students can choose from traditional or Online loan officer training . Coursework should be heavily weighted toward federal mortgage laws and regulations. State laws should take up another chunk of course time with subjects like fair lending practices, ethics, and consumer protection filling the remaining time.
It is a good idea for loan officers to check that a given training program has been approved by both their state and by the National Mortgage Licensing System before enrolling. This will ensure that the course content meets state and federal training requirements so that they aren’t surprised to discover that their program doesn’t meet the standards. They want to make sure everything goes smoothly when they file for their license.
Continue reading Meeting Loan Officer Training Requirements »
Home decorators and interior designers are learning to incorporate something new in their designs: gun safes are becoming a popular home feature as more and more gun owners accept responsibility for their fire arms.
Time was that guns were kept in a dresser drawer or a box in the closet. These places were all to easily found by children who wanted to play with Daddy’s toys. It was also easy for a thief to steal a gun that would later be used in another crime or even use the gun against its owner. Gun owners also found themselves more likely to pick up a gun and shoot it during a domestic dispute or when under the influence, resulting in even more injuries and deaths.
Gun safes prevent all the above from happening — or at least make it more difficult. As more gun owners are made aware of the availability and benefits of a gun safe, they are becoming a common household item. Even television cops are now seen locking up their gun as soon as they enter their home or retrieving the gun from the safe as they leave on a call. Which only proves that the gun safe as accessory has arrived — and is likely to stay for awhile.
Continue reading New Home Accessory: Gun Safes »
As the New Year gets started many homeowners have set themselves a resolution for 2011 of improving their home. This may be financially motivated if they want to increase the resale value of their property. It may also be a matter of improving their family’s quality of life, by fixing and replacing old and worn out elements of their home. They may even have a motivation of making their home more energy-efficient in order to help the environment. Intent aside, one easy way to spruce up a home is to replace windows that are warped, cracked, or separating from the house.
There are a number of good replacement window options to choose from. In fact, when considering the vast array of frame materials, window construction, and other features available when purchasing custom windows, it may seem impossible to choose. Anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by too many choices should consider this a design project rather than a simple repair or improvement endeavor.
The outside of a house projects a style and design sensibility just as the interior rooms do. Choosing window frames and glass that match the homeowners exterior style is a good first step. Windows can either blend in to the existing home or be used as accents that call attention to the structure. Since replacement windows can offer one color on the outside and a different color on the inside of the home, they can easily match or enhance the design of each room as well. With careful planning, the windows can improve the aesthetic of a home as well as meeting any home improvement goals.
Continue reading Choosing Replacement Windows to Match Your Style »