Leadership
Ever feel like the management just doesn’t get it? More than half of our executive leadership started out as loan officers, so you can bet they’ll have your back
John Walsh, Founder and Chairman
John Walsh is a loan officer’s kind of founder. A former LO himself, he knows what it’s like to be in the field, as well as the resources needed to succeed. His commitment to hiring and helping loan officers grow their business is one of the reasons why Total Mortgage has been so successful for more than two decades.
Since Total Mortgage opened its doors, John has been a recipient of the 2011 New England Mortgage Titan Award, has been quoted in major publications like the Wall Street Journal dozens of times, and has been continuously named Mortgage Executive Magazine's top 100 most influential mortgage executives.
Scott Penner, CEO
Prior to joining Total Mortgage, Scott was a real estate and compliance attorney. In 2006, he opened Penner Law Firm, which quickly grew to become one of the largest real estate law firms in Connecticut.
Scott worked closely with Total Mortgage for years, until he was asked to come on board as President in the beginning of 2015, and then CEO in 2017. Under Scott’s leadership, Total Mortgage hit record numbers, and has continued an impressive trajectory of growth.
Erik Martin, President
Erik joined TMS in February of 2013 as the Operations Manager, and was promoted to become the EVP of Operations in early 2015 and President in 2017. Prior to TMS, Erik was VP of Retail Lending at Newtown Savings Bank. Erik’s vast industry experience and cross-functional understanding of mortgage has enabled him to streamline Total Mortgage’s operational process, minimizing turn times and maximizing customer satisfaction.
Bill Schettler, EVP of Sales
Bill joined Total Mortgage in 2001 and has been a key contributor to our growth since day one. As our EVP of Sales, Bill is responsible for making sure you have the resources you need to make each day better (and more profitable) than the last.
He does this by working across all departments on any given day, ensuring each step in the mortgage process is completed quickly and accurately so you can focus on what you do best—selling.
Mike Duda, Director of National Sales
Mike is a 25-year veteran of the mortgage industry. In that time, he has worked in retail, wholesale, and the correspondent area of the industry. His vast experience includes running both sales and operations centers covering New England and New York for local and national mortgage lenders.
In 2017, Mike joined Total Mortgage as the Director of National Sales, where his deep understanding of sales and operations gives him the unique perspective required to run the outside sales division.
Marc Kaplowitz, EVP - Secondary Marketing
Marc joined Total Mortgage in 2009 as Executive Vice President-Secondary Marketing with 22 years of capital markets experience under his belt. His meticulous reporting gets sent out to loan officers on a daily basis to ensure they have the most up-to-date and competitive pricing available.
He has been head of secondary for 2 publicly traded mortgage originators and played an instrumental role in both companies’ growth from small to large and private to public. He has also performed a wide array of consulting work.
We Get You Up and Running
We know the transition process isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every Loan Officer has a different way of doing business and a different set of needs. If you’re holding back because of the hassle of getting settled in a new mortgage company, don’t. We’ve got you covered.
We do all the heavy lifting, so our new loan officers can start strong.
Onboarding Team
Each new hire has access to our dedicated onboarding team. Comprised of several loan specialists, branch managers, and our EVP of sales, the onboarding team helps you learn the ins-and-outs of Total Mortgage, coordinate your transition, and serve as your go-to for all the questions you’re bound to have.
It’s all part of our goal to get you up to speed as quickly as possible.
Licensing & Compliance
Our legal & compliance department will handle all the technical details of your transition. Plus, we facilitate and pay for all the training and testing fees needed to get you licensed. As a nationwide lender, Total Mortgage can give you access to geographic markets and expand your licensing with minimal effort.
Marketing Onboarding & Support
During the onboarding process, we will have you complete a marketing service agreement. The service agreement allows you to select from any of our current marketing offerings – from social media management to personalized videos – and specify any up-front custom support you’d like.
From that point onward, you will work collaboratively with marketing to ensure your marketing needs are being met to the highest possible standard. On the flip side, the marketing team will check in to ensure their support is resulting in more origination volume.
To learn more about our marketing support for loan officers, click here.
Training
No matter where you are in your career, you can always learn more. We offer plenty of ways to do just that with our wide selection of how-to guides on marketing yourself and our on the job training.
Scenarios Team
Even expert Loan Officers run into problems once in a while. That’s where our scenarios team steps in. They’re available day and night to assess your toughest problems and answer your most technical questions.
IT Support
As much as we like to pretend otherwise, computer problems happen. Our in-house IT team (and their efficient ticket system) will help get your IT issues resolved promptly.
You have questions and priorities that need to be heard. We get it, and we want to hear them. So reach out today—let us know what works best for you.
(203) 647-8073Leading Products and Pricing
Loan Officers know just how important a wide range of products is when you’re trying to bring in borrowers. Whatever your needs, we have something for you.
Programs & Promotions
In addition to our wide array of mortgage products, we offer some of the most competitive programs and promotions in the industry – including our GreenLight Mortgage Approval program and 21 Day Purchase Guarantee.
