Dave, good luck in your new career!  My advice, really, really know your products, especially the niche stuff.  One way to meet agents is to check out weekend Open Houses.  And if you already know any Realtors, cultivate them.  You might also want to cultivate newer, younger agents.  Like you, they are probably infected with that wonderful newbie energy!

Oh! And answer your phone!

I look for someone that knows mortgages inside and out, responds quickly to problems, offers the customer several mortgage options, has a stremalined process, and has a fantastic loan processor. 

I work with lender and they refer business back to me as well. It's a two way street.

Connections, events.

What a great question and answers!

You need to find an agent that is unhappy with who they like to deal with and bend over backwards for them

Dave,
Why should agents use you? I don’t mean to be cold or snarky but there are dozens of veteran LO’s who want any agents business. Until you can communicate and deliver why an agent should use you don’t expect agents to risk their client and reputation. Work under a fantastic LO for a while.

Timeliness and accuracy on closing dates and communication.

Good morning Dave. Start referring pre-qualified buyers to Realtors will be a good way to start.

Dave Burness follow some great blogger-lender here in 'Rain - and you'll learn a lot.....

some good testimonials from clients.  

Dave,

I think that Patricia Kennedy gave you excellent advice.  A

I need a lender who works the same hours I do. I work evenings and weekends. I answer phones, I expect updates and follow through. If you can take good care of a client and return calls asap, find different options for clients and hold their hands if needed, I would use your service.

I have three lenders I work with.  Here is how I met them:

1) Worked with another agent at their company until he got too big to give good service.  Found one that provided good service.

2) Met lender #2 at a MLS "Thirsty Thursdady" mixer.  I had a booth to myself and the other tables were full.  I invited him to sit down since it was easier than eating standing up.  We talked, had stuff in common, he was a chill dude, so we exchanged cards and started working together.

3) Met lender #3 at a presentation of the 2016 economic forecast, which was put on by her institution.  Ended up at lunch afterwards at a table with a bunch of people.  Politics came up and (thank God) we were all on the same wavelength.  We exchanged cards on the way out.  That institution did a football pool which I was invited to and that kept the relationship alive (plus it didn't hurt that I won TWICE).

What I look for:

• Customer service
• Loan programs that work for my buyers

go to subdivision and talk to the realtors.  Bring flyers with great new home lender programs. Good Luck!

Dave Burness you need to bring something to the table other than your charming personality.  Answer calls, respond quickly, be available on nights and weekends. Be working with a company that offers good rates and fees.  Follow up with the people referred to you. Update the Realtor on the status of those referrals.  Send a thank you letter with some small gift like a payday candy bar or a couple of movie tickets. 

If you have special programs to help borderline clients to get a loan, email all agents.  Offer to do open house brochures for them.  

 Hi Dave, welcome to the industry  and to ActiveRain. The smartest move you've made is to join ActiveRain. Read the Q & A, and other blogs. As far as Realtors, you have to understand a couple of things. Most of them have 2 or 3 lenders that they use and have a hard time using a new lender, both experienced and newbies. Here is the big problem. Realtors want to know what you offer that they don't have, and how you can do it better, but in order to tell them, you have to know what they have, and what they are doing now. To know that, you need to have a meeting with them to learn about their business, so that you can see what you can do to improve it, and show value. However, most realtors say or are too busy to meet and spend the time with you. They value their business because it is their paycheck, but they forget that it is just as much your paycheck as well.  I would work on refinancing first, getting your feet wet and understanding in detail ALL of the programs you offer. Then, as hard as it may be, find a buyer and then interview a realtor who will be willing to give you future business once that loan closes. And by all means, make sure that loan closes on time and shows them what you can do for all their future referrals. Good luck in your new career Dave.

Look for opportunities to network with them.

Stop by their office

Attend the same mtgs and workshops.

Dave, welcome to the rain & to the business!  My answer is one you're likely not seeking, but one I think is important - if you're new to the industry, DON'T try to get Realtors to utilize you.  Regardless of who is helping you or what type of team you're surrounded by, you will mess things up in the beginning.  You'll miss a guideline, forget something, and it'll end up killing deals ---- if those deals are referrals from good agents, not only will you lose that immediate business, your reputation will be one of "that guy who screwed up the deal" or worse...

In the beginning, focus on lead generation and learning the process inside & out.  Work some refis and learn what pitfalls to avoid, and how to make the process as efficient as possible for your borrowers.  Once you have that down, bring your experience & knowledge to agents, along with a game plan (the value proposition that others have mentioned here).  You only get one shot to work with Realtors (if you screw up, not only will they generally not send any more business, but their circle of influence is likely to hear about it, too)......do a great job, and you'll get a great reputation, but it's not only common to screw up in the beginning, it's expected, so I'd avoid the high stakes purchases market at first --- with a refi, cost savings are on the line, in the purchase market, people having a place for their family to live is often on the line....not a position where you want to lack experience.

If your set on pursuing Realtors, bring value - help them market, help them get business, be a team player, and don't mess up.  Many agents appreciate help with their business, but many more agents just want a lender that will do the things they say they will, be available, and get their clients (happily) to the closing table.

You need to be able to explain the value you bring to a transaction. 

Hi Dave,
What Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 said.  You have to have something to offer them they aren't getting elsewhere.

Might I suggest you offer to co-market with an agent?  Perhaps you could pay for the printing and distribution of listing flyers in exchange for a promotional spot in the flyer.  

Working with agents is good... AND why not market your services direct to the consumer?   Agents have to market themselves.  Perhaps you should do the same.  I tell agents to become THE source of information in order to become the obvious choice when it is time to buy or sell.  I will suggest the same to you.  Become THE source of current information (through various media) so YOU are the obvious choice when it comes time to finance or refinance.  

Good luc, Dave.

What does the LO have to offer?

What does the LO have to offer different than other lenders?

What does the LO have to offer better than the lender I'm using now?

Here's the real answer to such a question.

What do you have to offer that will help me:

1. make more money (perhaps by doing something with less expense)
2. do my job easier,
3. produce better results,
4. deliver better outcomes?

Help the agent succeed, and they will help the LO succeed.

What do I expect? The LO to express they understand communications and timeliness are not their product, it is the minimal expectation.  I want the lender to give me a heads up well before the client call me about troubles ahead. There will be troubles, I know that. But the trouble I don't want is to be broadsided in an ambush. The ambush is prevented with the proper heads up.

Be every aware that the agent is trusting you with a client into which they have invested HEAVILY. If the lender screws it up, its not just that deal, but all the referrals that would have materialized that are lost. That's why there is great reluctance to go off the farm.

Easy solution.  Bring the agent YOUR client. That is #1 above.

Bring food and drink to a major borker sales meeting. Bring your manager as they will question or tear you apart.  You try to sell them something unique....

ANOTHER TIP YOU NEED TO OFFER TO REALTORs doing Open House handing out your cards..... Since you help them out the agents will send you leads.....

Who in your world is buying or selling? It's not just marketing to us REALTORS....it's letting people in your world know you are the guy to use.  

So meet your friends for coffee and offer to take your mom and 4 of her girlfriends to lunch. 

Know your product.  The thing I want in a lender is 100% truth.  People hit snags, CALL me and tell me.  Keep in touch with the selling agent. Send an email out out the end of the week telling me where we are at. Good communication makes a good lender.