For the last month I have had the good fortune of speaking at a number of events across Canada sponsored by Genworth Financial, Merix Financial and Macquarie Financial. The intent of this cross-country “MGM Road Show” was to allow real estate and mortgage professionals to come together under the same roof to foster stronger working relationships. Having a foot in both industries makes me uniquely suited to understand the challenges both groups are experiencing.

I realized early in my real estate career that if I had a strong relationship with great mortgage professional I could close more transactions. I went in pursuit of such an individual and the person I chose was not only well networked in the community, but had the experience to know how to package my sales properly so lenders could appreciate my clients. Not only did my income go up, but I no longer had to babysit any of my deals after the offer was accepted so I
had more time to prospect for new business. It was a win-win relationship because both of our volumes went up, we both created a professional image, and our clients receive an exceptional level of service so our repeat and referral business increased. In my travels around the continent it is apparent that many relationships between the real estate and mortgage communities are a mixture of love and hate. My best advice to you (more…)