From her favorite movie and her first car to her thoughts about the reverse mortgage market, we get the facts from Megen Lawler, founder of Bay Docs, in his month’s edition of The Hot Seat.
Something nobody knows about me is when I was a senior in high school, I interviewed Mother Teresa for my school newspaper. She was very interesting. I felt incredibly blessed and lucky.
My favorite vacation was a cruise to the Caribbean with my family when I was 18. Although I got sunburned so badly on day one that I had to stay out of the sun for the majority of the trip, it was just an amazing vacation with my parents, three sisters and brother.
If I were a professional athlete, I would be a U.S. Open tennis player.
My first car was a Honda Accord. It was a road warrior, taking me from San Francisco to Boston three times!
The craziest thing I’ve ever done was certainly not something I would write about in The Reverse Review!
If I had three wishes they would be for a healthy life for my entire family, a billion dollars (of course, I’d be extremely philanthropic) and a cure for cancer.
My favorite movie is The Sound of Music. I watch it every year and it always brings back great memories of my youth and my family. I’m so happy I can still enjoy it with my parents and my own kids.
I never miss an episode of… Admittedly, I’m a TV addict! With On Demand I am now a true binge-watcher. I have for sure never missed an episode of Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Breaking Bad, The Newsroom… I could go on and on!
When I was younger I wanted to be a nun, and then a mom of 10 kids, although I stopped at four.
My first job was as a clerk in the local pharmacy.
My parents taught me how to do things for myself. They taught me to treat people with respect and that in return, people will respect me. But the best thing they taught me was if I want to get something done, it’s up to me to see that it happens.
My favorite time of the day is night, after the children go to bed.
The best lesson I’ve ever learned was to be kind to everyone and don’t burn bridges—you never know when things will change.
If I could trade places with someone for a day, I would choose any president of the United States. I think it would be a very eye-opening experience.
If I could time travel, I would go back to the ’50s. I seem to relate very well to that culture. And who doesn’t love a cool poodle skirt with bobby socks and saddle shoes?
People should seek a career in the reverse mortgage industry because it can be a very rewarding product for seniors. A reverse mortgage can substantially change their lives and give them the freedom to do things. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
I am optimistic about the reverse mortgage industry because I strongly feel that many of the players in the industry have the borrower’s best interests at heart. I am pleased when I hear that decisions are made to benefit others, even at a cost to the originator.
Before I entered the reverse mortgage industry, I was an analyst for Putnam Mutual Funds in Boston, Massachusetts.
The most important thing financial advisors can learn about reverse mortgages is that a reverse mortgage is not right for all seniors, but it can be an excellent source of income for many. I think it is also important to consistently stress that the title of the home remains with the borrower.
Technology’s role in the industry is major. Providing originators with tools that can help them speed up the process, reduce errors, better communicate with their clients and stay industry-compliant is a major benefit!
