Let’s Talk About Car Chases … Vehicle Delinquency Interviews

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I have performed many vehicle delinquency interviews. Some were also for boats, jet skis, motorcycles and RVs. You are not asking for any keys or making a repossession. In essence, you are asking the delinquent borrower to call the bank or finance company in your presence. When they call, you get the name of the person they talked to on the telephone.

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Thanks Don For The Feedback

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Richard, thanks for all the great resources. I’m new to field inspections but an article you wrote for one of the notary sites got my attention, led me to SOFI and from there to steady work providing me with a nice ancillary income. I’m more into it for the fun and keeping my people skills sharp, but the money is a nice bonus. Thanks for all you do!

See If These $425 Fake Mud Pants Meet Your Customer’s Dress Code

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Nordstrom ($JWN), which canceled Ivanka Trump’s fashion line after their liberal customers complained, has decided to mock blue collar Americans by selling a pair of $425 jeans with fake mud!

It’s for the trust fund baby. It’s for the kid who inherits the millions of dollars, the kid who doesn’t want to work hard and wants to go into Nordstrom, pay a lot of money and act like they work – Ainsley Eardhardt, Fox & Friends

Nordstrom ($JWN) has decided to mock blue collar Americans with “Fake Mud” jeans. Most of the people I know get real mud on their jeans.

E&S Is A New Online Advertiser With SOFI

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Check out the SOFI National Field Service Directory. It is the Bible in the field services industry. If you are starting or growing a field inspection business, the Directory will list over 100 of the higher quality firms that pay the higher fees and service your state. Network with the thousands of field inspectors across the U.S. … they are listed on the CD that comes with the mailed paper Directory. If you are going to do something … be sure to do it right.

 

The Subprime Auto Loan Meltdown Is Near … Get Ready For Some Great Car Chases

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According to Equifax, an astounding 23.5 percent of all new auto loans were made to subprime borrowers in 2015.  At this point, there is a total of somewhere around $200 billion in subprime auto loans floating around out there. Everything would be fine if the number of subprime borrowers not making their payments was extremely low.  And that was true for a while, but now delinquency rates and default rates are rising to levels that we haven’t seen since the last recession. According to Bloomberg, almost 5% of subprime car loans that were bundled into securities and sold to investors are delinquent, and the default rate is even higher than that.

This bad economic news is great news for car chases. Car Chases is the short term for vehicle delinquency interviews. These are NOT repossessions. You are NOT towing cars. They pay about $25 for nearby inspections. Be sure to include some Car Chases in your portfolio of inspections. Check out all of the great SOFI information, marketing and training products at www.sofistore.com. Get connected with the higher quality firms that pay the higher fees.

 

The Largest Expense For Field Services Is Gas

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I paid $2.02 at the BJ’s in Melbourne, Florida for gas. As a military retiree, I pay only $35 for a BJ’s membership card. I have $250 in RaceTrac gas cards that I purchased at a 20% discount at Publix. Using these cards, I pay about $1.86/gallon for gas at RaceTrac. I drive a 3-year old Prius 2 that gets 52 MPG.

Keep your service area small. Create the volume you need in that small service area by working for more companies. Charge more for out-of-area services. Work only for the higher quality firms that pay the higher fees. Avoid low-fee mortgage inspections. Work smart. Create efficiencies and you will earn more money. Add another part-time job such as notary signings if you need to fill any gaps. Life can be great if you are organized and produce great work.

Need Business Insurance … Check Out OREP … They Know Field Service Insurance Needs

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Deal only with a professional insurance agent. In 2016, many of the Mortgage Order Mills (MOMs) were pushing an insurance agent who had their licensed revoked by a state insurance commissioner because of fraud. The owner of the insurance agency is expected to be criminally charged. Shop around and be sure to check out OREP before you make a final decision on insurance.

Telephone Not Ringing … Maybe You Need A SOFI-Designed Resume

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SOFI has designed thousands of field service inspector resumes. We know what works. We know how to create a resume that will get some attention. Your resume needs to tell a 15-second story of who you are … what you do … where you do it … with no background noise.

The process is to complete the online form at www.joinsofi.com. Then ORDER your resume design … the price is $50. We will create a draft in about two days for you to review. The final product will be in a PDF format. You will LOVE your new resume. Look professional. Make more money in 2017.

 

Many Of The Mortgage Vendor Managers Are Legal Experts In All States

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Be sure you know the trespass and peeping laws in your state. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking the law. I had a vendor manager at a Mortgage Order Mill (MOM) tell me that it was OKAY to peep into windows to obtain the occupancy status of a home. She said that it’s OKAY to peep into the windows of homes. I asked her if she had any legal training and what she did before she started work for the Mortgage Order Mill. She said that she was a hair dresser for seven years. I assume that she received some of her legal training while cutting the hair of a few attorneys.

