Mortgage Loan Officer Blog | Loan Officer Freedom

AI in Lending: Pure Hype or Holy Grail?

May 23, 2023

Hey there, fellow Loan Slinger,

You’ve seen the noise around this AI thing, right? It’s like a new superhero movie – everywhere. Got me wondering….

“Can this robot stuff really help me seal more loan deals?”

So, I rang up my secret “Nerd Herder” and had a good ol’ chat about it. Felt like I was in a sci-fi movie. So I hit the record button and turned it into a podcast episode.

You can hear it all in this Podcast Episode.

Intriguingly, I’m involved in a beta test group that he’s running, and it’s like being backstage at a magic show. It could be worth a look-see for you too.

Check Out the Artificial Intelligence Insider Information here.

Get the lowdown while you’re sippin’ on your Saturday morning joe.

(No sign-up required, the podcast is right there on the page.)

As always, I’ve got your back and we’re in this together.

Seizing Our Moment Against Online Lending Giants

May 15, 2023

These may be challenging times, but I firmly believe we’re on the cusp of a golden opportunity to triumph over the online lending behemoths.

Let’s be real: we’re not going to outpace Rocket Mortgage in the tech race. Their budget for technology far outstrips ours, and that’s putting it mildly.

But here’s the kicker: we have the power to outshine them in two crucial areas.

1. Cultivating strong relationships with our referral partners
(67% of all purchase loans close with the loan officer recommended by their real estate agent).

2. Connecting personally with our past clients
(hint: this means picking up the phone, not relying on impersonal “drip campaigns”).

As a matter of fact, 27% of all loans close with loan officers referred by friends, family, or coworkers. Be THAT loan officer!

You see, most of our loans from “our past database” isn’t their loans, it’s their friends, family, and co-workers loans.

By focusing our marketing efforts on referral partners and our existing client base, we’ll tap into the majority of loan opportunities, leaving the online giants to chase after the leftovers.

So, instead of striving to out-tech them, let’s concentrate on out-personalizing them.

Remember, slapping lipstick on a robot doesn’t make it human. Similarly, an automated drip campaign pretending to be personal will only look ridiculous to the recipients.

The secret to authenticity? Simply being authentic.

To achieve this, all it takes is a phone call <gasp>.

Every closing puts thousands of dollars in our pockets—a fantastic achievement by any measure.

Let’s dominate the market like never before by harnessing the ultimate business tool: the telephone.

Our Finest Hour Awaits!

Carl “I got your back” White

P.S.: When you’re ready for a call to learn the exact scripts I use in my branch for engaging real estate agents and past clients, click on this link. I’ll provide you with 60 minutes of valuable script sharing and role-playing—completely free!

P.P.S.: Teamwork makes the dream work! If you have a question or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to your fellow loan officers or me.

We’re a family here, and our bond is unbreakable. Let’s keep that spirit alive and continue delivering exceptional service to our clients!

If you have any thoughts or suggestions, my door is always open. I’m all ears!

Remember: action is the first sign of true desire. If we genuinely “want it,” we need to take action. So, let’s take action (if you really want it)!

Very weird thing for loan officers

May 8, 2023

I’m seeing something very weird with some loan officers right now, and I’ve never seen it before.

I’m seeing more than just a few LO’s that have been doing this for many years, that were closing 8-10 loans per month and now are closing 3 loans / month… or worse.

But wait, here’s the weird part, I’m seeing many brand new loan officers (in the business less than 2 years) that are now closing 7, 8, even 12 or more loans this past month…

So the battle tested veterans are struggling, while at the same time some “newbie’s”, and not just a few of them, it’s many of them, are kicking butt and taking names.

For instance, take Athena Pena. She’s been an LO for about 12 months and in April she closed 7 purchase deals, all self-sourced! Looks like she’s closing another 7 loans for May.

My gosh, if you figure an average of $3k per loan (nationwide average), that would be around $21,000 FOR THE MONTH. Not too shabby for a brand new LO…

I spent some time studying what the newbies, like Athena, are doing that the veterans are not, pondering it, and I think I figured out the problem.

The veterans are saying things like “I paid my dues”, or “I made my calls that got me to where I was a couple of years ago”…

… you see, they forgot that if we stop rowing the boat, well, the boat starts to slow down.

This is especially true, and painful, when it’s a big boat, you know, one that was closing 8 loans, 20 loans or even those that were 50 loans per month or more.

