Joe Gross Bio

Wondering how I got started in the mortgage business? What sort of training I’ve had? How I came to be The National Mortgage Expert? Look no further.

Starting Out

Ok….let’s begin at the beginning. It was 1997 and I was working on my accounting degree at Touro College in New York. I needed a job, so started working for a mortgage company that had ten different branches throughout the country. Unfortunately, one of the branches had issues severe enough to cause the entire company to shut down about eight months after I started working there.

I received my Bachelor of Accounting degree in January of 1999 and promptly went to work in another mortgage company as a loan processor. Within four months, I was promoted to a supervisory position and then went to be Operations Manager before ending up as Vice President of Operations in 2001. (Not bad for a guy just two years out of college!)

During this time I was uniquely positioned to learn about the mortgage industry from the inside out because my position was in the middle of the process. As the processor, I would take the documents from the loan officer and give them to the underwriter. After the loan was arranged, then I would give the documents to the loan closer and then the customer the money.

Our clients were varied, which was also a great eye-opener. We worked with people who were buying their first home, those consolidating debts and those refinancing to access the equity they had built up or get a better rate. Our products were both prime and subprime, so I got to learn how to match the best product to the situation.

As I talked to thousands of clients, I really got an idea of what they wanted to accomplish and honed my skills at tailoring products precisely for their current situation. After four years, I decided it was time to go out on my own and establish my own mortgage company.

Working With NovaStar

I knew I would need some help on the back office operations, so I went into partnership with NovaStar Home Mortgage as a branch office. In many ways, it was the perfect match. NovaStar took care of all the back office work (payroll etc), which allowed me to spend more time meeting with clients instead of shuffling paper. Also, since I was free to choose prime or subprime products on a client-by-client basis, I was able to continue helping people get the very best product for their situation.

NovaStar double-checked every application for net tangible benefit, made sure appraisals were accurate, got things done in a timely manner and were meticulous about their quality control. This attention to detail taught me that it is possible to make good loans at a good rate in a good amount of time. Or, alternatively, that you don’t have to be unscrupulous to get things done. What a relief!

Another big plus for me was the NovaStar was licensed in 48 states, so I was able to experience the mortgage market across the entire country. This exposure was invaluable and is a big part of why I became known as The National Mortgage Expert.

I began giving seminars geared towards first time homebuyers to help them figure out how they could go from renters to owners without breaking their budget. A good part of the seminar was devoted to explaining benefits of homeownership (including tax advantages) and sharing insider secrets on how to find a great real estate agent.

I also started developing my Client For Life Program. I explain more about this in the Bonus Section at the back of the book but for now I can say that the Client For Life Program is all about making sure my clients are set up with financial solutions not just for today but for tomorrow as well. I make sure they have the tools they need to make the right choices throughout their lives.

If that wasn’t enough, during this time I sat and passed all the Certified Public Accountant exams. I’m not sure if you’ve heard about anyone taking these tests but next time you’re talking to your accountant, ask him about them. The CPA credential is one of the most difficult to achieve because the exams have such a high failure rate.

My Own Business

Eventually, it became too risky for NovaStar to have so many branches and in July 2006 they shut down their branch program completely. It was at this point that I transitioned into my own company Qualified Mortgage Inc.

At the beginning of 2008, I created a radio show entitled Thursday at 2pm EST on WVNJ 1160AM you can hear me talk the issues that matter to homeowners. I take questions from audience members and incorporate listener suggestions to make sure I’m covering what you want to know about. Past shows include:

• “I Got Rid Of $70,000 In Credit Card Debt”
• How Credit Cards Companies Are Scamming You
• How To Get A Bigger Paycheck Without A Raise
• Five Secrets You Need Know To Get Out Of Foreclosure

I’ve got a lot more great shows lined up for broadcast so be sure to tune in. If you don’t get WVNJ, you can listen online in real time.

Tune in next week and see why we’re America’s #1 Mortgage Talk Show.

Feel free to call or email your questions to joe@TheNationalMortgageExpert.com. I’d love to hear from you.

So now, ten years after I started, I have a company I am proud of and am doing what I love. I get to use my knowledge and skills on a daily basis to help people get their finances in order and get on the road to home ownership without the pain of a burdensome mortgage or out of control credit card debts.

I’ve worked in markets when interest rates were high and when the rates were low; when it was a seller’s market, when it was a buyer’s market. You name it; I’ve been there. I’ve helped thousands of people protect their most valuable asset: their home. Being able to give people the information they need to make the financial decisions that are right for their family is what gets me out of bed in the morning.