Broker to Broker Archives - AIME

This episode is sponsored by PowerTPO

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers gets a new viewpoint from a very valuable perspective when he’s joined by Ethan Hough of One Stop Financial Group, LLC.

Ethan has had a very interesting career path that is very useful to his longevity and effectiveness as a mortgage broker; he became a broker after eight years of working as an underwriter. Because of his prior career, Ethan’s skills, knowledge, prep, and pipeline all reflect a full knowledge of his clients’ loans, scoping out the entire mortgage process with no surprises.

Ethan instills the notion of working as a team throughout this episode, and lays out how to make it happen. He bridges the gap between Loan Officers, Underwriters, Real Estate Agents, and their shared client. Everyone is communicating and on the same page at all times; this ensures that information rarely needs to be clarified, confirmed, updated, or re-submitted. Over-communicating keeps stress levels low, and client satisfaction high.

“The number one thing I could tell other brokers as a former underwriter would be: remember that it’s all a team effort. No matter how emotional and heated things get, just don’t accuse, don’t fight, don’t yell. It’s not productive. The most successful people I knew in my underwriting time were people that got on the phone, and problem-solved. Just be patient, be thorough, and take your time on your submission. Y’know, take a step back. I do escalations all the time, there are tools available to work and help everybody get to that closing table. The biggest thing to consider is: what questions would you ask? If you submit a loan to an underwriter and you’ve thought about what they might ask about, they’re going to have way less questions. Some of the brokers I used to underwrite with would type up like word docs, and those people’s loans were always super, super clean.” 

Key Points:

1:52 – From Underwriter to Broker, a Unique Start in the Mortgage Industry

12:08 – Underwriters & LOs – A Team Effort

16:30 – Underwriter Experience Forming Broker Pipelines

23:00 – Self-Branding & Carving Out Your Skill-Based Niche31.05 Processes & Procedures, No Surprises from Planning to Closing

The post Episode 168: From Mortgage Underwriter to Broker: Working as a Team w/ Ethan Hough, Broker with One Stop Financial Group, LLC appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by FundLoans

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Paige Hernandez, Broker with Heritage MTG Inc.

Paige has had a life-long history in the real estate industry, growing up with her mother owning a real estate company, working numerous jobs around many different facets of mortgage, housing, and real estate, all until she landed back into becoming a mortgage broker in 2018.

Paige is a person of many different perspectives. She has the perspective of all the ins and outs of the mortgage industry. She has perspectives on being a mother. And she has the perspective to teach others with her transformative mindset coaching. She shares her knowledge and skills with the laws of attraction, and also, or having a healthy outlook; the best outlook on being a broker is focusing on the hundreds of things that do go right, as opposed to the very few things that could go wrong.

Paige is amazing at utilizing Facebook for lead generation, and shares some of her secrets with us: “I love Facebook. I have friends say “you’re always on your phone!” but, my phone makes me a lot of money. Facebook is really about connecting with people. I think I can build a trust factor by showing up. It’s like an automatic drip campaign. You interact with people, you’re in their algorithm and they’re in yours. I just educate a lot on Facebook and talk to people and share just what I’m doing. I’m a part of different Facebook groups that revolve around lending and real estate. I will tell you, this works like a charm. You’re showing up on social media. Do not look at your likes or the feedback you get. You have to get really good at showing up, and nobody responding. Don’t worry, people are watching. Then, somebody will post something about a loan. And I comment that I can help you out. Then, I take that same post, and I will send it to clients that I have in that group. And I say “Hey, do me a favor- can you comment on here?” Then, when you go to a post and you got five people of the 20 that are commenting “You have to use Paige!” and what’s great about that, it’s not just the one poster, it’s everybody else in that group is looking at it. So people start reaching out.”