See, even the greats like 7-time Superbowl champ Tom Brady knows that even though he was sporting 6 Superbowl rings, he knew that he had to go do what got him there, running laps, jumping rope, and doing pushups (it wasn’t a super cool new phone app by the way).

What about the newbies and their great success in the same time period? Well, they didn’t feel “entitled” (I’ve been guilty of this in the past too), and they followed the Daily Success Plan, did their prospecting activity like their success depended on it (duhh), and then reaped the rewards of it.

Funny how that works…

So here’s the take home message: There are no magic beans.

Come to find out, as successful sales people… we have to do successful salespeople activity.

And just because we did it 5 years ago, and didn’t have to do it when interest rates were in the 2’s and 3’s a couple of years ago, well, it doesn’t mean that we don’t ever have to do it again.

Go figure

The good news is, when we do the Daily Success Plan, come to find out, it seems to flat out work… whether we are seasoned veterans, or brand new Newbies, or perhaps anything in-between.

OK, well there you have it. Mystery solved.

Apparently, it may just require a bit of elbow grease to make $10’s of thousands of dollars a month (no magic beans required).

It’s your turn now!

What would that look like?

April 24, 2023

“I was watching a short video from Matt and it reminded me of a conversation that my father had with me when I was 27 years old:

What would happen if for one year you put your head down and gave everything your absolute all?

If for one year you gave your mortgage business and your relationships everything you had, what would that version of yourself look like?

Just how drastically would your life change if you donated one year to your future self, one year of uninterrupted focus?

I bet you’d be a completely different person. I bet you’d be completely unrecognizable. I bet you would look back and say to yourself, “I can’t believe I was living life that way.”

So, if the next year of your life is going to happen one way or another, if time is going to pass anyway, why not put your head down and give it everything you have?

Why not go all-in on yourself?

I think that you’re going to look back and say that that was the single best decision that you have ever made.”

When you are ready to map out what that looks like, when you give “it” your all, or if you were to say “Carl, give me a step by step plan of what activities I would actually do”,…

I can totally hook you up with that.

I’ve always thought, before we say “no” to something, wouldn’t it be a good idea to actually look at what we are saying “no” to?

Maybe in reality it’s an easy “yes”.

Let’s map out what the end result would look like in your dream mortgage life, and then let’s map out what that activity(s) would actually be, what would your perfect week look like, THEN make the decision whether or not to do it.

Click This Link, tell me a bit of your current business so I can personalize your plan, then pick a day and time that works for you, and I’ll see you on the inside.

Kind of a weird tip, but helpful

April 17, 2023

This may seem a bit “out of left field”, but this can kind of be a big deal. Here’s a little nugget of wisdom about something we all struggle with: accepting compliments.

You know, those kind words that have the power to brighten our day, but we often brush them off or feel awkward about them. Well, no more!

I’m going to share some quick tips on how to accept compliments graciously, so you can enjoy that warm, fuzzy feeling without any awkwardness.

Recognize the value of a compliment:

When someone pays you a compliment, they’re taking a moment out of their day to acknowledge something great about you. That’s pretty special, right? So, let’s start by appreciating the value of a compliment.

Say “thank you”:

This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget this simple courtesy. When someone pays you a compliment, just say “thank you.” It’s polite, it’s simple, and it shows that you appreciate their kind words.

Resist the urge to downplay it:

When we receive a compliment, our natural instinct might be to downplay it. But when you do that, you’re essentially rejecting the compliment and making the other person feel like their opinion doesn’t matter.

Instead, take a deep breath and let the kind words sink in.

Don’t immediately return the compliment:

Sometimes, we feel like we need to “balance the scales” and give a compliment back immediately. But doing so can come across as insincere or obligatory.

It’s okay to accept a compliment without returning one.

When the opportunity arises to genuinely compliment the other person, go for it. But, don’t force it just because you feel like you owe them one.

Embrace the compliment as a gift:

Think of compliments as little gifts that people give you.

By accepting them graciously, you’re allowing yourself to enjoy the good feelings that come with them. Plus, you’re showing the giver that their words have made a positive impact on you. That’s a win-win!

Practice, practice, practice:

Just like any other skill, graciously accepting compliments takes practice. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel. So, the next time someone says something nice about you, remember to take it to heart and give them a genuine “thank you.”

Remember, compliments are gifts. So, let’s start treating them as such and accept them with the grace and gratitude they deserve.

Keep shining, my friend! And thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of your day.

Let’s chat…