VanDyk Mortgage - April 2022

APRIL 2022

Letters From the Hart Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com Corporate NMLS #3035 www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

TAKING OFF THE TRAINING WHEELS

How Much Control Should We Give Our Kids?

Every week, I tune in to a Zoom call with a bunch of other VanDyk loan officers and branch managers. It's kind of like a book club with a big focus on business. Right now we’re reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book, “Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success,” and talking about a different chapter on each call.

[insert fancy job here],” they let me find my own way.

to be a lawyer? Great! You want to be a plumber? Also great! You have no idea? Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. Taking off the training wheels sounds easy, but let’s be real: I’m constantly worried that I’m going to blow it. I want my kids to get the mentorship and guidance they need, but I don’t want to baby them. It’s a battle between one side of my mind saying, “You’re not doing enough,” and another side saying, “You’re doing too much.” But maybe that’s just parenting. My oldest is only 14, so the future isn’t really a big topic in our house yet, but it’s fun to talk to the kids and ask what they want to do. I swear some of them have changed their chosen career path four times this year! At this point I just try to be supportive. After hearing from those branch managers who hated their jobs for years, I think that’s the best thing a dad can do. What do you think about all this? Are you pushing your kids to join the family business? Did your parents do that to you? Let me know next time we run into each other. I’d love to hear your story.

It wasn’t easy. There were a few years after high school when I fumbled along trying to find the right path. I worked at Publix for a few years and thought that was definitely the place for me — the corporate ladder was easy to follow and managers in their 30s made six figures! Eventually, I got sick of stocking shelves and wanted to do something else. I tried a stupid business venture I never should have and fell on my face; and I even did odd manual labor jobs for my dad. It was a weird time and I was definitely lost, but my parents never freaked out about it. They didn’t ask me a million questions about what I was doing with my life or tell me what to try next. Instead, they just supported me no matter what. Eventually I became a wine sales rep at 21 and did that for a few years until I found my way to the mortgage business at 24, where I have been ever since. I think that’s the right way to do it. Kids should know that they have options other than college, but they should also be free to make their own choices! As parents, we need to step back and take off the training wheels. My wife Stefanie and I try to parent that way. We’ll never push our kids into college or any particular career path. You want

Of course, when you get a dozen mortgage professionals on Zoom

together, we’re bound to get sidetracked once or twice. A few weeks ago, Stephen Katz, the branch manager running the meeting asked a great question: “Did your parents ever force you into a career path you weren’t excited about?” It turns out at least two of the people on the call used to have jobs they hated. One was a lawyer and one was in education. They worked those gigs for years before finally leaving to do something they liked (the mortgage business). No one straight- out said it, but pressure from their parents to do something “respectable” was probably a factor. This question got me thinking about how lucky I am to have the parents I do. They gave me plenty of chores to make sure I had a great work ethic, but they never forced me to do anything or pushed a particular career or future on me. Instead of telling me, “You have to go to college” or “You have to be a doctor/lawyer/

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JUST LIKE RIDING A BIKE Cycling Is the Perfect Activity for All Ages

You likely learned how to ride a bike as a kid — according to a 2013 survey, about 94% of American adults did. Even if it has been a while since your last ride, most people agree you never forget how, and you don’t have to be in great shape to get started. Outside of walking, biking might be the most accessible exercise for all ages and ability levels. The beauty of biking is that it can be as relaxing or challenging as you want. The average kid learns to ride at around 5 years old, so the basics aren’t complicated. Biking helps young children get outside and gives them a taste of being a "big kid." As a result, it’s excellent for their self-esteem as well as their fitness.

beginners. Older adults and people with knee problems also use biking as an alternative to other forms of exercise because it’s easier on their joints. Meanwhile, those looking for a challenge can easily find one. If you want a strenuous workout, it’s easy to ride farther, increase the resistance on your bike, or pick a steeper bike trail to explore. Biking is only a cakewalk if you choose to make it one. Since it’s perfect for all ages, cycling is the ideal outdoor activity to do with your family, allowing everyone to be involved in quality time together while promoting their health. To get started, make sure everyone has a bike they can use comfortably and a helmet that fits, plus understands bike safety. Once the basics are taken care of, you’re ready to hit the trails or explore the neighborhood.