Key Points:

1:07 – Starting in the Family Real Estate Business

5:05 – Dynamics of a Family-Owned, Family-Run Brokerage

7:31 -Transformational Mindset – The Importance of Perspective

17:23 – Control vs. Influence, Fear vs. Abundance

23:56 – Facebook as a Lead Generation Tool

The post Episode 167: Mindset, Leadership, and Connection – Developing Relationships and Generating Mortgage Leads by Showing Up w/ Paige Hernandez, Heritage MTG Inc. appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by the AIME FUSE VI National Conference

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by Broker Owner of California Mortgage Lending, Cameron Harper

Cameron is high-energy, and high efficiency. This episode covers a lot of processes and procedures and marketing topics, and Cameron shares his effective strategies, execution processes, and their incredible results.

Cameron’s largest proponent is seeing the mortgage process through the eyes of the homebuyer, and services what they need that way. He doesn’t drown them in mortgage industry terminology, he takes the time to learn the finances and goals of his clients, and provides them with the exact information they need to meet their mortgage needs. He uses personalized videos, worksheets, and automation to ensure his clients know exactly what they want, but also need to know.

Cameron’s process and procedures pipeline is something he’s honed to near perfection. “It’s important to create a repeatable process. Henry Ford’s model of interchangeable parts. When he started building cars, the assembly line could manufacture cars much quicker, faster, more efficient than anyone else. So I try to have the same process on every single file. When I’m talking to a client, I say, ‘Look, I need you to tell me 2 of these 3 things: the sale price that you want. Monthly payment that you want. How much money you have for a down payment and closing costs’. When they give me that information, I price it out immediately, and send a two-minute video. I record my computer screen and explain everything about their loan costs. I go over a fee sheet attached in a PDF and I make these numbers make sense. The next step is I tell them to go to my website and fill out the application. Then I give them a list of everything I need. I’m not gathering all these documents and running credit costing time and money in their effort for them to say, oh, I need to just keep renting because it’s just too expensive. So I’m focusing on working on people that have already seen the numbers that I’ve shown to them. They can afford it. We can even talk about refinancing in a year or two when and if rates go down.”

Key Points:

2:47 – Getting Started in Refinance

5:39 – Never Burn a Bridge: The Importance of Retaining your Contacts

11:06 – More Broker Freedom, More Homebuyer Options

22:17 – Repeatable Processes & Automation

28:06 – The Value of Utilizing Video and Simplification in Processing33:38 Video – Consistent and Frequent over Perfection

The post Episode 166: Creating an Efficient, Repeatable Process For Your Brokerage w/ Cameron Harper, Broker Owner of California Mortgage Lending appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by PRMG

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by Broker Owner of Green Haven Capital, Kevin Oto.

Kevin is a master of setting up a system that works. From starting with a few staff members working out of a bedroom, to a prominent broker owner in one of the most lucrative markets in the country, Kevin has established his presence in the market by creating a consumer experience like no other; supported by the automations and dependable processes he’s put in place.

Kevin notes to “stay humble, stay hungry” in this industry, and he lives and operates by those words. He shares the way he’s able to systematically keep in touch with clients, stay on top of processes, and continually generate new business leads. He notes that supporting his real estate agents’ events, and coming to them as a resource to have their problems solved and questions answered has led to mutual support in kind.

Kevin shares his strategies for making new real estate connections: “Every purchase I get is basically an audition. I need to wow this listing agent. What can I do differently to get this listing agent’s business? Then as I grew, this came through education. I would target small teams. There’s a lot of realtor groups that have teams of like five or ten. So, I would target the teams, go to the founder of that team, say, “Can I just come by your office and give a presentation? I think I can add value to your agents. What would they like to learn about?” So it’s just going in there, presenting and showing them what we do differently, then educating them about the market. We cover how to get their offers accepted, how are we different, and differentiate ourselves from the competition. And that works. Every time I do a presentation, I have at least one or two people come back with questions. And then it’s really just building relationships with these people. It’s just staying in front of them, building relationships, supporting their events, having outings together, just building that bond and then the business will eventually go both ways. Just focus on the relationship, and make sure you’re educating these people.”

