Zeus Mortgage Bank - "Great results in 2017"

2017 Corporate Value Performance 

Four Ways To Save On A Mortgage

With more individuals, families and businesses moving to Houston, it’s no surprise that the real estate market has boomed in recent years. However, the market can be fickle and unforeseen circumstances arise that sometimes make it hard for mortgages to be paid. The following four tips can help individuals and families save on a mortgage.

1. Add an extra annual payment:
   By adding an extra payment to the principal balance of the loan, it helps to reduce the total amount owed quicker. If done regularly, this can shave years off the loan and reduce the amount spent in interest charges. However, this doesn’t mean a payment can be skipped.
2. Modify the existing loan:
   If all mortgage payments have been made on time and are consistent, there is a possibility of a loan modification. Usually, a bank will contact the individual paying the loan with a potential loan modification, but there are also ways to pro-actively seek one. Contact the bank that oversees the loan and inquire about modification options. Be sure to ask if that particular bank still owns the mortgage loan. If they don’t they can’t modify the loan. Inform the bank (owner) of the loan of any financial hardships (if any). Assemble any financial documents the bank may need from you – including two pay stubs, latest W2, K-1s and any investment assets. If a bank puts off the request, don’t stop contacting them.
3. Set-up a bi-weekly payment plan:
   Many lenders won’t accept partial payments, so instead, have half of the payment automatically transferred in a savings account every two weeks. At the end of the month, have the money transferred to the lender. At the end of the year, 13 payments would have been made instead of 12.
4. Refinance to a lower interest rate:
   There are many reasons why a loan may be refinanced, so be sure to calculate all payments and potential savings before making this decision. A lower monthly payment comes with a higher interest rate, resulting in more spent. If an individual is planning to sell their home in a few years, it may not be worth refinancing. Getting a lower interest rate may not be the best decision for individuals well into paying back a mortgage because it will add more time for the payoff, but individuals who aren’t that far won’t see much of a change. 

These are just a few ways to save on your mortgage. Be sure to ask questions and not accept the first loan that comes along. Understanding the details of a major decision like this can make the difference between saving money and losing money.

I Agree With Foreclosures: Buyers Should Pay Their Bills On Time

Life is a game of circumstance, chance and decisions. Let’s face it, people sometimes make irresponsible decisions and are then surprised or devastated when the consequences of those bad choices come to life. The most common bad decision I see is buyers signing up for mortgages they can’t afford or can afford in the beginning but then spend their money on trivial things. Who needs to pay their mortgage payment when they can dine at 5-star restaurants four days out of the week?

Foreclosures are no laughing matter – they ruin lives, lifestyles and livelihoods. The most important thing to remember in these situations is that a promise was broken. Many people know they can’t afford something, but sign anyways thinking that the odds will be ever in their favor. Nine times out of ten, it won’t be.

I can’t stress enough to do your research and evaluate every detail of your budget before agreeing on a mortgage loan and interest rate. If you know you’re a frivolous spender, do yourself a favor and think long and hard before entering a binding loan that can potentially destroy your life. A new wardrobe is not worth loosing your – and your family’s – home.

Buying a home, and with it entering a mortgage, is one of the most important financial decisions of your life. You may think you’re ready for the commitment – but are you?

3 Easy Ways to Pay-off a Mortgage Faster

The Houston real estate market has never been hotter! This is great news for families who have been able to earn more equity, get top dollar and maximize their profits from selling their homes. For families who want to keep their home, try using one of the following tips to pay-off a mortgage faster, help save thousands in interest expense and align home equity with significant life events such as retirement or college education.

1. Adding in an extra payment annually:A mortgage is a big undertaking - everyone dreads paying it each month. Homeowners could potentially save over $45,000 in interest and cut down the length of their mortgage payment by about 5 years if an extra payment is added in annually. Be ready to tighten budgets, and to spend an extra $100 a month on a mortgage payment. These extra $100 payments will be applied to the principal amount, and cut the loan little by little.
2. Set-up a bi-weekly payment plan:Many lenders don’t accept half payments, so try to set up a bi-weekly payment into another account. Put half of the payment in a savings account, then pay the mortgage lender from that account. This may sound a little crazy but by doing this, there are 13 full payments made instead of 12!
3. Refinancing to a lower interest rate:One of the most common ways to lower a mortgage payment is to refinance because it helps save on interest payments. There are usually fees that go along with doing this, but individuals can recover these after some time. By refinancing, especially in today’s economy, an interest rate can be lowered. Never forget to check if other companies can offer a better rate!

