First Time Home Buyers – 10 Tips to Consider

May 9, 2013 Leave a comment

bigstock-Happy-couple-lying-down-4.26

Buying a home can be really exciting and stressful at the same time, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer. Finding the perfect home for you and your family, starting a new beginning and living the “American dream” are all filled with positive and confusing emotions. And there are some things you need to know before you move forward and start looking for that dream home. We read a good article on CNN Money, “Tips for Buying a House,” that emphasizes the top 10 things you need to know to buy a home.

To summarize, here is what to keep in mind before you go house hunting:

  1. Don’t buy a house if you can’t make the commitment.
  2. Check your credit history and make adjustments if needed.
  3. Know your budget and look for a house that you can afford.
  4. Even if you can’t put 20 percent down, you might still get a loan.
  5. Look for an area with a good school district.
  6. Use a professional agent who will work in your best interest.
  7. Do your homework and study the difference between points and rate.
  8. Get pre-approved before you start looking for the perfect house.
  9. Be smart when it’s time for bidding. Do your research beforehand.
  10. Hire an experienced home inspector, preferably an engineer.

The article addresses each of these tips further and gives specific advice on home buying. If you’d like to learn more and be well prepared before you start the hunt for your dream home, we recommend that you read the article online.
If you have any questions about mortgages or need a consultation with one of BluFi’s mortgage bankers, we would be happy to help you. Give us a call at 1-800-644-7779.

Filed under Your Home

Green for Earth Day

April 22, 2013 Leave a comment

April 22 marks a very meaningful day on our calendars every year since 1970. People all over the world celebrate Earth Day with various activities that have to do with the support of environmental protection. At BluFi Lending, we contribute to a sustainable future every day by providing an eco-friendly work place and by using sophisticated paperless technologies that are more efficient and eco-friendly. Our electronic process for making home loans is good for the environment AND saves our customers’ “green” too.

Earth Day

Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day this year, we decided to put together a list of tips for homeowners on making their home more eco-friendly. Here are some things you can do:

  • Change the bulbs in your home to LED bulbs. LEDs uses less power (watts) per unit of light generated (lumens). LED’s help reduce greenhouse emissions from power plants and lower electric bill. They can last up-to 50,000 hours vs CFL’s 8,000 hours.
  • Washing clothes or dishes with cold water is just fine – the new soaps and detergents out there will do the same job.
  • Buy in bulk when you go to the store – this way you won’t waste packaging and will reduce trips to the store.
  • Invest in canvas totes instead of asking for plastic bags every time you go grocery shopping. Single-use bags are choking landfills and many states are looking for ways to solve the problem. So far in 2013, eight states—Arkansas, California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington—are considering banning single-use plastic bags, with California’s proposed ban including paper and other single-use bags as well.
  • Leave the plastics behind! Use biodegradable pots for your home and garden instead.
  • Think twice when you’re tempted to print hard copies or write your shopping list on post-it notes. Use your smartphone or electronic instead.
  • If you are upgrading furniture or doing major home improvements, check for eco-friendly options. With all the abundance of products these days, you should be able to find cool and green products for your home.
  • Instead of buying batteries all the time, opt for rechargeable ones and invest in a battery charger. Try to eliminate waste as much as possible.
  • Here’s a tip right in time for your spring cleaning. Hot water and white vinegar can substitute cleaning supplies and will do a great job. Save the environment and save money too.
  • Last, but not least, don’t forget to recycle. You’d be surprised how much of what we consume is recyclable waste.

If you’d like to get more involved or to find more information on various causes and activities for Earth Day, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Filed under BluFi Cares Tagged with , ,

Reverse Mortgages – 10 Things You Should Know

April 17, 2013 Leave a comment

Couple signing paperwork

Couple signing paperwork

At BluFi Lending we care about our customers, and we try to educate them about the different loans and options depending on their situation. A type of mortgage that is often misunderstood is the reverse mortgage.  Reverse mortgages have been around for about 12 years now, and according to an article we came across in AARP by Tara Coates, 660,000 reverse mortgages have been issued since then. “10 Things You Should Know About Reverse Mortgages” discusses the pros and cons of this type of mortgage. Here are the highlights:

What is a reverse mortgage?: The main requirement of this type of loan is to be 62 years of age or above. The reverse mortgage allows you to borrow against the equity you’ve built up on your home. The difference from other loans is that this type of loan doesn’t have to be paid off right away.

Who can apply?: Anyone who is at least 62 years old and currently lives in the home. You have to either own your home or be able to pay it off with the equity from the reverse mortgage.

