This episode is sponsored by Change Wholesale

In this week’s episode, host JP Hussey is inspired as he’s joined by Fadi Sankari, Broker Owner & President of Best Rate Mortgage.

Fadi is an entrepreneur through and through, inhibiting the ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ in everything he does. Throughout the episode, he reminisces about many failed business ventures before he entered into Wholesale mortgage, where he’s now a top 1% originator. He says he remained driven and found his success in the pursuit of satisfying the ‘why’.

Fadi breaks down his notion of the ‘why’, and how it’s essential for anyone running a business to identify as soon as they can: 

“If you’re coming into the industry because you want to make a bunch of money, that’s okay. But, if that’s the only reason, then I would ask you to reconsider why you’re really doing what you’re doing. So, I focused on ‘the why’ for a long time before I made that decision. You really have to go back and ask yourself, ‘what are you doing?’ My ‘why’ is multifaceted. I’ve always had an interest in math & finance. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial kind of spirit. Again, all those failed businesses I mentioned to you. But I wanted to make a positive change. I wanted to create a business that wasn’t overcharging or taking advantage of people. You know the saying ‘the integrity of a man is what he’s doing when other people aren’t looking?’ Since day one, I started with a fair and a very competitive plan. And even though I’ve gotten busier, and we’ve become a top 1% originator, I have not changed that plan, because we haven’t had to. We don’t compromise. We charge fair rates because we’re providing excellent service. So, start with ‘the why’ and build on it. My ‘why’ is to be fair when a lot of people in this industry, unfortunately are not.”

Key Points:

2:18 – Day One Energy & Finding Your Why

12:19 – Previous Ventures & the Decision Enter Wholesale

16:58 – Strategy for Current Markets: Developing Relationships

22:02 – Warm Outreach & Building Your Network

28:43 – Finding Your Niche in the Mortgage Industry

This episode is sponsored by RCN Capital

In this special Salute To Service: Veteran Advocacy Week episode, host Marc Summers gets a comprehensive breakdown of how to become a VA expert, as he’s joined by Fuse VI Panelist, Elizabeth Cassidy, Mortgage Broker with Future Home Loans.

Elizabeth was a highlight for Fuse VI this year, as her statements garnered a few standing ovation moments while she was contributing as a panelist during the headlining session “From all Branches: Ask the VA Experts” from Fuse’s VA Summit.

In this VA-themed episode, Elizabeth gives you the who, what, when, why and where of the VA program. Elizabeth breaks down how to get started in your VA education, where to find resources and community for support, and why it’s important to take responsibility for your knowledge and skillset to do right by the Veterans in your community.

Elizabeth is a wealth of VA knowledge & resources, and is a breath of fresh air, as she doesn’t mince words when telling the real estate, housing, and mortgage communities what they need to hear when it comes to supporting Veterans. 

“The question that you need to ask everyone involved in this VA loan is ‘why was that Veteran good enough to die for you, yet they weren’t good enough to buy this house?’ or ‘Why are they good enough to die for you, but they’re not good enough for you to accept their letter of explanation stating that X, Y, and Z happened?’ I promise you, they’re good people. They deserve the house. I’ll flip a table or two to make sure that that happens.”

Elizabeth also breaks down the industry-wide stigmas that surround VA loans, by naming where these misconceptions started, and immediately de-bunking them with substantiated information. 

Elizabeth has made herself available to our community as a resource, and lets those who can do more to support Veterans know, that the buck stops with them: 

“There’s plenty of resources. Ask questions on the Brokers Are Better Facebook group. Sign up with Vetted VA. Connect with your State Captains, or even try starting with YouTube! If I hear people that tell me ‘I just don’t know anything about VA!’ well, I want to hear what you’ve done to try to learn.”

Key Points:

1:22 – From Air Force, To Real Estate, To Broker Channel

4:59 – 500 Closings in 3 Years and The Jump to Wholesale

9:34 – Becoming a VA Expert, Educating the Community

21:02 – Starting Your Own VA Education

25:32 – Attending Fuse for the First Time

This episode is sponsored by AFR Wholesale

In this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Fuse VI panelist Jessica Wells, Broker Owner of Clear Choice Mortgage.

Jessica proves her expertise, and why she was a Fuse panelist this year, as this episode is full of nuggets of wisdom that immediately could be applied to a Broker’s marketing, outreach, and pipeline to improve overall operations.  

Jessica has a background of experience; she started in the industry at a very young age, thrown into the deep end of processing, tasked to figure out the process on her own. Quickly, she became skilled enough to be headhunted into a brokerage, eventually becoming a Broker Owner herself.

