Turning Challenges into Opportunities with Rich Simon and Scott Roberts
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‘Purchasing a home is not buying a sandwich. When someone buys the biggest asset they might purchase in their life, having a human touch and working with a trusted advisor is important.‘ This might be the biggest takeaway from a recent episode of Mortgage Insights. In the video, Rich Simon NMLS# 155480 and Scott Roberts NMLS# 842143, owners of AZ Lending Experts NMLS# 847182, join Jerry Byers for a discussion about current market challenges, the use of AI, building connections, and choosing the right product for your customer.
The Motivation Behind Helping Buyers Find Their Dream Home
Rich and Scott have each been in the industry for more than 20 years, and AZ Lending Experts was founded in 2011. Staying in one industry for that long takes sustained motivation. Scott shares what makes him want to come to work every morning:
‘One of the biggest parts I love about the mortgage industry is that it is always changing, and we are always learning. It is very rewarding to see your customer from original conversation to when they are getting keys.’
Rich adds: ‘There is something special about having a place to call home and knowing it is yours. For us, the best feeling in the world is knowing you are helping people achieve that homeownership goal.‘
Turning Mortgage Industry Challenges into Opportunities
The mortgage industry is going through tough times. Borrowers face challenges with rates and home prices, and more people are becoming self-employed and using alternative income documentation. However, challenges create opportunities.
‘It is an opportunity for us as advisors to guide borrowers in this complex market – learning all these new products and applying them to help people,’ says Rich.
Non-QM loans are an increasingly common solution for complex scenarios. They offer greater flexibility in structuring a file, and 88.4% of surveyed mortgage professionals expect growth in the Non-QM market in the near future.
‘Back in the day, if we got a self-employed borrower, we were beholden to a two-year tax returns. It was very strict on whether they qualified – even though they might be a great borrower in terms of down payment and credit.
Now, we have Bank Statement loans and all kinds of different opportunities for people to invest in real estate,’ explains Scott.
AZ Lending Experts’ Experience Partnering with AD Mortgage
A reliable lender is the backbone of a broker’s ability to provide consistent, accurate service to clients. Scott shares his view: ‘We have been very careful about who we partner with. When we go to our clients and our agents and we say we can get the loan done, we need to get it done. AD Mortgage has been awesome in that: when our AD Mortgage account executive and underwriters say, “Yes, we can get this through,” we can confidently tell our clients that we can make it work.‘
Rich shares a recent example of how AD Mortgage’s quick response helped him save a deal.
‘We had a DSCR loan with another lender, and a week before closing, they said they didn’t like the property anymore. I called up Tyson, our AE with AD Mortgage. He said, “I think we can get it done.” We submitted it on Monday, and I had docs out ready for the borrower to sign by Friday.’
‘It was amazing. It helped save my credibility with the agent and the borrower. It is cases like that that have us continually coming back to AD Mortgage.‘
AD Mortgage is recognized as the Lender of Choice, voted by 1,000+ brokers, for its exceptional product range, consistent support, and innovative technologies. Become a Partner to help us provide high-quality services for your clients.
AI is Not Taking Away Our Jobs – It Opens New Opportunities
While Collins Dictionary named AI the Word of the Year back in 2023, it remains the most discussed term in the mortgage industry to this day. To better understand how mortgage professionals view an AI-driven world and what they expect to come next, AD Mortgage has published the AI in the Mortgage Industry: Human Skills That Will Win in 2027 study.
Rich and Scott share their view on the topic:
‘The biggest problem with AI is that people expect it to do their job for them. And that’s really not what it’s there to do. It is not what it is built for. We are using AI as a supplement. That takes a lot of time off our hands, allowing us to be more attentive to our clients,’ explains Rich.
‘Consulting with clients – that is something AI cannot do for you. Frankly, that is a part of our business we love, and we are happy to continue doing it.’
‘AI takes away a lot of mundane stuff that we don’t like doing and allows us to dig our heels more in personal conversations with people. Now, we are more like a full advisor than just a loan officer,’ adds Scott.
Rich and Scott’s discussion connects product knowledge, dependable lending relationships, and AI-assisted efficiency with a shared priority – making more time for clients.
Watch the full interview with Rich and Scott on AD Mortgage’s YouTube channel: AI or Human Touch? How Mortgage Brokers Win in a Changing Market – YouTube
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