Getting Down And Dirty To Close The Deal

Getting fingernails dirty gets a client refinanced

Colleen Murphy
Colleen Murphy, Mortgage Loan Originator, VIP Mortgage Group

My clients were in debt over their heads due to COVID layoffs and reduced income, just struggling to survive. I structured a debt consolidation refinance that would save them thousands per month, and I felt really good about it. Other lenders had ghosted them and they were low on confidence that this would actually happen.

Then came Hurricane Ian, which flooded much of Central Florida, including my clients’ backyard. Being that this loan was a Manual UW FHA loan, standing water in the yard was not acceptable. My boss, myself, and my family personally bought muck boots and dirt and filled in the backyard. It took several trips over a week to get the water pumped out and enough dirt in to dry the yard. We closed!

What else was interesting about the deal?
Although I wouldn’t want to have to shovel dirt on every loan, when a hurdle comes along, I love being the kind of loan originator who doesn’t give up. I was this family’s third attempt, and their hopes were low, so I was determined not to let them down.

It truly gives me joy knowing this family’s life is changed, and they can live without the crushing debt.


Have a great story about your best deal? We’re not talking about your biggest deal. We want to hear about your best deal - the one that resonates with you personally, the one that became the story you’ve told again about why you’re in this business. Head over to bit.ly/MyBestDeal and tell us the details. You could win a $100 Amazon gift card if your story is selected for publication.

This article originally appeared in National Mortgage Professional, on the week of December 1, 2023.
About the author
Published on
Dec 01, 2023
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