Now, she utilizes her experience & knowledge to stay ahead of industry trends, as she’s now finding interesting ways to engage and educate her clients, utilizing AI, and using tools to make note-taking, operations, and outreach that much easier. Most notably, she noticed how people always turn up for a bingo game, so she saw that as an opportunity to entice her borrowers to receive a comprehensive homebuying education:

“People love bingo! You mention it, and the people show up. So, I have this class; we found a bingo card generator and used the words & terms from my class’s slideshow as the bingo squares. So, a word like ‘entitlement’ is one of them. I have all the terms on the bingo board, and they’ll mark it up throughout my class. We’ll usually hold it at some local brewery, and then the first three winners get a six-pack or whatever it is that brewery offers. But even after we go through our first three winners, there are people that are like, ‘So if you have a house already, what’s it called when you buy a second house?’ because one of the words on there is ‘bonus entitlement.’ And so they’re asking and they’ll pick questions to just make us explain these terms. So it makes it very interactive because people are playing a game, but even when everybody else has already won, they’re like,’No, no, I got to get a bingo before we’re done with this; I need to know the answers to all these questions!’ So if I missed something in the class, and I don’t say one of the words I’m supposed to say, they’ll sit there and ask me the questions until I say every word on the board.”

Key Points:

1:18 – Starting in the Industry ‘In the Deep end’ at 19

6:13 – Bingo for Homebuyer Education

10:14 – Processor Tips from Ex-Processors

20:24 – Speaking & Attending Fuse VI

26:54 – Why Wholesale Professionals Can’t Miss Fuse

This episode is sponsored by PRMG

In this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by Fuse VI panelist Lindsay McCoy, Broker Owner of Care Finance Group.

JP calls Lindsay the “longest-running true Broker” that’s ever been on the show, because she’s been steadfast in the Wholesale channel since the early 2000s. She’s seen the best the Wholesale industry has to offer, and has lived and fought through the financial crisis of 2008. Throughout nearly two decades, she’s never wavered from her commitment to support, advocate, and carry the torch as an ambassador for the Broker community.

Lindsay and JP cover many topics in this episode, like how to create and curate the best tech stack for your operations, consumer outreach & referral generations, client financial education & support, starting your own brokerage, Broker & homebuyer advocacy, and why NOW is the best time to be a Broker. 

Lindsay breaks down her experiences in the 2008 financial crisis, and puts them up against the market and perception of Brokers today, noting that the stigmas and perceptions present a decade ago are no longer an issue, attributing a lot of the change to the support of the Broker community, and the work that community has done for homebuyers nationwide on Capitol Hill: 

“We could provide all of these options. Like the options from big wholesale lenders, or small community banks, jumbo loans, etc. There wasn’t a lack of options there. It was consumers that thought ‘Broker’ was a bad word, because we got slaughtered in the media in 2008. That’s where Retail started saying “we have control of appraisals, and in-house underwriting is the best.” Brokers have spent years battling against these perceptions. Now, ‘Broker’ is a good word. People seek us out. And sorry, I’m going to give AIME props here: it wasn’t until very recently that I felt really excited to be a part of this channel. I’ve always loved the channel, I’m never leaving, but the camaraderie we have and the footing we have on a state and national level as an association has grown so much and we’re now in such a positive light. Our name is on the board, and we’ve never had a seat at the legislative table before now.”

Key Points:

5:36 – Being a Broker through 2008 as the Crisis Scapegoat

13:30 – Starting CARE Finance Group in 2017

19:52 – Changes in Owning a Brokerage 2020 – Now

28:48 – Finding the Right Process and Tech Stack: A Breakdown

35:19 – Fuse VI and the Disabled VA Tax Exemption

This episode is sponsored by Windsor Mortgage

In this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Major Singleton, Broker Owner of Major Money Matters, powered by Edge Home Finance. Major is coming off an amazing showing as a second-time panelist at Fuse VI’s most anticipated panel of the year, We Are Mortgage Champions: Top Volume Originators. He’s also coming off yet another amazing year of production.

In this episode, Major breaks down his approach, and his strategy for getting to the top, and remaining at the top. His biggest focus is on education; not just getting in front of audiences that can grow his network, but altering his classes and seminars to his audience, and ensuring that he follows up with every attendee for his courses. This is how he continually builds his network for himself and his team, and this is where he plants the seeds this year for production in the coming year.

