Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #1: Only use a few lenders

Depending on your niche, all you really need is a few good lenders. With a portfolio of about five lenders, you can handle all credit grades and even special programs like stated, no doc and 100% financing.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #2:

Read your lender's guidelines to build an intimate knowledge of their products and procedures - THIS IS A MUST!!! (And easy to do if you only use a few lenders.) Don't rely on lender reps to tell you about their guidelines. They are human and can make mistakes just like the rest of us.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #3: Send gifts to your appraiser, title agents, and underwriters to gain favor.

This is a great way to build relationships with the people you rely on to do business. Look for a reason to send these people a thank you card along with a gift. This is another good reason to use only a few good lenders.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #4: Define your market

What loans will you do and what loans will you not touch? You can and will cause yourself undue heartache if you agree to take a loan that is outside of your market. For instance, I refused to even look at a loan unless the borrowers had a credit score of 580 or higher. If an applicant has a credit score less than 580, I referred them to my loan officer partner and split the commissions.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #5: Specialize

Find a niche. Specialists always make more than generalists. Everyone does purchase loans on single family houses. What if you became the expert in your area on financing investment properties, construction loans, or VA loans? With some work and dedication you could become the mortgage lending “guru” for your niche and monopolize your marketplace.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #6: Location, location, location

If you can: Keep a frig in your office, place a copier close to your assistant's desk, and have your computer printer right next to your desk. This will save loads of time walking around the office. It will also keep your assistants focused. Sometimes it's hard to walk through an office without falling into several casual conversations that can lower your team's production.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #7: Get all documentation up front

I believe in getting every piece of documentation I could possibly need right up front. That way if a problem arises you have a greater chance of being able to fix the problem on your own without bothering the borrowers.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #8: Only the necessities

Just because you collect extra documentation, doesn't mean you have to use it. Don't submit extra paperwork to your processor or to underwriting. It could open a can of worms you don't want opened. Only turn in exactly what's need to fund the loan - nothing more or less.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #9: Sandwich technique

At some point you'll need to contact a borrower during the loan process and ask for more information. When this situation arises, try using the sandwich technique:

Re-establish rapport

Make your request: “Oh by the way I need___. When can you fax it to me?”

Continue rapport building dialog.

Say goodbye and politely get off the phone.

If you have a difficult borrower, this works like a charm to diminish their anxiety level.

Mortgage Loan Officer Training Tip #10: Testimonials

Get testimonials from everyone. They are great marketing tools for your business. Use them to target your client's CPA, HR manager at work, real estate agent and financial planner to establish a referral relationship.

There you have it. Incorporate these ideas into your mortgage business and see how they impact your bottom line.