Picture yourself at work. Perhaps you’re at work right now reading about mortgages instead of doing your job. That’s cool, just imagine yourself if you are working.

How do you attract more business? Through advertising? Marketing? Social media?

No matter what took you use to find new clients, the reality is that very few clients stick with people who don’t treat them properly.

And then they tell all their friends.

The key to finding and retaining business is how much you help people, how much of a difference you make in their lives.

When it comes to mortgage brokers, these values are crucial.

1. Dedication

When you’re dealing with a person’s finances it’s vital to go above and beyond to find the best possible deal. Truthfully, “above and beyond” doesn’t exist, it’s standard protocol. A good mortgage broker finds suitable deals and in turn those clients refer new business. Real estate is a fast-moving process – these brokers also don’t work on a typical 9-5 schedule – they’re available when their clients need them.

2. Knowledge

The average homebuyer knows very little about the difference between fixed rate and variable mortgages. They don’t understand what prime +1 means and they might not grasp what the term of their mortgage means. A mortgage broker who can clearly outline everything (a tall task) is a handy tool to have around. Knowledgable brokers also understand that there’s always more to learn.

3. Connections

Working with dedicated, knowledgable people you trust inevitably leads to referrals in other key areas. The best mortgage brokers in Canada have go-to associates – realtors and lawyers they can send people to in order to get the deal completed. They’re also connected with other brokers. If they can’t answer a question, they’ll immediately search for someone who can.

4. Intuition

I’ve expressed interest in making offers on property before and received a sly “are you sure?” in response from a broker. Turns out the agent was right – I avoided the deal and ended up in a better situation. Good brokers know their clients inside and out. They can read the tea-leaves and make recommendations that will benefit the buyer in the long-run.

5. Experience

The best mortgage brokers in the country have excellent levels of all these characteristics because they’ve seen it all. Or, conversely, they have the resources to deliver all these characteristics. A broker new to the business might not possess years of knowledge, but if their dedication and connections are sound then they’ll be able to find the answers sought by the buyer. There’s only one way to build experience!

These are the values we live by, these are the values we seek in other professionals in the real estate industry.

What about you? Can you apply these characteristics to your line of work?