In a follow up to my previous piece, let’s look at what we as reverse mortgage originators can do to be proactive about how we and the reverse mortgage product are perceived in the market place. What can you do today right in your town to improve your standing in the community and your profession? It’s probably a bit out of the box but you CAN do it. And it will elevate you to a new level and bring you more credibility.
Are you comfortable in front of a room? Have you done seminars in the past but found that they do not bring the results they once did? Why not take your talent for speaking in front of a room and turn it into something that is respected and puts you in the position of authority? Not just a salesperson or a loan officer trying to convince a senior to do a reverse mortgage .no much, much more-
Try this contact your local community college and talk to them about providing a class on senior financial issues. Many community colleges across the country have “Lifelong Learning” programs where topics of interest to seniors are offered. Then team up with a financial planner, an elder attorney, a long term care insurance specialist (I know you have all these professionals in your senior networking group) and prepare a syllabus to offer to the college. You are now much more than a reverse mortgage specialist. You are the instructor, imparting knowledge to your audience. You'll be seen as the source of valuable information, truly invested in the best interest of the client. I have done this numerous times, since I still originate every day, and it is well received by the colleges and the seniors alike. There’s much more that can be done with this strategy but that’s a discussion for another day.
Sue Haviland is a reverse mortgage consultant in Baltimore and the founder of Reverse Mortgage Success, a leader in the training and education for originators around the country in the rapidly growing reverse mortgage arena. Ms. Haviland has worked in the lending industry since 1981. She has been originating reverse mortgages for the last six years and still originates loans every day. She has helped hundreds of families all over the country in the last several years. Sue also shares her knowledge of this market in presentations before the Women's Council of Realtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Professional Mortgage Women, and SRES - Senior Real Estate Specialists, Brian Sacks' Insider Seminars, as well as the public. Sue is a Certified Senior Advisor and is active in many professional organizations. Sign up for her free 7-part mini-course at
