How to talk to panicked clients after a Fed rate hike
Samantha Shelton (pictured top), mortgage broker and president of Align Lending, said one of her first messages to consumers is that market volatility is not a sign that something has gone wrong.
“A healthy market looks like an EKG,” Shelton told Mortgage Professional America. “I hate to say that, but I always use that as my analogy. It goes up, and it comes down. That’s how history has always been, and rates will move up, and rates will come down. It’s just something that we have to be fluid and move with.”
‘Communication and strategy really matter’
Shelton said her own approach to client conversations starts with making sure she understands the data herself before she tries to explain it to anyone else.
“This is where communication and strategy really matter,” she said. “Leaning into MBS Highway is a great place to get information. If you are not good at reading the data or understanding it, lean into other places that offer support that’s data-driven. Because our job is to explain what’s happening without creating fear, we’re able to watch the market closely and help each client make the right decision for their situation.”
That same standard, she said, applies to what she tells clients directly. An educated consumer isn’t going to panic when there is volatility in the market.
