Not Open for Business

When one door shuts another one opens, so the saying goes. I am closing my mortgage business of 6 1/2 years. Well, almost closed. My husband reminds me that I haven't called the phone company to turn off the phone, so it's 97% closed. But mentally, it's a closed book, my latest "Been there, done that." I'm sharing my news with the community. Last week I called my parent company to inform them of my decision, but they “graciously” said they'd keep my license current; in case one came across my desk that I wanted to do. They aren’t doing me any favors but I didn't have the heart at the time to make my statement Final, now I'm ready to call back. Thanks, but no thanks. Friends in the industry have long told me I'd never quit, but they never understood that it was just a job. A year ago my parent company, with whom I’d worked for five years, quit doing loans for homes on more than five acres. That was the beginning of the end. There were days when I thought my head would pop off.

I didn't like the direction the industry went the last several years. I thought ARMs (adjustable rate mortgage), Option ARMs and Interest Only loans were wrong for most consumers and only did one ARM loan for a Borrower. Period. Next year a million ARM loans will be reset to reflect today's interest rates and we may have interesting results...but I’ll step off my soap box.

Three years ago I decided to become a Foster Care Provider for Wall Residences, LLC. We built an addition to our home in 2004 and my husband and I took classes to be licensed. I provide training and support for an adult with a physical and/or intellectual disability. When our first client moved in August 2005, I initially thought my mortgage business would close by year end. We quickly learned the importance of the right match--and were thankful when our client was relocated in October, six weeks later. I made a half-hearted attempt to plod on; I advertised and told everyone that I was still doing loans, but I was miserable. My negative energy must have transferred to my business because I had a slow year.

Our next client moved in last June. We had met him prior to meeting the client-that-didn't- work-out and felt instinctively that he was the one, but then had to wait until he was ready. We are several months into a positive, long-term working relationship. This job is far more rewarding to me than doing mortgage loans was and it’s a step in the right direction--to soothe my soul. It doesn't hurt that I earn a monthly paycheck--which is a welcome breath of fresh air.
I’m settling into and accepting my decision to close my business. More than anything, I feel relief. I’m moving forward. I don't know when the next open door will appear; but I'm older and wiser--let's hope--and have finally learned that it's time I pursue my deepest interests while I also allow myself to just "be," an important part of the process and a bit new to me. One day down the road I may start a new business, but as of October 31, 2006, the Mortgage Broker door is shut. Closed. Finis. I'm not open for business. Wahoo!