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It
happened to the automobile industry.
What
was once the automobile industry standard, today is no longer a
presumed slam dunk for dealerships that heretofore purposely
confused potential buyers with bogus hyped retail prices,
deceptive "bait and switch" advertising, unnecessary
and exorbitantly priced dealer add ons, e.g. scotch guard, paint
protector etc. and bloated back end fees for financing.
Fortunately,
a glut of information is now available to the automobile buying
public and the mere presence and wide spread dissemination of
this information has forever changed the automobile industry and
its one time shoddy and shady sales practices. Simply said, the
automobile buying playing field has been leveled and for those
consumers willing to invest a little time to do research, they
are no longer subject to being fleeced. Ironically automobile
dealerships still are very lucrative businesses.
It’s
happening to the Travel Agency industry.
I
am not comparing the Travel Industry to the automobile industry
but the public pressure on the airline industry for lower
airfares has forced it to cut prices at every corner to what was
once a scared cow, the travel industry.
Today
many travel agents must settle for a 5% commission on what was
not long ago a given 10% commission. Of course one thought still
bothers airline consumers, is the airline industry passing the
5% savings on to the consumer or simply pocketing it? I’ll let
someone write a book about that.
It’s
happening to the Real Estate industry.
Where
there was once the ubiquitous, unalterable 6% sales commission
fee conveniently imprinted in any Realtor’s standard listing
contract there is now a blank. Real estate commissions are now
openly negotiable and are filled in at the time of signing the
listing agreement. If the market is hot, one may see real estate
commissions dramatically decline due to fierce competition,
conversely in a down market, commissions may rise dramatically.
Also discount real estate brokers openly advertise to do it
for less. Real estate companies like Help-U-Sell and Assist You
Sell charge a flat fee to place your home in the local Multiple
Listing Service.
It’s
happening to the Stock Brokerage industry.
Some
of us are old enough to remember when buying or selling 100
shares of IBM stock could cost hundreds of dollars in
stockbroker’s commissions. Then came Schwab the discount
broker, then E-Trade and a host of others until stock
transaction prices of $8.95 per trade are frequently bantered
about on slick TV and newspaper ads. Competition among
brokerage houses couple with the easy access to information
about stocks drove sales commissions down and down until
now one wonders how will they survive.
It
will happen to the Mortgage industry.
Fast
access to information is what I have provided you in this book
and I have given you a level mortgage industry playing field.
You can now negotiate from the strength of reliable knowledge.
There is no reason why you should be shrouded by mystery
regarding how the mortgage industry works.
The
mortgage broker or mortgage banker should no longer represent
the intimidating, fear provoking "Oz" who hides behind
the drapes. Like Dorothy’s dog Toto in the movie classic,
"The Wizard of Oz," I have pulled back the drapes for
you to clearly see that reality isn’t at all the perception
the mortgage industry has skillfully painted over the decades.
Be
prepared, however, to listen to many mortgage brokers and
bankers say I am simply trying to sell my book to a naive
public. The same tactic was used in the automobile industry,
etc. Other mortgage brokers will openly scoff at you, "Sam’s
crazy" or "He’s obviously doesn’t know how the
mortgage industry really works" or better yet, "He’s
got to be making money somewhere."
Yes
I am making money, from the sale of my book and if you choose to
use my services there will be a flat fee involved but what I am
making is openly and honestly discussed.
Now
let’s get to my guarantee but first a short story. I remember
a story a friend told me. He was a salesman at a large warehouse
furniture store. While cruising the aisles looking for someone
to sell furniture to he came across a new salesman who was
demonstrating an expensive recliner to an elderly gentleman.
How
does it feel?" The salesman asked as the old man relaxed in
the plaid herculon recliner.
"Pretty
good." The old timer answered as he settled into the
recliner. "Say, what kind of guarantee does this thing
have?"
"A
lifetime guarantee." The novice salesman quickly replied.
"Hmm.."
The old man thought. "Exactly how does a ‘lifetime’
guarantee work?"
The
young salesman struggled for a moment for an answer. "Well,
the lifetime guarantee works like this, when the recliner breaks
its life is over."
The
old man bought the recliner even though its guarantee was
dubious.
I
will not end this manual with such a flimsy answer regarding my
guarantee. Here is my guarantee in simple to understand English.
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