What about the medication that’s supposed to deal with the side effects of the first prescription?
To contact Katie, head here.
FREE BOOK: The Value-Driven Approach To Sell Real Estate: Click here
What about the medication that’s supposed to deal with the side effects of the first prescription?
To contact Katie, head here.
When veterans come back from service and look for a place to live, most have no idea how they go about financing a new home. Additionally, most don’t know and understand their own veteran benefits so upon appointment with their approved lenders, they just say yes to the next best option without using any of the benefits available to them that could save them up to thousands of dollars.
Not all lenders are adept in veterans affairs (VA) and not a lot of them would go the extra mile to research other available options. So, whether a veteran is newly out of the service, just home from a recent deployment or a World War II hero, it’s always worth to seek a second opinion when it comes to VA financing, as advised by our go-to mortgage provider, Carrie Guarrero of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation.
Dating back to her grandmother, Carrie comes from a family of veterans who have served in the Army, Navy & Marines. She is also a proud army mom – her son enlisted at 17 and is still serving. As a matter of fact, she’s also the lead organizer for the upcoming Sakatah Challenge, which will take place on May 26th in Waterville, MN. This event is part of the American Warrior Initiative to carry out AWI’s mission to educate, encourage and inspire Americans to give back to our military. The race will benefit the AWI and local scholarships.
Having veterans in her own family and interacting with other veterans through Sakatah and AWI, it is obvious that the veteran community is dear to Carrie. She tells us that most of them are unaware of their VA financing benefits and as a Military Mortgage Specialist, she has made it a mission to educate them. Most lenders miss out on prodding their loan applicants if they’ve served in the military thereby, missing the chance to consider applicable benefits. Additional benefits may include waived funding fees depending on a veteran’s circumstance.
There are many lenders, but few who invest their time in truly knowing the all the options in VA financing. However, there are those who take the time to become Military Mortgage Specialists – lenders who specialize in VA financing. In fact, Fairway has their army of VA experts and they have partnered with the American Warrior Initiative to educate loan officers and realtors nationwide on serving the veteran community. Fairway is dedicated to giving back to the veterans, and the community in general, through finding the best loans at the best rates for them.
Listen to the entire podcast!
There’s just one thing that Carrie wants to get across clearly to the realtors and sellers out there. It is to remember that veterans laid down their lives for us and this country and that when they submit an offer with a zero down VA loan, it shouldn’t be frowned upon. Instead it should be viewed with a perspective that these brave men earned their zero down offer and it’s a privilege to be handling their sale.
If you have interest in the Sakatah Challenge, go over to their Facebook page. If you have questions or need advice on your own VA loans and want to know the gritty details you might be missing, you can get in touch with Carrie at Fairway Independent Mortgage with this number: 952.851.8966.
Email: cghomeloan@fairwaymc.com
NMLS# 209015
Picture framing can be an after thought, something secondary to the art being displayed, but to Cara Callahan at Callahan Framing on 44th street in Edina, it’s an art form in itself. Framing not only compliments and protects the art, proper framing blends the piece seamlessly into its surroundings. Cara is an expert framer, and she treats everything, from rare art worth thousands of dollars, to the picture your child brings home from kindergarten, with museum-quality care. In this episode, you’ll learn the secrets to proper framing, the one question you should always ask a framer before trusting them with your treasure, and how photographers and artists have boosted their reputation and bottom line by teaming up with Callahan Framing.
Need a workout designed around your need to run? Performance Running trains runners. Period. Mark Johnson, a stay at home dad for ten years, decided to combine his excitement for running and training and open a facility to help fellow runners take their passion to a whole new level of personal success. This is a gym for runners by runners and nothing else. No fancy cafe, no pool, just equipment and training that helps runners cross the finish line strong.
Mark’s passion for running was born 20 years ago when he hurt his knee. He tore a meniscus, and after surgery, his surgeon advised him to keep his knee muscles strong to avoid arthritis. So when he came home from the hospital, he started running, and within his first year, ran a marathon. From then on he was hooked. Aside from strengthening his knee muscles, he found an intense passion for running. Following that, he would run two marathons a year, which eventually led to even more intense challenges, trail running and ultramarathons.
Not a lot of people find joy in running, and Mark puts it this way – when a person starts running, it is hard! But once you get into shape, you can run for miles and miles. Mark says that you will love that feeling of being able to go crank out a 10-mile run and not feel like you put much effort into it. That’s the thing that keeps him coming back; it’s addicting.