By using one of these simple tips, a family could save big on their mortgage by paying-off their mortgage faster, without sacrificing their lifestyle. Think about the type of mortgage currently being paid and how it can affect all financial aspects over time. These do not save everyone the same amount, but they do work for everyone.

Zeus Mortgage Awarded the 2015 BBB “Award for Excellence”

Zeus Mortgage, a leading mortgage lender, announces the company has officially been awarded the “Award for Excellence” by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for the third year in a row. The BBB Education Foundation will honor BBB Accredited Businesses and Charity Partners that maintain a superior commitment to ethics and overall excellence and quality in the workplace.

Zeus Mortgage is one of the fastest growing mortgage companies in Texas, comprised of a team of experts who are regularly interviewed by major television networks, such as ABC, SBC, FOX and CNN, for their extensive real estate market knowledge. In addition, Steven Kaufman, CEO of Zeus Mortgage has been featured two consecutive years in the National Professional Magazine as one of the top 40 most influential mortgage professionals under 40.

“Receiving recognition for our efforts is a true honor, as we strive to provide the best service we can for our clients,” stated Steven Kaufman, CEO, Zeus Mortgage. “Being named a finalist in such a respectable awards program lets us know we are on the right track and we will use this incredible honor as a stepping stone in our future endeavors.”

Houston’s Top 5 Outer Loop Neighborhoods

At a certain point in our lives, it’s time for some of us to leave the city behind. We trade the bustling streets of downtown for quieter communities outside the 610 loop. While suburbs have long been thought of as havens for soccer moms and bored teens, Houston’s outer loop communities have grown in atmosphere and amenities.

Many outer loop neighborhoods have become top spots for prime real estate and for good reasons. These growing communities often offer small-city life with only a half-hour drive from the excitement within the loop.

1. Cinco Ranch, a master-planned community known for its top-notch schools, used to be a suburb of another suburb, Katy. Now, it boasts a city center, La Ceterra, that hints at city life with bars, a Torchy’s Tacos and Trader Joe’s grocery store and a growing string of businesses off of I-99. As for the homes themselves, they’re often custom-built and on large lots - and are snapping up quickly.
2. Houston may be the energy capital of the world, but many of its oil and gas headquarters are well outside the loop. The Energy Corridor is home to many of these companies and their employees. The area has homes in a wider price range and lot size.
3. Looking for something a little more on the posh side? Try Bay Oaks. Further out than most, it’s located in Clear Lake and consists of large, luxury homes around a plush green golf course and country club.
4. Sedona Lakes and its 900 homes were designed to provide a small-town atmosphere not too far from the city. It prides itself on its “Arizona ambience,” derived from the natural stone imported from the region.
5. Meyerland is right on the outskirts of the loop. Just 15 minutes from spots like the Texas Medical Center and Downtown, it offers city living at somewhat lower housing prices and family-oriented neighborhoods. 

City life isn’t for everyone, but the suburbs can be just as exciting, especially with the rate of greater Houston’s growth. Do you live outside the loop and love your community? Tell me where and why in the comments!

Falling Oil Prices and Its Impact On the Mortgage Industry

The current environment surrounding falling oil prices has affected consumers and producers around the globe, with fear that the recent plunges could cause the home prices to fall as well. However, that’s not the case.

Energy stocks are being compared to the housing market in the U.S. after the subprime mortgage crisis. Triggered by a large decline in the prices of homes, this lead to mortgage felonies, foreclosures and deflation. 

Real estate economists are predicting that mortgage rates will rise in 2015 and investors are buying now instead or waiting for oil and gas companies to regain strength, unlike the housing market during the energy crisis of 1980s.

Still unsure if it’s the right time for you to buy a home? Zeus Mortgage is here to answer your mortgage questions. Let me know your current mortgage concerns in the comments!

