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Hammer J. Helmer, former mortgage originator and founder of OriginatorSuccess, began his sales career selling vacuum cleaners. Hammer pursued a mortgage career after finding that an originator led him on while buying his first condo. In 2008, he fell victim to the housing crisis but eventually found a position as a Business Development Manager at a large corporation in California. After discovering that he didn’t like corporate America’s ‘red tape’, Hammer started OriginatorSuccess, which assists brokers with leads through Google and social media. OriginatorSuccess also offers free daily lock advice. 

Hammer’s thoughts on the Fed rate hikes? The mortgage industry will now see the effect on rate sheets because investors and markets are trying to stay ahead of the rate hikes. “They kind of quietly gave us a one-two punch because we knew the tapering was going to happen,” Hammer says. “We’re probably near some of the worst rates we’ll see this year.” Hammer also believes that we won’t see another housing crash due to the number of cash buyers and that consumers who are taking out mortgages are more qualified than before. Additionally, there is plenty of equity, allowing consumers the opportunity to consolidate debt. 

How can brokers succeed in 2022? “Sharpen your pencil and work on your sales scripts,” says Hammer. Brokers will need more flexibility, which is a massive benefit in a rising rate market. And, “increase your at-bats” with digital marketing. Embrace marketing your brokerage on social media, and opt for creating a Google Business Profile. Organic search traffic can obtain many quality leads and large loan sizes. 

Notes:

• Intro (1:37)
• Approaching Fed Rate Hikes (8:10)
• Preventing ‘The Freakout’ (13:25)
• The Impact on Mortgage Rates (15:45)
• What Went Wrong in 2008 (19:40)
• Adapting as Originators (26:00)
• Digital Marketing Lead Generation (28:00)

This episode is sponsored by Homepoint.