Advice on Selling Reverse Mortgages
Hi, I sell reverse Mortgages. I also want to educate seniors of potential scams. Any ideas on how I can do both?
Hi, I sell reverse Mortgages. I also want to educate seniors as to the potential dangers of Reverse Mortgage scams. I'm feeling that to do both on a given presentation could hurt the Reverse Mortgage industry in that if the senior did not enroll he might spell out he dangers of a Reverse Mortgage at say a senior center scareing other seniors and hurting my future business. Any ideas regarding how I can do both?
From my understanding, one of the most prevalent scams associated with reverse mortgages is companies selling information about reverse mortgage programs, the same information which can be obtained for free by contacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development. If you would like to present reverse mortgage programs while simultaneously warning the elderly about the dangers of reverse mortgage fraud, I think you should first tell anyone to whom you are speaking that the information you are providing is free, and that anyone trying to charge them just to access information about reverse mortgage programs is likely trying to scam them. You should make clear the fact that while the information you are providing is free, if a homeowner decides to take out a reverse mortgage, they may be charged a fee by the lender. I would also encourage you to clearly outline all fees charged by your company for reverse mortgages, and for what the fees are being charged, so as not to blur the line between the scams that you are warning them against and the valuable products that you are trying to sell.
Reverse mortgages have become increasingly popular in recent years, and from my experience many seniors, especially those seeking out information about a reverse mortgage, are fairly well informed about how reverse mortgages work. Also, the popularity of reverse mortgages may make potential customers more comfortable with the idea of taking out a reverse mortgage, as they may already know someone who has benefited from a reverse mortgage loan. Groups like AARP have made significant effort to educate seniors about the benefits and potential drawbacks of reverse mortgages, so you may find that much of your work has already been done for you.
The best advice that I can offer you is to be honest and straightforward in dealing with potential customers. The more knowledgeable you are about the product, the better you will be able to educate the client and the more trustworthy you will appear. It is true that educating consumers about reverse mortgage scams may scare away a few customers, but I think you will find that your discussing the issue will make most customers feel more comfortable in working with you. If you find that your efforts to educate consumers are hurting your ability to sell your product, you can always rewrite your presentation to make it more attractive to your potential customers.
For more information about reverse mortgages, I encourage you to visit the Bills.com Reverse Mortgage Information page.
I wish you the best of luck, and hope that the information I have provided helps you Find. Learn. Save.
Best,
Bill
www.Bills.com