Most loan officers change companies at least once, and the move is usually reactive: a manager left, a product was pulled, pricing got worse. Choosing deliberately is better. Here is what to evaluate.
Lender access and products
Ask which wholesale lenders the company is approved with, or if it is a banker, what it does when a file falls outside its guidelines. Ask specifically about the programs your market needs. If you work in New York City, that list includes FHA, co-op lending, non-warrantable condos, DSCR, bank statement and 1099 programs.
Technology
Which loan origination system? Is pricing across lenders in one screen? Who sets it up for you, and when? A company that hands you a login on day one and nothing else is telling you how the rest will go. At LJ, Arive is configured with the loan officer before their first file.
Processing and underwriting support
Who processes your files, and how many loan officers do they support? Does someone review your first submissions before they go to underwriting? Turn times are only as good as the workflow behind them.
Compensation
Get the structure in writing and run a real file through it. Ask what is deducted, how borrower-paid versus lender-paid is handled, and when you are paid relative to funding. Any company that will not walk you through the math on a $600,000 purchase is hiding something.
Licensing and compliance
Who sponsors your NMLS license, who pays for continuing education, and what happens to your license if you leave? Does the company hold licenses in states where your borrowers relocate or invest?
Referral sources
The honest question is: where will my next ten purchase files come from? A company attached to a real estate brokerage, a builder, or a strong realtor network answers that differently than one that expects you to bring everything.
Culture
Is there a regular meeting? Can you reach the owners? Do experienced originators stay? Ask to speak to two loan officers who have been there more than two years.
LJ Mortgage Team Inc. (NMLS #2120286) is a mortgage broker with multiple lenders, Arive, and a realty team under the same roof. See the Loan Officer Careers page or read about working as a loan officer in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
