Podcast: One-On-One With Ryan Grant, President Of NEO Home Loans Powered By Better

The president of NEO Home Loans says they specialize in financial education that goes beyond providing a mortgage.

Staying with a borrower after the loan closes gives them an opportunity to build a long-term relationship with borrowers, according to Ryan Grant. 

"That's where we really lean in. 60% of the value we provide is really post-closing to the consumer," Grant said.

He explained that the average person is realizing they need post-close counseling more than the cheapest interest rate or the lowest cost mortgage. When the weight of homeownership is on a person's shoulders, having an ally to help them manage that asset is essential, Grant said.

Grant, a $1.9 billion originator before founding NEO Home Loans powered by Better, recently sat down with The Mortgage Note’s Scott Kimbler to talk about their national business model, what they offer consumers, and why he believes in building a better borrower experience.

Grant said NEO is licensed in all fifty states. They have a local presence in 27 states where there are physical locations.  

"What we offer to the consumer is just drastically different. And what I believe to be much more valuable than the average mortgage company. The average mortgage company is going to close the loan on time with good customer service, speed, communication, all those things," Grant said. 

"But the after part is where we really focused. If you look at a lot of our client testimonials, the reason why so many families are choosing NEO Home Loans is because they didn't even know that they could get help after closing."

Grant said they help consumers manage this liability and asset, plan for future real estate goals, and help parents and children retire with real estate. 

"When we tell our clients what we do and what our commitment is to the long-term generation of wealth, it's awesome to see their response. And we believe that clients will expect that from their mortgage lenders moving forward," Grant said.

Grant said that when the loan closes, a client success team trained in personal wealth and generational wealth building shows borrowers how to use their app. They also get a personal home concierge that helps them with home maintenance, repairs, and upkeep. 

"We make sure that they are connected with all the right partners that are needed. So, if they want to maximize their tax liabilities, we introduce them to tax planning firms," Grant said. "We want to make sure they have the appropriate life insurance. We want to make sure that if they have an estate plan or will or trust in the event that anything happens. And ultimately, we want to make sure that they, with their new mortgage payment and with their new monthly cash flow, know how to manage that to grow their wealth long term."

After that, NEO Home Loans provides consumers with annual financial reviews and a goal-setting strategy.

"We believe that we should be so proactively engaged with our clients that we help them decide when to buy, sell, or finance properties, and then we just work with them, month in and month out, year in and year out, towards those goals," Grant said.

Because of their partnership with Better, Grant said they get to work with real estate agents and builders that we may not have had the opportunity to, and they have access to the latest technology.

He wrapped up the conversation by encouraging every homeowner to reach out to their own mortgage team or the team at NEO.

“I would just encourage people to be curious. And just know that if you connect with a NEO mortgage advisor, no one’s going to sell you anything. We’re just going to ask you questions about your situation. We’re going to understand your financial goals. We’re going to take a look at the entire scope of your generational chain. And then we’re going to give you some really good advice,” Grant said.