From the unfiltered mind of an overstimulated lender
Casting Off: Retail to Broker
I get asked a lot from LOs what making the transition from retail to broker is like. Here is the best way that I can describe it: Retail lending is like going on a guided fishing trip. For the most part, the guide takes you out, their spot, their boat, their rods, and you just…
The Bait-and-Switch Mortgage Game (And the Call That Exposed It)
It was late 2023 and I heard a few sentences that made me question everything in lending: “We are going to post a rate online that we have no way of honoring. But that rate will buy you a conversation, and it’s your job to convert. We had legal working double time on the disclaimers…
4 Mortgage Scams You Should Watch For
Corporate greed has ruined the mortgage industry. Not the LOs — most of them, broker and retail, have honest intentions. It’s the sales managers, SVPs, and Regional VPs who want their people to sell inflated rates so they can drive nicer cars. If you’ve read my posts, you know I don’t sugarcoat. So here are…
You’re More Than What You Produce
Confessions of a Former Retail Lender #4 “You are only worth what you produce” Retail taught me that my worth was directly tied to my monthly production. And while this was great to light the fire, it wasn’t great for my self-image. What changed? I stopped letting my value be measured by how many loans…
When to go Broker
Pathway to Broker — #1: Knowing When It’s Time The common question that I get when asked about being a broker: “How did you know it was the right time?” I knew the moment I took responsibility for my client’s wellbeing — both short-term and long-term. Our “loan status updates,” and ability to be charming…
2 Ways BridgePoint Is Doing It Differently
Hosted a mastermind at the office this AM. Had the pleasure of hosting 6 small business owners, all striving to get ahead of AI and leverage it instead of being replaced by it. This left me with two thoughts: #1 Bridgepoint will leverage AI, not be replaced. We are already implementing AI to bring business…
Michelin-Quality Realtor. Gas Station Food Quality Rate
“The service was great! But the food sucked.” How do you respond? “Well, service is the most important!” Or “Hey, you got your food right?” Realtors, this is exactly what you tell your client when you set them up with your lender who offers them a shitty rate. Nobody should have to pay $200-$500 more…
We Build Dreams, not Pyramids
Confessions of an Independent Broker Pt 1 Most mortgage brokerages are little more than pyramid schemes. I know, I’m a branch manager and am actively hiring LOs to fill my office. So, before you call me a hypocrite, I’m conceding this and will explain our setup. Our lenders are on a split, and I get…
BridgePoint Mortgage – Manifesto
BridgePoint Mortgage — Manifesto This company was built by lenders, for lenders. Every person in leadership is an active producer. Nobody here is managing from a distance — we’re in it with you. We’re not chasing a headcount. “Right fit” means more to us than a roster, and if holding to that limits our growth,…
Sweating Market Volatility? I don’t.
Confessions of a Former Retail Lender #3 “Rates improving after you lock stings. Still beats floating into a worse one.” Saying that used to make my stomach churn, I lost sleep and just prayed that they didn’t pick up the phone and call another lender. The other lender could have been on the same margin,…
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Blake Hallum's Mortgage Insight 