Top 5 Neighborhoods To Watch: Houston’s Inner Loop

Houston’s inner loop properties have long been sought after, but there are a few areas in particular that are quickly bought off the market. If you’re in the market for a new home, take a look at these five hot spots:

1. Braeswood Place, a little piece of livable luxury in the southwest loop, is mainly single-family homes. With close proximity to the Medical Center, it may just be the last and best bang-for-your-buck in the loop. Large lot sizes and well-constructed homes are abound – but they’re snapped up quickly by eager buyers.
2. Originally an independent city, Cottage Grove is now home to many young professionals and empty nesters. It’s close to Memorial Park, offering up a natural landscape against the expanding business community in the Memorial area.
3. Just east of the oh-so-popular Heights and north of Downtown, Lindale Parkis one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods. With much thanks to its active, community-oriented civic club, it remains a hidden gem filled with 1940’s bungalows and families young and old.
4. The First Ward is in the midst of a transition – with no real end destination in sight. Newly constructed townhomes make this a popular destination for young professionals, but it still fights to maintain its historical factor with its older, industrial buildings.
5. Between the lofts, new yoga studios and fusion restaurants, EaDo (East Downtown) is hip and filling up fast. You won’t find many single-family homes here, but townhomes and contemporary mid-rise condos are plentiful.

Which neighborhoods are you looking at for your next home? Inner or outer loop? Trendy or traditional? Let me know in the comments!

Three Ways To Motivate Your Employees

Summer is here and with it comes a lack of concentration and possibly even the summertime blues in the office. It’s hard not to think about European escapes, a weekend getaway to Galveston for a quick beach trip or even just a day off for a staycation. When employees spend most of their time longing to get away from the office, it hurts productivity and workplace morale – but there’s still hope 

Here are three ways to motivate employees to come to work excited and ready to get their work done during those lazy summer days.

1. Team bonding:
   This may seem like a given, but many companies don’t know how to execute this well. Zeus Mortgage implements a new team exercise every month. On Friday afternoon, their team participates in a specific challenge chosen for that month. For example, one month focused on yoga and another month they sampled various types of coffee from around the world. It doesn’t have to be big, and there doesn’t necessarily need to be money spent, but when people know they are apart of a team, it makes them feel more connected and promotes a positive atmosphere. 
2. Open environment:
   An open environment doesn’t necessarily mean having an open floor plan, but focuses on encouraging open communication. If employees feel like they can’t join a conversation or are too afraid to voice their ideas, opinions or grievances, there is a problem. It may sound cliché, but having a team that works in harmony can never lead to disrupt in the work place. This is something that helps not only during summer, but all year long. 
3. Summer hours:
   Many businesses already incorporate this, but it can be a successful tactic if done correctly. Hours may vary – half day Fridays, no working on Fridays at all, etc. – but if employees can look forward to an incentive, they will work harder during the week to finish projects on time and produce great work.

It doesn’t take too much to encourage employees to stay in the work frame of mind, but remember they aren’t machines – everyone needs a break. Plus, there’s plenty to do in Houston during the summer, and no one wants to be left out!

Open Carry in the Workplace is Bad for Business

I’ve said it before, this is nothing but continued self-fulfilling negative PR, and unfortunately for everyone in Baltimore, perception is reality. Just when I was hoping “open carry” wouldn’t get to the goal line in Texas the internet begins to use the Baltimore riots as an example of why we “need” open carry – but they’re wrong.

“You can’t get ahead when you’re trying to get even.” – Unknown

Q: What’s open carry in Texas have to do with Baltimore?

A: Nothing directly, but showing young black men rioting in the streets is all the PR you need to get such a counterproductive and silly bill, put forth by another minority and then voted into a law. There was a sliver of hope that the governor wouldn’t sign before the Baltimore riots. Now it’s just justification for the proponents.

Q: Why the opposition to open carry?A: There are a lot of good people that carry openly. You cannot tell from looking at someone if they are currently carrying a concealed weapon. This is helpful because the element of surprise is better than potentially becoming a target.

If you currently have a CHL, then you can carry your gun (concealed) in most places during your daily routine (gas station, restaurant, etc.). When a bunch of idiots of any race start to show off their guns at those places, that leads to these establishments prohibiting ALL guns. This basically eliminates the advantage and privilege given to current CHL holders.

Have you noticed who gets shot first in movies and even actual robberies? The guy with the gun – because he’s the obvious threat. If you want to rob someone then you identify and eliminate the threats first, so I suspect many more unassuming open carry citizens to get into unnecessary situations that will be dangerous for themselves and others.

I don’t want my daughters at a toy store standing next to an idiot with his 45 on his hip. A lot of CHL holders do not carry because it’s hard for the to conceal their preferred carry weapon, but with open carry we will see much larger, much more dangerous weapons in public.

You cannot identify a real-life situation where an open carry scenario would be better than a concealed carry scenario.

Q: Are you defending the criminals that are rioting and not the law abiding citizens that want to protect their families and businesses?A: No, I’m not.

