Supporting Veterans While Quadrupling Mortgage Volume: Rob Serpa

00:00:00:00 – 00:00:04:15
Craig Snell
Welcome back to Mortgage Daddies. Today we got our boy, Rob Serpa, in the house.

00:00:04:17 – 00:00:05:18
Rob Serpa
Thank you. Happy to be here.

00:00:05:18 – 00:00:07:11
Craig Snell
What’s going on, buddy?

00:00:07:13 – 00:00:09:14
Vernon Miles
The man, the myth, the legend.

00:00:09:16 – 00:00:12:03
Rob Serpa
We’ll go with that.

00:00:12:06 – 00:00:14:04
Craig Snell
Does more activities than you and I combined.

00:00:14:06 – 00:00:19:20
Vernon Miles
So many activities. And I feel every single day he’s doing something. He’s a skier. He’s going skiing.

00:00:19:22 – 00:00:20:16
Craig Snell
I am too now.

00:00:20:18 – 00:00:22:04
Rob Serpa
Yes, yes you are. Yeah.

00:00:22:06 – 00:00:28:06
Vernon Miles
I’m just the left out one. Harvey, I don’t know what we’re going to do here. No activities.

00:00:28:08 – 00:00:33:04
Rob Serpa
But your activity is being a businessman. You’re busy working all day.

00:00:33:06 – 00:00:46:17
Vernon Miles
I need to learn how to mountain bike. So, if we learn how to do that, you ready to take me out? I’ll do the easiest trail.

00:00:46:19 – 00:00:49:03
Rob Serpa
Absolutely. We can go to a bike park. It’s safe.

00:00:49:05 – 00:00:54:15
Vernon Miles
Okay. That would be fun. Well, before we get started, just want to make sure everyone hits the subscribe button on the bottom.

00:00:54:20 – 00:01:05:19
Vernon Miles
It helps us get the content out there. Helps us grow the podcast and lets us know what we’re doing is actually making an impact on the community. So, that would be awesome.

00:01:05:22 – 00:01:13:06
Vernon Miles
So, Rob, why don’t you start out by telling everyone who you are and what you do for a living?

00:01:13:08 – 00:01:21:05
Rob Serpa
My name is Rob Serpa. I’ve been in the real estate space for about 18 years.

00:01:21:10 – 00:01:26:09
Rob Serpa
Born and raised in California. Moved to Texas about five years ago.

00:01:26:11 – 00:01:34:03
Rob Serpa
Started out in the mortgage space in 2006. So, right before the big crash.

00:01:34:08 – 00:01:45:09
Rob Serpa
I remember the market being crazy. Everyone could get a loan. And then everything changed overnight.

00:01:45:11 – 00:01:52:19
Vernon Miles
What was that like? Being a young guy in the industry right when the wheels fell off?

00:01:52:21 – 00:02:08:06
Rob Serpa
It was scary. I didn’t know anything else. I thought that was just how real estate worked. You just keep going until it stops.

00:02:08:11 – 00:02:15:07
Rob Serpa
I had to learn how to pivot. Learn how to actually sell and provide value rather than just taking orders.

00:02:15:12 – 00:02:22:15
Craig Snell
That’s a big lesson. I think a lot of people in the industry today are going through that same realization.

00:02:22:20 – 00:02:35:10
Rob Serpa
Exactly. If you didn’t have a system or a way to find business when things slowed down, you were in trouble.

00:02:35:15 – 00:02:46:12
Vernon Miles
So, tell us about the transition to Texas. Why make the move and how has it been building a business here?

00:02:46:17 – 00:03:02:03
Rob Serpa
Texas was a fresh start. My family and I wanted a better quality of life. The community here has been amazing.

00:03:02:08 – 00:03:15:14
Rob Serpa
Building a business here requires networking and being authentic. People in Texas can tell if you’re not being real with them.

00:03:15:19 – 00:03:22:10
Craig Snell
Authenticity is key. It’s the foundation of everything we do on this show.

00:03:22:15 – 00:03:35:08
Rob Serpa
I agree. You have to care about the people you’re helping. It’s not just a transaction; it’s someone’s home and their future.

00:03:35:10 – 00:04:02:15
Vernon Miles
That’s a great point. I think a lot of people in this industry, especially when they first get in, they’re just thinking about the commission. But you’ve been doing this for 18 years, so you’ve seen a lot of people come and go. What do you think is the biggest mistake that new loan officers or realtors make when they’re first starting out?

00:04:02:17 – 00:04:30:12
Rob Serpa
The biggest mistake is not building a database and not staying in touch with the people they’ve helped. You can’t just close a loan and never talk to them again. You have to be their advisor for life. If they have a question about their taxes, or their insurance, or even if they need a good plumber, they should be calling you.

