Some people are born leaders, while others learn to become one. However, there is something great about leaders who had an early realization of having an entrepreneurial spirit and a natural talent for business. This form of leadership is one that can make change happen or disrupt within any given industry. With skills such as communicating openly and listening effectively learned early, this kind of understanding can pave the path towards becoming a standout leader within many industries.
Brad Bennett, Head of Retail Consumer Direct at RealFi Home Funding Corp. is one such leader who got hold of his business skills at an early age from his father and grandfather and created a mark in the consumer direct mortgage loan industry. With 15 years of experience and a demonstrated history of working in the consumer direct financial services industry, Brad Bennett is taking RealFi to new heights through its esteemed and extremely unique retail consumer direct services model.
Let’s dig deeper into Brad’s journey and see what makes him a distinct personality in the mortgage industry and, more so, an influential leader.
A Natural Talent
As a child, Bennett used to sell candy bars and other snacks in school to other kids as well as resale yard sale goods in his spare time in order to turn a profit. He credits this ‘hustler mentality’ and insatiable thirst for knowledge to help him make his first million dollars at the age of 27. As such, coming from humble, blue-collar roots being raised in South Baltimore an area of Baltimore City known for its dense blue-collar population.
His mother was a self-employed dog groomer, and his father was a self-employed sub-contractor in the home improvement industry. Brad learned and knew intimately the value of grit, determination, and risk-taking, as well as being outgoing, personable, and connecting with people was a must in order to breed success.
Prior to joining RealFi, a non-bank mortgage lending firm, Brad held many prominent roles in his career. He was the Co-Owner/Managing Partner at Mortgage Marketing Solutions LLC, Founding Member/Managing Partner at Reverse Mortgage Corporation- RMC, Director Reverse Operations at GO Mortgage, and Operations Manager at Caliver Beach Mortgage. He has served across all these organizations under the capacity of a nationally ranked top producing loan officer, sales, administration, and operations staff supervision, and overall loan-operations management. He also served as a liaison to other divisions as well as taking the helm of being a team leader as well as a certified sales trainer and coach.
Brad Bennett holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree in Economics, Finance, Business administration from Elizabethtown College. He also has IMPACT Trainer Certification, Straight line Sales Certification Program from Jordan Belfort, and is a former nationally ranked top producing mortgage loan originator. Additionally, he has honed his skills through enormous amounts of reading and targeted research in the subjects of call center management, sales psychology, sales leadership, management, compensation plan design and structures, and budgeting and forecasting (projections/proformas).
Brad is extremely competitive and confident in his abilities to lead, grow, and efficiently scale any consumer direct operation he manages. His confidence, leadership traits, and his business-savvy personality, and charisma, coupled with various other skills, has earned him numerous industry awards over the course of his 16-year stint in the consumer direct financial services industry.
He has been bestowed with:
- Rookie of the Year 2009
- Loan Officer of the Year in the Reverse Mortgage Industry 2010
- Inclusion in the 2021 Top 100 Real Estate Professionals of America
- Inclusion in the Elite 2017 Millionaires Club
An Expert in Finance
Brad’s experience and deep breadth of knowledge makes him a skilled individual in all aspects of strategic business planning development and execution, expense planning development and execution, operations management, recruiting, hiring, sales training, and employee retention. While he possesses a clear and thorough understanding of all state and federal mortgage regulations, he is also quite skilled as a proven consumer direct marketing expert.
Under his forte of Mortgage Lending, Brad Bennett is extremely knowledgeable and well versed in all aspects of VA, FHA, Conventional, Non-QM, and Reverse Mortgage Lending. He also carries a strong and clear understanding of mortgage-backed security or (MBS), capital markets, and secondary markets. Moreover, he is a proven leader in call center operations management with a demonstrated and proven ability to scale quickly, and efficiently, all the while maintaining a healthy and vibrant bottom line throughout the growth process, and thereafter.
Joining RealFi
Brad Bennett joined New York-based RealFi in the month of May 2020. He brought over his passion and drive—and the experience that comes from executing 5,500 loans over his 16-year career— to lead a growing group of loan officers, operations, and management experts’ team in serving RealFi’s clients nationwide. He also brings the invaluable experience of running man of his own businesses previously and currently.
A hands-on leader, Brad works closely with his team to provide retail consumer direct services for RealFi Home Fund Corp. He strives to create and maintain a culture of individualized attention, empowerment, and support for everyone. With consumer demand growing, the firm is continuing to recruit new talents to meet their needs.
RealFi is currently expanding rapidly, creating new leadership roles as well as investing in new technology for even better customer service. To support this expansion, Brad is moving into an executive leadership management role, where he will create, scale, and develop a new division for the company.
“Since I got into this business, I have always been focused on how to become a better leader, a better mentor, and a better businessman.” Brad shares. “Now, at 35 years old, I’m very excited for what the next decade will bring in terms of personal growth and professional success.”
About RealFi
RealFi is a prominent alternative investment management business that is technology-driven and has extensive experience in real estate credit methods. Using a unique strategy combined with an experienced management team, it is completely reinventing the mortgage process from its roots.
RealFi’s team of real estate experts takes a relationship-centered approach to real estate lending, ensuring that its clients receive tailored financing solutions and certainty of execution. With the help of cutting-edge technology and in-house experience, the team is developing a seamless, transparent process that will change mortgage financing from the start to the finish line.
By way of its subsidiaries, RealFi is a mortgage lender that originates both qualified and non-qualified residential mortgages. And, through its RealFi REIT, it is a direct lender specializing in the origination of commercial real estate bridge loans in major markets across the United States.
Most recently, the company has considered developing a completely new brand identity to correspond with the contemporary way of thinking about mortgage financing. To better serve its clients and partners, the company has rebranded and introduced a completely new logo, website, and marketing materials. Going ahead, for the upcoming years, RealFi has a plan, which entails continuing to innovate and grow, adding new team members and branches across the United States. Under Brad’s leadership, the company is on its course to attain more success and growth.
