Most of the time, a mortgage loan officer's salary is based on a commission, and compensation varies from office to office and state to state. This fee is included in the mortgage interest rate as a percentage of the loan amount. With a higher interest rate, MLOs can expect higher compensation and vice versa. Their payment also depends on the number of loans they originate and the percentage of commission they have negotiated.
Wondering how much a loan officer earns per hour? Or what is the average salary of a mortgage broker? Well, keep in mind that most loan officers don't get a base salary, just a commission, so they're paid for their performance. If a mortgage broker can get just one of those deals through, it often amounts to a huge payday, sometimes up to a few months' salary working at a minimum wage or other lower-paying jobs. In fact, mortgage loan officers don't even need a bachelor's degree, let alone a high school diploma to gain employment with certain mortgage brokers and lenders. It's not for everyone, and there's definitely a lot you should learn before starting a career in the mortgage industry.
If you work directly for a bank or mortgage lender, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the company's full range of products to find out what you're selling. In reality, you can always feel that way when it comes to getting approved for a home loan: a typical home loan originator's day will never be easy. You can't teach someone how to sell in a class, nor can you teach them everything related to mortgages in a day or a week. But there's always an opportunity for a loan officer, even if the market is in a cycle of decline or calm.
The amount of time and work you put in is paramount, and you must be highly motivated to excel in the mortgage industry. A mortgage loan officer is a professional who represents a credit union, bank, or other financial institution that assists borrowers in the application process. First, a loan officer can be referred to as a mortgage planner, loan officer, MLO, mortgage specialist, dedicated loan associate, loan consultant, loan broker, mortgage professional, senior to any of these, or a junior to any of them. I agree that loan processors are the unsung heroes of the mortgage world and are often aware of the guidelines, the necessary conditions, and the potential red flags for most loan files inside and out.
Your earning potential as a mortgage broker may increase as you gain experience and develop your career with additional education. If you're thinking about becoming a mortgage loan officer or are planning the next step in your career, get details about a mortgage loan officer's position, career path, and salary history. Do banks provide potential customers to their mortgage bankers, or is everything still from their own sources, as is often the case when working for a mortgage broker? If you work for a wholesale mortgage lender and are an account executive (the equivalent in LO), the fee could be even lower, sometimes less than 10 basis points per loan. At the same time, the quality (and quantity) of mortgage loans right now isn't what it was a few years ago.
