Today we’d like to introduce you to Catalina Traylor.
Hi Catalina, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Before I worked in the mortgage industry, I worked as a personal financial advisor. The majority of my clients were public school teachers because we were a financial provider for their retirement plan. I had interned with this firm the summer before my senior year in college and completely fell in love with the idea of having personal clients. I spent the majority of my time educating the middle/working class about their personal finances and helped a few people retire, including my parents. Because of this experience, I have a very holistic financial perspective when I help my clients buy a home, which is typically the biggest financial decision of their life.
I actually studied public health in college. I have a Bachelor of Science, so I really do love delving into the data behind financial decisions. Helping my clients have confidence in their financial choices is super important to me. As a public health major, I spent a lot of time educating my fellow classmates on the importance of wellness and addressing typical college health issues, such as mental health, alcohol and drug awareness, and sexual assault prevention.
Now, working as a mortgage loan officer, I think I bring a unique and valuable perspective because of my previous experience. In real estate itself, I started off as a loan processor. This position is the intermediary between the underwriter and the loan officer, so I got to learn first-hand what underwriters look at, what they consider, and where loan conditions come from. I know what it takes to make or break a loan from working behind the scenes, which is why my clients are extremely well prepared for the homebuying process upfront.
After working as a processor, I was invited to be a loan assistant for 2 loan officers, a mother and son duo, even though they had separate businesses. The mother dealt with investor & jumbo clients while her son, who was just getting started, worked more with down payment assistance clients and credit repair cases. I was able to work on such a diverse range of files and am extremely grateful for my experience with them. We closed about 30 million as a team & I decided to set out and build my own client base after that.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not! It’s been a challenging environment and I also had newly moved to San Diego when I went out on my own. Making new connections with realtors is always a goal of mine and I tend to make really meaningful connections through Instagram, which is how I’ve made all my agent friends.
Last year was a big struggle for me, I almost left the industry. But I stuck it out and am stronger because of it. I’m more committed to real estate than ever before and have confidence in my skills as a loan officer. There are so many loan officers out there that just go through the motions. I love making a huge difference in people’s lives and am confident that the loan I help them qualify for is the right decision for them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I love working with first-time homebuyers & self-employed individuals. I love helping people go from feeling intimidated and confused about the homebuying process to educated and empowered. Whether people are looking to buy this year or in 5 years, I love to help people accomplish buying a home if that’s one of their goals – I help set them up for success.
Other loan officers require a credit pull in order to pre-approve someone, but I don’t. I offer a soft pull so there is zero impact to their credit. The only cost to the client is the time it takes to complete a loan application, which is less than 30 minutes. No pressure sales, no cost, no credit hit, just solid mortgage guidance and homebuying advice.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Ditching school & going fishing with my dad. I grew up on the coast of LA and lived on a sailboat for the first 10 years of my life. Once we moved into a house, as long as I got good grades, we could ditch school and go fishing when it was good. My dad and I still go fishing & I caught my personal best tuna last year, weighing in at 173 pounds. I also met the love of my life fishing, and he’s a fishing captain, so this hobby is near and dear to my heart. We started a YouTube channel last season that has grown to 3500 subscribers, and are looking forward to this season! Our channel is “Fish the Legend.”
Contact Info:
- Website: homeloansbycat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homeloansbycat/