Key Points:

1:34 – Getting Started, Rebuilding after the 2008 Crash

4:39 – From The Beginning: Automations & Procedures for the Best Client Experience

8:57 – Educating Borrowers and the Urgency of Pre-Approval

16:14 – Establishing Real Estate Partnerships

19:32 – Being Consistent: Mortgage Marketing in 2023

The post Episode 165: Mutual Support as a Mortgage Lead Generation Model w/ Kevin Oto, Broker Owner of Green Haven Capital Inc appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by Change Wholesale

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is joined by Broker Owner of Pinnacle Mortgage Corp, Kurt Strandson.

Kurt has a wealth of experience, insight, and influence. As the former president and chairman of the Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association, with experience lobbying for broker and homeowner rights since the crash of 2008, Kurt brought his years of advocacy expertise and experience to his new role as the AIME Legislative State Captain of New Hampshire. 

Kurt shares not just his knowledge of advocating for homebuyers and his fellow brokers, but also his knowledge of running and scaling a successful, growing brokerage. Kurt’s strategy for organic lead generation by way of fostering relationships with his clients and community before, and especially after closing on homes, is his secret to evergreen referrals and leads. 

“We focus on customer experience throughout the transaction. Not just throughout the transaction, but after the transaction. Many companies will focus on going out and entertaining some realtors asking for the next new loan. We spend a lot of time on a yearly basis, 7 to 8 events a year, where we invite our most recent clients to events after they closed, and we’re formulating relationships with them. We’re inviting their families or kids. We do stuff in the local community and we’re building those relationships so they know that we care. It’s not ‘Oh, your loan is closed, we’re not going to see it for a long time’. Your first loan is done, and that’s how you build those lasting referral relationships. You’re providing a level of service. They come to us, with questions like, ‘Hey, I need a plumber,’ or ‘Hey I need a solar guy,’ or they’re coming back asking for referrals. It keeps that dialog going. So it’s not just a one-and-done transaction. And then that’s how you build some loyal relationships. They rely on you. They rely on you for your knowledge, your professionalism, your experience, and you’re able to provide that for more than just on a one transaction deal.” 

Key Points:

2:01 – Starting Out As a Broker in New England

7:31 – Broker Advocacy in Action

11:27 – Advocacy Strategies — Local to National

13:37 – Why Employees and Homebuyers Go Broker

18:38 – Pinnacle’s Structure and Growth Strategy

22:36 – Lead Generation via Fostering Relationships

The post Episode 164: Proving Yourself as an Enduring Resource, Generating Evergreen Mortgage Leads w/ Kurt Strandson, Broker Owner of Pinnacle Mortgage Corp. appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by PowerTPO

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined once again by friend of the show and AIME community, Elena Boland, Broker Owner of Wholesale Mortgage Services.

Elena has been changing her game and scaling her business since she was last on the show over 100 episodes ago for episode 55. She’s been diversifying her products and services, finding new ways to engage her local community, as well as ways to involve her business and marketing in her personal life to great networking and lead generation benefits. Elena is a true example of changing with the market and social climate leading to success & growth.

Elena had some amazing experiences and advice to share on specialty programs like Jumbo loans; and really drove home the broker advantage: “You have to look at who your competition is, in any portion of our mortgage share. So, meaning our different products. And if you look at what your competition is doing, what are their limitations? What are their restrictions? Are we restricted in that way? Nope. So even though we don’t have the same benefits in the way of omitting student loans and things like that which can be done in retail, if you can lend more money, that’s really going to be more valuable to them; if they don’t have another $500,000 to put down on a big expensive home that they’re diving into, that’s huge. You’re going to do a better job because you’re the mortgage professional, you’re not a banker, you’re not someone sitting behind a headset across the country. You are here. They can walk in, and they really love that. Not only do clients love that, but the realtors love that as well, because they know that you’re going to keep working until you solve a problem.”

Key Points:

2:31 – Changes in the Housing Market Since early 2021

8:05 – Diversifying your Products and Services based on Local Housing Needs

11:31 – The Essential Requirement to Adapt to Constant Change

16:47 – Blending the lines between Social Media Marketing and Personal Life

22:23 – Jumbo Loans and the Broker Advantage of Negotiation

26:12 – “Diving into AIME” & Other Advice for Driving Business into 2024

The post Episode 163: You Are Here: The Mortgage Broker Advantage of Problem-Solving w/ Elena Boland, Broker Owner, Wholesale Mortgage Services appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by Windsor Mortgage

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey gets a peek at the bright future of the wholesale channel, as he’s joined by Jason Kindler & Aaron Bacus, Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding.

As Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding, Jason and Aaron bring two different approaches, skill sets, and backgrounds to their brokerage that creates a sum of strengths greater than the sum of their parts; Jason has strengths in processes and working with builders, and Aaron with relationship building to creating new leads. Together, First Coast Mortgage Funding has grown into an incredibly successful and efficient machine.

Both Jason and Aaron have incredible advice for retail LOs and wholesale brokers new to the wholesale channel. The levels of freedom they have as brokers in wholesale has granted them the opportunity to forge their own systems & processes to a point that their speed competes with the fastest retail lenders, while still remaining able to maintain the service, consideration, and human element that brokers are known for. They break down and make the case for why the wholesale channel is the way of the future for industry workers and borrowers alike.

Aaron breaks it down simply: “At this point, I’d be concerned for you if you’re not a broker. While loan officers are still going to be needed in the future, there’s no question that their margins will shrink. There’s no doubt that it’s happening now for technology shoppers. And if you don’t have control, at least to see what’s going on and have some sort of participation in that, I would be concerned. What are retail LOs going to do when rates are raised? They have no control over that. And that’s why we’re very optimistic for the broker from the entrepreneurial local business standpoint. We’re serving the local people. That’s our value add. We’re accountable to that realtor and that borrower that lives down the street to make sure that their loan closes.”

Key Points:

2:26 – Starting Out in a Lead-Based Business

13:54 – Misconceptions about Wholesale, and The Freedom of Choice

22:37 – Collaboration in Wholesale vs. Competition in Retail

30:42 – Wholesale Control and Organic Process Building

40:39 – Advice to Retail & New LOs & the Bright Future of Wholesale

The post Episode 162: Wholesale Choice and Control: How Mortgage Brokers’ Freedom Creates Innovation w/ Jason Kindler & Aaron Bacus, Broker Owners of First Coast Mortgage Funding  appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by AIME Fuse 6

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey sits down with Justin Rocheleau, Broker Owner of JR Mortgage Group Inc, to discuss how teaming up with financial planners can take your business to the next level.

Justin has found great success in marketing to financial planners as referral sources for his business. As we all know, financial planners are in it for the long haul when it comes to serving their clients, and being able to present the best options for their client’s financial success is a win-win for both parties. By collaborating with financial planners, Justin has been able to create strong relationships and provide clients with the best possible advice and solutions.

In the past, many financial planners did not have mortgage relationships at all, and when it came to mortgages, they would simply recommend their clients to “just go talk to your bank.” However, this allowed Justin to come in and offer a new and better solution. He was able to show financial planners that by working with him, they could offer their clients a more personalized approach and get better results.

Through his experience, Justin has learned that the key to success in this approach is to focus on building long-lasting relationships with financial planners. He emphasizes the importance of trust and transparency, as well as staying up-to-date on the latest industry trends and changes.

If you’re looking to take your business to the next level and gain valuable advice to stay ahead of the game, tune in now!

Key Points:

1:52 – The market’s weird everywhere you go

4:10 – Justin started JR Mortgage in March 2021

7:55 – Targeting financial planners as referral sources

12:46 – You gotta know your role

15:38 – Where would you find these planners, and how would you initiate that conversation

25:58 – Send us the folks that have trouble getting approved

33:26 – Fill that gap and help those people

34:29 – Where do you see the mortgage market in 3-5 years?

The post Episode 161: How Mortgage Brokers and Financial Planners Can Work Together to Serve Their Clients w/ Justin Rocheleau, Owner of JR Mortgage Group Inc appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by AIME Fuse 6

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host Marc Summers is joined by the Broker Owner of ACE Lending Group, Elyin Perez.

