“They say that mafia members are nasty people. But while growing up, I lived next door to one mafia member, and he was actually a nice guy. In fact, every morning, he paid me $20 just to start his car.” Membership has its privileges. “Rob, I own a smallish independent mortgage bank (IMB). We mostly bank and have a servicing portfolio, but also do some brokering depending on the product and the pricing in the market (especially for MSRs). We currently don’t belong to any outside organizations. How are we supposed to make up our minds between the MBA, CHLA, our state organization, a regional organization, NAMB, AIME, Lenders One, or The Mortgage Collaborative, and probably some that I didn’t list?” That is a great question. I suggest that you contact each one and see where the best cultural and financial fit is. (Let me know if you need contacts.) Obviously, you can belong to more than one, but several memberships can become expensive in a hurry. Remember that advocacy is as important as it’s ever been! (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s podcasts are sponsored by Bundle, the attorney-prepared legal documents company that is dedicated to the real estate, mortgage, and title industry. Save 20 percent all week with the code “Chrisman.” Hear an interview with Treefort Technologies Jay Krushell and iProov’s Joe Palmer on the rising threat of home seller impersonation fraud, and how biometrics have become a preferred line of defense.) Lender and Broker Software, Services, and Products