Mike Kennedy is a Mortgage Consultant with Citizens Bank and serves as Chairman of the Association’s Affiliate Member Forum. Mike has also served on the 5K Run Task Force and Golf Classic Task Force and has been an active participant at many membership events.

Please share with us your background and your career track.

After teaching in the Philadelphia Public School System for nearly a decade, I decided to make a career change and became a Mortgage Broker in 2002. After spending time learning the business and writing loans, I joined Citizens Bank as a Mortgage Consultant in June of 2005.

What advice relating to the mortgage process would you give to a new real estate agent entering the business?

I would recommend that you understand your clients’ credit worthiness and financial background in order to set the appropriate expectations and ensure that they are offered the appropriate products. I would also recommend networking and becoming business partners with Affiliate members who support the Real Estate Association. Finally, I would recommend staying organized and staying in touch with your loan officers as well as your client throughout the mortgage process.

How do you define excellence in customer service?

Excellent customer service means the following:

• Listening to your customers needs and providing options that are best for them, not you.
• Communicating openly, honestly, and in a timely manner.
• Setting the appropriate expectations and exceeding them.
• Being flexible and available to meet client demands.
• Always follow-through on your commitments.

How do you think the mortgage business will evolve over the next five years?

As interest rates rise and housing prices stabilize, I think the number of Mortgage Brokers across the country will be reduced, i.e., the industry will right-size itself. I also believe that new innovative housing products will be created to accommodate the rate environment. Finally, I think that volume of online loan applications originating through the internet channel will increase.

At the end of a busy day, how do you unwind to rejuvenate yourself for the next challenge?