Major also shares his biggest tangible takeaway that he could impart on brokers that are looking to grow their business in 2024: “We say this thing all the time about brokers are better. If you believe that, then why wouldn’t you demonstrate that? You have to be direct in talking to realtors and talking to clients, and sometimes you have to connect the dots for them. I had a deal we closed on this past Friday. A bunch of lenders had messed it up; and I say, let’s just go close. Let’s get it done. So we got the application on Tuesday and we were closing the we were signing the following Friday. We get it done, fix everything, and we close. Afterwards, I went over to the buyer’s house and took them a gift, and the realtor was there and said ‘Hey, man, I want to say thank you for doing this. Thanks for stepping in and getting us to the finish line.’ And I said to him, yeah, man, eight days and we got this done for you. This is why you need to send me all your business. And we laughed, but in all seriousness I said, no, man, you need to send me all of your business.”

Key Points:

2:30 – This year’s Fuse National Conference

5:41 – Taking Action Now: Building Relationships with Builders

10:38 – Education with Followup: Connecting with More Agents

17:51 – Top Production in Planning Ahead

25:08 – Be Bold and Ask For Business

This episode is sponsored by FundLoans

In this compelling episode of Broker to Broker, Marc Summers sits down with Michael Most, a seasoned originator with 24 years of experience in the mortgage industry and a dedicated advocate for the Orthodox Jewish community. Join us as we delve into Michael’s unique journey, combining his mortgage expertise and passion to empower members of the Orthodox Jewish community to achieve their homeownership dreams.

Like many loan originators, Michael didn’t plan to begin a career in mortgage. As a longtime fan of David Balducci’s novels, his dream was to be an attorney. While studying for the LSAT, Michael cemented his career while viewing it as a side hustle. Now, after more than twenty years in the industry, and making the move from the New York market to California, he reflects on his journey in mortgage from Retail banking to Correspondent to the world of independent brokering.

As a mortgage broker, he has played a pivotal role in helping families secure their dream homes while respecting the values and traditions of their faith. He has built a book of business by learning the basics of cold calling, mining real estate agent leads, and tackling Non-QM loans. Additionally, in this insightful conversation, we explore the needs of his community, as he is a proud advocate for making homeownership more accessible to Orthodox Jewish individuals and families.

Tune in to this enlightening episode as we explore the intersection of faith, homeownership, and financial empowerment, and gain a deeper understanding of Michael Most’s role in supporting the Orthodox Jewish community, and as a storied loan originator. Whether you’re part of this community or simply interested in the intersection of faith and finance, you won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation.

Key Points:

1:13 – Getting into the Mortgage Industry

8:19 – Going Retail

10:58 – Coming Back to Broker

14:02 – Non-QM as a Business Driver

21:10 – Coast to Coast Cultures

26:12 – Advocating for the Orthodox Jewish Community

This episode is sponsored by Fuse National Conference 2023

In this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by CEO of Dwell Mortgage and upcoming Fuse VI Spotlight Speaker, Shane Kidwell. Shane has only joined the broker channel at the start of 2023, and he’s already making waves. Shane’s hunger, energy, and drive for the wholesale channel exemplifies what it takes to succeed in the mortgage industry. As someone who has his hands in many different companies and services that he offers, he lives the commitment and effort it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. 

Throughout this episode, learn some of Shane’s secrets, his “special sauce” for how he’s able to create and sustain success in all of his business ventures. He also breaks down how and why he loves the broker channel, after leaving mortgage banking: 

“I always had that bug… that itch to be a full entrepreneur. This year we went full broker, and I’ve got an amazing team of nine and we’re learning as we go. It’s so exciting, because there is nothing limiting me from growth, nothing. When you’re in Retail, it could be your branch manager, it could be your coworkers, it can be products you don’t have. Just pick whatever is your limiting self-belief. But there are things there that really do impede your growth. And so what do you do? You hop companies, you get assignments, you hop companies, and that’s what you do. Now, I don’t have to hop companies ever again. Anything I want is within my grasp. I want to do commercial loans, I want to do reverse, I want to do non-QM, renovation, anything. I can choose to do that and I can align with a great investor partner. So it’s an exciting opportunity. As an entrepreneur, my costs are lower, thus my risk is lower. I have more flexibility, I have more freedom, I have more opportunities. I consider all of this when I say: Why wouldn’t everyone become a broker?”

Don’t miss Shane’s Spotlight Session at Fuse this year, “Unique Lead Generation: Marketing With Zero Dollars”

Key Points:

2:11 – Starting Wholesale in 2023

8:00 – Running Uphill with a Sword: The Jump from Retail to Wholesale

11:22 – The Definition of ‘Entrepreneur’

17:18 – The Secret Sauce: Actions that Matter

25:20 – Closing on Social Media at Fuse VI

This episode is sponsored by Fuse National Conference 2023

In this special episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by… host JP Hussey! The Broker To Broker hosts join together in the special occasion for the biggest wholesale-specific event of the year, the sixth-annual Fuse National Conference 2023.

