Additional Post 2: Back to the Books

“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” 

-Aristotle 

This week I plan to follow up on some studying to do before I start my mentor-ship. My mentor Mariana recommends that I study on how the current housing market is doing, able to get rejection from mortgage brokers, and have the ability to find lenders quickly. I plan to start my mentor-ship this week and see how a loan is processed for people who refinance their homes. Another source that Mr. Purther helped me with research are here.

The loan processes is basically the work finding you. If a person is interested in refinancing their home, taking money out for personal reasons, or maintaining their current home.  Then find a lender that is going to lend their money the person of interest. In other words its finding a needle to match another needle in a haystack. I just hope my ankle injury doesn't slow me down. 

Blog 6

1.) Who is your mentor and where do they work?

Mariana Gonzalez and practices on her own time.

2.) What five questions will you ask about their background?

•       How long have you worked as a loan processor?
•       What made you become a loan processor? Were there other choices?
•       What do you think stands out as a loan processor from your past jobs?
•       Is this job better to learn on the go? or better to have prior experience?
•       Do you have any personal goals that you wamt to achieve in your career?

   
   

Blog 5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a 
result of what you have completed so far?

My recent topic was on Accounting for a CPA Firm, but getting down to brass taxes I was able to knock off Accounting and settle for Real Estate Financing since I wanted to somehow be involved in business as a career.

(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.
How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?

I would say my 6th and 7th piece of research have been most informational. Its because they both break down the language that everbody can understand and comprehend on what options are available to home buyers who want to refinance their homes. 

(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?

Information wise I would say. I need to at least study on whats going on behind real estate financing before I get the chance to work along with my mentor and see how things get done.

(4) What hasn't worked so far?  

Having the chance to work with my Mentor since her and I are on conflicting schedules we must make the most out of our time together as much as we can.

(5) Finding Value: What is a potential question you would like to 
study this year?  (working EQ)

What is the best way an average income family can refinance their homes?

What do you plan to do for mentorship? 

I plan to work with my Mom's friend. She is an Agent for Century 21 Real Estate in her home office in Pasadena, CA. I want to be able to see if I am able to see how all the paper work goes down and how the financiers determine the value of homes and such. 

Research

Hey guys!!! I found an interesting piece of research. Many people don't know anything about real estate financing besides seeing people flip old houses new on t.v.. Frankly that is only one piece of the pie in the Real Estate overall.
In this specific piece of research "Carrie Lowe" posts about several options of financing your home which in English terms is to change the rate of interest on your home loans.

(click here for research)

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1.) Who do you plan to interview?  Why?
My aunt Mariana because she's my mentor for my senior topic of Real Estate Financing. I'm really interesting in a career related to Accounting and Real Estate.

2.) You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?  Ask open-ended questions.  What are open-ended questions?

a.) How did you get into the position of becoming a Real Estate Financer? 

b.) Is there any tips you recommend to current home owners that will help them receive loans?

c.) What is the most difficult part of your job when people want to refinance their homes? 

d.) What does it mean to refinance your home?

e.) What are the steps of refinancing homes? 

Blog 3

1.) Business of Real Estate
2.) iPoly Citizen - I am showing growth in becoming a better iPoly Citizen by effectively showing my leadership skills at Southlands Christian Highschool that I-Poly taught me and as I-Poly ASB President.

Effective Learner - "The common eye sees only the outside of things, and judges by that, but the seeing eye pierces through and reads the heart and the soul, finding there capacities which the outside didn't indicate or promise, and which the other kind couldn't detect."
MARK TWAIN, Joan of Arc
I open with that quote because this year as ASB President I have to learn to look through different views of a situation instead of being hard headed. I hope that God will give me situations to test me throughout the year.

Effective User of Technology - One way to improve on this subject is to expand on my sources of getting reach to. With my current smart phone I am able to get reached on a multitude of social websites from Facebook to a blog online. I am also trying to improve this subject by upgrading my parents with smartphones that are connected to their emails and other applications so communication within the family can grow much stronger.

Effective Communicator  - With the experience of my summer mentorship at a CPA Firm it showed me teenagers were definitely not ready for the real world. I know I act a lot older for my age, but in this office it showed me that I still have to improve on professionalism and being able to communicate with large scale office projects. The reason why was because my mentor ended up calling me the day after my mentorship ended and asked me to explain where I had left off. The reason for the call  was because I basically said Thank you for this opportunity and left the office without telling my mentor where I have left off.

Summer Mentorship Component

1.)https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvWMHldBwtI5dGZDZWtKUDRndm5Ua2JuR050NkFxSFE#gid=0 

2.) Henry Desai (909) 971-1000 Extension. 102
     Email: henry.desai@khopatel.com

3.) What makes a small business thrive compared to other large corporate ones?
     With so little people hired in a small business, what does a small business look for in an employee in order to hire them?
     How does a small Certified Public Accountant Firm get recognized by big companies such as Mercedes Benz, Porche, and Chevy Dealers? 
     What can I do right now that can help me prepare myself for this kind of career?

4.) Mentoring at a CPA Firm was quite the experience since you see how everybody's work is tied in to each person's work as well. It finally showed me how working as a team, like the I-Poly way, really does help in a company. From filing invoices on Excel to photocopying 4 Binders for a client by the end of lunch. How fast and correct you do everything in a company truly does effect the pace, outcome, and overall status of a company. No matter how big or small it is.

5.) The reason I chose this topic of an Accountant in a CPA Firm is because of my mother and I love math compared to any other subject. Its just one of those jobs I can see myself succeeding in.