Gordon Schlicke, 68, is supposedly retired from the stodgy, button-down mortgage banking business, yet he’s continued his career as an industry consultant, bringing consumers careful suggestions while making his former associates take a realistic peek at how they conduct business.
That look is often comical – and absolutely by design.
For more than a decade, the longtime north Seattle resident has honed his skills as a conference speaker for escrow, title, lending, appraisal, legal and real estate sales groups by showing them the errors of their ways. His initial delivery offers his audience an immediate laugh and a chance to enjoy the experiences that could commonly be called “real estate bloopers.” Afterward he provides a reflective time for improvement and creativity.
Some of his better presentations and features have been compiled in one of his books “The Lighter Side of Lending” (Mortgage Originator, $29.95), available on amazon.com.
“I’ve done the lighter side for so long that I really like to get back and help consumers understand the process,” Schlicke said. “The variety of what I’m able to do really keeps me going.”
Schlicke attended the University of Wisconsin and began originating loans in Milwaukee in 1960. In 1983 the Washington State Supreme Court appointed him to represent mortgage lenders on its Limited Practice Board, for which he served as chairman for four years. He’s been involved in every facet of lending and is constantly asked where mortgage interest rates, especially from first-time buyers pondering a decision about their first home.
“There never seems to be an end to people wringing their hands over the idea of catching rates high or low,” Schlicke said. “The best advice I ever gave to anybody is that if you can qualify for the home you like, close it now and never look back. I have never, ever lost on a home, and I’ve owned six of them.
“If you look interest rates down through the years, there are always cyclical highs and lows. Given where we have been, now is an absolute bargain time when it comes to mortgage money.”
For all of his no-nonsense tips to consumers, Schlicke is still better known for the needles he sticks in the industry he’s served for more than 40 years. He officially retired in 1998 as vice president of training and development for Mellon Bancorp after serving in a variety of management positions. His daughter, Jillayne Schlicke, director of education for First American Title Insurance Company, said her father continues to be a huge draw for his humor, communication skills and ability to analyze today’s issues with past lending experiences.
“He is a ‘tension reduction’ specialist in a business that is emotionally charged,” Jillayne Schlicke said. “Gordy also teaches us to laugh at ourselves and that our industry does do some curious things.”
One of his favorite targets in housing is the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees the Federal Housing Administration loan program. FHA insures loans so that if the borrower defaults, the lender is guaranteed to receive the outstanding mortgage amount. And, like all conventional loans made in this country, FHA could not avoid increasingly fatter files because of a variety of new disclosure forms and regulations. FHA has been perceived as wrapping its loans in too much red tape, and Gordon loves to go off on environmental hazards.
“Let’s take all the FHA mandatory disclosures and put them on one form,” Gordon writes. “This could mean small print but I have news – nobody is reading them! “By now, I thought FHA was convinced that every American knows that lead paint is dangerous. I think the lead paint notice will be required up to the moment that lead disappears from our planet and is taken off our table of elements. To encourage people to read the form, you could title it: ‘According to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development – Housing Can Kill.’ “
Here are a few of his experiences:
On closing costs: “One of my customers looked at me and said, ‘Closing costs? You haven’t even shown me what the opening costs are.’”
From an appraiser’s report: “Owner should be told gun targets are set up directly in front of propane tanks”
From a customer with late loan payments: “I had a child the other day. As you know, children are expensive. I can’t make installment payments on him, so you’ll have to wait until he’s paid for.” And, (lender) “We’re surprised we haven’t heard from you.” (Customer) “Don’t be. I didn’t send you anything.”
On customer survey cards: “You approved my loan but you never really liked me.”
From application, job title: “First deputy assistant to the deputy assistant, civil preparedness public information training officer” and “I just made Biscuit Baker B.”
Remember, you should never joke with a person about his or her job. Even if the title appears to have been assigned by Dr. Seuss, like “Biscuit Baker B.”
Tom Kelly’s new book “How a Second Home Can Be Your Best Investment” (McGraw-Hill, $16.95) was co-written with John Tuccillo, former chief economist for the National Association of Realtors and is now available in local bookstores. He can be reached at news@tomkelly.com.
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