Top originator: ‘Over-communicate’ to inspire realtors’ confidence

$150 million originator Jarret Coleman says frequent realtor communication smooths the process and builds referrals

Top originator: ‘Over-communicate’ to inspire realtors’ confidence

At just 31 years old, Jarret Coleman is already one of the top originators in the business, producing over $150 million in annual loan volume for United Bank. His main advice for other young mortgage professionals: always “over-communicate” with realtors and don’t rely too much on emails or other online mass marketing.

“Unless an agent tells me that they want to be hands-off, I try to over-communicate with them so they know where their client lies from start to finish,” says Coleman, who is based in Connecticut. “The same thing with the client so they are never left in the dark. That level of customer service, I think, gives the realtor assurance and confidence that the deal is moving forward at all stages.”

Only one of the hundreds of realtors Coleman has worked with over the years has told him that he is in touch too often.

This “over-communication” is critical to keep the deal on track and prevent any problems at the 11th hour, Coleman says. It also demonstrates that he is proactive – a critical skill in the East Coast’s competitive real estate market.

“I try to have positive relationships with existing referral sources and ask them to sing my praises to other people they work with,” he says. “That way it’s not just me walking into an office – I already have other people who have had positive relationships with me in the past. I’m using that to leverage my relationships moving forward. I’m not pushy, just always trying to stay up to date and always trying to stay in front of them so when they do get a new client, hopefully I’m top of mind.”

Often, originators slide into complacency and start to depend on mass emails for exposure, but realtors typically receive many of these marketing pitches every day, and they are easy to delete or skip over. Coleman stresses that calls and face-to-face meetings leave a much more lasting impression.

“Between New York and Boston, it’s extremely competitive,” he says. “The agents want to know where are we with getting the application signed, where are we with getting conditions in, where are we with the appraisal – they want to know every step along the way. Overcommunicating strengthens the relationship with the realtor. Otherwise you have no relationship and no rapport with them.”

That rapport has translated into referrals that has made Coleman one of the top originators in the country – and smoothed the entire process.