| Humorous Side to Mortgage Industry
Gordon Schlicke pokes fun at lender, regulators July 22, 2004 By PATRICK CROWLEY |
| Did you hear the one about the appraiser and the animal carcasses in the crawl space?If not, then you haven’t taken a class from, read a book by or applied for a mortgage through Gordon Schlicke.
Schlicke, 68, a 40-year veteran of the mortgage business who lives in the Seattle area, doesn’t break the stereotype that the mortgage industry is full of humorless stiffs who crunch numbers but rarely crack smiles. He shatters it. “Most lenders are stuff and flatulent,” Schlicke told MortgageDaily.com. “There’s no need to be. People are wonderful, and there is a funny side to our business if you just look.” Schlicke has been looking, and laughing for years, writing down the humorous side of the business and delivering speeches that teach as well as entertain. He’s put together his best stuff in a new collection of essays, articles, jokes and more. It’s called The Lighter Side of Lending. Published by Mortgage Originator Magazine, it is available, among other places, through Amazon.com, the online bookseller. “There really are a lot of funny things about lending,” he said. “All human foibles visit the loan office.” Schlicke may be funny but he’s no joke. During his long career Schlicke has worked as a loan officer, branch manager, production manager, training manager and compliance officer. He’s conducted seminars and taught classes and is an accredited instructor with the American Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, the Washington Association of Mortgage Bankers and a bunch of other groups. His articles have appeared in a number of industry and trade journals, including Mortgage Banker Magazine and Mortgage Originator. And he was appointed chairman of Washington’s Limited Practice Board by the chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court. The board, which Schlicke oversaw for eight years, licenses escrow agents. But he’s always been good for a laugh. And that’s always been good for business. He claims humor helps borrowers through the lending process and calms their anxiety and stress. And he uses humor to teach. “Everybody loves to hear a story,” said Schlicke, who often uses humorous anecdotes to make a lesson in the classes he teachers. “When people open their mouth to laugh, you can put that info right in there.” He loves gigging regulators, particularly the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. The agency, he says, has been trying to change RESPA laws for 25 years. “HUD has been trying to modify (RESPA) for 25 years and they still haven’t gotten it right,” he said. So how about that appraiser and the animals? “There was an appraisal report I read one time,” he said, “that said to make sure to remove the animal carcasses from the crawl space in a house. “Now, appraisal reports aren’t known for being funny,” he said. “But to me, that was funny.” |
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Patrick Crowley is a political reporter and columnist and former business writer for The Cincinnati Enquirer. Email Patrick at: pcrowley@enquirer.com |
