Real estate agents and mortgage loan officers have the potential to create a strong and mutually beneficial partnership.
Each piece in the homebuying process can be made smoother and more efficient when these professionals share clients, knowledge, and connections.
The following are the five most important ways real estate agents and loan officers can work together to boost business and ensure client success.
1. Referring Clients
Real estate agents and loan officers each want their clients to be as informed as possible about the homebuying process, so they can help them quickly get into their perfect home.
As a real estate agent, you want your clients to be prepared, and you want to know that they are serious about starting the home search. That means your clients have been pre-approved by a lender, and they understand how much home they can afford.
Once you know this, you are able to more confidently help the client search for homes within their budget and accurately negotiate with the seller.
How It Works
When agents and lenders have a successful partnership, an agent can refer clients to their preferred lender with an understanding that they will be able to quickly help their client get pre-approved to resume the home search.
Likewise, once a borrower has been pre-approved for a loan, a lender can send the client to a real estate agent they know and trust.
2. Sharing Industry Expertise
Lenders and agents each have a deep understanding of the housing market, but their areas of expertise vary.
When they share their specific industry knowledge, they each become more well-rounded professionals who, in turn, can help their clients better understand the homebuying process.
How It Works
Partnering agents and loan officers can host meetings to discuss certain educational topics of their choosing. These topics might be based on common questions clients ask about the overall process.
Participating in these meetings also provides the basis for a real relationship between agent and lender.
3. Creating Marketing Materials
Co-branded marketing materials allow agents and lenders to share their client bases through a variety of fun, informative content pieces.
These materials might include:
- Social media posts
- Email campaigns
- Informative videos
- Webinars
- Blog posts
This is an opportunity to work together to flex your creativity.
How It Works
Once you’ve established a relationship with a mortgage lender and have successfully referred some clients, you can move toward combining your marketing efforts.
Finding creative and unique ways to share information with the lender’s borrowing base will be the most rewarding approach.
This helps you build trust with the lender’s borrowers, and will ensure they think of you first when they’re looking for an agent.
4. Swapping Contacts and Business Connections
Everything in the list so far has led up to this major point: Networking.
Networking with a loan officer includes swapping client information, but also extends into all professional connections.
As a real estate agent, you are essential to the homebuying process. Harnessing your own professional goals is key to maximizing your networking efforts, and navigating which players you want on your own team.
What is it about your approach that makes you unique? Aligning your goals with the professionals you choose to work with will ensure your client base spreads the word — and comes back themselves when it’s time to move.
How It Works
Sharing client databases is one step. Your professional connections might include contractors, real estate attorneys, title agents, and more.
You can choose to attend business conferences or trade shows with your partner lender, or host events of your own and invite all relevant contacts.
5. Providing Quick Customer Service
You don’t want to refer a client to a lender who moves slowly and inefficiently. This halts the process for you and for your client, and doesn’t reflect well on your chosen partnerships.
Part of aligning your goals with a mortgage lender includes understanding their approach to lending. Are they as focused on their client success as you are? Is clear communication and respect a main goal?
Partner with a lender who is as committed to success as you are.
How It Works
River City Mortgage is dedicated to personalizing the homebuying process.
We sit down with real estate agents and homebuyers to build the simplest and most effective strategy for everyone involved.
Our pre-approval program will ensure winning offers and smooth closings.
Get the River City Seal of Approval
The River City Mortgage President’s Seal of Approval provides a pre-approval letter that pops. Buyers will stand out from other offers that just can’t provide the same security to sellers.
Our experienced team provides outstanding offers, solid communication between all involved parties, and fast processing.
Here’s how it works:
- We’ll sit with you and the homebuyer to recommend the best financing strategy
- The buyer will provide all required documentation
- We will provide pre-approval and Seal of Approval letter for a specific property or maximum approved price
Pre-approval letters are approved in an average of one hour, so you can make a fast offer. We have a concierge loan coordinator to oversee all target dates, and agents and buyers have direct access to senior loan processors.
Ready to start a partnership with us? Reach out today so we can get to know each other.
Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
