How Top Loan Officers Build Realtor Referral Machines and Stay Consistent Through Any Market Featuring Brendon Murphy
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The biggest difference between struggling loan officers and top producers is not rates, products, or even experience.
It is referral consistency.
In a market where paid leads are getting more expensive, consumer behavior is changing, and AI is reshaping search, the loan officers who win long term are the ones who build deep, trusted relationships with real estate agents.
In a recent episode of LoanOfficerPodcast.com, host Chris Johnstone sat down with top producing loan officer Brendon Murphy to break down exactly how he built a referral driven mortgage business that stayed strong through refi booms, rate spikes, and market slowdowns.
This article distills the most important lessons loan officers can apply immediately.
Why Realtor Referrals Are the Foundation of a Healthy Mortgage Business
A sustainable mortgage business is rarely built on one channel.
The healthiest loan officer businesses tend to follow a simple pattern:
Strong purchase volume from real estate agents
Ongoing refinance opportunities from past clients
Consistent communication with deals in process
Brendon shared that roughly 70 percent of his business comes from realtor referrals, with the remainder coming from past clients and other professional partners.
That balance matters.
Loan officers who rely only on refinances eventually run out of runway. Loan officers who rely only on paid leads lose margin and control. Realtor referrals create repeatable, predictable volume.
The Early Struggle Most Loan Officers Experience
One of the most relatable parts of Brendon’s story is that success did not come overnight.
Like many loan officers, his first year in the mortgage business was extremely difficult. Income was low, confidence was tested, and uncertainty was constant.
This is important for new and mid level loan officers to hear.
Struggle early does not mean failure. It often means you are building the foundation.
What changed for Brendon was not a magic marketing trick. It was timing, consistency, and positioning himself correctly when opportunities appeared.
Turning Refinance Booms Into Long Term Referral Growth
Many loan officers lived through the refinance boom of 2020 and 2021.
Very few leveraged it properly.
Brendon explained that refinance volume allowed him to:
Serve a large number of clients quickly
Build trust with homeowners
Get introduced to real estate agents organically
When refinance volume slowed, those relationships became purchase driven referral pipelines.
This is a critical lesson.
Refinances should never be treated as one time transactions. Every refinance is a future purchase, referral, or introduction waiting to happen.
How Top Loan Officers Choose Realtor Partners
One of the most valuable insights from the episode was how Brendon chooses which agents to invest time into.
He does not focus on production thresholds alone.
Instead, he looks for:
Agents who are hungry and growth focused
Agents willing to do uncomfortable work like calls and events
Agents who want to collaborate, not just receive leads
This is especially important for working with younger or emerging agents.
Many top producers today started as aggressive new agents who partnered early with the right lender.
The Power of Over Communication in the Transaction
One of the simplest but most overlooked strategies in referral growth is communication.
Brendon walks listing agents through every major milestone:
Offer acceptance
Appraisal ordered
Appraisal completed
Conditional approval
Clear to close
This builds trust fast.
Most listing agents never hear from the lender after the offer is accepted. When they do, it immediately differentiates you.
The Follow Up Most Loan Officers Never Do
Here is a strategy that many loan officers skip.
After closing, Brendon plans to personally visit listing agents with a small thank you such as a handwritten note, gift card, or bottle of wine.
This final touch turns a completed transaction into a warm relationship opening.
By the time you show up, trust already exists.
This is how referral habits begin.
Systems Matter, But Relationships Matter More
While systems like CRMs, automation, and loan origination tools are important, Brendon made a powerful point.
Technology should support relationships, not replace them.
He uses tools where they enhance communication and client experience, but the trust is built through:
Phone calls
Three way conversations with agents and buyers
Being available outside normal hours when needed
Loan officers who win long term are present, reliable, and proactive.
Where AI Fits Into the Future of Mortgage Referrals
Not every top producer is fully bought into AI yet, and that is okay.
What matters is understanding where consumer behavior is heading.
Search is changing. Buyers are asking AI tools who they should work with. Authority, content, and visibility now matter more than ever.
Loan officers who educate agents, create content, and position themselves as experts will be the ones AI recommends.
The future is not about replacing relationships with AI. It is about using AI to amplify trust.
What Loan Officers Should Focus On Right Now
If you want to build a referral machine that survives any market, focus on these fundamentals:
Build real relationships with agents, not transactional ones
Communicate more than you think is necessary
Turn every deal into a future opportunity
Be visible, consistent, and helpful
Play the long game
Markets will change. Rates will move. Technology will evolve.
Relationships compound.
Final Thoughts
This conversation with Brendon Murphy is a reminder that success in the mortgage business is still built on trust, service, and consistency.
The tools may change, but the fundamentals do not.
If you are a loan officer looking to grow smarter, protect your pipeline, and build a business that lasts, this episode delivers real world insight you can apply immediately.
👉 Listen to the full episode now on LoanOfficerPodcast.com, and subscribe so you never miss conversations designed to help loan officers win in the next chapter of the mortgage industry.
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