Herndon Davis Went from Corporate Layoff to A Thriving Home Based Real Estate Business

Herndon Davis is a Commercial and Residential Mortgage Broker/Loan Officer operating across 46 US states and D.C. originating real estate loans (i.e. Fix-N-Flip, Fix-N-Rent, Office, Retail) for investors and originating personal mortgages (i.e. FHA, Conventional, VA, USDA) for individuals seeking to buy a home.

1) How did you get started working from home? 

I previously dabbled in the real estate on a casual basis while keeping my full time day job. After a massive corporate layoff a few years ago, I decided to jump into it full time by becoming officially licensed and by partnering with lenders nationwide to provide broker services to my clients..

2) How did you choose the work-at-home career you do? 

It was really a function of three things:

1. Flexibility. I wanted greater latitude to explore various avenues of real estate without restrictions. Hence, I am dual licensed as both a Loan Officer and a Real Estate Agent. I also partner with both Commercial and Residential lenders which allows me the greatest flexibility to do just about any type business with any type client that comes across my path.

2. Income potential. I wanted to maximize my income by working 100% commission without overhead costs of a brick and mortar office or a salary which would reduce my commission potential.

3. Independence. I’ve always craved independence and believe that if my business is a GREAT success then it’s all my “fault” and if my business is a GREAT failure it’s also my “fault.” Either way it’s on me and I enjoy having that total accountability.

I thrive in creating a business model completely of my own doing and without intervention of a boss, business partners or corporate management breathing down my neck to conform or constantly checking on my work performance. My decision is the final word and I love it! I like to make the rules of my life and not be subjected to them by a structured company or management.

3) How did you get started (basic initial steps)? 

Step 1 – I made the decision to do real estate full time without a safety net. Doing it part time would have taken too much time, energy from my goal. I had to be all in.

Step 2 – Although I had dabbled in real estate previously, I decided to become “official” and so I studied, tested and became dual licensed as both a Mortgage Originator and as a Real Estate Agent.

Step 3 – I initially started working with both a mortgage and a real estate broker. It wasn’t a good fit so I moved on and expanded my network of both commercial and residential lenders and now I’m situated with multiple solid broker relationships across the nation. So it took some trial and error.

Step 4 – Market like crazy both in person and online utilizing every business and professional relationship in order to generate a stead pace of clients.

4) How did you get your first client or customer or job? 

My first mortgage client came as a referral through my real estate broker. And my first real estate client came as a chance meeting with someone I struck up a conversation with while taking an airport shuttle together.

5) How do you market your business? 

I use lots of social media and generate original video and written content. I also speak at various industry real estate events or at training classes for real estate professionals and I also attend lots of networking mixers.

6) What does your usual day look like? 

I wake up pretty early, cook breakfast while I check my email. I try and tackle anything pressing pertaining to my client files before folks get into the office so it’s there when they arrive. I’ll then go to the gym for 2- 2.5 hours then come back home and do online marketing. Other times I’ll write an article or shoot a new video explaining the most asked topics
about mortgages or real estate.

From there I’ll make phone calls or send emails to folks I recently met and try and meet them for coffee or have a quick 15 minute phone chat to assess where they are in mortgage or real estate investment process of buying a home or commercial property. The goal is to pull their credit, start a new file and get the process started of getting them mortgage approved or real estate financed so that we can close on the property as quickly as possible!

Later that afternoon I’ll go back to completing any other client tasks needed to push files further to closing. Next, typically there’s some type of luncheon, dinner, happy hour or event I either try to attend or speak at every week. The goal is to get my face, my elevator speech, my brochures and business cards in front of people and to network.

That night I try and cut it off, cook a quick dinner and binge watch a tv show or watch an online movie before going to bed and starting the process all over again.

7) What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started? 

In the beginning, I didn’t eliminate out poor potential clients early enough in the process which wasted far too much of my time and energy. Either their credit was low, they had little funds to close the deal or they were slow in responding back to me yet I was bending over backwards to help them clean up their credit and reduce their out of pocket costs. In
hindsight I should have quickly declined their application and moved on.

Today I am super direct and firm about who I will accept as a client and who I won’t accept as a client. I’ve structured my website to give a crash course training through detailed articles and videos I’ve created of myself clearly explaining the process of buying a home or investment property and getting approved by lenders. I set the stage of expectation immediately and I don’t’ let up until we close on the property.

8) What advice would you give someone who wants to work from home? 

If you aren’t disciplined, or easily distracted or simply need lots time to get motivated out the bed and into your groove of work then working from home is NOT a good option for you. Remember time truly is money. Every moment you are not closing a deal, getting a new client or marketing to get a potential clients you are losing money. Goofing off throughout the day means you aren’t earning money!!

Find Herndon Davis Online:

Website: Mortgage Real Estate Services

Facebook: Mortgage Real Estate Services 

Twitter:  @mortgagerealest

LinkedIn: Herndon Davis

Instagram: Mortgage Real Estate Services