Virginia Code 18.2-130 … Peeping or spying into dwelling or enclosure.

It shall be unlawful for any person to enter upon the property of another and secretly or furtively peep, spy or attempt to peep or spy into or through a window, door or other aperture of any building, structure, or otherenclosure of any nature occupied or intended for occupancy as a dwelling,whether or not such building, structure or enclosure is permanently situated or transportable and whether or not such occupancy is permanent or temporary,or to do the same, without just cause, upon property owned by him and leased or rented to another under circumstances that would violate the occupant’s reasonable expectation of privacy.

LIAR … LIAR … Pants On Fire

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Some of the insurance field service firms think it is OKAY to lie to insurance field service inspectors. One national insurance field services firm said that it was okay to take photos while standing on private property of the inside of a fenced rear yard without owner/occupant consent because the authorization was written into the insurance policy. The insurance field service inspector felt very uneasy. He asked to see where such authorization was written in the insurance policy. CRICKETS! … No response.

He then called the insurance underwriter and discovered that no such authorization was written into their insurance policies. There was no such authorization to take photos of rear yards while standing on private property. Trespass is criminal in most state and county jurisdictions. You could be arrested and go to jail.

The insurance field inspector has referred this matter to the state insurance commissioner for a reading on the matter. More later on this!

When a field service firm lies to you, it means that they have no respect for you. Stop working for the liars.

SOFI does not provide any legal advice as we are not lawyers.

North Carolina Issues Notary Signing Licenses To 320 Illegal Immigrants

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FOX News reports that a state representative is demanding the resignation of North Carolina’s secretary of state after reviewing documents that show 320 people with no legal residency status were given notary positions for nearly a decade.

Records show that more than 300 North Carolina notaries were illegal residents. There are probably more that 320. I’m sure that more will be found.

U.S Federal District Court Rules That Controlled Vendors Are “EMPLOYEES” & NOT Independent Contractors

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Paul Williams at Foreclosurepedia has been rightly saying for many years that controlled vendors are “treated” like employees and they should be treated as employees and NOT as independent contractors. On March 17th, a U.S. Federal District Court entered a 50-page court ruling in the Bowman v Field Asset Services case wherein the court declared that:

“the overwhelming weight of the evidence supports a finding that FAS retained and, more often than not, actually exercised a right to control the manner and means of the vendors’ work. While some of the secondary factors for evaluating proper classification fall in FAS’s favor, they cannot overcome the powerful evidence of control that establishes that the vendors are employees as a matter of law.”

The bottom line is that Mortgage Order Mills (MOMs) … and others … are exercising too much control over their field service representatives. The U.S. federal courts have ruled in two federal cases that the MOMs could not overcome the powerful evidence of control that establishes that the vendors are employees as a matter of law. There are several other Rulings coming down the pike over the next month or so, the largest of which will be the Vinson v MCS on nearly identical issues.

You MUST READ the Foreclosurepedia blog post which provides a great highlighted analysis of the Bowman v Field Asset Services ruling. This federal court ruling affects EVERYONE in the field services industry. It establishes the rule of law that control of vendors will be determined by the federal district courts and that such controlled vendors are employees as a matter of law. The U.S. Federal Court rulings say that Paul Williams got it right when everyone told Paul that he was wrong.

Paul Williams is one of the smartest people I know. Paul is a great friend of LABOR. He has also provided consulting to some major U.S. corporations.   I talked to Paul last evening for about 45 minutes discussing the Bowman v Field Asset Services case. He also provided me with some great trusted business advice. I always find his advice to be valuable to my business and I made another donation to show my appreciation. You too can make a donation at Foreclosurepedia and get connected to the person who has his fingers on the pulse of what is happening in the field services industry. The world of field services is changing and the new keywords trending are “controlled vendors are employees”. Hiring companies and field workers need to link up with Paul Williams (coo@foreclosurepedia.org) for some straight talk and advice. Paul has a record of being right.

Philadelphia Field Inspectors Need To Ask For More Money For Inspections

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Philadelphia field service inspectors have a higher cost of living than many of us. They pay an 8% sales tax and a beverage tax (1.5-cents per ounce) on any beverage that contains sugar. A 12-pack of Propel berry flavored water with 2 grams of sugar is $9.75.

I purchased three 24-pack cases of Propel at a BJ’s in Florida today. The price for a 24-pack case in Florida was $11.62 with tax. If Florida had the same beverage tax, I would have paid $17.70 … of which $6.08 would have been the beverage tax.

Bottom line: $9.75 for a 12-pack in Philly and $11.62 for a 24-pack in Florida. Philly field inspectors need to ask for more money just so that they can buy berry flavored water.

