Creating value for the borrower

While the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t hit the mortgage industry as hard as some other sectors, some companies stumbled to adapt. For GO Mortgage, however, business is booming. That’s something Matthew Sell, director of marketing, attributes to both low rates and a company culture that places an emphasis on connection with the borrower.

“This has been a record-setting two months for our company,” Sell told MPA. We’ve fared very well in the pandemic for a number of reasons. First and foremost, rates are so low that it makes it very easy to do business right now. A good deal of the business coming through our door right now is refis.”

Another reason, Sell said, is GO Mortgage’s approach to doing business. He said the company wants to set itself apart from mortgage companies that churning through as many clients as possible.

“We’re much more of a craft operation, where we like to connect on a more human level with our borrowers,” Sell said. “Especially during the pandemic, realizing that people are human – that people are going through a broad range of things right now – has not just helped us empathize with our borrowers, it’s helped bolster our business, as well.”

Sell said that GO Mortgage originators are concerned about more than just getting a loan over the finish line. GO Mortgage originators are also required to hold the Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist designation.

“Instead of loan officers, everyone here is a home loan advisor,” he said. “A home loan advisor is someone who helps guide the borrower through the process and figure out what’s best for their particular situation. Part of that is a CMPS certification for all of our loan officers. They’re acting more as financial advisors than just loan officers. They’re able to create a tailored approach and find affordability options for borrowers in a way that loan officers who aren’t trained in certain standards can’t always do.”

Sell said that creating powerful borrower relationships was central to the philosophy of GO Mortgage President Chad Jampedro.

“He’s always created an environment for us to excel in and always have a voice,” Sell said. “Part of his leadership style is to really look at how we educate the borrower.”

Creating that relationship, Sell said, means the borrower trusts their loan officer – which translates to greater borrower loyalty and more business.

“In doing that – expending that effort – you’re creating value for the borrower,” Sell said. “I think so much of the industry today is about taking value from the borrower – how fast can you get that loan out the door? This approach is more about creating an educational moment for that borrower. So even if that borrower doesn’t qualify, they remember that moment with that home loan advisor. So when they’re ready, they come back to us.”