Building Powerful Relationships for Mortgage Success

Katie Grimes breaks down how she built a high-volume, realtor-referral-based business in seven years without buying leads. She covers her Instagram branding strategy, her 'buddy system' for warm introductions to new agents, a free marketing platform she built for realtor partners, and how she's using open houses and product knowledge to navigate the post-NAR settlement landscape. Best for LOs who want a concrete, relationship-first playbook from someone still doing the fundamentals at scale.

Takeaways you can run this week

• Rewrite your Instagram bio in this exact structure: (1) a credibility line — your rank or production stat, (2) a value line — 'I save buyers time and money,' (3) a human line — a quirky personal fact. Katie's version generated an inbound client who cited the '90s rap' detail as the reason they chose her.
• Run the 'buddy system' for new agent introductions: every 2-3 months, call an existing raving-fan agent, ask 'Is there a co-op agent or someone in your office you think is amazing?' then request a warm text or email intro. This converts cold outreach into an endorsed referral.
• Host a rooftop or charity event for ~40 realtor partners and their spouses — mix gratitude, fun, and giving back. Katie runs these in downtown Kansas City; the format creates personal connection that a lunch meeting can't replicate.
• Book open houses every weekend, even as a top producer. Katie picked up 5 prospects, pre-approved 2, and closed 1 from a single open house. Post-NAR, buyers browsing without a buyer's agent agreement will increasingly show up at open houses — be there.
• Build a free on-demand marketing hub for agents (Katie's is 'Team KG Marketing'): offer listing flyers, open house materials, rent-vs-buy comparisons, and buyer scenario analyses they can request on demand. Position it as saving agents time and money — the same value prop you use with borrowers.
• When meeting with agents, teach the commission gap and appraisal gap coverage using your own products. Katie's example: Cross Country's 2% non-repayable grant ('Smart Start') can cover a buyer agent commission gap, and 'Bye Bye PMI' at 15% down frees up 5% of purchase price for gap coverage — make this a teachable framework in your next agent class.

The playbook

1. 1. Identify existing raving-fan agents (those who send repeat referrals and know you personally).
2. 2. Schedule a check-in call every 2-3 months: ask 'What can I do better to serve you?' and 'Who's a standout agent I should meet?'
3. 3. Request a warm intro — text or email — to that new agent from your raving fan.
4. 4. Meet the new agent in person (walking meeting, coffee, open house appearance) to build a personal connection before pitching business.
5. 5. Add them to your marketing hub so they can request flyers, buyer scenarios, and other assets on demand.
6. 6. Edify the agent to every mutual client immediately on referral: call or text the client and say specifically why this agent is exceptional.
7. 7. Invite the agent to a quarterly event (charity, rooftop, etc.) with their spouse to deepen the relationship beyond transactions.

Worth quoting

“Having Katie's name on a pre-approval letter almost doubles your chances of getting it accepted.”

“I would rather have a little pie from a lot of different pies than one whole pie from one.”

Best for

LOs who rely on realtors but have only a handful of shallow relationships and want a systematic way to deepen existing ones and add new partners through warm introductions.