vestwell vestwell vestwell
  • About
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • More
    • Demographics & Advertising Rates
    • Terms & Conditions
Monday, May 23, 2022
No Result
View All Result
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL
  • Front Page
  • Business
  • Finance
  • People
  • Featured
  • Technology
  • Law
  • News
  • Food
  • Art & Culture
  • Human Interest
  • Education
  • Insurance
  • Real Estate
  • Health & Fitness
CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL
straight up

Modern Lending

Brian Decker is among the first mortgage officers to bring a ‘true team concept’ to the industry.

by Daniel Langhorne, Staff Writer, California Business Journal
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

(Photo above: Brian Decker of Modern Lending)

With his unparalleled work ethic and an unquenchable desire to be supreme in everything he does, Brian Decker took charge of the field as a varsity soccer player in high school.

Today, as a co-founder and Senior Consultant of the Modern Lending Team in Temecula, Calif., he sees his role like that of a midfielder, someone who sets up opportunities for frontline strikers to score goals.

“What soccer taught me more than anything else was that I could be the first mortgage officer to bring the concept of having ‘a true team’ to the industry,” says Decker, who was recognized in 2018 for funding nearly $204 million in mortgages, the 13th highest dollar volume in the country that year, according to National Mortgage News.

“What I realized was why was the loan-officer industry trying to be a one-man sport when the skill set to actually run a truly successful mortgage business is not just the skill set of a loan officer.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Technology has empowered customers to access mortgage information from their smartphones, disrupting the mortgage industry to the point that major lending institutions’ profit margins are continuously compressed.

Decker was working as a Temecula branch manager for loanDepot when he realized that the market was changing and the movement of independent mortgage brokers was gaining market share.  He realized he could best serve his referral partners and loan officers by ensuring they could offer their clients the very best interest rates available.  He knew he must make the move to the mortgage broker space to reach the next stage of professional and financial success.

“What it made me realize is there’s only so long you can be the star player at someone else’s team,” he says. In the wake of this epiphany, Decker launched the Modern Lending Team with his partners Justin Grable and Taylor Loop in 2019.

Decker’s work ethic comes from growing up in a blue-collar work environment. His grandfather left for work at 3 a.m. every day and worked his way up to be a chief financial officer. His father drove a forklift in high school and worked two jobs while raising his family.

Decker’s first job was counting inventory in a warehouse. Later, he learned the art of selling while working in the women’s shoe department of the Nordstrom’s at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. After all, he was trying to convince wives of very successful millionaires to buy shoes from him vs. anyone else at the store – or outside competitors.

He used his paychecks to help pay for his education at Biola University.

“I understood the importance of having what I call that ‘bartender ability’ where you can get along and basically have a conversation with anyone,” Decker says. “People want to work with who like they like and they want to work with who they trust.”

Since graduating from Biola as a double major in accounting and finance, Decker worked for various finance groups, including PIMG, a mortgage broker, Janus Capital Law Group, Guaranteed Rate and loanDepot. From 2005 to 2012, he predominately worked as a refinance loan originator, funding over $170 million in refinance business in 2012 alone.

Recognizing that interest rates wouldn’t stay low forever, Decker switched to helping clients purchase properties and within two years was annually funding more than $100 million in new mortgages. For the last three years, his team has annually funded more than $200 million in mortgage loan volume.

Decker’s success as a loan officer prompted him to co-found TOP, an on-demand mortgage training program, with fellow trainers Cody Stevens, John Noldan and Sam Sharp. The subscription-based training library at trainwithtop.com allows loan officers to sharpen their skills around the clock.

The business-coaching industry has taken off in recent years, particularly in the real estate industry, as real estate agents stand out in an increasingly crowded industry. Agents who achieve high sales volumes often parlay this success to cash-in on coaching agents who want similar success.

Decker and his partners at TOP repurposed this coaching model to train loan mortgage officers on how to run their own teams.

“Even though I’m not just a loan officer per se anymore where I’m originating all the mortgage loans, I basically created a bunch of ‘mini-mes’ who are doing it,” Decker says. “We know our identity, we know the clients we serve, we know how to serve them and we stay lean.”

As the housing market continues to fluctuate, Decker keeps operating costs flexible and building capital reserves. He also might start a property management division to offset the decrease in new mortgages.

“It’s like anything else,” he says. “When you go through it once, going through it a second time isn’t as scary because you know how to plan for it, you know how to make the right decisions, and it’s part of the business model.”

Copyright © 2019 California Business Journal. All Rights Reserved.

