Meet Marc Erickson | Mortgage Broker and Whitewater Rafting Guide

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marc Erickson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marc, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Mortgage Lending is a rough and tumble Industry that is full of Stress, Frustration and Headaches. Affecting Mortgage Loan Originators, Realtors, and their clients. This is a Fluid Industry, with Guidelines and Overlays changing on a consistent basis. What is required for Mortgage Qualification can change from one day to another. Personally, I thrive on the Chaos and Change. But, for others, it creates mistrust, frustration, and stress. Educating and guiding clients on the best options for them and how to navigate the process efficiently is the most important factor behind my success. By taking the time to educate people on what options are available, and guiding them towards mortgage fluency, I know that success will follow. My Goal is to “Pull Back the Curtain” on the Mortgage Industry, creating more knowledgeable and prosperous clients.

Obtaining Home Financing is often done as an after-thought. When seeking to purchase a home, Home-Buyers often find the home they want, and the mortgage financing comes second. Clients who are willing to view their Home Financing in a proactive capacity are rewarded with a better comprehension of what is considered one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.

Knowledge and Education are the most important factors for success with my business and brand.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Better Rate is a Mortgage Brokerage. What makes us different that traditional lenders is that we work with multiple lenders. Wells Fargo, Bank of America, American Financing, etc… can only offer the products and services that they have. We work with 10+ different lenders to ensure that the Financing product is the best fit for our client’s needs. We work on a Micro scale versus a Macro scale, which affords us the ability to take time to educate. Loan Originators for the bigger companies have to work on the Macro scale and often do not have time to get to know their clients and what is important to them. Brokers get to know their clients and referral partners on a much more personal scale, and that is very important to me. It is more difficult being a mortgage broker versus a retail lender as we need to constantly be on the Hunt for our next deal. We do not have the privilege to sit back and wait for clients to come to us. I enjoy the drive to increase awareness of the broker channel and how we are able to provide clients with better rates, faster closings, and less stress. The cost of that is time spent externally at networking events and marketing efforts, versus internally working on the deals and staying on top of process as it moves toward closing. It’s a balancing act for sure, and very enjoyable when it works out in the end!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since moving to Colorado, I’ve personally experienced this a couple of times! In my free-time, I still guide for GEO Tours Whitewater Rafting out of Morrison, CO. It’s within walking distance of Red Rocks! I’ve set up trips where we go rafting during the day, and then hit a Red Rocks show that evening! Outside of that, I’ve had great results with getting in the car and just going for a drive. Colorado has so many places to see and explore that it pains me to find people who live on the Front Range, and have never been to the Mountains! They’re right there! From numerous state parks, to national parks, to rivers and creeks, to old mining towns and ski towns. Colorado will keep anyone entertained that is willing to seek it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I often say that no-one chooses to work in the Mortgage Industry, it chooses you. It can chew you up and spit you out. It will control you, professionally and personally. In my career, I’ve worked for Retail mortgage lenders, quit and sworn the industry off twice. Like a Vortex, it draws me back in. Most recently, I was introduced to the Brokering side of the Mortgage realm. By an old colleague of mine, Ryan Gordon. He showed me that it was possible to flip the script and take back control. Entrepreneurs and Self-Employed businesspeople have to be strong, confident, and independent. There is risk and fear associated with going solo, so I would like to Shoutout anyone else who has taken the plunge.

Website: www.mybetterrate.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marc-Erickson-Better-Rate-Mortgage-100221891415534