How Did You Become a Mortgage Expert?

Tim Sickinger, Principal, Ladd Financial   

Tim, can you tell us a little bit about your background?

I worked directly for a large bank, I have worked for a mortgage bank, which is a little different, and I've also worked and now own a mortgage brokerage company, and during all that time, I've always specialized in basically originating mortgages for individuals. Over the years, I've worked with first-time home buyers, investors, buyout buyers, relocation buyers, and interestingly enough, whatever point I was in in my life tended to be the kind of customers I worked with, and it's given me a pretty broad range of experience as far as mortgage origination is concerned. And it's a great business.

I look at it as more of a consulting business than really a financial business. I'm helping people; over the years, I've helped many people realize their dreams. And there's something quite rewarding in that. I have many, many repeat customers. Again, I've been doing it a long time, so frankly most of my business now are either repeat customers or come from repeat customers, and that's a very good feeling. It means that I've done a good job over the years.

Tim Sickinger is a Principal at Ladd Financial, a mortgage lending firm in Westport, CT.