The Loan Officer Strategy That Still Works In Any Market

The mortgage market has changed.

Rates are no longer at the historic lows many loan officers experienced during COVID. Buyers are more cautious. Agents are adjusting to new realities. And many originators are trying to figure out how to keep business moving when the market feels slower.

But for Stephen Moye, the answer is not chasing every new trend. It is getting back to the activities that actually create business.

Stephen is a producing sales manager and senior loan officer with New American Funding. He has been with the company since September 2019, has helped more than 4,000 families, and has been listed as one of the top 1% of loan officers in the country through Scotsman Guide and other industry periodicals. He also writes regularly on LinkedIn about the mortgage industry from an originator’s perspective.

He has also been in the mortgage business since 1996, giving him a long-term view of how loan officers can survive and grow through different market cycles.

Stop Doing Performative Work

One of Stephen’s biggest points was that many loan officers confuse being visible with being productive.

He described one of the biggest blind spots for loan officers as doing “the performative rather than the productive.” For example, a loan officer may spend an hour and a half doing a Facebook Live at an open house, only to have a few people watch. There is nothing wrong with content or open houses, but the question is whether that activity is actually producing conversations, referrals, and business.

In a market where time matters, loan officers have to be honest about where their energy is going.

Are you doing things that look like marketing?

Or are you doing things that create real opportunities?

That distinction matters.

Your Database Is Still One Of Your Best Sources Of Business

Stephen’s advice was simple: spend more time in your database.

Look at loan anniversaries. Look at birthdays. Reach out to past clients. Stay in front of the people who already know you, trust you, and may need your help again.

As Stephen explained, there is nothing more frustrating than thinking you should call a borrower, only to realize they went with someone else a week earlier.

That is why database follow-up matters so much.

A past client may be ready to buy again. They may need a refinance. They may want a HELOC. They may know a family member, coworker, or friend who is starting the homebuying process.

But none of that turns into business if they do not hear from you.

The loan officers who win in slower markets usually have a system for staying top of mind. They are not relying on memory. They are not waiting for people to come back on their own. They are consistently creating touchpoints.

Listing Agents Are A Major Opportunity

Stephen also shared that one of his strengths has been generating referrals from listing agents.

His strategy is not complicated. When a transaction is going well, he calls the listing agent, provides an update, thanks them for how professionally they have handled the transaction, and starts building the relationship from there.

But the real key is value.

Stephen said coffee meetings are great, but if you have a pre-approved buyer, you move to the top of the list. In other words, agents pay attention when you can bring them real opportunities.

That is a major lesson for loan officers.

Do not just ask agents for referrals. Find ways to bring them value first.

That may mean sending a pre-approved buyer, making strong transaction updates, helping them understand financing options, or creating content that supports their business.

The more useful you are to agents, the more likely they are to remember you when they have a buyer who needs a lender.

Whoever Has The Lead First Has The Advantage

Stephen also talked about how consumer behavior has changed.

First-time homebuyers are not starting the process the same way they used to. Many are going online first. They are researching, browsing homes, watching videos, comparing options, and forming opinions before they ever speak with an agent or loan officer.

Stephen put it plainly: whoever has the lead first controls the loan.

That does not mean real estate agents are no longer important. They are still a huge part of the purchase process.

But it does mean loan officers cannot rely only on referral partners.

You need a way to create demand. You need a way to capture attention. You need a way to nurture leads. You need a way to stay visible before the buyer is ready to make a decision.

That is where digital marketing, content, database campaigns, and CRM follow-up become so important.

Structure Beats Motivation

Toward the end of the conversation, Stephen was asked what books, podcasts, or coaches he would recommend to loan officers.

His answer was helpful because it brought everything back to fundamentals.

He said there are a lot of great coaches and thought leaders, but none of them are telling loan officers to ignore their database, avoid structure, be lazy, and hope deals show up. They are all teaching structure, process, and commitment.

That is the real takeaway.

You do not need to reinvent your business every week.

You need a structure you can actually follow.

That structure should include consistent database follow-up, agent relationship building, content creation, lead nurturing, and clear daily activity that produces conversations.

Content Keeps You Visible

Stephen also shared that LinkedIn has become a major part of his mortgage business. He said much of what he does in the mortgage business stems from LinkedIn, and over the last several months he has been writing more about the paradoxes and realities of the mortgage industry.

He also mentioned that while he has been on one of his longest creative streaks, he is also having his best year to date, and he believes those two things are connected.

That is a powerful reminder for loan officers.

Content may not always create instant business, but it creates familiarity. It helps people see your perspective. It reminds your database and referral partners that you are active, knowledgeable, and still helping people.

In a relationship-driven business, visibility matters.

Final Thoughts

The loan officers who are winning right now are not waiting for the market to get easier.

They are staying close to their database. They are building stronger agent relationships. They are creating content. They are following up. They are focusing on productive activity instead of performative activity.

The mortgage market may be more challenging than it was a few years ago, but there is still opportunity for loan officers who are willing to stay consistent.

At Hova Digital, we help loan officers build the systems, content, CRM follow-up, and digital marketing strategy needed to stay visible and create more conversations.

Because in this market, the loan officers who stay in front of people are usually the ones who get remembered first.