Broker to Broker Archives - AIME

Family is at the heart of everything Cubie Hernandez does. Not only does he work alongside his father and his brother Christian, but the company’s name, Mares Mortgage is named after the family matriarch of the family. That family mindset extends to the way he treats his employees, clients, and his local community at large. That approach helps him stand out against large bank lenders in a competitive Orange County market.

Cubie grew up in the mortgage industry. His father, Cutberto Sr., started in the mortgage industry in the late 80s. After joining a retail operation, Cutberto Sr. purchased the retail branch he worked for and turned it into Mares Mortgage in 1993. Cubie grew up watching his parents close loans and during summers he took loan applications and helped fill out lead forms for his father. Joining the industry in 2007, Cubie spent a lot of his early career working on loan adjustments for clients to try to help them stay in their homes. While he took little to no compensation for adjustments, it helped him build a client base he still has today. 

Building community is also important for Cubie. Mares Mortgage’s Mares Foundation helps educate children on “ocean literacy” or the importance of ocean conservation. Personally, Cubie mentors local children and helps them apply for college. He is also a major advocate for the broker community and the importance of brokers supporting each other. “You can’t beat us if we continue to uphold one another and uphold the community,” he said.  

Working in Orange County, Cubie works hard to distinguish himself from competitors in his market, many of whom are major banking lenders. To stand out against Wells Fargo, Citibank, and their peers Cubie not only knows his market but also his opponents. Going back to his years as a collegiate athlete, Cubie is obsessed with knowing his competition. He wants to know what makes them tick and how they think. 

Cubie’s parting advice: “Don’t be a savior.” Mortgage brokers often get into a mindset of having to be a savor and a mindset of conditioning, he said. He urges them to leave that mindset at the door of their brokerage and to not carry that into their personal lives. 

Notes: 

Getting into the mortgage industry (1:51)

Managing mental health and avoiding burnout (11:35)

Building Community (18:08)

Supporting your local community (22:35)

Jumbo loans (29:18)

Cubie’s parting advice (35:33)

This Episode Is Sponsored By PRMG.

The post Know Your Market: How Building Community Can Make You Stand Out in Competitive Markets (with Cubie Hernandez) – Episode 78 appeared first on AIME.

Nike Ojo loves to create relationships. Whether it’s with borrowers or realtors or builders, relationships are at the heart of her brokerage. “I love to create and maintain relationships. I love to celebrate people”, Ojo said. That mindset has helped her grow a mortgage business that is almost entirely referral-based.

Originally from Nigeria, Nike started working as a deputy tax clerk for the local county, while her husband worked as a realtor. She noticed how difficult it was for her husband to get updates on his clients’ loans. Noticing that gap, Nike decided to become a loan officer. She initially started the role part-time, but as the business grew and got busier, she transitioned to full-time in 2003. 

Now with over 19 years in the mortgage industry, Nike has built a business that is 95% referral-based. She credits her large referral business to the way she treats clients. That starts with finding out who the client is and what they expect from her and extends to go above and beyond for them. “I don’t work from 9 to 5, I work from start to finish,” Nike said. She also adheres to a strict “every call and email must be answered in three hours” rule. If she ever misses that three-hour window, she makes sure to have the correct answer to the client’s question. 

Continuing her relationship building, Nike is an active member of her community hosting food drives and supporting small businesses. In 2020, she held two separate food drives that served over 600 families in her local community. She also uses her Instagram, where she’s built up a major following, to highlight and promote small businesses in her community. Nike is also an active member of the Women’s Mortgage Network. Building bonds and finding value with people she’s only known online, Nike wants brokers to know that communities are not just limited to your surrounding geographical area. We take part in many communities, and it’s important to not forget to interact and provide value for them all. You get out what you put in.

Nike’s parting advice “Just be yourself, find your niche. Focus on what you’re good at.” 

Notes: 

This Episode Is Sponsored By Class Valuation.

The post Working 9-to-5 vs Start-To-Finish: How To Turn Referrals Into Relationships (with Nike Ojo) – Episode 77 appeared first on AIME.

