Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlin Endter.
Hi Ashlin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
What a wild ride. The truth is I fell into this career as a joke. My best friend could not pass her real estate exam for the life of her. So she woke up one morning and decided, “Hey let me get my MLO license” and she called me to do the class with her so she wouldn’t do it alone. I mean, I cannot blame her, that class, for those that have taken it, know… it’s a drag.
We got our certificates and she got licensed and went off into the world…. and I went off into the world still studying for my license. I knew zero, zilch, nothing. I was on welfare at the time. Forget paycheck to paycheck. It was WIC Lactaid cartons being returned to the local grocery store to get cash back to get rid of the overdraft fee and keep $3 in the account for two days before the next paycheck hit, so we wouldn’t start that check period in the negative.
I will never take the day that my best friend convinced me to get this license just because she couldn’t get her RE license. I am forever thankful for the blessing that came from that missed opportunity. I’ll never forget my first loan. I begged for the business, most professionally. I asked 5 times for an opportunity to even look at what they were dealing with, but I knew in my heart that I would somehow make it happen. I learned what we call “golpe” which means “punches, or getting hit”.
I remember texting my friend who guided me through the first year saying “OK, now what?!” and that’s how it went, I’ve been on this wild ride since. Closing deals, shaking hands, getting rejected, learning new things, making hard calls, guiding people on clear mortgage plans, traveling to learn more every month, breaking into new zip codes, and generating business for my referral partners.
What started as a joke ended in a blessing that saved my life. This career saved my life. I don’t take it lightly. That’s why I thank the Lord every day for what I do, the power of what this title does for others, which is simple- help them get a roof over their head that belongs to them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As smooth as a gravel road… Did you catch my drift? I think imposter syndrome at first. It’s hard to believe and move and speak like you’re great when you look around and realize you don’t have a smooth trail of closings months out in advance and you panic. You see others “doing” amazing, only to find out that, they aren’t.
I truly believe it’s hard to put yourself out there all the time. Sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, the truth. People always judge you for what you do, for what you say, for what you don’t do. This career gets lonely also. It is VERY rare to find another lender who claps for you and is a genuine friend. It’s always a competition, and I don’t participate in that, sorry I just don’t. It’s me VS me. My numbers, my metrics, versus my own from last month.
Making everyone happy all the time just isn’t realistic. Some days you might miss an important call. You transition companies and don’t get an application taken fast enough and now your realtor partner throws you in the “CRAP lender pile”. You make one slip up and that’s it CANCELLED. No matter how good you are, if there’s a deficiency, we’re not human, we’re crap and that just sucks.
In the process of trying to keep the circus running, keeping everyone happy, and always giving face in hard moments that sometimes we have no fault in, I’m missing dance photos, weekend park dates, and breakfast with the girls.
Work-life balance is a whole different issue within itself. You don’t answer a phone call to take a consult at 8 PM?
You catch my drift. This career isn’t for the weak.
As you know, we’re big fans of AskAshAboutMortgages Powered by SMP. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
So AskAshAboutMortgages Powered by SMP is who I am and who I am powered by. SMP, also known as Success Mortgage Partners is the company where I have my lender license hung. We are a direct lender with the availability to broker out deals to several brokers which opens the lending portfolio and gives many options to borrowers who need residential home loans.
AskAshAboutMortgages was born when I brought my business online. It was a welcoming place to do just that… Ask Ash (me) about Mortgages- everything and anything related to mortgages. I specialize in regular residential loans, such as first-time home buyer programs (FHA or Conventional), VA loans, and repeat homebuyers.
As well as Non-QM loans-I also work with a large portfolio of Hard Money lenders and I truly enjoy Commercial loans as well. It’s hard to tell you I have one I specialize in because I do all kinds of lending for loans that are backed by properties. I am fluent in English, Spanish, and mortgage! Day in and out with a smileeeeeee.
What sets me apart from others… I am real… AND I answer the phone, a lot, sometimes too much. I’ll crack a joke on the phone, I’ll speak Spanglish, and I’ll ask you if you want my opinion when asked, as a professional or as a friend. At that point, most people want my friend’s opinion, and truly that’s how I enjoy working. When you call, myself or my team know you’re not just a file number, but you’re a friend.
I know there’s business to be done, but I want my clients to enjoy the homebuying process, because IYKYK, buying a house is NOT easy, but I try to make it a memorable experience. I am not the “this is too little of a commission to bother working on this loan” girl. I am not the “bring a better score because this isn’t worth my time” I am not lender who says “NO”, I AM the lender who says “YES, but… not right now, but if we follow this plan like white on rice, in “x” amount of months you’ll be ready to buy and I’ll hold your hand every day and follow up until we get to our goal.”
I am not the no lender. I don’t look at loans as one size fits all because they’re not. Just like every application is not the same and every story that the application tells us about how the clients worked for years, saved for years, and rebuilt credit for years to get to this moment is just that, different. In a sense, I’m asking clients to get “naked” with me and share all of their financial, private information with me, leaving nothing that could jeopardize their approval. Peel all the layers of financial fun stuff that I need to know.
I am going to see your bank statements and I am not going to judge you. I am proud that I am true to my brand and true to myself. It’s just that “AskAsh” and that’s what I want to be. A source where people feel comfortable asking me anything mortgage related. When they get the answers that I know or had to go get confirmation on, they trust me to then work on their purchase.
What are your plans for the future?
Help more buyers. Help more realtor partners. Help more. Educate on the power of homeownership more. Grow a larger team in the future and bring in loan officers. I did it before, it just was not the right time. Right now, I want to work my tail off and enjoy the relationships build during the process. Eventually, I’d like to become a coach and help other loan officers truly reach their potential.
Having people who believe in you and TRULY clap for your success is rare, even though it doesn’t have to be. I’d like my work to eventually allow me to become a TED X speaker. I don’t know the exact topic I’d speak on just yet, but I know it’ll help so many.
Pricing:
- GET PRE-APPROVED FREE $99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.successmortgagepartners.com/ashlin/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askashaboutmortgages/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashlin-endter-143751267/
- Other: https://msha.ke/askashaboutmortgages