00:04:30:14 – 00:04:45:06
Craig Snell
I love that. We talk about that all the time. Being more than just a guy who does a mortgage. You want to be the person they go to for everything related to their home.

00:04:45:08 – 00:05:12:09
Rob Serpa
Exactly. And it’s also about having a long-term perspective. There are times when the best advice you can give a client is not to do a loan. Maybe the math doesn’t work, or maybe they’re better off waiting. If you give them that honest advice, they’ll trust you forever, and they’ll refer their friends and family to you.

00:05:12:11 – 00:05:35:22
Vernon Miles
That’s true integrity. Now, let’s talk about the activities. You are a very active guy. We mentioned skiing and mountain biking. Why is it important for you to have those hobbies and that physical outlet outside of the mortgage business?

00:05:35:24 – 00:06:05:18
Rob Serpa
It’s essential for mental health. Our job can be very stressful. You’re dealing with people’s money and their biggest life decisions. Things go wrong sometimes, and you have to be able to handle that pressure. Being out in nature, whether I’m on a bike or on a mountain, it clears my head. It keeps me grounded.

00:06:05:20 – 00:06:22:15
Craig Snell
I agree. I’ve started skiing with you recently, and it’s a completely different headspace. You can’t be thinking about a difficult file when you’re going down a mountain. You have to be present in the moment.

00:06:22:17 – 00:06:50:09
Rob Serpa
That’s the beauty of it. It forces you to disconnect from the phone and the emails. And I think that actually makes us better at our jobs. When I come back to the office after a weekend of being active, I’m more focused and more energized. I’m ready to take on the challenges of the week.

00:06:50:11 – 00:07:15:04
Vernon Miles
I need to get on that level. I’m busy working all the time, but I realize I’m missing out on that balance. You mention a bike park being a safe place to start mountain biking. What’s the difference between a park and just going out on a random trail?

00:07:15:06 – 00:07:42:12
Rob Serpa
A bike park is controlled. They have trails that are groomed and marked by difficulty, just like a ski resort. You can start on the green trails, which are very easy and flat, and then progress as you get more comfortable. It’s a great way to learn the mechanics of the bike without having to worry about rocks or roots in your way.

00:07:42:14 – 00:08:10:06
Craig Snell
And you have the gear too. You’re not just out there in a t-shirt. You’ve got the helmet, the pads, the whole thing. It makes you feel a lot more secure when you’re trying something new.

00:08:10:08 – 00:08:35:22
Rob Serpa
Safety is key, especially as we get older. We can’t afford to be out of commission for a few months because of a silly injury. So we take the necessary precautions. But the thrill is still there. That sense of accomplishment when you finish a trail or a run is amazing.

00:08:35:24 – 00:09:05:18
Vernon Miles
I’m sold. We’re going to have to set a date for that. Now, back to business for a second. You’ve built a very successful team. What do you look for when you’re bringing someone new into your organization?

00:09:05:20 – 00:09:35:12
Rob Serpa
I look for hunger and humility. You have to be willing to do the work, even the tedious stuff. And you have to be willing to learn. This industry is constantly changing, so you can’t have an ego. You have to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. I want people who are team players and who genuinely care about the clients.

00:09:35:14 – 00:10:00:00
Craig Snell
That culture is so important. When everyone is on the same page and working toward the same goal, the business just flows better.

00:10:00:24 – 00:10:22:23
Vernon Miles
I wish I could go out and find somebody doing 200 million. If you’re out there and you’re doing 150, 200 million, please come joined milestone so I can try to chase you down. I can guarantee you. Just like how you have that competition internally with Steve White. I see that going back and forth. Honestly, it makes me so happy that you guys have a good competition.

00:10:22:23 – 00:10:35:22
Vernon Miles
It’s friendly. But at the end of the day, I know it burns a hole in both of you because I’ve talked to Steve White. He’s like, “I’m going to lose. I’m going to lose for the year just to Rob Serpa.” And he had you by 11 out of the 12 months.

00:10:36:02 – 00:10:37:14
Rob Serpa
11, 12 months he had me by.

00:10:37:18 – 00:10:41:03
Vernon Miles
And the wheels came off the bus in the last month, baby.

00:10:41:03 – 00:10:44:14
Rob Serpa
Q4 baby, we’re a fourth quarter company.

00:10:44:16 – 00:11:14:14
Vernon Miles
We’re finishers. We like to be the big finish. But I think Steve White, you think that happens in 2026, you’re gonna have to come out of the gates hard. This is Q1, 2, 3. I think now in Q4, this is the second year we’ve had the scoreboard, second year we’ve done Presidents Club. I can’t wait to see you two battling this out because I feel like everything we saw at the end of Q4 is going to start January.

00:11:14:16 – 00:11:15:15
Vernon Miles
You got Dustin there.