As a Broker/Owner, Casey Finn places a major focus on culture. Early on in his brokerage, he implemented Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle from his book Start With Why. The concept focuses on a company’s why versus their what or their how. With that philosophy, Casey is focused on culture as the core of his business. That culture not only stretches to his own company but the realtors, lenders, and vendors that he works with. He wants all of them to be #truepartners. That philosophy has allowed Casey to not only build but also maintain an organic return and referral business from past clients and his realtor partners. 

Since the age of 16, Casey Finn knew he had a passion for customer service. His job at a country club saw him handling brides and grooms during their wedding days. That passion followed him through phone sales jobs and a job selling cutting tools to machine shops. Neither of those roles scratched the itch he had to help the consumer instead of being focused on serving the company’s investors. Casey’s wife, who worked as a mortgage processor for a local mortgage business, encouraged him to join the mortgage industry. That’s when it all came together. The industry offered Casey the perfect balance of sales while being focused on making an impact on consumers. He spent the next few months studying for the national mortgage exam, which he passed on his first try. Not long after, Casey and his wife moved from South Carolina to Michigan. Not finding anyone who wanted to take a chance on him, Casey took the leap and opened his own brokerage.

For Casey, culture is everything. Culture is his key to building a brand and building a stable client base.  That difference is what separates an Apple product from Dell, Casey shares, “No one ever says they’re a Dell person.” That philosophy goes down to his brokerage’s slogan: “No pitch, no pressure, just dollars, and sense.” It is not about closing the deal for Casey, he is more focused on helping the consumer understand the complex and stressful process of buying a home. That approach has helped him build a referral business based completely on relationships, instead of numbers. Even when he runs into issues in the loan process, he comes to his client prepared with a solution to the problem.

Casey’s parting words of advice for all brokers: “Life is short, enjoy it. I think a lot of people forget that we have really amazing lives.”

Notes: 

This episode is sponsored by Guaranty Home Mortgage.

The post Finding Your Why: How To Cultivate & Balance Culture, Influence, & Sales (with Casey Finn) – Episode 76 appeared first on AIME.

California Mortgage Broker Rich Lane is always on the lookout for how he can improve his business to better compete with the big retail banks. Thanks to constant and consistent advances in technology, the divide between wholesale brokers and retail banks is shrinking daily. With a push towards digital marketing, video, and a diverse tech-stack, Rich understands what it takes to push his business into 2022 and beyond, and he wants to bring all of you along for the ride. 

Back at AIME Fuse 2019, our Keynote Speaker GaryVee asked everyone to raise their hands if they planned on retiring in 5 years. After the few raised hands went down, GaryVee stared out at the crowd of thousands of mortgage brokers and told them that if they plan on still being around in five years, they need to adapt. They need to understand that the future of all business is going to rely on internet marketing. As GaryVee put it, “there is nothing more important than being an unbelievable communicator in a contemporary manner.” Rich Lane took that to heart and started a video podcast, The Broker With Rich Lane. He isn’t a tech or video expert, so he did his research. He simply googled and youtubed how to start a video podcast, and then took notes. He learned what editing software to get, what lighting to get, how to get royalty free music, and so much more. Rich made videos with his realtor partners and CPA’s, which worked double time because guests were able to use the videos for their branding as well. The couple hundred dollars Rich spent on Amazon film gear more than paid for itself through all the referrals. 

The big retail lenders spend their money on marketing and tech; whatever can get the customers in the door and through the application process as quickly as possible. For the longest time, Mortgage brokers just didn’t have the resources to afford that, but no longer. Mortgage Brokers now have access to broker friendly and affordable tech that will help bring their business to the next level. Whether they’re looking for ways to stay top-of-mind with clients, or if they’re interested in a new LOS, POS, or CRM, there is a Brokers Are Better Vendor Partner that can fill their needs. Rich knows that refi’s are not falling off trees anymore. The future is all purchase and he knows he needs to prepare his business for that now. If you don’t, Rich shares, “you are doing you and your clients an injustice.”

Rich’s parting words of advice for all brokers: “Whatever you do, lead with authenticity…high tech, high touch, high authenticity.”

Notes:

This episode is sponsored by REMN Wholesale.

The post Preparing & Adapting For The Always Changing Mortgage Market (with Rich Lane) – Episode 75 appeared first on AIME.

