[AT WORK]
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WILLIE BROAD >> If you want to be busy these days, get a job in the mortgage industry. Interest rates are at a 30-year low. Plus it's the end of the year, so everyone's looking at either closing a sale on their home or refinancing their existing loan. Loan Officer
Willie Broad thrives on the challenge
of helping people achieve their goalsI was in the automotive industry for 12 years before I came to Summit Lending a year ago. My most recent position was auto service manager. A lot of the same people skills apply. Whether a customer needs their car serviced or a loan approved, they just want to know that you're going to be able to take care of them.
I've found that refinancing can be a scary prospect for people. They might remember getting a mortgage the first time around and think, "I don't want to go through that again." But it can be a relatively easy process. One thing I try to do to change their outlook right from the start is always call people back within the hour. You'd be surprised how happy that makes people. It's a common courtesy but can be rare in this business.
First I try to establish what the customer's goal is for refinancing their home. Do they want a lower monthly payment? Do they want a shorter term loan? Do they want to consolidate debts and pay off credit card bills? Unfortunately, with circumstances the way they are, people are worried about being laid off. They know refinancing can help them meet mortgage payments if times get tough, by lowering the monthly obligation.
I had one couple recently, both in the hotel industry, whose monthly mortgage payment was $2,100. We were able to refinance and get it down to $1,600. That's a $500 per month savings! Now they have peace of mind that if either one were to lose their job, they could still meet their monthly commitments.
It's upbeat over here. There's a real sense of satisfaction among all of us at Summit Lending. We know we're helping people every day with one of the biggest American dreams there is -- owning your own home. I have a lot of customers who come to me initially thinking this dream is beyond their reach. I thrive on the "hard" loans. Give me a challenge, the bigger the better. I love helping people find out that owning a home is not only something they dream of, it's something they can really achieve.
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