fed rate hike March 2018

[Case Study] New loan officer meets his yearly volume goal 50% faster

Bethany RamosAbout Cornerstone, Industry Professionals, Loan Officers

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Angel Ortiz, NMLS #1794741
Cornerstone Home Lending

Meet Angel Ortiz: New to the industry, Angel credits Cornerstone’s tight-knit culture and super-supportive work environment for enabling him to reach his closing volume goal for the year in only six months’ time.

Angel’s goal: Close at least $20M in annual loan volume

“Cornerstone is my first and only job at a lending company. Before Cornerstone, I was working at Discount Tire and going to school full-time. The environment created by the team members here is just one that makes me love working at Cornerstone,” Angel says.

Angel, who joined Cornerstone in 2018, describes the company as being unlike any place he’s ever worked. “Everyone is so helpful. I would not be anywhere close to where I am without the love and support of my co-workers here.”

This is because:

  • Cornerstone maintains a “culture of caring,” with a servant’s heart style of leadership that starts with upper management.
  • While we support the growth and success of our loan originators, we always put people over profits, with a focus on building solid relationships that last a lifetime.
  • “For us, mortgage is about making the dream of homeownership a simple, easy process through caring, service-centric team members who are supported by world-class technology and efficient processes,” Cornerstone CEO Marc Laird says.

As Angel learned, prioritizing people indirectly impacts productivity. Cornerstone treats team members as family from day one, Angels says. From day one, team members are also given an unprecedented level of service and support, so loan officers are up and running in no time and able to take on clients.

This is what our work-family is known for: focusing on our people and giving them all the tools they need to thrive. Browse our latest job openings.

Angel’s solution: Put people first & see volume naturally increase

“Cornerstone cares about people before anything,” says Angel. “The people at Cornerstone care about each other and their clients before they care about closings or money. Because of the environment that’s here at Cornerstone, it will do nothing but help you grow your business.”

Angel’s top three benefits of working at Cornerstone include:

  1. Having the support behind you to help you learn and grow as a loan officer.
  2. Working in a very friendly environment where everyone is eager to help.
  3. Being valued and treated as a member of the work-family right away.

Here are just a few real-world examples:

  • Cornerstone provides an array of loan products and programs so that our loan officers can offer our borrowers a better experience.
  • Our loan officers enjoy outstanding support ratios (at 6.1 team members for every 1 LO). As a result, they’re able to offer their clients unmatched attention, efficiency, and availability.
  • We invest in the tools that enable our loan officers to close more loans in less time – and do the job right the first time. This allows our LOs to stay connected to their pipeline like never before.
  • We continually integrate new technology to make borrowers’, partners’, and loan officers’ lives easier, with the intention of supporting and not ever replacing our people.
  • Our signature programs like 15-Minute Prequalification and Early Bird Approval make mortgage fast and user-friendly; superior processes mean happier clients, partners, and team members.

Investing in our people more than we invest in our technology (which is saying a lot) is also why we’ve ranked as the number one mortgage lender on Glassdoor, with a 4.7 employee rating and a 94-percent referral rating.

Angel’s seen the difference that having an entire company totally dedicated to your needs makes, especially when you’re beginning a career in a brand-new industry. “I truly love working here because of the way Cornerstone’s management has set the standard for putting people first,” he says.

Angel’s results: Hit $20M in YTD volume just halfway through the year

Angel has a passion for what he does and has experienced success in doing it. Six months into the year, he surpassed his annual goal of closing $20 million in loan volume.

This is made possible by the strength of our in-house operations:

  • Cornerstone’s support staff to loan originator ratio of 6.1:1 is second-to-none.
  • Specialty teams are constantly adding new products to our expansive portfolio.
  • Our staff works closely with dedicated MI providers, title companies, and insurance agents to keep every step of our process in the hands of someone who cares about the success of each transaction.
  • Having the right number of staff in place moves loans through the pipeline faster. Volume increases — and client care improves — when loans aren’t getting caught up in red tape.
  • Our in-house support teams work with the kind of “whatever it takes” attitude that can’t be found anywhere else.

Angel’s remarkable new-to-the-industry numbers are exemplary of the top-production volume that’s taking place company-wide.

After 32 years in business, Cornerstone’s work-family has expanded to 1,700 team members who remain devoted to our mission, vision, and convictions. Our billion-dollar loan production growth climbs each year; we’ve generated revenue in 144 of the last 146 months (more than 12 years). The thanks go to Angel and all our other hard-working team members who continue to place people before profit.

Be like Angel: Find out how rewarding putting people first can be

We’re committed to our vision that we’ve been living for over three decades: to transform lives through the platform of home lending. Angel’s living proof of what happens when you build a people-first business. Want to learn more? See if there’s room for you in our work-family.

For educational purposes only. Please contact a qualified professional for specific guidance.

Sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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