00:11:15:15 – 00:11:16:14
Craig Snell
Now you got DNA.

00:11:16:16 – 00:11:17:13
Rob Serpa
DNA.

00:11:17:15 – 00:11:23:01
Craig Snell
DNA is killing it. You got Keith. He’s gonna put some numbers up too.

00:11:23:03 – 00:11:39:16
Rob Serpa
I think he’s gonna be sneaky only because he’s never in the office. But that’s the guy. He just closed 16 loans in December. So that’s a guy that a lot of us are going to be chasing. Which is good. Listen, you wake up poor every day in this job and you’re always going to be successful.

00:11:39:18 – 00:11:57:06
Rob Serpa
You got to find your why. And by the way, if your why is to catch someone else who is doing really well, well, that also means you can do really well because the more loans you close, the more people you help, the more positive your reputation is and quite frankly, the more money you make. So, yeah, bring on more people for me to try to catch. That’s fine.

00:11:57:24 – 00:12:14:09
Vernon Miles
But I’m looking at it this way. We just need to get that top ten. Everybody doing 50 million because I would like, and I know Craig’s in the same boat, we’d love to open up Presidents Club to the top 20 because if you got 20 guys doing 25, $30 million a year, that’s the goal, right?

00:12:14:18 – 00:12:30:01
Craig Snell
I think we’re at a pace to get there. I mean, if you take these people that we’re talking about that have all been somewhat similar, like the year before, that was 15 million that everyone was trying to hit and chase. And we had a big group that was bundled in there. Some people hit it, some people didn’t, but they weren’t far off.

00:12:30:03 – 00:12:46:20
Craig Snell
This year it was 25 million. And some people hit it, some people were just under at 20 million. That’s going to push up next year even more in that group that we’ve had that’s continued to build. This is going to continue to get more experience and more at bats and more opportunities.

00:12:46:20 – 00:13:00:00
Craig Snell
And that group’s going to keep moving up, which is nice. There’s a lot of them in there. We don’t have as many at the top or even at the bottom. It’s harder. But like in that group of our top, take off the top two, take out me and Adrian.

00:13:00:02 – 00:13:16:17
Craig Snell
We have a lot of people that are stacked in that zone. The 20, 25 million really. Right if I remember correctly. Like there’s a good 15 people that a good month one way or another you’re swinging way up and down on that. It’s not like it’s just a couple people. We have a lot of good meat on the bone.

00:13:17:15 – 00:13:41:24
Rob Serpa
You know, and the camaraderie is pretty… I mean, you figure in a competitive nature like this, a competitive environment anyways. Fun competitive, but competitive nonetheless. We’re always helping each other out. We’re always learning from each other. It seems like the more time goes on. But you look at someone like Jacob Silvia, right, came out of the gate strong last year and we’re just hanging out talking more about this stuff during the day.

01:13:42:03 – 01:13:52:17
Rob Serpa
So that’s one more voice that gets to come into the group that you’re talking about, just to keep talking about how to get more deals, how to meet more financial planners, real estate agents or fostering or whatever.

01:13:52:17 – 01:14:10:02
Craig Snell
My favorite thing that you guys all have is… because it’s not always the case, right? You can have a lot of animosity and people are very territorial. And I think we’ve done a pretty good job. You guys are always helping each other. Obviously you have us to come to too, but a lot of times you guys figure out your own ways.

01:14:10:02 – 01:14:20:04
Craig Snell
And I hear you guys talking all the time about things that work or didn’t work or whatever, putting your own heads together to come up. And as everyone’s come up, it’s together across the board, which has been really, really cool.

01:14:20:04 – 01:14:25:09
Rob Serpa
Yeah, it’s been a lot of fun. I mean, it’s going to continue to be fun, but so far, man, it’s been a wild ride. It’s been awesome.

01:14:25:09 – 01:14:40:06
Craig Snell
What brought you to Milestone? Like, what made you make that jump? Because you didn’t move to another company that did things like I did. It wasn’t like you went from banking to here, or retail to here. You came from the broker side to the broker side again. What made you make that jump?

01:14:40:08 – 01:15:01:15
Rob Serpa
So I heard your names a lot. If you look at market share from a broker standpoint, Milestone, there are Milestone people everywhere, whether it be open houses or sides. And obviously Craig Snell was a name that just rings across the South Coast. But as I knew I was going to leave, it just wasn’t a good fit where I was.

00:15:01:17 – 00:15:15:04
Rob Serpa
I reached out to Craig and Adrian. I knew they were doing things differently. I saw the marketing and the reach they had in the community, and it was something I wanted to be a part of. Milestone has a reputation for being a broker that actually supports its people.

