Is it better for loan officers to work for a big national lender A small bank? A one-person brokerage? The market is hot right now, and that means plenty of places to grow your business.
Today, I’m writing about why it makes sense to grow with a company that’s not too big OR too small, but right in the middle.
No access, no freedom
I talk with loan officers from around the country every day, and I’ve noticed some trends. For loan officers who work for huge national lenders, I hear a lot of dissatisfaction with org structures and the way decisions are made by executives. It can feel like you have no control over how you do business, and it makes it really hard to build lasting relationships with borrowers.
Working for the other guys can also sometimes mean that you compete against other loan officers for business, even if they work for the same lender. No one wants that.
For loan officers who work for a brokerage or who don’t originate full-time, there’s another set of problems entirely. It can be really tough to get loans closed, I hear again and again. And sometimes, there’s virtually no access to your underwriter to discuss files (especially if your loans aren’t being completed in-house).
A better way
Here at Castle & Cooke Mortgage, we do things a little differently (and a lot better). We only succeed if our loan officers succeed, so we give you everything you need to do just that.
For example, we actually poll our originators to see if we made a change to A or B how the change would affect C with their loans and with their business.
We also hire the best processors in the business and make sure that the red tape isn’t a hurdle. And our underwriters? They’re just a phone call away!
This results in some amazing statistics, and we’re not shy about sharing them:
- More than 40% of files hit a One Touch Underwrite
- Some days, our rock star Underwriters kick out SAME-DAY approvals
I know, I know, all lenders talk about 24 hours and an easy process, but here’s what makes us DIFFERENT: Our underwriting manager sends a company-wide email out every morning and shares what submissions his team is working on from the exact time and date. Most days, the team is working on submissions from the day previous.
You can’t get this kind of access with a brokerage or credit union, and you can’t get this kind of freedom with a massive lender. And no lenders—of any size—offer more transparency and accountability company-wide.
But you don’t have to take my word for it.
“Being at Castle & Cooke (Mortgage) has given me the chance to help hundreds and hundreds of families with their home loans,” said Jessie Van Wagoner, one of our highest-performing loan officers. “It’s given me the opportunity to change the perspective of my life, what I can accomplish, my income, and the opportunity to provide for my family like I never have before.”
Creating better futures
Jessie’s sentiment is shared across the company, but Underwriting Manager Seth D’Amato may have said it best:
“Every department has to work together to be able to accomplish the same goal–improving the lives of families.”
To hear from more of our team about why Castle & Cooke Mortgage is a great place to work, check out this video.
If you like what you see, let’s exchange those digits! We’re always looking to add like-minded individuals to the team.
You can reach me at cfullerton@castlecookemortgage.com or by calling 801-461-7104.