Brian Decker, Modern Lending
Brian Decker, Modern Lending
Brian Decker, Modern Lending
Brian Decker, Modern Lending

 

Tags: 2018accountingArtBrian DeckerbrokerCaliforniacoachingCosta MesaeducationEstatefinancefundingGroupindependentinformationjobslawloanloan officerloansModern Lendingmortgagemortgage brokersmortgage loanpropertiesproperty managementreal estaterefinanceSAMskillssmartphonestechnologytraintrainingtrust
ADVERTISEMENT
Daniel Langhorne, Staff Writer, California Business Journal

Daniel Langhorne, Staff Writer, California Business Journal

Daniel Langhorne is Managing Editor for The Laguna Beach Independent of the Firebrand Media Group, a media partner of California Business Journal. Daniel is a graduate of Chapman University with degrees in English, Journalism and Political Science. He also studied Journalism at Georgetown University and Political Science at Lorenzo de’ Medici: The Italian International Institute.

Related Posts

money cool design
Silver Linings in Credit Lining: The Line of Credit From Business Providers
advertisement
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram LinkedIn

Advertise With CBJ

1REALTOUR-SAN DIEGO-WEB DESIGN
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn LinkedIn Instagram
C B J   LOGO  SVG-01
  • About
  • Contact California Business Journal
  • Testimonials
  • Demographics & Advertising Rates
  • Terms & Conditions

Categories

  • Art & Culture
  • Business
  • Editor's Choice
  • Education
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Food & Dining
  • Health & Fitness
  • Human Interest
  • Insurance
  • Law
  • Marketing
  • Medical
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • People
  • Popular
  • Real Estate
  • Social Media
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized

CBJ Partner Firebrand Media

Laguna Beach Independent Newspaper
 Laguna Beach City Guide
 Newport Beach Independent Newspaper
Newport Beach Country Club Magazine
  Montage Magazine
 Omni Escapes Hotel Magazine
 Bespoke Concierge New York
 Evans Hotels
 Laguna Beach Magazine
 On The Menu Laguna Beach
 Newport Beach Magazine
Coastal Real Estate Guide (NB,LB, CDM)
Monarch Beach Resort Magazine
 Pacific Coast Magazine (SoCal)
Sea Island Life Magazine
Salamander Hotel & Resorts Magazine
 View our entire portfolio

 

Most Viewed

  • Gavel, scales of justice and law books

    Lawsuit Basics: How Much Does It Cost to Sue Someone?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NFL Paychecks: How Do NFL Players Get Paid?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Impact of Covid: Racing to Buy Second Citizenships

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What to Do When an Online Casino Refuses to Pay Out Your Winnings

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • New Study: California’s 10 Universities That Produce the Most CEOs

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Five Reasons Why The Government Does Not Like Bitcoin

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Only Way

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Is Virtual Financial the Future of Financial Services?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • How to Start a Telecommunication Business: A Step-By-Step Guide

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Best Crypto Faucets You Can Try In 2021 and 2022

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Latest Articles

Chicago

What You Should Not Miss When Visiting Chicago

Personal injury

What can I expect my personal injury protection to cover

las vegas

3 Tips to Win More Money When Visiting Las Vegas

How Can You Put Green Papua Kratom To The Best Possible Use -- Pexels.com

How Can You Put Green Papua Kratom To The Best Possible Use

arbitrage betting

How to Find the Best Arbitrage Betting Opportunities

Santa Monica, California

The Middle Class: 5 Best Places to Live in Los Angeles for Families

high heels banned in carmel, california2

Some of the Most Unusual Laws You’ll Ever Experience in the UK and California

Contractor

How To Find a Trustworthy Contractor

Online Bingo Tips

Online Bingo Tips For Beginners: How To Play And How To Get Free Spins

John Cooke, Partner, Bergston LLP

The Legal Side of Things: Business Profile on John D. Cooke, Bergeson, LLP

California Business Journal | California Business News, California News Media, California business articles | Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire, Northern California, San Francisco | Huntington Beach CA 92649 | (949) 648-3815
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL.
Site Design by 1REALTOUR

No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Business
  • Finance
  • People
  • Featured
  • Technology
  • Law
  • News
  • Food
  • Art & Culture
  • Human Interest
  • Education
  • Insurance
  • Real Estate
  • Health & Fitness

California Business Journal | California Business News, California News Media, California business articles | Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire, Northern California, San Francisco | Huntington Beach CA 92649 | (949) 648-3815
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL.
Site Design by 1REALTOUR