Q: Why not support open carry? I’d feel more comfortable seeing other open carriers in my midst.A: Police and military practice open carry for access, not as a deterrent. For example, many detectives and federal positions do not open carry since they do not need access the same way as a soldier or police officer does. It’s a small business owner’s right to not alienate a majority of their customers for the preferences of the few, and I’ll unfortunately be lumped in with that group. I do not and will not feel comfortable with open carry in the midst of my daughters. There is more safety in concealment. Like I said above, there are almost no real-life scenarios where an open carry would be more beneficial to a concealed carry.

All of the questions and answers I’ve stated can be applied to the workplace. I would not feel comfortable letting my employees open carry – let alone would I want to alienate an employee who feels the same way.

Join the discussion! Let me know what you think of open carry in the workplace policies.

How to avoid P.M.I. (Private Mortgage Insurance)

What is Private Mortgage Insurance (P.M.I.):

Private Mortgage Insurance reimburses the lender if you default on your home loan. You, the borrower, pay the premiums.

You may have heard that you need to put as much as 20% down to avoid paying PMI, this can cost you thousands upfront and throughout your loan as well as really drain your bank account. 

Well, with our Zeus Mortgage PMI Prevention Program we can offer you options with as little as 3% down without PMI! 

This saves you both money upfront by not having to put down a large payment and allows you to avoid spending money each month that does go towards your loan balance!

You can also avoid a forced escrow and pay your property taxes and Home Owners Insurance on your own schedule!

So, if your buying a home to live in or as investment real estate in Texas, check out a mortgage bank program to prevent or remove P.M.I. 

Log-on to www.askzeus.com for more details.  

How to Buy 10 Homes in 10 Months with only $10,000

How to Buy 10 Homes in 10 Months with only $10,000

On April 14th and 15th I will be leading a course at the Realty Investment Club of Houston (The RICH Club) in Houston, Texas.

This course is designed for new and experienced real estate investors who desire rapid acquisition with limited capital resources. We spend six hours over two nights exploring the strategies investors need to purchase 10 homes in 10 months with only $10,000.

The course is designed to allow investors to purchase more or less homes in more or less time depending upon their specific investment objectives. An investor does not need the $10,000 to start, but they do need access to these funds. A fundamental rule of real estate investing is "conservation of capital". We encourage investors to have available cash reserves when they start investing, but many start without this.

Cash is King! Or is it? This course teaches you strategies to fund your real estate portfolio. Whether you are flipping, buying and holding or considering niche opportunities like Notes, owner-financing, multifamily, commercial or other, knowing how to leverage your money is key.  

-Steven Kaufman, president of New York Mutual and Zeus Mortgage

By the end of this class you will be able to:

1. Develop a personalized strategy to fund your preferred method of investing.

2. Calculate Return on Investment (ROI), cash-on-cash returns, and other formulas for investors.

3. Locate traditional and non-traditional funding sources such as; self-directed IRAs, private money, hard money, banks & credit cards.

The RICH Club (The Realty Investment Club of Houston) is the oldest and largest non-profit trade association for real estate investors in the United States. By the way, you don't have to be rich to attend The RICH Club. You come to The RICH Club to educate yourself on real estate investing. www.RICHclub.org

To register for this course visit this link:

http://richclub.org/Events.aspx?ID=10-Houses-with-10k-in-10-Months-29-4-14-2015

Members of RICH only pay $199 | Non-Members only pay $249

This is the highest attended, paid course, that The RICH Club offers.

Houston Hard Money Lenders for Houston Real Estate Investor Lenders. 

Napoleon Hill - How to Raise Your Own Salary

How to Raise Your  Own Salary – Napoleon Hill

The Ten Habits of Personal Power

1.) The habit of definiteness of purpose (The money maker)

2.) Promptness of decision 

3.) Soundness of character (intentional honesty)

4.) Strict discipline over one’s emotions

5.) Obsessional desire to render useful service (MY FAVORITE)

6.) Thorough knowledge of one’s occupation

7.) Tolerance on all subjects

8.) Loyalty to one’s personal associates and faith in a supreme Being

9.) Enduring thirst for knowledge

10.) Alertness of imagination 

Houston Mortgage Interest Rates - The Impact of Fannie and Freddie Shutting Down (The Coolest Guy in Houston)

Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

The Steven Kaufman - The Coolest Guy in Houston

The Coolest Guy in Houston! -Steven Kaufman

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages...

Introducing these amazingly cool and awesome "mortgage socks" cuz we are kicking butt in the mortgage world!  
Yes, we did!!!!

The Coolest Guy in Houston