Paul Olbrantz, Broker/Owner of Clear2Close Brokers, started his career at a subprime call center before moving to a large retail bank. He quickly found that adding value and obtaining better conversations with clients led to more leads and better results. 

In April 2019, Paul Olbrantz and his wife, Danielle Olbrantz, opened Clear2Close Brokers. As the team realized that chasing rates was not a good business model, they began developing lasting relationships with their lending partners by learning their systems and discovering ways to succeed. “Having an amazing product, you have to know who to go to,” says Paul. “Start developing relationships with the right lenders, and as you grow, you and open up to more.” 

The following year, Danielle began her own third-party processing company, Clear2Close Processors, taking the majority off Paul’s plate so he could focus on growing the company. The company has grown to seven employees, while Clear2Close Brokers has six loan officers.

How did Paul close $177 million in purchases during 2021? Developing the right processes and strategies for mortgage lead generation and relationships, including clients, lenders, and real estate agents. “It’s gotta be simple, it’s gotta be measurable, and it’s gotta be reportable,” says Paul. When a customer calls or a real estate agent calls, he can easily look into his system and keep them informed of the loan’s progress. In addition, the coaching sessions that he attends every two weeks facilitate the process of calling real estate agents and selling his products. 

The past couple of years have been busy for Clear2Close – Paul attributes it to Bridge Loans, which add a lot of value to the client and real estate agent, and usually lead to a refinance after the loan is closed. Furthermore, Paul and Danielle have completed Homes for Heroes and are currently working on starting their own charity, Believe in Hope and Inspiration. Due to its slimmer margins and competitive rates, Paul predicts the broker channel will continue to grow.

Both Paul and Danielle plan to attend Hall of AIME, which is taking place this weekend in Miami.

Notes:

This episode is sponsored by Brokers Are Better.