Originators poised for ‘wins all through 2024’ as fog clears

“As originators, we’ve really taken on the piece of making sure that our clients are really knowledgeable around this as a healthy market,” she said. “That sticker shock of COVID and where rates fell to – that is not a normal market.

“So I think that we’ve been really good at navigating and leveraging through some crazy highs and lows that have been happening, but we’re getting really great at making sure that our buyers are confident when they’re buying.”

Despite rates currently being high compared with those pandemic lows, there’s plenty to recommend about today’s market for prospective homebuyers, not least the absence of frenzied bidding wars like those that prevailed when the market was at its peak.

A more manageable work-life balance has emerged for originators, too, perched at a sweet spot between the grueling workload of the supercharged pandemic market and the sudden slowdown that arrived when the Federal Reserve began hiking interest rates.

“There is a great balance of being able to have a fruitful market, but also being able to live your normal life,” Shelton said. “We aren’t seeing the extreme, over-hectic work environment of COVID, but we’re also getting back into a space where we have more regular shoppers. So that makes a peaceful journey for us as originators.”