How to apply: You can consult your reverse mortgage lender to see if this is a good solution for you. Sometimes there is a fee for the consultation, but it can be rolled in to the loan. The reverse mortgages are available in fixed and adjustable interest rates.

Is a reverse mortgage expensive?: There are certain fees associated with reverse mortgages (loan origination fees, closing costs, ongoing fees, etc.), but sometimes they can be packaged with the loan.

The AARP article goes into more detail about reverse mortgages and what you need to contemplate when considering a reverse mortgage.  Many seniors have used the reverse mortgage to meet their financial goals. If you’d like to learn more to see if this type of mortgage is right for you, access the full article online.

In addition, our reverse mortgage expert Monte Howard was recently featured on KOGO’s radio show My Home Improvement, sharing his insight on this particular type of mortgage. Listen to the broadcast here.

If you have any questions about reverse mortgages or need a consultation with one of BluFi’s loan officers, we would be happy to talk to you. Give us a call at 1-800-644-7779.

Filed under Mortgage News

For the Military: Support Organizations and VA Loans

March 27, 2013 Leave a comment

At BluFi we are passionate about supporting our armed forces, so we make a point to offer loans designed for them, in the form of VA loans, but we also take the extra step to support military-focused non-profits such as the Wounded Warrior Project.

Couple in front of house

As part of our BluFi Cares initiative, we raise money each year to benefit this great organization. This year, between employee contributions and a company match, BluFi raised $5,000 to support the Project’s mission to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for injured service members. It’s a wonderful mission that we’re proud to support. If you’re looking for a worthy organization that helps military members, check them out at http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

VA Loans Offer Wide Array of Benefits to Active Duty Personnel, Veterans and Spouses

Another way to help support military members is provide information on home loan services tailored just for them. The VA loan is one of the most useful, but often underused type of loan, so we wanted to share this terrific article we saw in the U-T San Diego by Linda Lee, “Mortgages just for U.S. military”. It provides some helpful details about VA loans, who is eligible, and where to go for more information. Here’s a short summary of the article:

Who is eligible: VA loans were created by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs. They are available to most military members, veterans, reservists and National Guard members, as well as surviving spouses of military members who died on active duty or as a result of a service-related injury.

What’s different: The VA loan is guaranteed by Veterans Affairs, and is designed to help eligible borrowers obtain home financing with less than perfect credit, at the lowest interest available. Many borrowers do not need large down payments, and can avoid insurance premiums, penalty fees and high interest rates. Some people even qualify for no-money down, 100 percent financing.

Where to get more info: Vahomeloancenters.org

Read the full article here.

We hope this post helps clarify the VA loan and reminds you to reach out and support your favorite military non-profit! If you have questions about VA loans, give us a call at 1-800-644-7779.

Filed under Mortgage News

Thanksgiving With BluFi Lending and The Salvation Army

December 12, 2012 Leave a comment

The numbers are in – BluFi Lending’s Thanksgiving 2012 with The Salvation Army was a day to remember! BluFi partnered with Pam Phillips Catering to provide all of the food for The Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving Day meal in Oceanside, California. With BluFi’s support and a team of dedicated volunteers, we were able to provide a delicious Thanksgiving dinner to more than 350 guests.

Dinner for 350+ people was quite an undertaking! In total, we served:

Tables Ready for Thanksgiving Guests

Tables Ready for Thanksgiving Guests

  • 63 pounds of turkey
  • 140 pounds of potatoes
  • 420+ pieces of pie
  • 590 dinner rolls
  • 300 cups of coffee
  • 22 gallons of lemonade

In addition to a warm, homemade meal, families who came in were also given a small gift, and the first round of children each received their own voice recordable story book. After the event, The Salvation Army also delivered 50 meals to home or work bound area neighbors.

The Thanksgiving Day event was made possible through BluFi Cares, our charitable outreach program. BluFi Cares is a volunteer committee of BluFi Lending employees. Throughout the year, the committee selects organizations like the Salvation Army to support through donations and volunteerism. Previous organizations we have supported include Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, Make-a-Wish Foundation, San Diego Food Bank, The Angel’s Depot, Wounded Warrior Project, and Dress for Success.

Happy Thanksgiving from BluFi Lending

Happy Thanksgiving from BluFi Lending

BluFi employees are proud and grateful to support such a worthy cause during the holidays. For more information on The Salvation Army and ways you can help, visit its blog at http://www.salvationarmyexpectchange.org.

Filed under BluFi Cares Tagged with , , , , ,

Five Steps to Enhance Customer Service

December 8, 2012 Leave a comment

The Right Training Makes a Difference!