Standard Loans
Conforming Loans
- Direct to Fannie and Freddie without credit overlays
- High balance and super conforming
- HomeReady® and HomePossible®
- Co-ops
- LPMI
Jumbo Loans
- Multi-investor options available for prime and non-prime jumbos
- Fixed, ARM and Interest-Only
- Loan amounts to 3 MM
- Non-permanent resident aliens
- Co-ops
Government-Insured Loans
FHA
- Min CS 500
- No FICO allowed with non-traditional credit
- Manual UW allowed
- NCQ Streamline Refi – No max LTV or min FICO
- High balance
- 203k
VA
- VA IRRRL
- Purchase or Cash Out
- 100% Financing
USDA
- Purchase
- Refinance, streamline refinance, pilot streamline
Non QM Products
- Conforming and jumbo loan amounts
- Interest-only
- DTI's over 50
- Non-warrantable Condos
- Co-ops
- Non-permanent resident alien
- Title held in: partnerships and corporations
- Foreign national
- Bank statement income
- 1 year tax return
- Asset utilization for income
- Investor Program with unlimited Properties
- 12 months BK
- FC/SS/DIL- settled
You have questions and priorities that need to be heard. We get it, and we want to hear them. So reach out today—let us know what works best for you.
(203) 647-8073Culture & Compensation
Over the past year, Total Mortgage has nearly doubled in size. As we grow, we always want to make sure that we’re taking care of the employees that get us to each milestone.
Our Philosophy
Our core philosophy is pretty simple:
Recruit Selectively. A little effort up front can make all the difference. We search far and wide to find the best recruits from across the nation.
Reward Excellence. Properly equipped Loan Officers can be a company’s greatest asset. We always make sure our Loan Officers are well supported and properly rewarded.
Retain Talent. Great talent is hard to find. Once we’ve found it, we make sure we don’t lose it.
The TMS Workplace
We take a lot of pride in the culture we’ve created. Here are a few of the things our employees love most about TMS:
- Work with pros — we hire the best and brightest
- Work around family time with flexible work scheduling
- Build a healthy lifestyle with our wellness program
- Dine deliciously and affordably with our subsidized meals in the cafe
- Participate in any of our sports league teams or join in our community kickball games
- Score a quick massage on our employee appreciation days
- Speak up — We encourage every employee to help improve our culture and processes
Employee Benefits
- Medical Insurance - 4 plans to choose from
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- 401(k) plan
- Personal and sick days
- Voluntary Life Insurance and Dependent Life Insurance
- Voluntary Long term disability, Short term disability, Accident, Cancer, Critical Illness and Hospital Confinement Indemnity Insurance Plans
Loan Officer Compensation
As an independent direct lender, Total Mortgage has access to flexible compensation methods, including individualized commission structures and a variety of branch opportunities.
- Retail and P&L branch opportunities available, with high rewards for production
- Increased compensation for referral-based transactions
- Strong bonuses for recruiting
Company Events
Outings
Several times throughout the year you could have the opportunity to join your fellow loan officers on a trip to a 5 star restaurant, the casino, or even a vacation. It’s all part of our goal to create a close-knit community of loan officers.
Parties
Total Mortgage parties are kind of legendary around the Milford Corporate Park, if we don’t say so ourselves. We really have a thing for costume parties, and the costumes get bigger and better each year—as do the rewards for best-dressed in each bracket of our competitions.
Contests
Contests are another important part of how we operate. You can earn the everlasting esteem of your coworkers (and some quick cash) by winning anything from a sales challenge to a margarita mixing contest.
Game Room
Relax after work or during breaks in our game room, which includes:
- Billiards
- Darts
- Ping pong table
- Two 60" HDTVS
- Shuffleboard table
- Board games
- Karaoke machine
- Fully stocked beer fridge
You have questions and priorities that need to be heard. We get it, and we want to hear them. So reach out today—let us know what works best for you.
(203) 647-8073Founding Mission
John Walsh challenged the mortgage industry in 1997 when he decided that he could reduce the hassle of getting a mortgage with the right preparation, process, and people.
And it worked.
For almost 20 years, Total Mortgage Services has combined the personal service and accountability of a local lender with the low rates and product selection of one of the big guys.
Our Customers Love Us
We have an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, and an over 95% customer satisfaction rating. Plus, we’re constantly getting bigger and better. Check us out on Google, Facebook, or Zillow to see what all the hype is about!
Growth Trajectory
Total Mortgage was named one of America's fastest-growing companies in the U.S by Inc. Magazine 500|5000 in 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010. In 2012, the company also received the "Inc. Hire Power Award," which spotlights the companies generating the most new jobs.
In 2016 we hit a huge milestone: over $1 billion in loans closed.
Upgrading Our Operations
All that growth means we had to make a few changes. In 2013, Total Mortgage purchased and moved into our new corporate headquarters, a 143,802 square-foot class A office building located in Milford, Connecticut.
