Something's Coming...

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” 
-William Faulkner

This last year has been trying at best. For some it has been tragic, for others it has been depressing, for others it has been more of an inconvenience. For everyone it has been difficult. 

As each month went by with new restrictions, new contradictions, holidays without family, friends moving out of state, or our favorite restaurant putting up the “closed for good” sign, it became harder and harder to remember that there will be new horizons. 

But there will be, and they are in sight, right now, right in front of us. The future is bright. 

One of my favorite movies is “West Side Story.” From the time I was a young girl, I watched that movie over and over again. I was intrigued by the dichotomy of optimism mixed with the hate and pessimism that plagued the characters. 

One of my favorite songs was one that never got a lot of attention, but it rang true with me, and has continued to do so throughout my life. 

“Something’s Coming” was composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. 

Could be, who knows? 

There’s something due any day 

I will know right away, soon as it shows 

It may come cannonballing down through the sky 

Gleam in its eye, bright as a rose 

Who knows? It’s only just out of reach 

Down the block, on a beach, under a tree 

I got a feeling there’s a miracle due 

Gonna come true, coming to me 

Could it be? Yes, it could 

Something’s coming, something good, if I can wait 

Something’s coming, I don’t know what it is 

But it is gonna be great 

Just like Tony, I don’t know what is coming, but something is coming, something good, and it’s gonna be great!! With the vaccines out now, I am optimistic about our horizons. 

I envision restaurants full of people, voices, laughter. Theaters with every seat filled. Sports stadiums jam packed with fans eating crab sandwiches and ballpark dogs, drinking beer, and eating peanuts. 

There is so much pent-up demand for socializing–parties, celebrations, weddings, funerals, and celebrations of life. Over the last year, we have all missed so much. We have a lot of making up to do. 

We lost my dear mother-in-law in December. We were able to have a small service for her, which was wonderful, it truly was. But she was a legend. Everyone in town knew her and loved her. We could not go anywhere without running into someone she knew. 

Before she passed, we had her 85th birthday party at our home, and there were over 100 people here throughout the evening. We invited about 50, but word spread, and the fans just kept arriving. Luckily, we got wind that word was spreading, and my mom always told me the worst thing that could happen is to run out of food or liquor when throwing a party, so we were well stocked. 

I know that we are one of many, many families who missed out on important celebrations during this past year–births, deaths, marriages, graduations, etc. 

People want to get back to living. We are tired of the masks and the mandates. We are tired of our own home-cooked meals. Remember when it sounded so good to be getting a home-cooked meal? Now that is the last thing I want! We are ready to begin to blossom again, to travel, to visit with friends, to watch the Superbowl together, celebrate birthdays together, and say “cheers” in person instead of over Zoom! 

One of the keys to reveling in life is to enjoy financial security. Financial security does not mean we have to be rich. It does not mean we have to be super flush all the time. What it does mean is that we feel secure in our financial position. 

In a study done by the Federal Reserve, they noted that 40% of Americans would struggle to come up with $400 if they had an unexpected expense such as a car repair or broken appliance. Another 12% definitely would not be able to pay their other monthly bills if faced with such a financial emergency. 

Here at The Reverse Mortgage Group, we change people’s lives every single day. We not only originate loans, but we also educate, counsel, and support our clients. Some of our clients have experienced a recent crisis that has caused financial difficulties; some experienced difficulties years ago that are now impacting how long their retirement funds are going to last. We talk about their families, their dreams, their needs versus wants, and the reality of what is best for today, tomorrow, and ten years from now. 

We are a small group, and every one of us takes our responsibility to our clientele very seriously. We work with seniors who are putting their trust in us, their faith in our integrity, and their financial security in our hands. We know what that means, and we keep it in our minds and in our hearts as we talk to every single client. 

We know that a reverse mortgage is not the right choice for some, and our job is to help our clients determine if it is, or if it is not, right for them. 

The reasons people consider a reverse mortgage are varied, but some that come up frequently are: losing a spouse and therefore losing income, losing employment, wanting to feel more comfortable each month, wanting to travel, an increasing HELOC payment or adjustable rate “forward” mortgage payment, using the reverse mortgage as a hedge against the markets, using it as a safety net, or perhaps using it as a surrogate for LTC insurance. 

The programs are forever evolving. The exciting news we got this past week is that a brand new “pre-retirement” tool is being rolled out as we speak. It will allow some borrowers to reduce their current traditional “forward” mortgage payment for ten years, and then the loan will automatically roll into a reverse mortgage. It is designed as a tool for people preparing for retirement and are still working but would like to reduce their outgo so they can begin to ease into full-time retirement. 

Myths, misconceptions, preconceived ideas, and rumors abound about reverse mortgages. There is not another mortgage program out there that has sparked as much controversial, and sometimes contentious, conversation. 

The reverse mortgage program has changed so much over the last 15 years. Aunt Jenny, or Joey down the street, may not have the truth about today’s reverse mortgage. It is essential that you do your own research, get your own questions answered by a professional, and then make an informed decision. 

Beth Miller-Rowe 

NMLS 294774 
925-969-0380 
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
www.yourreverse.com 

Photos By Melissa Van Ruiten