Mortgage Brokers Have To Be Licensed

Posted September 11, 2010 – 3:41 am in: Mortgages
     

Mortgage brokers are essential vehicles in providing real estate loans to the buying public and in today’s market have become the largest seller of mortgage products. While a loan officer at a conventional banking institution can only service consumers with the products of that bank, the mortgage broker offers many products from many lenders and therefore can tailor a variety of buyers needs.

Generally speaking, mortgage brokers are licensed loan officers. According to a 2004 study by Wholesale Access Mortgage Research and Consulting, Inc. Mortgage brokers are responsible for nearly 50% of all the mortgage business in today’s marketplace. The mortgage banking industry is regulated in most jurisdictions to meet the banking and finance requirements of its region.

For consumers looking to close real estate transactions as quickly as possible, mortgage brokers can generally get the job done in a more timely fashion than banks. Loan officers at banking institutions are employees and can be limited in their flexibility. A loan at a bank generally requires a high credit rating from the consumer and in today’s economy they need a track record that is nearly spotless.

Brokers can shop the loans around to many banks and assemble a far more beneficial financing package to their clients. This situations often help clients with a less than stellar background as if gives them an opportunity to build their credit and their clean up their history. Many times brokers create customers for life because they have become a lifesaver to the consumer and have created tremendous loyalty.

Brokers can usually offer lower interest rates for their clients because they are working in the wholesale market. But a consumer should become educated in the fees that their broker is charging before the close a loan. Many times these fees will outweigh the lower interest rate. Today all brokers must disclose this information prior to closing the loan.

Mortgage brokers make money by the fees they receive from either the consumer or the lender. Mortgage Brokers are paid a commission through a Yield Spread Premium. This is a bonus paid by the lender to the mortgage broker and is generally a percentage of the original loan. In most cases the commission rate is 2% of the loan amount.

Brokers must be licensed and spend time taking mortgage broker courses. There are regulatory commissions that monitor practices in all part of the world. This has helped in regulating the industry to ensure that the consumer and the broker are protected with knowledge and practice of the law.

If the consumer does not pay the mortgage broker, the lender pays the commission and generally recoups the commission in interest or fees. It is important to note that the mortgage broker deserves to be paid for his services and in a highly competitive industry is generally priced to win the consumers business that will withstand a long and trusting relationship.

A career as a Mortgage broker can be very rewarding. If you have a good head for numbers, consider enrolling in Mortgage broker courses.

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