Born in Flint, raised in rural Arkansas, and now back in Michigan, Nexa Mortgage Broker Collin Simpson claims “there isn’t a person you can put in front of me that I can’t build a relationship with…whatever situation you’re in, if I haven’t been there, I’ve been close to there and i know a little something about it.” And this is how Collin finds success. He’s upfront, clear, and concise with his clients. Whether it’s across the closing table or virtually through social media, Collin goes out of his way to connect with potential borrowers, educate them, and hopefully create a genuine and authentic relationship. 

Buying a home is taxing and complicated. It’s not easy to simply trust someone you don’t know with your personal finances. And the process can be made even harder with the many misconceptions that stem from television ads, internet articles, or even family and friends. Instead of ignoring the client’s fears or simply relaying that this is just the way it is, Collin recognizes and validates his client’s concerns, and then takes the extra step of explaining how the process works and why it works this way. He eases tensions and finds a common ground. “You and I are on a team together, and we are asking a lender to loan us $200,000, they’re gonna have questions” is a go-to answer for Collin that really seems to get the point across. “Go the extra mile to let them know that their information is safe with me. I’ve closed so many clients who had the same concerns that you have. You’re not the first, you certainly won’t be the last, but we will get the job done, because my name is on the loan as well.” Give them lots of decisions, let them feel in control, and don’t listen to respond, listen to understand. Now, he hasn’t only educated his client, he’s created an advocate as well. 

One of Collin’s main goals throughout the homebuying process is that he doesn’t want anyone to forget that they’re working with Collin Simpson. One of the best places Collin has found to both market his business and be his true authentic self is through social media. Particularly by livestreaming on Facebook. Collin just shares a 5-10 minute snapshot of his life, but makes sure to share some business info as well. Whether it’s biking around his neighborhood checking out nice houses or showing off his kids, he makes sure to mention that if anyone ever has any questions about buying or refinancing a home, he’s their guy. Collin once shared a personal story about wanting to be a better grandson for his grandmother, and within a week, that video had 2,000+ views and he was getting messages from around the country from people who said the video resonated with them. But that doesn’t mean you need to share your entire life story online either. Do what feels right and be your authentic self. As Collin says it’s “just about connecting with people.”

Collin ends the podcast with a tip he learned from his grandmother that he has used to run his business. “If you do things the right way,  you’ll get your slice of the pie without stepping on people’s toes or offending people…Be kind.”

Notes:

This episode is sponsored by AFR Wholesale & Class Valuation.

The post From Homeless To Selling Home Loans: How To Build Your Business By Being Authentic (with Collin Simpson) – Episode 74 appeared first on AIME.

Michigan Mortgage Broker Rocky Billore was known as the guy who was in the office till nine at night, but there IS a better way of achieving your goals. He hasn’t just found a way to balance his residential and commercial businesses alongside his two hotels. Rocky found a way to get back home to his family. Rocky road-mapped and time-blocked his way towards spending quality time with those he loves. 

Recruited off the selling floor of Best Buy by a retail bank, Rocky was eventually forced to try and do a cash-out refinance for an elderly woman that didn’t need it. Her closing costs were going to far exceed the amount of cash she was going to be able to pull out, so he chose not to close the deal. After being berated in front of his co-workers, Rocky left to do the right things for good people. 

Rocky credits his success to time-blocking and day-theming. “If it’s good enough for the fortune 500 companies, why wouldn’t I give it a shot,” he shares. He took two weeks to analyze his work schedule, taking meticulous notes, and especially being on the lookout for whenever he found himself deviating from his job. He found that there was no time to be proactive when he was always being reactive. But Rocky also found the biggest issue was at home. He recounts a specific situation when he got home too late to give his kid a bath and he shares that his wife would be mad because he wasn’t always able to come through on his promises. But by taking a step back, and creating a solid base from which to change and grow, Rocky has been able to not just build a successful brokerage, but be a part of a family.

The rest of the episode is full of all sorts of tips and tricks for brokers trying to specialize in all sorts of different business models. Rocky and Marc discuss their tech stacks, how to develop a company culture, and the benefits of becoming VettedVA. But whatever your goals are, Rocky recommends reaching out to an established broker. Pick their brain, ask what they would do in certain situations, or even ask them to be your mentor. 

