Moon Petal

If you are a first-time expectant parent you are likely being inundated with advice. It sometimes seems as if everyone in the world is an expert on parenting — even people who don’t have children will have read an article or have stories of things from their siblings and inlaws . And all that information will be forwarded or otherwise shared with you until you feel like you are literally drowning in child development theories.

When this happens, you may want to hide in a closet and turn off your phone. While the latter is a good idea, there are better places to retreat to than a closet. Focusing on one project is a good way to recharge your batteries while still being productive. So why not spend some time planning the nursery that will be the first home of your new offspring?

You can literally lose hours browsing through the offerings at land of nod . Don’t worry about things like safety or theories of the effect of certain colors on infants. Allow yourself to just sink into the options available and pick the ones that resonate with you and your partner. What do you want to give your baby? What colors, furniture styles, and accessories will make you want to spend time in the nursery with your newborn?

There will be plenty of time later to make adjustments to your choices based on all that advice you’ve accumulated. For now just make it a place that you and your child can enjoy together.

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During the recent real estate boom many people made a fortune handling residential mortgages. As the market begins to recover in many parts of the country, some people think it is the perfect time to get into the game. They need to realize that they can’t just set up shop as a loan officer or mortgage broker. In order to be employed by a mortgage bank or broker firm, they will need to obtain the appropriate state license. They will also need that license if they want to open their own firm.

The requirements for mortgage brokers and loan officers are determined by each state, usually by the banking department or commission. As a result of the recent crash, there are some federal guidelines set for licensing, but those have been incorporated into the state requirements. All states require that individuals complete extensive Loan Officer Training . They must provide documentation of the training as well as pass appropriate exams proving they have mastered federal and state mortgage law and understand lending practices as well as products.

In addition to education, most states require that brokers and loan officers pass extensive background and credit checks. They usually must be fingerprinted and may have to purchase liability insurance. The requirements vary from state to state, so the first step is contacting the state agency to find out what is involved and to obtain the necessary application and other paperwork.

Licensing and education requirements don’t stop once the initial license is granted. States routinely require continuing education and additional checks when licenses are renewed.

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