“It really made me see what the organization is about, how many rock stars are around here. So that’s a great idea for people thinking about it.”

The opportunity to network and develop new industry contacts at Fuse has proven a constant benefit for Copeland – now president and chief executive officer at Summit Lending USA – in the years since he entered the broker channel. “I always encourage people to get out of town, go meet some new friends – because you just never know who you’re going to come across,” he said.

“I’ve met some amazing people. We even get loans out of it because some brokers might not be licensed in Kansas City [his local market]. I might get someone that is going to New York or something like that – and we’re not licensed in New York, so I send it to one of my buddies. It’s relationships, it’s getting better… and just getting smarter.”

Mortgage rates have dropped to a two-year low, boosting market activity, with applications rising 14.2% last week, reports the MBA.

Read more: https://t.co/roNWVkVl7c#MortgageNews #Homebuying

— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) September 20, 2024

Opening doors in the mortgage industry

Jay Lessard (pictured, centre), president at Sonoran Lending, said AIME – and its Brokers are Better network – had been an instrumental ally both in his early days as a broker and throughout his career since.

A program called Spark, geared towards helping military members, veterans, women in mortgage, and minorities enter the broker channel, was a key reason he decided to open a brokerage. “Part of it was grant money to help fund your business, but it was more than that,” he said.