08/17/2021
Lenders are not all the same!
I will share with you what makes me and Watermark Home Loans so different. I will also share with you what to watch out for in lenders(bottom).
Why homeowners love us:
• Low Rate and Closing Cost Combination
• Second to None Customer Service- What does this mean?- You can get a hold of me or your processor day or night by phone, text, or email and get a meaningful update.
• High Level of Experience- Stemming from a family legacy of mortgage professionals. Starting with my grandparents who ran the first “Costco” of mortgage companies in Orange County during the 70’s to my parents who are both well respected mortgage executives in the entire industry. Some say my first words were “loan to value”. Watermark has been in business for 15 years. Our offices are in Irvine, CA and I reside in South Orange County. I’m married and are the father of 3 amazing boys. I have experience dealing with large and small lenders. I was a Branch Manager for many years managing 35 people and over seeing all aspects of a mortgage company and creating the protocols that employees follow. With 12 years of mortgage experience, I possess the same knowledge as a processor, underwriter, and a funder. With this knowledge is how I ensure a swift as possible process by utilizing my skillset when setting up files for a quick turn time with underwriting. How the file gets setup upfront dictates how smooth(or not smooth) the process will be. These are steps that borrowers do not see and put trust in that the person they go with knows what they are doing.
• Fast Turn Times-2-3 weeks with an appraisal waiver or 3-4 weeks when an appraisal is required.
• State Of The Art Technology- Love that old school term to describe VHS recorders but seriously our internal and external technology is the top in the industry which is why our loans are smoother and are completed quicker than our competitors.
• Fast to Fixes and Hands On Action When its Needed- Every mortgage we do requires many emails and phone calls to get things done in time. No company or person in the mortgage industry is inept from issues when processing or closing mortgage loans. Issues are a part of the mortgage industry and will never go away. It’s how the issues get handled and how much knowledge the person has handling the issues is what determines the caliper of a lenders ability to get things done. Me and my processors are the A-team for handling these issues. We know how to identify them earlier and what the exact remedies are so the issues do not affect you.
• Complete Direct Lender- We underwrite and fund our mortgage loans ourselves. This is a big deal for providing exceptional customer service.
What to watch out for……
• Automated Lenders- They may have rates like ours but, they are NOTHING like Watermark. These lenders do not have the hands on approach and the employee’s tend to be less seasoned or non-existent. When the normal issues come up it will take longer and be more painstaking to get the corrections needed. I know who those lenders are and can tell you their names. Just ask!
• Large companies and banks like Quicken, Loan Depot, Wells Fargo, BofA, etc.- Rates and cost are higher with these lenders. Turn times are slower and almost all employees are new to the industry.
• Brokers- They do not underwrite or fund the loans themselves creating a disconnect from the underwriter. Another more immediate issue is that they typically cannot lock the rate upfront.
• Lenders asking for fee’s to lock the rate- Just say no! Fee’s are not required to lock the rate.
• Lenders or Loan Officers that don’t mention any of the above- If these things weren’t covered then your not dealing with a seasoned loan officer or company. By what they say and explain is the only way you will really know the level of experience you are dealing with and thus determine the integrity of the information they provide.
Rob Glass
Direct- 949.679.0254
Email- [email protected]
NMLS #740580
Watermark Home Loans- Irvine, CA
Corporate NMLS #1838
Compassionate Professional & Complete Direct California Mortgage Lender
13+ years of experience
