Jayson Hardie – Managing Partner – (636) 256-5712
It was a normal day. I was obsessively checking my pipeline in Encompass, like any good loan officer, when my phone rang. It was one of the company’s top-performing realtor partners. Always great to hear from him, but I could tell right away something was up.
“Hey, have I ever told you how handsome you are?” he greeted me.
Ah…that tone. He’s definitely in a situation.
“Well, I am handsome…” I replied. (Or at least that’s the version I’m sticking with.)
“I’m in a bit of a pickle,” he continued.
Uh-oh.
“I’ve got a buyer who applied at Rocket…”
“Woo boy…” (My actual response was a bit more colorful, but let’s keep it professional.)
The Problem
Here’s what happened:
The borrower had been pre-approved by Rocket Mortgage, but just five days before closing, their application was denied. Why? A critical detail in their financials hadn’t been properly vetted during the pre-approval process.
“When’s the closing date?” I asked.
“Tuesday.”
It was Thursday.
Why Mortgage Bankers Need to Move Fast
Let’s break this down:
- The buyer was facing the very real possibility of being homeless.
- The seller could lose their opportunity to buy their next home—and potentially be homeless, too.
- The agent was staring down the barrel of a lost commission.
- And the deal? It was crumbling fast.
To a big-box lender, one loan falling through might not raise an eyebrow. It’s just numbers in a sea of volume. But to a local mortgage banker? That one purchase? That one relationship?
It means everything.
Why Local Lenders Make the Difference
This is exactly the kind of situation where working with a trusted local lender really shines. A good reputation in your community matters. When we call a listing agent and say, “We’ve got this,” they believe us—because we’ve shown up time and time again. Relationships built on trust and performance make a world of difference when timelines get tight and stress levels skyrocket.
And here’s the best part: you don’t have to sacrifice convenience to work with a local lender. We offer all the same modern amenities as the big-box names—things like fast, user-friendly online applications you can complete right from your phone. Want to text your lender instead of call? Great. Prefer email? No problem. Whether it’s a quick update or a midnight question, we meet you where you are. Plus, with in-house underwriting, processing, and closing, we can move files faster and with greater precision. You get speed, service, and accountability—all in one place.
The Response
We got to work immediately.
First, we re-vetted the entire file—properly this time. Every document, every number, every detail was verified to ensure no more surprises. Then, we contacted the listing agent directly, explaining the situation and advocating for the buyer. Our reputation and track record helped us gain a critical extension.
Seven extra days. That’s all we needed.
Ten business days later, the loan was closed. The buyer got their home. The agent got paid. The deal was saved.
The Takeaway
Real estate will always be a relationship business. Big data and automation are helpful—but they can’t replace trust, responsiveness, or good judgment.
No algorithm can talk a listing agent off a ledge. No call center rep can rescue a buyer three business days from disaster.
If you’re a real estate agent—or a homebuyer—working with a mortgage banker who knows how to move fast and work smart isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between chaos and closing.
And for mortgage loan officers out there: if you want to build a name in this industry, align yourself with people who treat each deal like it matters—because it does.