Laura A. Allen, Residential Loan Officer NMLS 944391

Hey Chicagoland! It’s not too late to join me at October Cafe and meet “the author”, me.
I’ll be here until 1 pm.

Come join me this Sunday for my "Pop Up Store" at October Cafe!

Are you still paying your landlord's mortgage? Don't miss out on the benefits of owing your home.

I am "back in business" and ready to help you achieve your wealth building goals through homeownership.

Check out my latest inspirational book offering for all ages.
Leafless Tree

Laura A. Allen, Residential Loan Officer NMLS 944391 I love helping people achieve the dream of homeownership helping them navigate the path to building

The Stirring by Laura A. Allen

I am stirred.
Not gently through, as when blueberries are added to homemade muffin batter.
Stirred.
But it's not like when the sugar is mixed with the butter and the egg is added in and the mix is beaten well.
I just know that I am stirred,
Still standing in one place waiting for something to drop into the mix.

Happy Holidays! I'm excited to share that my latest book, The Leafless Tree, is now available globally through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc... Of course, you can still get it on Lulu.com but I have included the Amazon link below.
https://www.amazon.com/Leafless-Tree-Laura-Allen/dp/B0CQKJ6ZPR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1JJJJJ6M13EMS&keywords=the+leafless+tree+by+laura+a+allen&qid=1703441076&sprefix=the+leafless+tree+by+laura+a+allen%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1

The Leafless Tree "The Leafless Tree" by Laura A. Allen is a story about a tree that remains bare and leafless while all the other trees around it bloom and flourish during the spring season. The tree becomes isolated and lonely, as the other trees and animals assume it is dead. However, when a bird decides to bui...

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/landlords-are-offering-more-concessions-as-the-rental-market-softens

While the data is trending toward rents stabilizing or decreasing, I see this as a positive in some situations for both tenant and landlords. Landlords know that they have to do better than break even on my property particularly when the new mortgages on them reflect the higher interest rates. But the market rent is the market rent so If you are a greedy landlord then you can stop reading now. For landlords, the concessions mentioned in article can be as creative as necessary to set your apartment or rental home apart from the others. Maybe it is a prorated security deposit spread out over 6 months to make the acquisition easier, or perks for payments made the day before due date, or even rewards perks that set your rental apart. Since I am a mortgage lender and strong proponent for homeownership, in spite of the higher interest rates, I have a goal for renters to become homeowners. As a landlord, I might assist them with homebuying education and offer the option to buy my property. We have seen a lot of seller's who make concessions toward closing costs particularly since buyers are struggling with higher rates and higher home costs. People always need a place to live whether owning or renting and mortgage rates can adversely affect both, but with a bit of generosity mixed with creativity everyone can win in this "crazy" housing arena.

Landlords Are Offering Concessions—Does This Mean the Rental Market is Softening? The rental market has continued to grow in much of the country, but signs of softness are starting to creep in. Here's what you need to know.

I love gathering with the Wesos family of like-minded entrepreneurs! I appreciate that the chapters are welcoming to those from other areas who visit and share their "awesomeness" providing even more opportunities to connect with someone new.

Another homeownership dream come true! My client, his realtor, and his attorney are smiling because we were able to give him our $7,000 PATH grant and procure $30,000 in grant money for his closing. Wow $37,000!!!

Worry is a “killer” acquired skill that destroys positive potential and profits no one. Are you a worrier? Be a positivity warrior instead and seek to acquire some different skills.

I "coffee'd" up today with other Skokie Chamber of Commerce & Industry members for the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony of C3 Coffee Bar. The Skokie mayor had the honor of cutting the ribbon. Stop in there for a unique flavor-infused iced or hot drink and look for my picture on the wall with the owner and some Chamber members.

My client and I are smiling because he closed on his first home loan today with only $1000 earnest money and the $15 he brought to closing. He is proudly holding our PATH grant flyer which gave him $7,000 and he qualified for another down payment assistance program giving him $6,000. What a sweet deal! I love my profession.

Here are some pics from Skokie Chamber of Commerce & Industry from The Skokie Festival of Cultures (https://lnkd.in/gKudC_qg) where I volunteered to help the Skokie Chamber of Commerce & Industry at their booth. Of course, I spoke to folks about our $7,000 PATH grant and 3% down CARE program. If you would like information about getting qualified for a mortgage, reach out to me.

Another great meeting with the Evanston WESOS chapter where women entrepreneurs learn Secrets of Success from their peers. We heard from our speaker, Tammy Helfrich, on "The Power of Belief." She is also the author of "Unapologetic", a book about accepting yourself for who you are as you bring your gifts to the world. My colleague on the business banking side, Margret Kuchyt also joined me. Love this group!

Check out our PATH grant! Some of the features of this program include:
• Available for prospective buyers purchasing or building a primary residence in eligible counties.
• Borrower income must qualify.
• Can be layered with other grant programs (consult with your Associated Bank mortgage professional for details).
• First-time and repeat home buyers are eligible.
• The PATH program is a 100% forgivable grant.

Don't let interest rates scare you! If you are renting, then you are paying someone's mortgage. Why not make it your own?

Laura A. Allen, Residential Loan Officer NMLS 944391 I love helping people achieve the dream of homeownership helping them navigate the path to building

KNOW YOUR VALUE: This is a 1000 gram iron bar. It’s raw value is around $100.

If you decide to make horseshoes, its value would increase to $250.

If, instead, you decided to make sewing needles, the value would increase to about $70,000.

If you decided to produce watch springs and gears, the value would increase to about $6 Million.

However still, if you decided to manufacture precision laser components out of it like ones used in lithography, it’ll be worth $15 Million.

~~Your value is not just what you are made of, but instead it is in all the ways you choose to make the best of who YOU🫵 are.

Associated Bank named One of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek GREEN BAY, Wis. – April 6, 2023 – Associated Banc-Corp (NYSE: ASB) has been named among the “Most Trustworthy Companies in America” by Newsweek. This award is presented by...

Love this!

Wednesday's Skokie Chamber of Commerce & Industry Women in Business event at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Skokie featured a Celebration of Women in Leadership. I love networking with these dynamic, forward-thinking women who support and encourage one another. Also, I won the book in raffle; I can't wait to see what's next in April!

Many have had questions while trying to understand what happened to SVB? This article written by Dave Meyer for Bigger Pockets offers a good explanation. Regardless of what happens, you have to live somewhere so don't allow the talking heads to dissuade you from participating in the Real Estate market. The article asks the question: Is Real Estate Going To Be Impacted?

https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/how-did-svb-collapse-in-48-hours?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20%7C%2003/14/23%20(Control)%20Free

How Did A $200B+ Bank Collapse In 48 Hours? Is Real Estate Going To Be Impacted? Last week, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) rapidly collapsed—going from normal operations to insolvency in a matter of days. SVB was the 16th largest bank in the

Real Estate vs. Stocks: Which Has Been the Better Investment Over 145 Years? Looking for the best return on investment? Here, we examine past performance to explain the benefits of real estate versus stocks.

Change can be challenging, especially when it means losing an hour of sleep.