If Wishing Could Make It So

Submitted by mschuster on Wed, 07/22/2009 - 2:42pm
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How many times have you said, with respect to RESPA reform, “I wish….”? A partial list of things I’ve heard and said along the way include:
 

  • I wish we had more time before it becomes effective
  • I wish I understood why this or that provision is written the way it is
  • I wish I knew what the lenders are going to do about this particular issue(s)
  • I wish I knew how the underwriters are going to respond to this 
  • I wish I knew how the state regulations are going to change 
  • I wish it would just go away
  • I wish somebody would just tell me what to do
  • I wish I’d never heard of RESPA

 
If only wishing could make it so. But we know we can’t wish it away, nor can we wish something into perfection. Because if we could, then there are a few other wishes I’d add to the list:
 

  • I wish I could eat 6 cheeseburgers a day and look like Cindy Crawford
  • I wish I could make a great living as a professional waterfall watcher in Hawaii
  • I wish I could sing like Aretha Franklin

 
The best tool we have to combat each and every one of our RESPA frustrations is education, commitment and participation. The Aretha Franklin sounding, Cindy Crawford looking, waterfall watching job … probably not so much.
 
The point is, we can’t afford any longer to ask the exasperated question “How are we supposed to do all of this?”. Rather, our questions must now be “What CAN we do?" and "What DO we know?”. That’s how to put boots on the ground and start getting this thing done.
 
So let me ask you one more question … what can I do to help?