Sometimes, You’ve Got To Be Uncomfortable

(article originally sent out to newsletter distribution list on January 19th)

I thought I’d start out by recognizing some of the good, and not so good feedback I’ve been getting for the blog lately. It’s mostly good, which is so encouraging!

Starting with the good, thanks J for the wonderful feedback that made my evening:

Moving onto Taylor’s review, which for some reason made me laugh. Taylor, you have a way with words!

And finally, a brutally honest reason for an unsubscribe, actually from one of our local realtors in town.

I had to have a bit of a laugh when I read this. Its also a scathing reminder about how our market is teeming with new brokers jumping into the fray. Seems like every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they can be a successful mortgage broker now.

One last piece of feedback.

I was at a realtor’s Christmas event just before the holiday. Mr. B shakes my hand and the first thing he says is, “Hey David, I get about 6 mortgage broker’s emails, but the only ones I read are yours”!

I’m tickled. Thanks B! Yes, I’m proud that the content I send out is original, honest, and not the prefabricated mumbo jumbo that comes from the DLC head office or the like, for use by the masses.

Suddenly, everyone’s an expert.

Anyways, it’s like anyone can hop on social media and suddenly look like they’re an expert in the field. Some random copy about finance, some fancy editing, and you can too look like a pro mortgage broker with all the answers.

But in actual fact, there’s a very steep learning curve for this job. Facilitating a loan from start to finish takes many phone calls, lots of co-ordination, strategy, client hand holding, referral partner hand holding, and getting lenders to approve the deals and complete on time. Many documents to handle. Deadlines to meet. Ensuring the deal happens.

It’s takes an experienced professional. And even after 20 years as a banker and broker, I’m still learning.

I was doing mortgages while you were still in grade 5.

I started as a banker fairly young, at 24 years old, 20 years ago now. Being a junior banker helped me learn how this business really works. It’s not all the “training” I got at the bank, but rather, literally being thrust into the position where I’m having to deal with a situation at hand.

“Hey David, we have John Doe on the line here and he wants to increase his mortgage. You’re the new trainee, right? You take this one”.

It’s not that I really knew anything specific about mortgages or finance that helped me get the job done. t was just that the phone rang, I answered, and just got things done.

There was a job to do, and I didn’t need prompting.

Yes, I was a young 24 year old that didn’t need prompting, or someone standing over me explaining to me what I need to do. I was able to answer the phone, confidently deal with the person, giving them time-frames for when I’ll get back to them. I take notes, and then go talk to the AVP (assistant vice president, retail borrowing) about the situation, and see if we can do the lending.

I didn’t really know very much about banking, I just learned on the fly.

A more simple process, in frankly, a more simple time. Being in that environment at HSBC taught me two things. It taught me banking and underwriting, sure, but it also taught me about not having to be prompted, being a self starter, and frankly just getting s*** done. Scuze the language (more on swearing later)

To Be Successful, Sometimes You Have To Be Uncomfortable.

There’s so much to this statement, but I’ll tell you one story about it applies to me. Back in 2011 or 2012, I was breaking into the broker world. During one especially slow week, the phone was very quiet. Not much happening.

With young kids and responsibilities at home, I had to get my phone ringing.

I print off a rate and information sheet about my services, and hit the pavement. Going door to door on Cavalcade terrace, I rang the doorbell, introduced myself, had a few conversations with some nice people, and after about 25 doors, I packed it in.

Sure, it’s not glamorous. It was humbling. But I knew I needed to kick-start things somehow, and I wasn’t going to stop at anything and make sure I got that phone ringing.

When The World Sees You’re Trying, It Gives Back To You.

I didn’t get any deals specifically from going door to door that day, but I think the world saw that I was making an effort, and suddenly, the phone started ringing. People asking questions, making inquiries, and I’m off and running.

If you just expect results without trying, or without putting yourself in that uncomfortable position, well, you’ll most likely not get there. You have to try. And if that doesn’t work, try something else. Do what you need to do. Be a self starter. Do the hard thing.

Just don’t expect it’ll be given to you.

Some of these new brokers will make it, some won’t. After some personal experience with new brokers, I know some out there expect deals will just land in their lap. They won’t. And frankly, if that’s the attitude you’re going to have, you’re really in the wrong business.

We don’t have any room for these types in our brokerage. Everyone who comes on with us works hard, takes initiative to build their business, and stops at nothing to ensure that their clients are happy. It’s what makes us different. We only have the best in our brokerage.

Onto today’s gripe, and then I’ll wrap up.

Since when did we start accepting so much swearing?

I’m afraid of going on social media these days. Seems like swearing online is becoming the norm. Here I am, innocently watching someone make a lasagna, and suddenly I’m being yelled at. One chefs shtik is putting expletives in front of almost every sentence. “Now I’m going to take some f-ing chickin and cut it in chunks”. “Now were going to dice the f’ing onions”. And so on. You get the point.

Why are we accepting this? Aren’t we better than this?

It’s attention grabbing for all the wrong reasons. And we’re letting it happen. Meta and tik tok are letting it happen. Whatever happened to parental controls? To the bleeping out of swears like it was on TV?

It feels like our society is getting more juvenile and immature. The actually talented and creative voices, who don’t depend on shock content, are being drowned out by those who just don’t have very much imagination. They depend on swearing to try and get some views on their videos. It’s sad, but it’s working for some.

Not really sure the solution here. It’s feeling like the path we’re on is somewhat irreversible. How about a digital swear jar? How would that work?

Finally, thanks Adrian, Jocelyn, and Vincent For Having Me On The Victoria Real Estate Podcast.

These three realtors are really hitting it out of the park with their real estate podcast, and I’m thrilled that they like to have me on to chat about mortgages and to participate in the fun conversation. Thanks again to the CityNest Real Estate Team!

To listen to the latest episode, click this link to go to the podcast!

I’ll leave it there.
As usual, please email me with your feedback, send this to your friends and family, and have a great Wednesday!