Elyin hasn’t been in the wholesale channel long, but ever since going broker and joining the wholesale channel, Elyin and ACE Lending Group have made a substantial impact. Elyin is now a tenacious, driven, and prominent leader in the wholesale community. He leads by example, and has an adventurous willingness to continually try new or different strategies to find what works best for both his staff, and client base. ACE maximizes its backend to provide the best possible client experiences; “good enough” is not a term Elyin uses in his approach to systems, processes, and service.

Elyin utilized what he calls the “Break It Method,” which means he and his staff push to change even what works, to make it work even better. It’s an approach that invites his team to contribute to the way it functions, thus finding the best way for the team to collaborate. Strategies like this are how independent brokerages are able to compete with big banks and retail lenders, by remaining flexible and open to change. 

Elyin breaks down the “Break It Method” process, and how and why it works as a tool to foster the abilities of your staff: “When I say “break it,” I mean that we’re really changing. There will be days that we say, ‘All right, we’re going to try this.’ And then an hour later, we realized that was not a good idea. I take responsibility as the owner. Obviously, you need to have people that are willing to grow with you through those pains.I don’t care if it costs me money. I don’t care if it means I have to jump in to assist. You’ve got to be empowered to make decisions. I need to be able to run the business. And so going through that Break It Method, we just keep tweaking, tweaking, tweaking to make it better. I say, “What makes Amazon so special?” It’s their speed. They don’t actually have great service. It’s all automated. Their speed is what people are buying. They’re convenient. So we need to compete. We can deliver the speed & convenience that people need to feel like they’re talking to the right people to make the right decisions.”

Key Points:

1:20 – Breaking In as a Broker — from Auto, to Retail, to Opening ACE Lending

7:52 – Dynamics of Working with Loan Partners

12:08 – Tech for Mortgage Brokers: Systems and Processing

13:57 – The ‘Break It’ Method

18:41 – The Leadership Mindset: Letting Things Grow by Letting Them Go

The post Episode 160: Letting Things Grow By Letting Them Go: How to Foster Your Mortgage Business’ Skills, Staff, and Client Base w/ Elyin Perez, Broker Owner of ACE Lending Group appeared first on AIME.

This episode is sponsored by EPM

On this episode of Broker to Broker, host JP Hussey is advised, informed, and inspired by Mortgage Advisor and Broker with C2 Financial, Allison Thenhaus!

Allison is known as a Mortgage Advisor for multiple brokerages for a great reason. Though only having been in the wholesale mortgage industry for a relatively short time, she has insight and knowledge beyond her years. Allison has a vast knowledge of systems & processes, customer service, ethics & values, and long-term market trends. 

Allison has done her research and has practical experience as a broker that sets an exceptional example for the rest of the broker channel, willingly taking on the wealth of responsibility that comes with being a broker, and using it to the best interests of her clients. Doing the hard work leads to long-term, and high-scale return business: “Ultimately, the buck stops with brokers. We’re like project managers of the loan; we’re reaching out for the title, to insurance, to the appraisers. If something happens that our borrower does not like, we fix it. Even if we didn’t make the mistake, even if it wasn’t our cost to incur. We’re really not in this for the transaction. I’m in this for every loan, so when we get a client, I want to make sure that I do every single loan you ever have for the rest of your life, every friend, every family member. If you hear of anyone that wants a loan, that’s my ultimate goal. We’re really after what’s best for our clients because we want them to come to us as advisors and know that we’re going to shop for the best deal for them. That’s why we’re brokers, ultimately.”

Key Points:

3:08 – The 2023 Mortgage Market & The Windows of Opportunity

7:07 – From the Equestrian to the Real Estate Industry

11:46 – Personal and Professional Responsibility for Brokers

14:22 – Recruiting, Systems and Services

21:28 – Bob Burg’s The Go-Giver Mentality: Saying Yes for the Right Reasons

30:25 Simplifying Processes to Handle More Volume & Save More Time

35:43 Preparing Investments for the Imminent Future of the Housing Market

The post Episode 159: The Buck Stops with the Broker: Project Management for Mortgages w/ Allison Thenhaus, Mortgage Advisor/Broker at C2 Financial appeared first on AIME.