I’ve had the pleasure of spending most of my working life in the mortgage business. Almost 38 years! Thirty-eight years of ups and downs, booms and busts, rates in the teens and rates so low they almost seemed free.
Through it all, I’ve raised three kids who are now married, started multiple companies, closed a few, probably should have gone bankrupt once or twice, bought a home, put a little money away, and somehow managed to keep a gracious wife who's stuck with me through it all.
My life has been full, and I’ve been incredibly blessed.
I’ve spent a little time in retail, most of my career in wholesale, and much of that on the non-agency side of the business. I can’t begin to imagine how many loans the companies I’ve worked for or helped build have closed over those years. But I do know that countless borrowers and families have experienced the joy of homeownership because of the work we do.
And that’s what keeps bringing me back.
No matter the environment, no matter the interest rates or home prices, I always come back to the satisfaction of helping someone own a piece of the American Dream. I believe that’s what keeps many of us going, even when this business feels like an absolute grind. And believe me, I’ve seen my share of challenging markets. This is certainly one of them.
After 38 Years, I’ve Learned A Few Things
Mortgage companies operate on razor-thin margins. And during those rare periods when the margins aren’t so thin, I’ve learned that the razor’s edge will eventually return. It always does.
I’ve also learned that top producers aren’t born that way. They’re built over time. Through grit, persistence, crawling through the mud, and consistently serving their customers at a high level.
The best originators have certain non-negotiables. They work harder than most. They answer their phones. They understand their products and processes. They communicate clearly, manage expectations, and take responsibility for their clients’ experience.
None of these things are particularly complicated. But doing them consistently, day after day, year after year, is what separates the good from the great.
And these principles apply to every channel of our business.
Great Originators Solve Problems; They Don’t Just Take Applications
I’ve spent much of my career in the non-agency business, and I’ve learned that borrowers who don’t fit neatly into the agency box have always existed. Unfortunately, they haven’t always received the attention they deserve.
During boom cycles, particularly when refinances are flowing and business is plentiful, it’s easy for loan officers to focus on the transactions that fit neatly into their existing processes.
I understand why. During the last refinance boom, many successful loan officers built systems designed for speed and efficiency. When Desktop Underwriter said “No,” loan officers didn’t always have time to stop, dig deeper, and understand the borrower’s complete financial picture.
But today’s environment demands something different.
Today, loan officers have both the time and the responsibility to solve every borrower’s puzzle. A self-employed borrower with complicated income, a real estate investor building a portfolio, or a family whose circumstances don’t fit traditional guidelines may still have a perfectly reasonable path to financing.
A “No” from an automated underwriting system shouldn’t automatically end the conversation.
The best originators don’t simply identify which borrowers qualify. They figure out how to help more borrowers qualify, responsibly and within sound lending guidelines.
The Best People Know How To Pivot
I’ve watched great loan officers succeed in virtually every environment imaginable.
Rates are high or low. Home prices are rising or falling. Purchase markets, refinance markets, easy credit, tight credit.
Somehow, they figure it out.
They don’t spend all their time complaining about rates, competitors, technology, or the company they work for. They adjust their approach, learn new products, adopt new tools, and find ways to remain valuable to their customers.
The mortgage business will keep evolving. Technology and artificial intelligence will change how we originate, process, and close loans. Competition will remain intense, and margin pressure isn’t going away.
But I believe the originators who thrive will embrace change rather than resist it. They’ll use technology to lower costs and improve customer experience. They’ll expand their product knowledge, become better problem solvers, and find more efficient ways to run their businesses.
And they’ll continue to hustle.
Relationships Are The Great Multiplier
The greatest companies and the greatest originators I’ve known share one common characteristic: they know how to create, maintain, and develop meaningful relationships.
For wholesale and correspondent account executives, those relationships are with loan officers, mortgage brokers, and capital markets professionals across the country.
For loan officers, they’re with borrowers, but just as importantly, with realtors, CPAs, financial planners, money managers, builders, investors, and anyone else who can become an advocate for their business.
These are the people who spread the gospel of you.
And here’s what I’ve learned: relationships aren’t built when you need something. They’re built through consistent effort, genuine interest, and creating value for others long before you ask for anything in return. A great referral network doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of showing up, following through, and earning trust. But once established, those relationships become a multiplier that lets you thrive in virtually any market.
So yes, solve every transaction that comes your way. Learn every product you can. Embrace technology. Work hard. Be accountable.
But never lose sight of the people who make your business possible. After almost 38 years, I still love the mortgage business. Not because it’s easy, or because every year is profitable, or because I’ve always gotten it right. Believe me, I haven’t. I love it because this industry keeps rewarding people willing to learn, adapt, work hard, and serve others.
And most importantly, because behind every loan is a person, a family, an opportunity, or a dream.
That’s why I got into this business.
And after 38 years, that’s why I still love it.