More Car Chases Coming In 2017 As More Subprime Auto Loans Default

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Losses on subprime auto loans have spiked in the last few months. They jumped to 9.1% in January, up from 7.9% in January 2016. Recoveries on subprime auto loans also fell to just 34.8%, the worst performance in over seven years.

A local area car chase (vehicle delinquency interview) pays about $25. These are NOT repossessions. Two of the larger national car chase field service firms are long-time members of SOFI.

 

Federal Reserve Increased Interest Rates As Job Market Improves

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Rising interest rates is a big blow to the low-fee mortgage segment of the industry … the home of $3 mortgage inspections. Janet Yellen says the economy is improving … more and better jobs are here NOW! More better jobs are coming. No one will want the low-pay jobs … especially $3 mortgage inspections with “maybe” a profit of $1.50.

The mortgage segment is the home of 99.5% of the greed, fraud and corruption in the industry. The mortgage segment is terrible NOW and it will only get worst. The mortgage segment is on life support and will soon flatline.

 

March Is A Busy Sales Month At SOFI

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March has always been a very busy sales month at SOFI. We sell a lot of information, marketing and training products in the month of March. Field service firms and field service representatives seem to wake up in March and decide that it is time to invest in growing their business. We are seeing higher traffic at the SOFI Store today as the snow in the mid-west and north-east is keeping field service representatives home and they are thinking about growing their business more in 2017.

Take some time today and think about were you want to be in 2017. Let SOFI help you grow your business in 2017.

McDargh Consulting In Tampa Offers Some Great Commercial Property Inspections

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Dorann and I visited Tampa Busch Gardens for the day on Tuesday. We started off the day in Tampa having breakfast with Betsy McDargh at McDargh Real Estate Services, Inc. Her firm has a great reputation as being a higher quality firm that offers higher fees. She is always looking for the best of the best field service inspectors and she will pay you well for your experience and expertise. Be sure to complete an application form at the website.

WeGoLook … A New Star In The Sky … Featured On Worldwide Business With Kathy Ireland

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WeGoLook is a company seeking to change the way businesses and individuals collect or verify information. With the click of a button, one of the company’s 30,000+ “Lookers” can be dispatched at a moment’s notice to collect real-time data, photos or video. From automotive and property inspections to insurance claims, notary services and auction item verification, WeGoLook puts an immense mobile workforce at a customer’s fingertips. Their platform delivers real-time, efficient solutions customized to fit business or personal needs. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

What has been your experience with WeGoLook?

 

Seniors Make Great Field Service Inspectors. Here Are Some Test Questions To Help Hiring Firms To Find Seniors & Weed Out The Imposters

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After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, Who was that masked man? Invariably, someone would answer, I don’t know, but he left this behind. What did he leave behind?______________

When the Beatles first came to the U.S. In early 1964, we all watched them on The ____ ___________ Show.

The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to _____ _ _____.’

What takes a licking and keeps on ticking? _______.

We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit. The Russians did it. It was called __________.

 In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ____ ____ ____ ____.

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www.13easysteps.com

How Would Hitler React To $3 Mortgage Inspections?

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I posted this video at www.mortgagehorror.com. The field services industry is a great industry that offers real opportunities. The mortgage segment has always been the home of low-fee inspections and 99.5% of the fraud, greed and corruption in the industry. The video brings out all of the bad parts of the mortgage segment. It’s best to avoid low-fee mortgage inspections … to avoid stress in your life.

The Economy Is Heating Up … January Spending Spree Has US Retail Sales Rising Most In Nearly Five Years

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The economy is heating up. The stock market is skyrocketing and forecasting good times ahead.

I talked to my good friend Carl in Ohio. He has been performing inspections for the last twenty years. He loves car chases … vehicle delinquency interviews. Did you know that a car chase that pays $25 today, paid $25 about 20 years ago. The heating up of the economy will bring higher inspections fees as the supply of field inspectors settle out at a lower level.

Don’t Waste Your Time Filling Out Field Service Job Applications

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The higher quality firms in the field services industry that pay the higher fees will answer their phone and connect you with a real live person to discuss job opportunities. Always find out if there is a good probability of a job being available BEFORE you fill out a long employment application.

If the staff of a firm does not want to talk to you, you do not want to work for them. There always has to be a meeting of the minds in any successful relationship. Call FIRST to check on job availability before you waste a lot of time with an application. You may not like what they have to offer. If a hiring firm can’t get to what they pay for an inspection in the first two minutes, they probably pay below market rates. Silence on pay usually means that they are cheap.

Ask if there are any upfront costs to get started with the firm? These are often not explained in a job application. With mortgage inspections, there are almost ALWAYS high upfront costs and low fees. Ask about pay schedules.

New York Times Reports That Nearly 30% of Women 65 To 69 Are Working … 18% Of Women 70 – 74 Work

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The New York Times also reported that about 60% of men 60 – 64 work. The bottom line is that men and women are working longer. Since this is the case, it makes great sense for seniors to work a job that that they love and which provides a lot of flexibility.