We’ve developed a community here at AIME. We are all on the same team with the same goal of trying to better the entire wholesale channel. Go out and meet your fellow broker, learn and share from each other. Or as Rocky puts it, “go out for a beer with one of your local brokers, they are not your competition.”

Notes:

This episode is sponsored by First Look Appraisals.

The post Time-Blocking & Day-Theming: How To Achieve A Work/Life Balance (with Rocky Billore) – Episode 73 appeared first on AIME.

Before opening his own brokerage in New York, Shah Tehrany was in the real estate business. Tired of never hearing back from his mortgage broker connections, he decided that if you want things done right, you do them yourself. Now a Broker/Owner in New York, Shah’s main goal is simple; Be honorable and do the right thing. This is equally true for both his borrowers and his staff. Building his business around five pillars of core values; Authenticity, Training, Accountability, Patience, and most importantly, the “why”, Shah has been able to consistently grow a successful brokerage in the strictest state on Mortgage Brokers. 

Many of these are self explanatory. Authenticity; be who you are, a real human being. Training; better your mind, stay up to date on guidelines, be ready to learn every day. Accountability: Take responsibility for your own actions. As Shah calls it: “Be a thumb pointer, not a finger pointer.” Be patient: The mortgage process is complicated and long, don’t stray from your path and you will eventually reach your goals. And then Finally, there’s the “why.” Yes the mortgage process is complicated and long, but that’s because it’s incredibly important. For most borrowers, this is their biggest financial decision they’ll ever make. Be their true mortgage advisor. Be their guide and keep them informed. Let them know why you need certain things, or why certain parts of the process are taking as long as they are. As long as everyone involved understands why things are happening, they will not just appreciate your guidance, they will not just walk away with a brand new home, they’ll be walking away with a real relationship with you and your company. 

With his foundation paved, and all five pillars steadily in place, Shah determined it was time to grow. He found that the focus had to be on generating a solid operations staff. You can hire as many Loan Officers and Loan Officer Assistants as you can, but if they have no support staff, everything will crumble. The other side of the equation is letting go of origination. It is simply too much work for a single person to do both. It wasn’t easy for Shah, but by promoting certain leaders and putting certain procedures in place he was then able to step away and see his brokerage from an entirely new perspective. He was instantly flooded with ideas, reaching for  greater goals. Instead of focusing on every new loan as it comes in, he saw the bigger picture, and in turn, improved his processes and systems not just for his clients, but for his staff as well. Take a step back, set goals, and stick to them. It’s hard and time consuming, but fairly simple. 

For Shah, in the end, above all else, it’s about the relationship. “Regardless of where rates are and how big the market is at the time…If you have good relationships, and a good reputation for doing the right thing…you’ll always do well in the mortgage business.”

Notes:

The post Real Relationships & The Pillars Of Sustained Growth (with Shah Tehrany) – Episode 72 appeared first on AIME.

Maryland Mortgage Broker and AIME President of Broker Advocacy Brendan McKay joins the podcast to discuss the future of the wholesale channel. From attending local broker events with his mom as a kid to now owning a successful brokerage, Brendan has gained the experience and knowledge necessary to turn the Wholesale Channel into a true community, and he needs your help. 

Brendan used to have to turn referrals away. He barely knew the brokers in his town, let alone Broker’s across the country. “The Broker down the street was my competition, but now we know that is far from the truth,” Brendan shares.  “Before AIME, if I had a problem with a lender or they did something I didn’t like, they didn’t care, We were a speck, and that was it.” Isolated, stranded on an island, in a vacuum; it’s been described many different ways over the course of many episodes of this podcast. It’s the way things were, but not anymore. “We get so much more from each other by talking and sharing,” Brendan says. With 80% of market share still out there for the taking, “the idea of fighting over that 20% is ludicrous.”

Brendan always knew he wanted to be a part of a community, but he didn’t know how and where to start. He originally tried what he calls the shotgun approach. He tried to spread out and be a part of every chamber of commerce and attend every realtor, lender and financial literacy event he could find. But he quickly found that he had spread himself too thin. Once AIME and Brokers Are Better rolled around, he dove right in. 

