The 2020 housing market is only getting stronger as job stability returns, and we reach a new normal. In fact, according to an MBA article, “The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for August 2020 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 33.3 percent compared from a year ago. Compared to July 2020, applications decreased by 4 percent. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.”
So, is your lending team ready? Have you checked out your competition? Are you hiring the best loan originators that you can get to keep up with demand? If you’re on the hunt for a great loan originator to add to your team, we have a few tips to keep in mind.
- Do your homework. First and foremost, how are their social and customer service skills? It’s an obvious one, but it bears repeating. Look at past experiences, speak with previous employers, and ask your potential hire how they would handle specific situations. A loan originator with people skills is a must. To help with this, there are plenty of online behavioral tests you can administer to see how your candidates stack up.
- You can use data for recruitment and verification. Our Loan Originator Module is a fantastic resource for measuring loan originator performance; whether to confirm the accuracy of their performance, compare your team to competing agents, set benchmarks, or just to track performance. The Loan Originator Module is a wealth of information and data that is essential during the recruitment process.
- Are they adaptable and do they embrace new technologies? Real estate is a fast-moving industry with new blood entering the field every day. Everything is automated and kept online now, documents are emailed, and texts are the way many borrowers want to communicate (for convenience). If your potential new hire is still stuck in their ways and not adapting to new practices and new techniques to streamline their work, they’ll lag behind the rest and lose clients to more modern agencies.
- Will they mesh with your team? Just as important: define specific character traits, skills, and background that you find valuable. Every firm has its niche and you want to be sure your next hire can work within that niche successfully. Just don’t stifle any ideas that could end up being hugely beneficial to your firm because they may be a little different from standard practice. Keep in mind that you want people that are adaptable and embrace new technologies.
- Have you looked at your job listing lately? Along the same vein, you want to define the types of skills your team needs most and craft your job listings with the right keywords to get the best applicants. If you need someone that can travel to evaluate business investments, don’t leave that out of your listing and get frustrated later when your only applicants are ones that can’t travel.
Recruiting your next top loan originator is always a challenge, but with a solid game-plan and the proper tools for verification, you can gain confidence in the process. Good luck!
ABOUT THE WARREN GROUP
Customers use The Warren Group to identify new business opportunities through access to comprehensive real estate and mortgage data, analytics, and industry news coverage. The Warren Group was established in 1872 and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership and management. It is the publisher of Banker & Tradesman, The Commercial Record, and The Registry Review. For more information visit www.thewarrengroup.com.
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