Teresa O’Connell

How did you get involved in the mortgage industry?
I have been in the mortgage industry for 8 years. I started with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage in 2010. I worked in loss mitigation, home preservation, default accounts payable, and learning and development. I have been with Neighborhood Finance Corporation as their Director of Lending since November of 2017.

What is the biggest challenge or opportunity you have seen in the mortgage industry?
Communication. We underestimate just how powerful it is and how to utilize it in ways to make our customer experiences and interactions with each other better. We need to be able to explain things to our customers in ways that they can understand and not just assume that they know what we are talking about when we use industry jargon and move too quickly.

What advice would you give people just entering the industry?
There are so many opportunities here for you. You’re on the right track.

 Do you have a quick tip for saving time, generating leads, tracking information, etc. that you would like to share?
Finish tasks right away as you get them. Utilize your outlook calendar to ensure that regularly occurring tasks are not missed. Create your own job aids, spreadsheets and tools to stay organized and manage your work.

When you are not at work, what do you like to do most?
There is nothing I love more than spending time with my family. I have a beautiful daughter who is the light of my life. I feel incredibly blessed to be her mother.

What is a quote or a guiding principle you live by?
“This too, shall pass.” It may be difficult to remember in the moment, but try to remind yourself that no matter how bad a situation seems, you will come out of it and it will get easier as time goes by. So far, your track record for making it out of bad days is 100%. I’d say the odds are in your favor to make it out of the next one.