The more involved you are the better it is. Brendan advises to “go into it with the right reasons, have no expectations, but know it’s going to work out in the end.” Brendan can’t track every conversation he’s had with a fellow Mortgage Broker but he knows that he’s doing more and better business as a result. Involvement doesn’t look the same for every Broker, but Brendan shares many different examples. “Just jump in, post, respond to stuff on the Facebook page, show up to events.” If you do something you’re proud of, share it, no matter how small. Even if it’s just how you calmly and successfully respond to a stressed client, every little bit helps. There are so many ways to succeed in this business. Whether you’re consumer direct or rely on realtors, financial planners, or referrals, share what you do well. “If you only helped one person, it’s incredibly powerful, and that’s what it’s all about.”

And if social media isn’t your thing, there are so many more ways to get involved. Whether it’s participating in the AIME Membership Program (AMP), Ignite Training Program, or any of the new AIME committees (channel development, consumer outreach, government affairs, partnerships, Women’s Mortgage Network, and community committees), you can still leave an impact on this community. 

Brendan parts the podcast with some words of wisdom. Have empathy, for your clients, the realtor, and other brokers. Stop trying to win conversations. Find the common ground before you make your point. We all started somewhere, we all have something to learn, and we’re all trying to build a better community. 

Notes:

This episode is sponsored by Class Valuation & Guaranty Home Mortgage.

The post How To Leverage And Engage With The Broker Community (with Brendan McKay) – Episode 71 appeared first on AIME.

VettedVA Mortgage Broker Michael Alberico is a Broker’s Broker. He keeps it simple, leans into what works, and makes sure not to waste his time and resources. He does some marketing, stays up to date on guidelines, and becomes an advisor to his clients, making sure to never over complicate the process for himself or his borrowers. 

A good name out the gate, like Raleigh Mortgage Group, definitely helps when it comes to google and SEO, but marketing only brings people in the door. It’s how Mike develops leads into relationships that has helped make Raleigh Mortgage Group a referral based business. “Shoot everybody straight, (be) honest, and set proper expectations…it’s simple.” Don’t be salesy, don’t tell them you’re an expert, show them. Mike shares some examples of clients coming in with retail preapprovals. Instead of trying to steal the deal by simply offering better rates, Mike becomes a true advisor. He breaks down the process and explains to new clients that while they might be able to afford their max payments a month, they may not want to, and there might even be programs better suited for their situations.

Mike parts the podcast with some words of advice. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, be the best at what you can do. Do the most you can with every opportunity (and) just put in the effort.”

TIME STAMPS:

This episode is sponsored by Homepoint Financial.

The post Show, Don’t Sell: Developing Leads Into Referral Relationships (with Michael Alberico) – Episode 70 appeared first on AIME.

Sitting at her desk in Southern California, next to her signed picture of Pete Rose, in her office at the edge of a referral-goldmine country club, Broker Owner Lauren Boland joins us for another incredible episode of Broker To Broker. In detailing her years of mortgage experience, Lauren shares how to network, where to find referrals, and how to sell without applying pressure. 

Lauren loves to sell, but asserts that it’s not about the deal. It’s all about the relationship. “There’s nothing greater than when you meet someone who doesn’t know you,” Lauren says. “You meet them, you educate them, you gain their trust, and you do what you say you’re going to do, and you close the deal. There’s no greater feeling.” 

Lauren’s biggest networking tip? Get to know your audience. Local business people attending a Chamber of Commerce event are different from retirees on golf outings. Tailor your approach to different groups’ wants and needs.

Lauren used to be the only woman on the sales floor. She had to work as hard as possible to achieve her well-earned honors in the male dominated mortgage industry. Active in the Women’s Mortgage Network (WMN) Facebook page, Lauren now provides other’s with the aid and assistance she never had. From handshakes to clear-to-close, Lauren shares weekly tips and tricks for all the new up and coming LO’s out there. 

Just like Lauren, the Wholesale Channel has worked its way up the ladder. And with 80% of the market still up for grabs, there’s so much growth for us to share. Bring in new LO’s and train them from the ground up. Reach out a helping hand and take time out of your day to provide value for your community. It’s up to us to develop, bolster, and secure the future of this channel. Brokers are better, together.

Show Notes:

The post Selling Loans The Right Way (with Lauren Boland) – Episode 69 appeared first on AIME.