What's the catch?

Every loan officer I talk to gets to the same question eventually. Usually it comes right after the numbers.

"Okay, KT. What's the catch?"

Good. Keep that instinct. When I first looked at the broker side, it sounded too good to be true to me too. So I did the boring part. I checked it.

What I'd check, in this order

Don't take my word for it. Don't take anybody's word for it. Ask these questions out loud and get the answers in writing:

• What comes out of each check, and why? Every split, every fee, every per-loan cost. If somebody can't explain it simply, that's your answer.
• Who pays for what? Processing, compliance, licensing, technology, marketing. Know which ones are yours.
• What happens if I leave? Read the agreement before you sign it, not after.
• Who owns what? There's a reality and a legality. Your relationships go with you. Some data may not.
• What can change, and how would I find out? Fair question for any company, including the one you're at right now.

The honest catch

Here it is: as a broker, you're running a business.

You'll cover some costs a W-2 job used to cover for you. Self-employment taxes. Benefits. Your own tools. And your production is on you. Nobody's handing you a salary while you figure it out.

If that gets your attention, it should. So put those costs in the calculator and look at the number anyway. Then decide. That's why we do the math.

The transition is real

I'll be straight with you: I'd rather take a kick to the shins than go through a transition. Month one is hard. Month two you get dialed in. Month three you're thinking, man, this is great.

The line I keep hearing

The thing people say after they make the move isn't "I wish I'd stayed."

It's "I wish I'd come sooner."

Are you ready to see the difference? Run your numbers, or DM me the word BRANCH.