Before Performance Running happened, Mark was an operations guy for a company that took over contracts for facilities. That part of his life planted the seed that one day he will want to build his own business.
He left operations and became a stay-at-home dad for ten years. He said to himself that when he goes back to work, it will be a business that has something to do with running. An idea from a text from his wife sparked an idea. She brought up that her work partner was randomly commenting on how there are a lot of fitness businesses but there’s none that focused on nutrition. Although his business idea, somewhat, had nothing to do with that, it triggered something in his head, and that’s when he thought to himself, “I need to open a gym for runners.” The idea was to build a gym very specific to running, and it just grew from there.
The idea evolved into a space where he could teach runners how to make their bodies stronger while comfortable and confident.
His dream is to give runners a place they can call home. Performance Running has a pleasant lounge area for people to relax and chat about past or upcoming races. They also have group runs so people can share the experience, push each other, and form friendships.
Since opening last December 2017, the Performance community has grown to over 100 members. It’s a warm community of people sharing their running goals and cheering each other on their events. To Mark Johnson, it’s all about community.
Performance Running Gym presents you with a lot of options. Upon membership, you get a free training session, and from that, you can choose to train by yourself or get personalized training.
The gym collaborates with a race coaching company called Trail Transformation which adds additional nutrition and recovery services. For specific running goals, you can customize what services you want to be included. You can even get a full package that includes coaching, strength training, nutrition and recovery. Performance can guide you – a little or a lot – depending on what you want.
Mark’s passionate about seeing people improve. He loves spending time with people in the weight room and helping them with their goals. To him, it’s super satisfying to hear people say that they feel great. That’s what gets him up every day.
While Mark trains for a balanced body, he also balances his roles as the sole trainer of Performance Running and as a father. His business set-up revolves around still being able to be a dad to his kids. Keeping that balance is absolutely critical to him and he wouldn’t do Performance Running if he couldn’t keep that balance.
To learn more about Performance Running in St. Louis Park, MN, head here.
Listen to full interview on the Edina-SW Minneapolis Advice Givers (r) Podcast with Tim Murphy
Carrie Guarrero is not only a top mortgage lender with the CG Home Loan Partners at Fairway Independent Mortgage, but also a top career coach with Fairway Ignite. She helps guide professionals and clients through the bumpiest roads to success as they define it.
As a mother of 7 and a mortgage profession and coaching leader for 22 years, Carrie is always looking out for everybody. To Carrie, great parenting and coaching are very closely related. Parenting involves asking a lot of questions, encouraging, inspiring and holding her kids accountable. It is putting her children before herself – what is important to them, what do they want to achieve, and helping them towards those goals. With coaching, she focuses on her client’s objectives and helps them clarify the steps that need to be taken to attain those objectives.
Carrie believes that both coaching and parenting are more about listening than they are about teaching. That is why at Fairway Ignite, listening is one of the things they work on every single day with their coaches. She emphasizes the importance of listening and understanding where their clients are coming from so that they can help guide them, encourage them, inspire them, and cater to whatever it is they may need at any given time. Just like how Carrie puts her children before herself, she does the same for her clients.
Everyday, Carrie wakes up to the objective of changing lives with her coaching. Parenting and coaching are both great passions for this inspiring woman. In fact, in her coaching company and close circles, she is known as Mama C. It’s a nickname that she got from one of her clients and since then, has stuck. To her mortgage clients, she is the mom you need when you don’t want your real mom involved. As mortgage loans are one of the biggest financial decisions that most people make in their lifetimes, having a mortgage mom like Carrie to give you information helps a lot in making an educated decision. She looks out for you and you’re sure she has your best interest at heart.
Carrie shares that the most rewarding thing that always takes her back to the heart of coaching is when a client gets real with her and is open to receiving what they can do to make a difference in their lives. It’s those moments that she believes she is able to actually making a big difference. Talking about production, accountability, and numbers are given things she can offer and there’s always a place for those. But for a client to actually open up, be vulnerable and ask what can be done, that’s the essence of coaching.
It is not always about the technical aspects. It is more about having her clients’ backs, helping them make the best decisions and looking out for their best interests.
