What I Wish I’d Known Starting in Mortgage Lending
Authored by: Cody Schuiteboer
Hard-won insights from years in the trenches – so you can spend less time learning and more time making a difference.
When I started in the mortgage industry, the key to success was learning the right products and working hard enough. And I wasn’t wrong, but I was far from complete. What I didn’t realize was how much of this business happens outside the numbers, outside the rate sheets, and outside the guidelines.
Today, as the President and CEO of Best Interest Financial, I’ve had the privilege of building and leading a team of seasoned professionals who are committed to making home financing easier for our clients. The insights I’m sharing below are not abstract concepts – they’re the result of hard-won mistakes, successes, and a lot of observation.
1. Relationships Are the Business Everything Else Is Infrastructure
When I was starting, I focused on learning as much as I could about products. I wanted to be the smartest person in the room. What I didn’t realize was that, in the mortgage business, people don’t buy your rate – they buy you.
The mortgage originators I saw struggling weren’t struggling because they didn’t know their stuff. They were struggling because they lacked relationships. The ones who succeeded were the ones real estate agents called first, the ones clients referred their friends to without being asked, and the ones who showed up not just at closing but over time.
Takeaway: Your relationships are your most valuable asset in this industry. Treat them as such, with the patience and care that any long-term investment requires.
2. Learn the Full Process, Not Just Your Role in It
As a loan originator, it’s simple to feel like you’re done with a file once it goes to processing. You’re not. Some of the best learning experiences I’ve had as a loan originator have been sitting down with processors and underwriters, asking questions, and learning why the process is the way it is.
This kind of knowledge has completely changed the way I communicate with clients. Instead of generic updates and vague timelines, I can walk a client through exactly what’s happening in their loan and why. It’s built confidence in them and in me. It’s also made me a better leader because I understand the weight each person on my team carries.
Takeaway: Never, ever say “that’s not my job.” The more you understand the full process of a mortgage, the better you’ll be at every step of it.
3. Clarity for Your Client Is a Competitive Advantage
One of the biggest problems I see in this industry, particularly among new professionals, is the inability to break down complex financial concepts into something a client can actually use. Mortgage lending is a complex process, with many variables: interest rates, DTI ratios, loan programs, and closing costs. When clients feel like they’re lost, they stall. And when they stall, deals die.
At Best Interest Financial, our whole business model is centered on making home loans simple without making them stupid. We treat our clients like adults who deserve straight, honest talk, and that has brought us more referrals and repeat business than any marketing campaign we’ve ever done.
Takeaway: If your client can’t explain their loan to their spouse, you haven’t done your job. Clarity is a service. Make it a standard.
4. Leadership Comes Before the Title
I was a leader before I had a leadership title, and looking back, that’s exactly what put me in a position to grow. I led younger colleagues, volunteered for tough operational work, and approached every interaction as an opportunity to improve the team. That philosophy hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The mortgage business will test your mettle, particularly when rates change or the pipeline slows. The best professionals will be the ones who hold high standards in tough times, help others up when it’s inconvenient, and keep their eyes on the long-term prize when everyone else is focused on the short-term crisis.
Takeaway: Stop waiting for a title to start acting like a leader. Take initiative, solve problems, and invest in the people around you. Leading is a behavior, not a title.
Final Thoughts
The mortgage lending industry is one of the most rewarding industries you can be a part of. At the end of the day, you’re helping people make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. That’s a responsibility that should be taken seriously – and when it is, the rewards are simply extraordinary.
If I could go back in time to day one and talk to my younger self, I would say this: “Be patient with the process, be relentless about relationships, and never stop simplifying things for the people you serve.” That’s what this business is all about.
Bio: Cody is the President and CEO of Best Interest Financial. With a proven track record of leadership, he is passionate about helping clients make complex financial decisions with clarity and confidence. At Best Interest Financial, under Cody’s leadership, the mortgage lending process is simplified by providing customized mortgage solutions to clients through a team of experienced professionals.