Check out some part-time jobs like field services, notary signings, real estate sales and mystery shopping.

www.13easysteps.com

Explore … Check Out Mystery Shopping … It’s A Great Extra Fun Part-Time Gig

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Check out the great Mystery Shopping Training Manual at www.sofistore.com. Find the secret shopper tasks you like … ignore the ones you don’t care about. We guarantee  that you will love the training manual.

Mystery shopping is a part-time GIG for inspectors in all modern countries in the world. Watch the Australian television video on mystery shopping.

Call Richard Law at 321-543-2809 (east coast) to chat about field services.

Think Of Cheese As Mortgage Segment Jobs … And Smell The Cheese Often!

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Mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures are at record lows. Too many mortgage inspectors are chasing a low supply of mortgage inspections. The mortgage segment is drier than the feet of a Upper Michigan mortgage field inspector during a cold dry winter. Mortgage inspections requiring 7 photos pay $3 and grass cuts of half-acre lots pay $15. Some Mortgage Order Mills (MOMs) make you wait 60 days for your first pay check.

Smell the cheese. The cheese is getting very old. It’s time to find some new cheese.

Credit Karma Says Background Checks Will Not Affect Your Credit Score

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Almost all firms in the United States will order a background check on a job applicant. If you talk to all of your relatives, friends, associates and neighbors, you will find that a job applicant paying for a background check is very RARE. It just does not happen.

Move over to the field services industry and you will find that many of the hiring firms that pay the LOWEST FEES will require you to pay for a background check. The mortgage segment is the home of $3 mortgage inspections and 99% of the firms that ask you to pay for a background check … and the fees charged to the field inspector are outrageous.

I have never paid for a background check. I have been polygraphed at the National Security Agency (NSA) when I worked at E-Systems on DOD contracts. Avoid firms that ask you to pay. I would avoid the mortgage segment … the home of low fee inspections and 99.5% of the fraud, greed and corruption in the industry.

Credit Karma talks about hard and soft inquiries and says that background checks will not affect your credit score.

About 18 Notary Signing Agents Signed Up Today For FREE SOFI Membership

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Notary Signing Agents are finding that field services is a good related business that will put more money in their pocket. Some field service representatives are venturing into notary signing tasks.

The best way to research notary signing tasks is to visit the National Notary Association (NNA). They are a strong leader in that industry. Look and see if there any notary signing restrictions in the state where you live. If there are no restrictions, then look at the training and certification that NNA offers.

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I Love The Restaurant Mystery Shops That Pay For A Great Dinner Out For Two

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I am registered with Restaurant Cops. I love to get a free meal for two. I don’t make any real great money with restaurant mystery shops, but I save a little money on going out to dinner. I also get to explore different restaurants.

Check out the mystery shopping information and training products at www.sofistore.com. Take a friend to dinner.

Some Commercial Order Mills (COMs) Are Hurting Their Clients And Their Field Inspectors

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 Some of the Commercial Order Mills (COMs) are hurting their clients and their field service inspectors. I came across a commercial inspection being offered for $30 to the inspector. The $30 for the inspection would not even pay for the gas and the one-way drive time to to the inspection site … a huge multi-million dollar manufacturing facility. The inspector did not feel qualified to perform the structural inspection. I told the inspector that the job was priced extremely low and that the inspector did not have the required training or experience to perform the inspection. The report would be of no use to the client. It would not protect the client. The report would not properly investigate and describe the risk. I will not say too much more about the inspection other than it required significant structural engineering training and experience.

I called a commercial engineering consulting group who performed these types of inspections. Their response was that the inspection tasks specified required an educated and experienced structures engineer … demanded by the state … for such comprehensive inspections. They said that they would not touch the job for less that $5,000.

Is is these types of stories that show the damage caused to both the COMs client and the field service inspector. The COMs client is not getting a good product and the field inspector is actually losing money by accepting the task. The inspection results will be horrible … of no value to the client. Don’t take a job if you are not qualified to perform the inspection. If you are qualified, be sure to price your work so that you make a reasonable profit. This field inspection was so poorly outsourced and badly priced that it was outrageous.

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Do You Have A Plan To Make More More Money 2017? Need Some More Part-Time Gigs Close To Home?

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What is Mystery Shopping?

Mystery shoppers evaluate customer service, cleanliness and quality at all kinds of businesses. The mystery shopper reports are used by businesses to recognize star performers, determine training needs, monitor whether procedures are being followed, identify missed sales opportunities and even, in some cases, as one factor in determining raises and bonuses.

Mystery shopping can be a great part-time adjunct business for field service inspectors and notary signing agents. Let an expert get you started and focused. Check out the mystery shopper training manual at www.sofistore.com.