Sustained interest in real estate and finance should not be underestimated, according to the eight-year industry veteran
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. But for Matthew Ferrigno, having a broad knowledge base is even more important in the rapidly-evolving mortgage industry.
According to Ferrigno, senior loan officer and director of strategic initiatives at RCN Capital, responsiveness, customer service, and time management are “all critical for success in this business,”
But it is an ability to draw knowledge from his years of experience that gives him an edge.
“Years of experience coupled with a deep understanding of our loan programs and underwriting guidelines have enabled me to quickly vet new scenarios and allocate my time accordingly,” he said. “Having a great memory certainly doesn’t hurt either – if we closed even just one loan and years ago, there’s a good chance I still remember you.”
An eight-year veteran in the mortgage industry, Ferrigno credits an early interest in real estate and finance for giving him a leg up at the start of his career.
“I’ve always had an interest in both real estate and finance,” Ferrigno said. “I attended the [University of Connecticut] School of Business where I majored in real estate and urban economic studies. I first joined RCN Capital as an intern, in the fall of 2012, which was during my senior year. At that point, the company was still in its early stages and consisted of maybe five employees total. I immediately fell in love with the culture, the fast-paced work environment, and the ability to directly contribute to the growth of the company, which is now 100-plus employees strong.”
The passionate environment at RCN Capital proved to be valuable throughout Ferrigno’s career.
“I’ve always been highly motivated and strive for success in everything I do,” Ferrigno said. “It’s a combination of these traits and skillsets that have enabled me to become such a prolific originator – maintaining my place as the top producer at RCN every year running since 2014. A large part of my success can also be attributed to my colleague; taking a loan from origination to close is by no means a one-man job and the team we’ve assembled at RCN Capital is second to none. I couldn’t ask for a better processor, underwriters, closers, or support staff.”
As with every mortgage professional, Ferrigno also experienced his fair share of ups and downs, “granted nothing as bad as what some of my colleagues experienced in 2008.”
“However, one of the most challenging periods of my own career also happens to be quite recent,” Ferrigno said. “My pipeline was at record levels heading into the first few weeks of March 2020 and life was good – right up until COVID-19 started wreaking havoc in the US. The stock market tanked, liquidity vanished from the secondary markets overnight, and lending ground to a halt.”
In such a climate, assisting clients to the best possible extent was nothing short of daunting.
“What followed was days, and then weeks, of very difficult and uncomfortable conversations,” Ferrigno said. “Borrowers and brokers were looking for answers that I didn’t have, and uncertainty pervaded every aspect of the business. The approach I took was in line with how I have conducted myself throughout my career: To be transparent and candid with my clients above all else, even if what I had to say was not what they necessarily wanted to hear.”
“I believe this approach allowed me to relate to my clients on a more personal level and ultimately strengthened these relationships going forward.”
