Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alex Aerts. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alex, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

This is the story of taking a risk on myself.

Ever since I could remember, I had the mind of an engineer and enjoyed the challenge of problem solving and taking things apart to understand how they work and putting them back together. Right after high school I went college and received by BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech. After college I took on a role with the defense contractor Lockheed Martin supporting the US Navy. It was definitely an experience of a life time. However it was time to move home with my wife and start a family and over the next 11 years, I grew, developed, and progressed my career to a point where the next level up was going to be quite a jump.

With my employer at the time I put in the time sacrifice away from my family hoping this would help amass to great strides in my career and it was proving to be of no avail. Then COVID happened and I really had the time to ponder and meditate thinking of what truly makes me happy in my career and what I found was helping and connecting with people. My first thought was to be a Realtor, however, that presented its own set of challenges. This is where I leaned on faith to guide me.

I have been a home owner for 10+ years and the engineering mindset of numbers and creativity of different lending solutions was the most intriguing part of mortgages. During COVID there were quite the chain of events, and introductions which eventually presented me with the opportunity of starting up my own business as a Mortgage Professional. This followed with deep conversations with my wife about my career journey. We are a single income household so any decision needs to be calculated as there is no option to fall back on. After what seemed like many, many conversations and scenario reviews over a 2 month period and praying for a sign of what to do, my wife said “you will not get an answer of what to do, you need to see the path which has been laid before and determine if you have the strength to make the decision. Just be sure in whatever decision you make you put in 100% effort. If you decided to leave and make this career change and it does not work out, you can always go back to corporate world.” After that comment it really hit me of what I needed to do.

I worked over the next month on getting my mortgage license and developing my relationship/referral network because up to this point… I only really knew 1 Realtor… the one who helped us purchase our two homes. and over the next 45 days I built up a book of business enough to replace what I was making in my engineering career and it’s been all hands on deck ever since that first closing.

This career change has absolutely been a challenge both professionally, and personally, as it tested the drive, grit, determination, and accountability I need to hold myself to in order to drive and grow a successful business.

When I started this career 3 years ago, I only dreamed it would be what is currently and I am looking forward to seeing how this business will develop, grow and thrive as we continue to adapt and the every changing real estate market landscape

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

When you come to me for your mortgage, I begin by listening. I want to understand your goals and priorities so I can offer a home loan that’s right for you. You may be a first-time homebuyer or a long-time homeowner. You may be buying an investment property or looking for a renovation loan. I offer a wide range of loan programs, from FHA and VA to conventional and jumbo. You are an individual and my recommendations will respect your unique circumstances. My engineering background is an essential skill for this business because all situations are the same and we have the opportunity to peel back the pages, and present you options you may have never considered for your homeownership journey.

Communication is key, and sharing information is as important as listening. I will make sure you know what’s happening with your mortgage as it progresses through the process and will be available to answer your questions. I’ll be with you every step of the way, from application to closing and beyond, including after hours and on weekends to ensure you have the highest level of confidence with your finances while you are looking for your new home.

My mission statement is to provide you with the guidance, education and transparency on the entire lending process to build your roadmap to financial homeownership success.

Whether you are buying, refinancing, or renovating, I am ready to give you the outstanding home loan experience you deserve.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My biggest strategy for growing and building my reputation is putting in as much face to face time as possible with the referral partners who are able to help provide me with business. This was a crucial facet in the early stages of my business growth as I help myself accountable to a minimum of 10 face to face meetings a week with new potential lead sources. Then it all came down to building and developing relationships with everyone and living with the mantra, let me pour into and help with the success of your business so we can continue to grow and develop together. It all truly comes down to a go-giver mentality.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

With my business I have grown and developed over the last 3 years, I have taken pride and building my business based on relationships, which ultimately lead to warm direct referrals. Up to this point, I have not spent any money on leads or advertising my business, but rather investing my time and skills in helping other grow their own business and strategies as well as invest in my local community, non-profits, and charitable organizations to give back big.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://crosscountrymortgage.com/Fischer-Nanna-Team/Alex-Aerts/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_ofalltrades/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexaerts.crosscountrymortgage
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-aerts/