Marc & JP reflect on their first Fuse experiences, uncover how it’s evolved, discuss their tips for first-time attendees, and recount memories both fun and career-altering. 

JP sums up the heart of the experience of Fuse, which is meeting the AIME community: “Everyone is there. That’s what’s so great about Fuse. This community is everyone trying to help everyone else. Don’t go into this thing all paranoid, afraid to tell your secrets, or worry that no one’s going to give you this or that advice or information. Don’t be like that. Everyone’s there to help each other. It’s an abundance mentality, and that might be cliche, but that’s legitimately what this event is for. Go share your ideas, and make us better so this channel can grow because we know we’re in the best one.“

Key Points:

2:06 – Intro: 6 Years of Fuse

5:28 – On the Ground Floor at The Inaugural Fuse

8:29 – Tips From Fuse Veterans

13:00 – Favorite Memories of Fuse

26:53 – The Content: Summits, Spotlights, and Mortgage Masters

This episode is sponsored by EPM

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers receives a full education in overhauling a brokerage for 2023 and beyond, as he’s joined by Broker Owner of Fulcrum Home Loans, Braiden Shaw.

If you’re looking to grow or scale your audience, your network, and your business, this is a must-listen episode. Braiden has maximized his business by itemizing his processes and optimizing his tech stack. He’s grown his social media presence by nearly 3,000%. He’s found a system to go viral with his video content. And he’s grown and scaled his brokerage towards a volume approaching nearly 700 million this year. Braiden breaks down how he’s done it all, with comprehensive instructions on how to do all of this with your own business.

Braiden shares his process and goals with each of his successful endeavors throughout this episode; starting with how he found and grew a massive organic audience for his content:  

“People don’t care about mortgages except for every 4 – 7 years when they buy a home. They’ll consume media around mortgages for two weeks, and then they’re out again. The people that are consuming are other mortgage people. That wasn’t the demographic I was going for. So, I create around net-worth, business ownership, and tax reduction strategies. It’s worked well. There’s also so much luck in this. The more that I produce on social media, the more I realize there’s an algorithm that none of us understand and it pushes only certain videos. I’ll create a video that I think is phenomenal, we’ll get 10,000 views. I put out a video that I think is fine, and I’ll get 2 million views. It’s so hard to predict. You just have to be in the game; the more videos you’re putting out there, the more chances you have of one taking off and going viral. You can’t predict what’s going to go viral. But if you’re playing the game enough, eventually you’ll get rewarded.”

Key Points:

4:13 – From 4,000 to 110,000+ Followers on Social Media

8:56 – Video Production Strategy, Recontextualizing What’s Viral

10:53 – Optimizing your Tech Stack 

17:08 – The Importance of Defining Your Process & Delegation Steps

19:55 – The Client vs. Real Estate Agent Experience

This episode is sponsored by Change Wholesale

On this episode of Broker to Broker, the format is turned on its head. Host Marc Summers goes from Broker To Broker, to Originator To Processor, as he’s joined by Gina Wariebi, Owner/Operator of Innovative Edge Processing, Inc.

Throughout this enlightening episode, Gina and Marc lay out the differences, roles, responsibilities, and current dynamics between Loan Officers and Loan Processors. Behind every Broker acting as the face of the loan, the Processor is working on the backend. Together, the Broker and the Processor are a team, filling all roles to bring a lead all the way to closing.

This is an essential listen for Brokers, as Gina breaks down how to collaborate with your Processors, set expectations, and work as a unit to ensure your clients have the best experience possible. The systemic issues for Processors are addressed, debunking the idea that Processors are Broker assistants; they are true peers and collaborators.

Gina states that she wants the rest of the mortgage industry to know: “We are highly valued, meticulous, motivated, organized, and a critical backbone in your pipeline. We are fully licensed. A lot of Processors are company owners, and are actually licensed in many states – we have to be a mortgage broker, along with an originator. We have to go through the same process as you. We have to take the same classes. We are equal to you. We just choose to be behind the scenes instead of upfront with your clients. That’s just a personal preference. I just want people to know that Processors are as important and essential as mortgage experts as anyone else in this industry, alongside loan officers and broker owners.”

Key Points:

1:36 – Intro, the Processor Perspective

4:56 – How Essential Processors Are to the Broker Pipeline

7:06 – Defining the Roles of a Processor

12:08 – Processors are Peers, not Assistants 

22:09 – The Future of Processing