The first thing Carrie asks her mortgage clients is this, “What are you comfortable with?” Any company can supply reliable information and competitive rates and fees but many don’t bother to ask what the client is comfortable with. Carrie and her team, however, go into the nitty-gritty and make sure you are agreeable with what you are investing – that you are okay with your down payment. Carrie wants to make sure you are comfortable long-term and that your payment is something sustainable for you – like a mom would.
At the CG Home Loan Partners at Fairway, they usually present three options and clients get educated on these. As mortgage coaching is an education process, Carrie makes sure that her clients understand the little tweaks that can make a huge financial difference. This is exactly the kind of information people are looking for from an expert or a parent.
This is long term; this isn’t just a transaction. At the end of the day when selecting a mortgage professional and who you’re going use to provide financing, it’s a given that people supply competitive interest rates and fees and loan programs and all of that good stuff. Who do you want to have your back? This is a relationship. This is long-term.”
It’s not everyday you get to know a mortgage officer who would genuinely ask questions about you and get to know you and not just ask about your mortgage. For long-term commitments like buying a home, it’s good to know that there are people working in the industry who want to take care of you for the long haul.
Questions? Call Carrie at Fairway Independent Mortgage: 952-853-0222
NMLS #209015. Equal housing lender.
Listen to the full episode
Have you ever dreamed of moving into a brand-new home? – Or transforming the home you have? The appeal of new floors, fresh paint and the latest trendy finishes is hard to resist. Some people have the do-it-yourself bug that sustains entire cable TV channels while others prefer to visit and gain inspiration from model homes and let a builder take it from there. Whether you prefer to be hands-on or take a supervisory role, there are many common misconceptions, mistakes and pitfalls along the way to making the dream of a new or remodelled home a reality and finance expert Carrie Guarrero of Fairway Independent Mortgage knows exactly what they are.
Mortgage lending – and homeownership in general – is really Carrie Guarrero’s family business. Carrie joined her mother in the lending industry at a very young age, and she gravitated toward builders and providing the information and support they needed to help consumers finance new homes. Carrie was a fixture at model homes and job sites, helping builders and clients navigate what can be a confusing construction loan process. Carrie worked with thousands of people during the construction boom of the late 1990s and she’s been through the process herself:
“My husband and I built our home from scratch in the early 2000s. It’s impossible to get everything right on the first attempt and it’s definitely not all sunshine and roses. Thank goodness we’re still married!”
With the build and remodel renaissance underway in places like Edina and Southwest Minneapolis and the traditional home shopping season ramping up, Carrie understands what people are looking for and how to help them make it happen. Helping new construction buyers is one thing, but living through a major build project herself increased her ability to connect with customers and help them along what is often a rollercoaster ride.
Here are some common scenarios that arise when building a new home or doing a remodel:
Transitions: It’s normal to experience a gap between your new home being ready and your old home being available. Carrie, her husband and their five children lived in residential suites for a month until their new home was finished so she truly empathizes with her clients. Delays such as material delivery or a contractor getting sick are common, but they can have a big impact on your living situation (and sanity). It’s important to be aware and prepare for obstacles.
Lending. There are different requirements and processes for construction and rehab financing and it’s critical to deal with a loan officer and support team who are well-versed in these loan types. Choosing an experienced group like Carrie and her team who understand the unique experience of major construction projects will help make the loan process as seamless – and pleasant – as possible.
Prices. The end price of your project is almost always higher than the initial price. Everything from lighting to backsplashes and hardware can jack up prices, so it’s important to take details into consideration and plan for the possibility of overruns.
It may be hard to imagine why anyone would want to build or take on a major remodel after considering all that could be difficult or go wrong, but Carrie says there’s really nothing like it in the end:
“It’s your dream home! It’s virtually impossible to find an existing house that has everything you want. Building – or even a big remodel – gives you a blank slate and you get to design it to your specifications and style.”
After over twenty years in the industry, Carrie has more passion than ever when it comes to being part of helping people on their personal paths to homeownership – whatever that looks like. Construction and renovation financing is a wonderful way to build or create the home of your dreams; but the process is different than a common purchase home loan and it’s important to have expert guidance backed by years of experience in that arena. Carrie and her team bring decades of experience and exceptional service for the best possible customer experience. There are a lot of moving parts to construction and renovation loans and everyone’s situation is different, so it’s critical to make sure you get the right financing for your project, needs and goals. When it comes to mortgages for new construction or rehab, don’t try it at home…or rather, don’t try it on your own.