Ep #67: The Journey to Closing 400 Loans

Jeremy Engle breaks down how he built a 400-unit-per-year purchase-heavy mortgage business with a small team, a wide-net agent strategy, and a cross-qualification system embedded directly in the MLS. LOs at any volume level will find actionable tactics, especially around agent cross-qualifying, milestone communication, and team structure.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Ask 4-5 of your best listing agent partners to add you as the required cross-qualifying lender on their MLS listings — pitch it as reducing fallout for sellers, then use each cross-qual call as a low-pressure introduction to the buyer's agent.
• When a listing agent says 'I only have listings and cash buyers,' respond with: 'Do you ever have listings fall out because of financing?' When they say yes, follow up: 'Then let me be your cross-qual lender — I can help you save those deals.'
• Set up an automated milestone email sequence that copies BOTH the buyer's agent AND the listing agent at each stage (appraisal ordered, appraisal received with value result, CD issued, funding). Use the listing agent touchpoints to pitch a line like: 'Did you notice you didn't have to chase this loan? That's what working with me looks like for your buyers.'
• At funding, send an automated email to borrowers that says: 'If you know friends or family looking to buy, I'd love to help them. If you have a moment, a 5-star Zillow review means a lot — and if anything was less than 5 stars, please contact me directly so I can make it right.' Jeremy gets 2-3 reviews/month from ~40 fundings with this single touchpoint.
• Before committing to any co-marketing spend with an agent, demand proof of production first. Tell them: 'Show me the deals first — I'll spend whatever makes sense once I see what you can do.' This prevents paying into relationships that don't convert.
• Rebrand your personal name to a team name (e.g., 'The [Your Last Name] Mortgage Team') before scaling with LOAs — this sets borrower and agent expectations that they're working with a team, eliminating the 'I never talked to you' feedback that damages referral relationships.

The playbook

1. 1. Borrower submits online application through your website before any in-person meeting.
2. 2. Pre-qual assistant (dedicated role) is first point of contact — calls the lead, takes the app, screens qualification.
3. 3. File is split between two LOAs who manage document collection and CRM milestone updates.
4. 4. Two processors handle the pipeline behind the LOAs; a separate person orders appraisals and VOEs.
5. 5. Automated milestone emails go to borrower, buyer's agent, AND listing agent at each key stage.
6. 6. Lead LO (Jeremy) steps in only for escalations, problem files, or relationship-building calls with agents.
7. 7. At funding, automated email requests Zillow review and referrals simultaneously.

Worth quoting

“You need to have the perception that you are in front of them.”

“It's easier to say no than it is to try to get out of it later.”

Best for

LOs doing 10-20 units/month who want a scalable team structure and a concrete strategy to convert listing agents into referral sources.