The Right Training Makes a Difference!

BluFi Lending has always had a reputation for great customer service and transparent responsible lending. We believe so strongly in the importance of exceptional customer service that we created our own training program and combined it with some of the best employee training programs available today.

Our program focuses on the three pillars of building positive customer relationships: patience, attitude, and listening skills. We recently went through one of our comprehensive training sessions, and we thought we’d share the five main steps we have taken as a company to enhance our training and ensure we’re providing the best service possible to our customers.

  1. Give employees the tools and the training they need. We have our own BluFi customer service training program, “The Right Attitude Makes a Difference,” which focuses on key topics that impact the customer experience such as patience, phone etiquette, attitude and listening skills. This is BluFi’s formalized program that guides employees in the “BluFi Way” of doing business and building positive customer relationships. It is part of our new hire development process too!
  2. Provide human resources training to all employees, not just managers. Our HR training is based on the frontline leadership training programs from AchieveGlobal (formerly Zenger Miller) and focuses on internal audience topics such as getting ideas across, coaching for optimal performance and giving constructive feedback. It’s done wonders for team work and retention as well.
  3. Train employees in the latest technology enhancements. As a fully-electronic lender, IT training that improves workflow and enhances the customer experience is key to keeping our customers happy.
  4. Develop department-specific training. For example, BluFi Compliance department employees receive specialized training to ensure our customers continue to receive the most accurate and compliant information and documentation. This training keeps our compliance department completely up-to-date and aware of any potential issues.
  5. Ensure your staff knows what’s best for the customer. We train our sales staff to identify the right home loans for borrowers and to help borrowers through the loan process. Whether you sell products or services, it’s important to be able to quickly identify the right option for your customers. It builds trust and leads to lifelong customers.

Our goal is simple – equip BluFi employees with the tools they need to provide the best home loan experience for our clients.
~ John Lee, President and CEO

What kind of training does your company do? What’s the best customer service experience you’ve had lately?

Filed under BluFi News Tagged with , , , , ,

BluFi Lending Pledges $50,000 Donation to Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego

November 9, 2012 Leave a comment

An RCHSD Doctor Providing Excellent Care to a Young Patient

We are proud to announce that BluFi Lending has pledged a $50,000-donation to Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego (RCHSD) over the next three years. At BluFi Lending, besides delivering transparent responsible lending to our customers, we feel strongly about supporting organizations that make a difference. Our executives and BluFi Cares committee members chose RCHSD because of the organization’s efforts to care for the most seriously ill and fragile children.

BluFi’s donation has already been put to good use, benefiting several programs at the hospital:

  • Peckham Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders: providing specialized cancer treatment and hematology services including blood and bone marrow transplants.
  • A Bronze Frog in The Royal Frog Court: a garden breezeway that connects the Acute Care Pavilion to the hospital’s main building.
  • Integrative Medicine Program: using non-traditional methods such as nutrition, acupuncture, meditation and massage to cope with a cancer diagnosis and complement the medical treatment plan prescribed by the oncologist.
  • Thriving After Cancer (TAC) Program: increasing the quality of life of pediatric cancer survivors through the provision of individualized, multidisciplinary follow-up care throughout their lives.
  • H.O.P.E.S fund (Hematology/Oncology Parents Extending Support): offering support to families whose children receive hematology and oncology services at RCHSD. Includes financial assistance, special holiday events, support groups, meal assistance and more.

RCHSD is a nonprofit, 442-bed pediatric-care facility, the only hospital in the San Diego area dedicated exclusively to pediatric healthcare, and the region’s only designated pediatric trauma center. For more information on Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego and its programs, visit: http://www.rchsd.org/aboutus/getinvolved/index.htm.

“When our team looked at non-profits to support and decided on Rady Children’s Hospital I was delighted because caring for children is very dear to my heart,” said BluFi President and CEO John Lee. “I have always believed when you are successful, it is your responsibility to give back to the community, and children need our care most of all. I’m proud to lead BluFi Lending in this compassionate support of San Diego kids and the hospital and doctors that care for them.”

In fact, supporting deserving organizations is so important to BluFi employees, that we created our own charitable outreach program, BluFi Cares. BluFi Cares is a volunteer committee of BluFi Lending employees. Throughout the year, the committee selects organizations like RCHSD to support through donations and volunteerism. Previous organizations we have supported include Make-a-Wish Foundation, San Diego Food Bank, The Angel’s Depot, Wounded Warrior Project, and Dress for Success.

Filed under BluFi Cares Tagged with , , , ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.