Thanks to all who wrote in last week and liked the idea of using nostalgia or the "back in the day" type of story to illustrate the benefits of the reverse mortgage. Often a story can make a point that is much more poignant than all the facts and figures we like to collect.
This got me thinking about a concern that many have shared recently. Reverse originators are concerned about what is coming down the pike. Will we see another principal limit reduction? Perhaps, although one recent vote has gone in our favor to some extent. Will the new lower closing cost model last? Time will tell. Yes there is much that is out of our control in this industry, and that has always been the case.
My advice to you is this: stop worrying about what you cannot control and focus on what you can. Keep your message consistent and keep your focus. Are you consistent in your use of social media? I have been using social media to continue to get the word out about HECM for Purchase, and guess what, it's working. I can control that message. Are you targeting financial planners and elder attorneys? You can control that message as well. No matter what happens down the road, seniors will still need the reverse mortgage program.
Focus on the many benefits of the program and continue to dispel the myths (I still can't believe the articles I see from so called "financial experts" who don't even know the basics of the reverse mortgage). Reach out to your local elected officials and be sure they know the good that the reverse mortgage is doing right in their own community. There's another message you can control from a true grass roots level.
Offer to be the local expert who can be called upon by the local officials. Make sure they are getting the information from the respected source....you. Often the summer months are slower for the local news outlets- contact your local media and arrange to be interviewed and then get a copy and post it to your site- expert status and a controlled message.
There is much we can control if we take the time to look around. Be selective and focused in your outreach and continue to position yourself as the local reverse mortgage expert. You'll be on top no matter what may come down the road.
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. Sue 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 seven-part mini-course at
