The role of brokers is very important in today's mortgage market. This story talks about how one could become a mortgage broker and make a lucrative career in finance.
A mortgage broker is the person you consult when you need a loan, which exactly suits your needs. Earlier, financial products like mortgage loans were sold by the banks themselves.
However, with competition in the mortgage loan market heating up, the role of a broker has evolved out of need. In majority of developed mortgage markets, more than half of the loans are sold by brokers.
The job of a broker involves providing finance to people in need of money to buy a land, house, or other real estate. Now, mortgage lending mechanism has come under the government scanner and is regulated by financial laws.
This type of broking is about selling loans to people in need of it and fixing a reasonable deal for them. For a consumer, it is difficult to choose the right mortgage loan deal, which he can afford to pay back, from amongst a plethora of choices.
In such a case, when he or she approaches a broker, he can make it easy for them. He can fix a deal for them, from the various options available, which exactly suits their budget.
Job Description
Once you become a commercial broker, you will have to perform the following tasks.
You have to market mortgage loan products to attract customers
Assess credit history of loan applicants and investigate their ability to afford paying back
Look for a mortgage loan product that exactly suits your client's needs
Apply to the bank for a lender's agreement
Compile requisite documents required for a loan, from client's side
Complete application form for the client
Clearly explain the legal bindings to the client
Follow through with the deal and make sure it is closed
Sometimes, you have to also handle second mortgage loans which are quite difficult to set up. Your expertise is tested here.
Becoming One
Becoming a mortgage broker is all about learning how the mortgage loan market operates. There are some formal qualifications that you must possess.
The basic educational qualifications required to become a broker are a college degree, that is preferably in commerce. That, coupled with sales experience, computer skills, and an understanding of the mortgage market is required.
Besides that, to become a licensed broker, you need to clear certain exams. The licensing requirements change from state to state in USA. Search online for your state-specific licensing requirements and exams that need to be cleared. Like any career in finance, it is essential that you are good at crunching numbers and making complex financial calculations.
The job of a broker is all about dealing with people and helping them out with their financial requirements. It is essential that a broker is good at reading people and assessing their ability to repay the loans, by studying their earlier credit history.
It is essential, because in case your client turns out to be a loan defaulter, your impression and reputation as a broker with a bank, will suffer. So you have to be careful and very methodical.
You need to follow up with your clients after they get their bank loans and ensure that mortgage payments are made regularly. So, becoming a broker is all about learning to efficiently deal with people and numbers. The job comes with a lot of responsibility.
A broker has to have a complete database of the mortgage loan market in his area. This database should include interest rates and other details about mortgage loans offered by various banks.
Before going in to advise a client about a loan, the broker must check his social security number, with which he can get the credit history of the client. Knowledge of all the norms and eligibility conditions required for an applicant to get a mortgage loan is essential.
Mortgage brokers earn their income through commissions from clients and in some cases through commissions from banks too. It is a tough career, but the rewards are worth the effort. You also have the satisfaction of helping a family in buying their own dream home, through home loans or helping in setting up a business.