Being an Independent Mortgage Broker is in Andy Treno’s blood. With his dad opening the first broker shop in Minnesota in 1987, loans and title companies were a part of nightly dinner table conversations, and making spreadsheets and stuffing envelopes was Andy’s summer job. After going to school to become a financial advisor, Andy got a job at a bank but quickly realized that mortgages are what he loved, and a bank was not the place to best put together home loans. 



Andy, as a Mortgage Banker, was ranked top 10 in the state for selling home loans, but he got called into a manager's office for not cross-selling enough checking accounts. A homeowner's dream home and an entire family’s generational wealth should not be treated with the same respect given to food that’s about to expire at a chain restaurant. Andy understands that mortgages are not something you just sell. You don’t tell the client what they need. You listen to them, learn their wants and needs, analyze their financial situation and look over their 1003s. You sit families down face-to-face and have conversations about their life goals and then take the time and effort to explore multiple different loan products from multiple different lenders to find the option that works best for each individual family. It is for this exact reason that Andy has made it his life’s mission to educate and advise homeowners everywhere. Andy knows it's their money and their decision, he just wants to help them make the best possible choice for their family’s future. 



One of the biggest things that make brokers better are options, and Andy makes sure to take advantage of all the options at his disposal. Whether it’s using multiple Brokers Are Better Network partners like leadPops, LendingPad, Homebot, and Pre-Approve Me, or becoming an expert in everything from first-time homebuyer FHA to reverse mortgages (with a specialty in VA as a member of VettedVA), Andy is always looking for new ways to help more people. And it’s up to each and every individual independent mortgage broker to make sure they’re helping as many homeowners as possible by taking advantage of everything at their disposal.



As a member of AIME’s ethics committee,  Andy stresses the importance of taking the time to not just educate your borrowers, but educate yourself. You are the expert, clients are going to look to you for answers. As rates rise, don’t slack off or cut back. Take advantage of the extra time and reinvest in yourself and your business. 



NOTES:



(1:50) Family Business(4:51) Company Culture & Growth(12:00) Tech Stack & Lender List (19:00) Financial Literacy & Ethics (30:52) Parting Advice 



This Episode Is Sponsored By leadPops