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Maybe the most important factor in getting your next loan.

I was talking to a teacher friend the other day, and she was talking about love – love for her “kids” and how the kids and the parents can see that love, care and concern which just makes the parent – teacher relationship so much better. She said that people just know when your really care and it just makes for a great relationship.

That makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? There is a rule in selling that goes something like this, “your customer doesn’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” I don’t know about you, but I will buy something from someone who really cares about me, even at a higher price, before I will even spend the time with someone who I feel is just trying to make a quick buck for THEMSELVES!

Let’s pick an easy target – Telemarketers. I don’t care if they are trying to sell me a better interest rate, mortgage program, a political candidate or a vacuum cleaner. They just don’t know me, even if they say they do. How do I know? Because, for example, they say they want to improve my mortgage rate/program and don’t even know that they can’t do it!!! They don’t know that my rate is already at or below market and think that they are coming to save me money. They can’t help me but they act like they can!

So why do they do this? They are playing the numbers game and it works (or they’d stop). Sometimes they either get lucky and find someone they really can help or can convince someone their solution will benefit them, even when it won’t. Many times they are just trying to make a buck for themselves, either in a quota or commission sale.

It’s the attitude that gets to me. Many are the kindest people at first – so polite and wanting to help. Then, when I explain that what they have to offer can’t really help me, I get the phone slammed in my ear before I can finish my statement. Now there is someone who really cares about me, NOT!

Caring is a quality that is far too transparent in our society today. Far too many people are happier when they can do something that benefits themselves than someone else. I hear about it all the time from people who have had the nightmare mortgage - promised one thing and something else delivered at closing. Now, closing is a “great” time to discover that your rate is higher, your closing costs require more money than you expected or mortgage insurance is required with your payment.

Let me tell you, completing a mortgage is not an easy task. Unexpected circumstances can make a “clean” or “easy” file become a nightmare. Paper work can drive everyone crazy. But, having someone who cares about you goes a long, long way. If you know and trust that the person who is working to make your mortgage become a reality is doing the best thing for you and wants you to be delighted with the outcome – it can make the process less stressful and certainly build an on-going relationship.

You may ask, how do I find someone who really cares about me? Here’s a big hint. They are willing to spend time with you. Yes time. Let me explain. In the mortgage business, there are a lot of factors that make for a successful loan experience. Why does a doctor want to visit before diagnosing and treating an illness? Why does a mechanic want to look at the vehicle before providing a quote or proposing a fix? It’s all the same thing. We need to know as much as possible about the situation before we can give the best solution. That’s care and concern for doing the right thing, otherwise it’s a hit and miss guess. Does that make sense?

By the way, the commitment of time goes both ways. People who take the time to visit with me show a level of caring as well. After all, if you don’t care about your mortgage, why do you expect anyone else to?

Are you a good judge of character? Your past experiences may indicate an answer. If it’s been a bit bumpy or your current situation doesn’t feel right, search out a little TLC. It will go a long way.