We know that the environment we create is crucial to your success, which is why we try to ensure you have all the proper resources and a comfortable space to use them in.
Community Involvement
We stay active in our community. The state of Connecticut recently awarded Total Mortgage a grant to create 150 new jobs over the next five years. We also support local charities and organizations like Toys for Tots and the VA Medical Center.
Custom Marketing Support
We don't just wait for leads to come to us. Our full-time, 8-person marketing team is dedicated to drumming up high quality leads for our loan officers. Plus, you’ll have full access to them as they help develop a personalized marketing plan that fits your goals.
Give Your Borrowers the Best
Loan Officer Mini Sites
Your personalized mini-site will be the digital hub for you and your customers, and will include your headshot, bio, contact information, and a link to your online 1003 and MyMortgage Experience. You can even request to add live rates and personalized resources to your site as well
Borrower Education
We win customer loyalty via our no-strings-attached series of educational guides, The Total Path.
Every month, thousands of potential customers read our guides to learn more about the mortgage process and find answers to their most common or complex issues. We like to make the customer feel as comfortable as possible, and these materials are important teaching tools.
Stand Out from the Crowd
Multimedia Content
Schedule a professional headshot with our photographers or shoot a handy introductory video with our on-site videographer to include on your site, in an email, or on your social media profiles.
Email Marketing Automation
Through our proprietary CRM, our loan officers have access to automatic email-marketing campaigns to their current prospects, customers in process, referral partners, and closed business. These campaigns go out on scheduled dates without any effort from the loan officer.
Custom Content Generation
Our marketing department isn’t just for design—they’re a full service marketing agency that can create and optimize digital ads, run profitable direct mail campaigns, and dream up fresh strategies—all of which help you get more business at a favorable cost per loan.
Get the Support You Need
Event Marketing Assistance
Got a special show or a big presentation coming up? We can outfit you with everything you need, from informational materials to complete PowerPoints. Plus, we have access to over 800,000 promotional products at steep discounts.
Social Media Marketing
We stay active on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and more. We generate a ton of business through social media, and want to help you do the same.
In your first three months after joining Total Mortgage, our marketing team will help create and manage your three most important social media accounts. We’ll also run you through our in-house social media training, so you can get the most out of your accounts once you take over.
You have questions and priorities that need to be heard. We get it, and we want to hear them. So reach out today—let us know what works best for you.
(203) 647-8073Latest Technology
We want to make sure the most up-to-date mortgage technology is in your hands. That’s why we’ve invested significant time and resources toward the technological side of the mortgage business.
We’ll also hook you up with a new computer just for coming on board!
Proprietary Marketing Portal
Our marketing portal was made entirely in-house. That means we designed every aspect of the platform with our loan officers in mind. You can personalize marketing materials and print what you need, when you need it.
It also includes additional material that may not be available through our CRM, like flyers for new mortgage products and bulletins with home buying and refinancing tips.
If you need something that's not there, you simply submit a request and our marketing team will get on it, keeping you updated every step of the way.
CRM Software
Our custom CRM allows our loan officers to track and manage leads, customers in progress, closed business, and referral partners. Have a busy week ahead? Set reminders ahead of time to keep yourself on track and ensure that no client slips through the cracks.
Our CRM also grants loan officers access to hundreds of marketing materials including business cards, postcards, flyers, emails, and marketing automation campaigns. You can even order printed materials without leaving your CRM.
Custom Smartphone App
Our flagship myTotal Mortgage app lets you communicate with borrowers, collect their paperwork, and update them instantly on the progress of their loan all in one place.
Our smartphone app also presents an enormous benefit for networking with realtors. Each loan officer’s app has the ability to create multiple versions that can be co-branded with realtors. When realtors are added to these versions, they are automatically notified when their referred clients reach the next milestone in the mortgage process.
MyMortgage Experience
Save precious phone time by driving potential borrowers through the MyMortgage Experience, Total Mortgage’s evolving digital mortgage platform.
As they give information, our proprietary algorithm will recommend the best mortgage products to fit their needs. When they see something they like, borrowers can save products and resources to their account, and complete a full mortgage application—all online.
Customized Branch Reporting
Technology doesn’t always make things simpler—but it should. To help, we offer our loan officers a suite of business intelligence dashboards, emails, reports, and even their own TV-formatted dashboard. This allows you to monitor everything in one place, so that you can make the most of your leads.
Open House Flyer Software
With increasingly stringent RESPA restrictions, open house flyers can be tricky ground for a lot of mortgage companies. Our open house flyer software allows our loan officers to dynamically generate co-branded open house flyers with realtors, and even include up to five financing scenarios for borrowers—all at no cost to you or the realtor.
Web Performance Tracking
Our marketing department has built and maintained one of the most notable digital marketing presences in the industry, and we want to share that expertise with you.
We’ll constantly track and analyze the performance of your branch and personal websites so that we can optimize them, increase your credibility, and bring you more leads.
Have questions? We want to hear them. Give us a call to learn more.
(203) 647-8073
We're taking mortgage origination to places it's never been before.
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