What’s the difference between a mortgage banker and a mortgage broker?

Question: “I’m shopping lenders for my home loan and one said she’s a mortgage banker. Is that the same as a mortgage broker?” Answer: Great question…and the answer is “no.” Mortgage BANKERThey handle everything in-house and lend you their own money, though they’ll probably sell the loan later. Mortgage bankers include banks, credit unions, and
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Capsule Hotels

“Capsule Hotel” by Kojach is licensed under CC BY 2.0
At first glance, this may look like a row of washing machines but they are actually rooms at a Capsule Hotel. Room sizes vary but the average is about 4 feet wide, 6.5 feet long, and 3 feet high. Composed of a narrow space with a bed and some other amenities such as an alarm
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Saint Basil’s Cathedral

“Saint Basil’s Cathedral” by Julius Silver is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
With its bright colors and fairytale design, Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow seems like something straight from a storybook. Completed in 1561 it was built in just 6 years and commissioned by Ivan IV or Ivan the Terrible. It’s next to the Kremlin in the Red square. In Russian, red used to mean beautiful. During
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Citigroup Center

“Citigroup Center” by Andrew Moore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The Citigroup Center harbors a striking secret: it was a near disaster! The full story was revealed almost twenty years after construction completed. Realized by architect Hugh Stubbins and structural engineer William Le Messurier several interesting factors informed their decisions. The site originally belonged to St. Peter’s Evangelical Church who stipulated that the new building
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Sunrise Kempinski Hotel

“Sunrise Kempinski Hotel” by Artyukh Igor is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Symbolism abounds in Beijing’s Sunrise Kempinski Hotel. Sitting on over 3,400 acres the compound features 14 restaurants and bars, a private marina, and even a pagoda. Covered by 10,000 glass panels, by day they reflect the sky, mountains, and lake. By night they are lit up by hydroelectric-powered LEDs. The Hotel is 318 feet high
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This Week’s Crazy Building: NTU Learning Hub

“NTU Learning Hub” by Lyslee555 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The NTU Learning Hub in Singapore looks so organic, you would never guess it’s a space for technology! The unusual building, which looks like something from the Flintstones, includes many smart features to promote collaboration while also achieving the highest environmental standards. The NTU or Nanyang Technological University hired Heatherwick Studios for the design and
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Bay Park Real Estate Update

Bay Park Market Update with Gary Kent San Diego Realtor
       Here’s the latest on your Bay Park Market.         If you’re thinking of selling your home, I’d be happy to take a look at it and tell you what price you can realistically expect. I can also give you some tips for giving your home a bit of a
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This Week’s Crazy Building: The Bean

“The Bean” by Andrew E. Larsen is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Cloud Gate or the Bean as it’s known is an innovative sculpture by British artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor was inspired by liquid mercury and wanted to create something that would reflect the skyline, clouds, and visitors who get an interesting view underneath the work’s 12-foot high arch. It weighs in at 110 tons and required
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Fallen Star

Fallen Star at UCSD
UCSD’s Fallen Star is reminiscent of a scene from The Wizard of Oz. Designed by artist Do Ho Suh, the work examines the concepts of home, space, and memory. Suh felt like he had been “dropped from the sky” when he first came to study in America. The Fallen Star sits at a 10-degree angle
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This Week’s Crazy Building: Sea Ranch Chapel

California’s own Sea Ranch Chapel blends architecture with nature in a unique expression. Designed by James Hubbell, it took local artists, craftspeople, and contractors 9 months to complete. The work was done using a model and sketches instead of construction plans. Contractor Thamby Kumaran had experience working on ships which was instrumental in completing the
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