Cycling is also perfect for adults who are new to

exercise or need a low-impact activity. A short ride on a flat surface will get the heart rate up

Even if you never learned how to ride, there’s no time like the present. You might feel a little silly at first, but the benefits of cycling will serve you — and your family — well for the rest of your life.

without feeling too strenuous, making it optimal for

April 1, aka April Fools’ Day, is when people love to pull pranks on one another. But if they’re not careful, pranks can end with a court case or jail time. Let’s take a look at a few April Fools’ pranks that have brutally backfired. Navistar Plant Shutdown In April 2021, Pamela Sisco texted her sister about an active shooter at Navistar Plant in Clark County. Her sister was frightened, and she called the authorities to let them know about the situation. The plant shut down after hearing about the incident because they thought it was a real threat. When officers were at the scene, they charged Sisco with inducing panic and disrupting public services. This is a fifth- degree felony in Ohio, and she was sentenced to a year in prison. Radio Contest Gone Wrong KBDS (103.9 FM) is a radio station in California that held a contest in 2005. They told their listeners they could win a new Hummer if they APRIL FOOLS’ DAY GONE WRONG 3 Pranks That Severely Backfired

tracked the number of miles of two Hummers as they drove around town. Shannan Castillo won the contest, and when she went to pick up her brand-new car, the DJ came out with a remote control toy car. They then went on air and laughed about how they fooled everyone. Castillo hired an attorney and sued the radio station for $60,000 — the cost of a new Hummer. Practical Joke at Work Creates a Law Glenn Howlett was a services manager at London City Hall in London, Ontario, Canada. In 2004, he decided to take a vacation to relax and not think about work. His colleagues decided to tell him that a major project he was working on was due earlier than Howlett expected. So, he made his vacation short and decided to return to work to finish his project. He became so stressed out that he began having heart palpitations and collapsed. Afterward, he sued his now former employer for damages. As a result, the city passed a law prohibiting practical jokes within workplaces. As you plan your pranks for April Fools’ Day, remember not to go too far with your jokes. Make them lighthearted and fun so everyone can laugh about them in the future.

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Nelson's skills are so important that Realtors and loan officers from all over the state are now able to send clients and borrowers our way. Nelson has helped people with Colpmbian backgrounds like him as well as Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican families. “Most Realtors don’t want to turn people away because of the language barrier, and I can come in and help with that or communicate between the Realtor and the borrower,” Nelson explains. “A lot of other loan officers have also sent me referrals who are Spanish-speaking only, and Realtors know Tim has me here to help with Spanish-speaking clients.” Nelson comes from a Colombian family so he grew up speaking both English and Spanish at home. He says that being bilingual was “definitely something employers sought after,” and for good reason! About half of the cases Nelson is handling right now are with Spanish-speaking clients, and he’s constantly switching back and forth throughout the day. It’s really heartwarming when Nelson helps a client that no one else in our area could. For example, a while back a Realtor called us up for help because their Spanish-speaking client couldn’t get her loan approved through another lender. This lady was a single mom going through a really tough time, but the other lender just gave up on her. Supposedly they denied her loan because of her low credit score, but Nelson suspects that they would have helped her more if she’d been a better English speaker.

“We have a credit repair program, and I put her in that and two months later, her credit shot up 40 points!” he says. “At that point we were able to move forward with the loan and get it approved at an amazing rate for that time. She was super excited — it was her first time buying a home and she was a single mom. Getting her out of renting and into a stable home in a good neighborhood was rewarding on my part.” Nelson also says that sometimes Spanish-speaking clients don’t have the access to services that English speakers have because lenders see them as more work. A lot of lenders just don’t think translating is worth the time and effort. “Sometimes it feels like some people might get turned away because somebody doesn't want to put in the work or the elbow grease to get them approved,” he explains. That’s not the case here at VanDyk Mortgage. My team and I want to help everyone , no matter where you’re from or what language you speak. Call us and ask for Nelson if you need us, and remember: Si hablas español, estamos aquí para ayudarte.

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Trivia Question : How many states other than Florida is Tim's team getting licensed in?

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

Tim Hart, NMLS #354676 8280 College Parkway, Suite #101 Fort Myers, FL 33919

Give us a call! 239-437-4278 Or visit www.TimHartJr.com

Inside This Issue

Tim Talks Hands-Off Parenting PAGE 1

Get Outdoors With the Family Through Cycling

Major April Fools’ Day Fails PAGE 2

Testimonial From the Hart PAGE 3

Great News for Spanish Speakers PAGE 4

Big News From the VanDyk Team HABLAS ESPAÑOL? SO DO WE!

2022 has already been a big year for our team, and we’re only a third of the way through it! One of the most exciting things for me has been watching our licensing expand. Our VanDyk branch is currently expanding our licensing to lend in six more states:

Getting this extra licensing is super complicated, but it’s totally worth it. We are not done yet either, there are more states on the horizon. Nelson is a huge asset to our team. Not only is he great at his job, he’s the only local VanDyk Mortgage Loan Officer who is fluent in Spanish. Thanks to him, we’ve helped dozens of Spanish-speaking clients get into their dream homes.

• South Carolina • Indiana • Michigan

• Pennsylvania • Georgia • Virginia

It’s pretty cool to be able to help with mortgage loans in other places, and we’ve already seen big benefits for our clients.

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