Lenders want to understand what’s most important to top producing loan officers, which is why we’re excited to feature Jennifer Micklos, a top 1% originator and branch leader at Movement Mortgage, as a speaker at the engage.talent summit Feb. 6.
Micklos has been ranked in the top 1% of mortgage originators nationally every year since 2016, and has also been recognized as one of the nation’s top female originators. She will join Shant Banosian, vice president of lending at Guaranteed Rate, and Sean Johnson, producing branch manager of loanDepot, for a discussion on Recruiting and Retaining Top Originators. The session will be moderated by Joel Epstein, top mortgage coach and host of The bigJoel Show
We sat down with Micklos ahead of the summit to get a sneak peek of the session.
HW: What are some of the challenges LOs are facing right now?
Jennifer Micklos: One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with technology and the expectations it has created in people for an almost instant process. It is a challenge to manage those expectations and important that you have to have the tech to deliver on those.
HW: Knowing what you know now about the mortgage business (and life in general!) what advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
JM: I wish I had known to focus more of my energy and time in building relationships with referral partners and clients. Early in my career I was hesitant to approach agents and to seek ways to develop business because I felt I had to prove that I knew everything about the guidelines and programs and so on. Now I know that those guidelines are always changing and memorizing them is not the most important thing.
HW: What are some of the habits that make you most successful as a loan officer?
JM: I think it’s very important to build systems that are duplicatable for each client and interaction. From tracking and following up with new leads, the approval process itself, agent communication and contact with the clients after closing, we have systems – and are constantly evolving them to be better.
Other habits that have been integral to my success are constant communication with all parties involved and treating the customer with white-glove service.
Anybody can go online and fill out an application — what sets Movement apart from online lenders and companies that put people through a production line, is our personalized service where we serve as a consultant.
HW: In an era when loan officers move around frequently, you’ve been at Movement for more than 6 years. What makes Movement a great place to work?
JM: For me, the biggest part about working at Movement is the culture. From the very top of our executive board to the mailroom, everyone is working to serve to someone else. There is never an attitude of “that’s not my job” or responsibility. Loan officers are really at the center of the company, and everybody is there to support and help get the job done so that we can serve our clients and communities.
Movement has given me the tools to scale my business much larger and there is still potential to do much more. Before I was at Movement, I closed far less loans with much more stress.
I learned to trust the fantastic support that I have and let go of some of the details helping me to leverage myself and focus on other business generating opportunities.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Micklos and other top producers and talent leaders, at the engage.talent summit on Feb. 6. Register here.
