Mar 2

Mar 2 Natalia Quiroz - Mortgage Loan Officer, CMG Financial

Natalia is a mortgage loan officer helping individuals and families fulfill their homeownership dreams. She prides herself on providing quality, attentive, and personalized care for each client—because no two clients are alike, and each deserves tailored care that meets their unique needs. After only three months of being a loan officer, Natalia closed more than $1 million in just one month. Today, she has two years under her belt with no plans to slow down, and she’s doing it all while raising two kiddos, one of which is a newborn.

The Basics:

Hometown: Calexico, CA; Mexicali, Mexico
Current city: Jacksonville, FL
Alma mater: N/A
Degree: A.A
Very first job: At 16 years old, in Mexico, I was an associate at a store that sold beads and gemstones
Hustle: Mortgage Loan Officer, CMG Financial

The Interests:

Babe you admire and why?
I admire my cousin, Yolanda Zamora. She was working as a Counselor when her then two-year-old was diagnosed with autism. She left work and devoted every single day to researching how to help him. Within six months of lifestyle and nutrition changes, he began making incredible progress. Today, she is becoming certified to be a nutritional practitioner. She is amazing!

What’s your ideal weekend morning?
Grabbing coffee at Southern Grounds and driving around town with my husband and daughters. We have found so many cute places and local businesses by cruising on the weekends :)

What’s your best tip for negotiating—salary or otherwise?
Never be the first one to give the amount or answer; let the other person make an offer before you say anything.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
Probably Cabo San Lucas. I’d love to be sitting by the pool with a margarita and nice sunny weather. I miss taking vacations!

What’s your power outfit?
When I have a meeting (or something important) I really dress up to my mood and of course the weather. I don’t have one power outfit that comes to mind. However, I do take my time with my makeup and hair. I think that's what really ties an outfit together; if my makeup is on point, I feel empowered.

The Hustle:

Tell us about your hustle.
I’m a mom of two and a mortgage loan officer. Since the onset of COVID paired with having a baby in November, my workday has changed a bit. When I wake up, I feed my newborn, make my coffee and check my emails. By 8:30, I make my oldest daughter breakfast and get her ready for daycare and drop her off around 9:30—and by that time I’m also handling phone calls. When I get back, I take the baby to my home office to work on any pending items. Then, another bottle, lunch for myself, and I dive back into work. There’s a lot of back and forth. lunch before diving back into work. There’s a LOT of back and forth. My work basically consists of communication via email and phone. At times I call new agents (Realtors) to introduce myself and let them know how I can be an asset to their business. Other times I’m calling new customers explaining the mortgage process or speaking to active clients to provide updates on their loans. Not every day is the same. Some days are highly stressful—especially trying to juggle a newborn and several loans, multiple customers and Realtors. But I really enjoy helping families fulfill their homeownership dreams, and I am truly blessed to be able to do it from home, while taking care of my baby.

When/how did you first become interested in providing mortgage loan services? What has your journey looked like since?
Like many in the industry, I fell into mortgages without really planning to. I started my career as a loan processor, which is the middleman between a loan officer and an underwriter. Being in that position helped me learn so much. At one point, I would process loans for up to 12 different loan officers. That taught me many things: how to do business and how not to do business. I was a processor for almost four years, until I found out I was pregnant with my first. Knowing I wouldn't have much help with her (there was a one-year waitlist for daycare and no family members nearby), I decided to get my license and become a loan officer. I was terrified. I always disliked “sales” people—I’d be the person you’d see walking away from the lady at Dillards trying to sell me a perfume and now I was going to be a sales person? There were SO MANY challenges and I had to overcome many fears: being rejected, being stood up, the fear of being constantly hung up on—all of those things happened, many times. But I overcame my fears. I did have amazing meetings, great phone calls and partnered up with incredible Realtors. I found out that it's ok to hear the word “no.” It pushes me to try again and keep going. I’m now two years into being a loan officer and even though I still have challenges, I’ve been able to help so many families that tell me “No one has explained that to me before” or “I appreciate you taking the time to go over this with me, my previous experience was not like this. I didn't know what I was signing” … and that makes everything worth it! I am still ways from where I want to be, but I am certain I will get there!

What aspect of CMG Financial’s company culture do you value most? How collaborative is your team — and the rest of the company — on a day-to-day basis?
The team at CMG Financial is AMAZING. My boss, Jason Eggen is such a positive, encouraging person and so are all of the other Loan Officers in the team. They don't treat each other as competition, they really want everyone to succeed and they are all just so, so supportive. It's a breath of fresh air to work with them.

What’s your relationship like with your clients?
I love helping first time homebuyers. Many loan officers “don't have the time” or the patience to go through this process step-by-step with them. I work through teaching and trust; I want my customers to know that I genuinely care about them and make sure they get the loan that best fits their needs.

What do you feel makes for a great customer experience? What’s your process for ensuring you provide your clients with an efficient and seamless service?
Communication. Communication. Communication. There are so many people involved in this process: loan officer, processor, underwriter, buyers, sellers, buyers agent, listing agent, inspector, appraiser, title company, closers. The best way to make things work seamlessly is to keep everyone updated on the process.

What advice would you give to a new home buyer as they seek a mortgage loan officer?
Look for someone who will give you the tools and teach you about the process. It’s one of the most important transactions in your life—you should understand what you're signing and the terms of the loan you’re taking. The process can be stressful, but if you work with a team that cares, it should be seamless.

How do you tackle (and stay organized in) your workload and responsibilities?
I track my emails at ALL times. I have many folders and keep it as organized as possible. One of my biggest pet peeves are unread emails! I also keep track of my pipeline thanks to the systems CMG offers, and of course, a handy dandy whiteboard!

How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
My grandparents have always been business owners. I understand the importance of hard work and customer service. I know I am replaceable—but I work hard so that if they want to replace me, it will be harder to find someone who will do as much as me.

What would you say is your biggest career milestone to date and why?
After only three months of being a loan officer, I closed over $1M in a month.

How would you say being a woman has impacted your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry?
I grew up watching my grandmother and my mom work in important roles. One was a CEO and the other a broker/manager. I always knew that I could do anything I set my mind to. However, as I grew older I realized that in some cases, it's harder for women to succeed. I’ll go back to what I said before: Let the other person make the first offer. By doing that, you’ll learn whether that person values your role—especially being a woman. If they give you a lowball offer and you feel disrespected, make it clear to them what your expectations are and why. If they still don't agree with you, walk away and look for a company that will really see the value in you.

Are you involved with any other careers, side projects or organizations?
Not yet, but I’m hoping to start a nonprofit that will teach teens and young adults life skills not taught in schools: how to have good credit, how to buy a house, what is a W2, how to file taxes, etc.

Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Sometimes you’ll win, sometimes you’ll lose but as long as you stay in the game, you’ll succeed. Do what you love and do it with passion and care. Don't feel entitled, and show your worth through your work.

Connect with Natalia:

Personal Instagram / Professional Instagram

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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