Madison Mortgage Services Inc.
Company NMLS # 1862796
Equal Housing Opportunity
Persistence matters more than people realize, and I've seen it make a difference firsthand.
I once connected with a loan officer in Texas who wanted to join our organization. His production wasn't where it needed to be, and I initially wasn't convinced he was the right fit.
But he kept reaching out. I'd leave a message unanswered, and he'd follow up again a couple of days later. He didn't take the lack of an immediate response as a reason to give up.
Eventually, his persistence got my attention. We had someone from our team speak with him, and they saw what I was starting to see: he was hungry, eager, and willing to put in the work.
We gave him an opportunity.
You can't manufacture that kind of drive. If you want something, be persistent enough to show people you mean it.
If I have two minutes with a Realtor, I'm not going to spend that time giving them a sales pitch about my rates or how quickly I can close a loan.
I'd start by telling them something that matters: I'm responsive, I answer my phone, and when you need me, I'll make sure you know I've received your call and when I'll get back to you.
Then I'd ask a simple question: What do you value most in a mortgage professional?
The answer is different for every Realtor. Some want constant communication. Others care most about complex loan scenarios, pricing, or execution.
You need to understand what matters to them before you can determine whether you're the right fit.
Don't walk into the meeting trying to sell yourself. Walk in trying to understand the person sitting across from you.
If you're trying to get a Realtor's attention, stop assuming your opening pitch needs to be about rates, closing speed, or how great your company is.
Every lender is telling them some version of the same thing. After a while, it all sounds identical.
My approach is to be a human being first. Find people you genuinely connect with, understand their business, and figure out whether you have the kind of working relationship that makes sense for both of you.
You won't find the right fit in every conversation. That's exactly why you need to meet multiple people every week.
The goal isn't to convince every Realtor to work with you. It's to find the ones who value what you bring, enjoy working with you, and trust you to execute.
When I was building my business, one of the things that made a real difference was creating two or three new connections every week.
That could mean attending a networking event, having lunch with a Realtor, or visiting open houses on a Saturday or Sunday. You have to be willing to put yourself in situations where relationships can develop.
But don't show up just to ask for business. Look for ways to help the people you're meeting. Understand what they're trying to accomplish and where you can add value to their business.
When you help other people grow, they have a reason to want to see you succeed, too.
That's what makes this business enjoyable. You're building relationships, working together, and helping each other close transactions. Make that a consistent part of your week, and the opportunities will follow.
How many new referral partners should you be meeting every month? It depends on your production goals, but the important thing is to work backward from the numbers.
If you're trying to close ten transactions a month, I'd be looking to meet two or three new potential referral partners every week. That's roughly eight to twelve new conversations a month, giving you enough opportunities to develop meaningful relationships.
Not every meeting will turn into business. Some relationships take months to develop, and others won't be a fit at all.
That's why consistency matters more than a short burst of activity. You might need to prospect aggressively for six months before you see a significant return.
Set a realistic weekly target and stick to it. Business development compounds, but only if you keep showing up.
The people make all the difference.
At Madison Mortgage, we believe great loan officers deserve the support, resources, and opportunities to reach their full potential.
Your success starts with the right team.
#madisonmortgage #loanofficer #mortgagecareers #mortgagerecruiting #realestategoals
Everybody talks about building relationships, but that doesn't make it easy. Developing referral partners takes time, effort, and a genuine willingness to get out there and meet people.
The best loan officers I know enjoy that part of the business. They like networking, meeting new people, and finding ways to help others grow.
But not everybody starts with that skill set.
If you're an exceptional loan executor but struggle with business development, you have to work on that weakness. You can't expect a strong operational game to generate enough loans if you're not creating opportunities.
The reverse is true, too. If you're great at bringing in business but struggle with execution, you need a team that can support you.
Long-term success comes from getting both sides right: developing the business and delivering on it.
The difference between an average loan officer and an exceptional one often comes down to a simple discipline: do what you say you're going to do.
Set the right expectations. Communicate clearly. Then execute.
You can spend all the time in the world developing Realtor relationships, but if you don't deliver when those relationships turn into business, they won't last.
You'll keep meeting new people and adding contacts to your network, but you'll constantly be replacing relationships instead of building lasting ones.
That gets expensive in terms of time and opportunity.
You also need the right operational infrastructure to support the promises you make. Great service isn't just about being responsive. It's about having a process that allows you to deliver consistently.
Your reputation is built on what happens after you get the opportunity.
When a loan officer tells me they have good Realtor relationships but aren't getting enough referrals, my first question is whether they have enough of the right Realtors.
Are those agents actively working with buyers? Are they doing enough transactions to support your production goals? And do you have enough relationships to begin with?
If you're working with five agents and not getting enough business, you may need 15 or 20 productive relationships instead.
But adding relationships is only half the equation. You also have to execute. If you pre-approve a borrower, that approval needs to mean something. If you set a closing expectation, you need to deliver.
Build a larger network of active referral partners, set realistic expectations, and consistently do what you say you're going to do. That's how you build a business that grows over time.
11 loans closed in just 3 months at Madison Mortgage! 🔥
Madison Mortgage NMLS # 1862796
#loanofficer #realestate #loanofficerlife #mortgagebroker wholesalelending
If I were personally originating loans again today, at least 50% of my day would be dedicated to business development.
I'd start by identifying exactly who I want to serve. Who is my target client? Where do those clients come from? And who already has relationships with them?
From there, I'd spend time meeting the people who could introduce me to those opportunities, whether that's Realtors, real estate investors, developers, or other professionals.
But there's an important second part to this. You have to be able to execute.
Prospecting creates opportunities, but poor execution destroys them. If you can consistently generate business and deliver an excellent experience, you have the foundation to scale.
Please join us in welcoming Lukasz Kasula to Madison Mortgage!
Lukasz joins us as Branch Manager, bringing his leadership, industry experience, and commitment to helping clients achieve their homeownership goals.
We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to the success ahead!
Lukasz Kasula NMLS # 1911457
#welcometomadison #MadisonMortgage #branchmanager #TeamMadison
If you want to go from two loans a month to five, you need to grow your referral network. That means spending more time acquiring business and less time managing every detail of the loans you already have.
This is where a lot of loan officers get stuck. They're so involved in the day-to-day execution that they leave themselves very little time to develop new relationships.
The solution is to build the right operational infrastructure around you. Your loans need to be handled well, your clients need to be taken care of, and your business needs to keep moving without requiring your personal attention at every step.
Your job is to generate opportunities and build relationships. The better your infrastructure, the more time you can dedicate to doing exactly that.
Please join us in welcoming Lukasz Kasula to Madison Mortgage! 🎉
Lukasz joins us as Branch Manager, bringing his leadership, industry experience, and commitment to helping clients achieve their homeownership goals.
We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to the success ahead!
Lukasz Kasula NMLS # 1911457
#WelcomeToMadison #MadisonMortgage #BranchManager #TeamMadison
If you're doing two loans a month and want to get to five, the answer probably isn't working longer hours. It's spending more of your time on the right activities.
Most loan officers get stuck inside their loans. They micromanage the process because they either want control or don't have the right operational support.
You need a platform that can execute well so you can focus on business development. Build relationships with Realtors, financial planners, CPAs, and other referral sources who can consistently send you quality business.
Then do it every week. Not for a few days, but long enough to build a habit.
I've watched loan officers go from two loans a month to ten by getting this right. The formula works when you execute it consistently.