00:15:15:06 – 00:15:17:09
Craig Snell
We try to provide that family feel while still giving everyone the tools to be a high-level producer.

00:15:17:09 – 00:15:33:14
Rob Serpa
It shows. The transition was smooth because the systems were already in place. When you have a team that is already performing at a high level, you don’t want to come in and reinvent the wheel; you want to add your value to what is already working.

00:15:33:16 – 00:15:40:17
Vernon Miles
That is a great perspective. A lot of guys with your experience have too much ego to admit that a system might be better than what they were doing individually.

00:15:40:19 – 00:15:59:13
Rob Serpa
If you want to grow, you have to be able to scale. I realized that I was hitting a ceiling on my own. Joining a group like this allowed me to focus more on the high-level activities—the mountain biking and skiing—while knowing the business was being handled correctly.

00:15:59:15 – 00:16:03:00
Vernon Miles
So you’re saying the broker side gives you more freedom than the retail side did?

00:16:03:02 – 00:16:21:18
Rob Serpa
Absolutely. In retail, you’re often limited by the specific products or overlays of that one bank. As a broker, I have access to dozens of lenders. If a client has a unique situation, I can find a home for that loan. It’s about providing the best solution for the client every single time.

00:16:21:20 – 00:16:30:17
Craig Snell
And that goes back to being a trusted advisor. If you only have one tool in your belt, you’re going to try to use it for everything, even if it’s not the right fit.

00:16:30:19 – 00:16:38:09
Rob Serpa
Exactly. Sometimes the right fit is a bank I haven’t worked with in six months, but because I have that access, I can still get the deal done for my client.

00:16:38:11 – 00:16:47:04
Craig Snell
Let’s talk about the name of the show, “Mortgage Daddies”. When we first told you we were doing this, what was your initial reaction?

00:16:47:06 – 00:17:10:04
Rob Serpa
I thought it was hilarious. It stands out. In an industry that can be very stuffy and corporate, it shows that you guys have a sense of humor and that you’re human. We are all parents, we are all working hard for our families, so the name actually fits perfectly when you think about it.

00:17:10:06 – 00:17:17:13
Vernon Miles
We wanted something that would catch people’s attention but also reflect who we are. We take the business seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

00:17:17:15 – 00:17:28:16
Rob Serpa
That’s the best way to be. Clients want to work with people they like and trust. If you’re acting like a robot, it’s hard to build that connection.

00:17:28:18 – 00:17:34:03
Vernon Miles
Speaking of connections, how do you manage your team and keep everyone motivated during a slower market?

00:17:34:05 – 00:18:03:19
Rob Serpa
It’s about focusing on the activities you can control. We can’t control the interest rates, but we can control how many phone calls we make and how many realtors we meet with. I tell my team to focus on the process rather than the outcome. If you do the right things consistently, the results will follow. We also do a lot of team-building stuff—sometimes that means getting everyone out of the office for a day.

00:18:03:21 – 00:18:14:14
Vernon Miles
I’ve seen your team out there. You guys have a great energy. It seems like everyone genuinely enjoys working together, which is rare in a commission-based environment.

00:18:14:16 – 00:18:41:24
Rob Serpa
We hire for culture first. I can teach someone how to read a credit report, but I can’t teach them how to be a good person or how to have a positive attitude. We’ve had to let people go who were high producers but were toxic to the environment. Protecting the team culture is my number one priority as a leader.

00:18:42:01 – 00:18:50:07
Craig Snell
That is a tough but necessary decision. One bad apple really can spoil the whole bunch, especially in a small office.

00:18:50:09 – 00:19:07:05
Rob Serpa
It took me a long time to learn that lesson. Earlier in my career, I would hold onto those people because of the numbers they brought in, but I realized it was costing me more in the long run. Now, we are very protective of our space.

00:19:07:07 – 00:19:15:08
Vernon Miles
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a homeowner who is currently sitting on a 3% rate but needs to move because their family is growing?

00:19:15:10 – 00:19:40:12
Rob Serpa
Don’t let the rate be the only factor in your decision. Your home needs to serve your life. If you’re cramped and stressed in your current house, a low rate isn’t worth that unhappiness. There are ways to make the math work, whether it’s through a larger down payment or looking at different loan products. Marry the house, date the rate.

00:19:40:14 – 00:19:47:04
Vernon Miles
“Marry the house, date the rate”. That’s a classic one. We say it all the time, but it really is true.

00:19:47:06 – 00:20:00:00
Rob Serpa
It’s true because you can always refinance later when the rates drop, but you can’t go back and buy that perfect house at today’s price once everyone else jumps back into the market.

00:20:10:04 – 00:20:13:06
Craig Snell
Rob, I know you got to go. You got a big meeting coming up.

00:20:13:08 – 00:20:14:12
Rob Serpa
I do. I do.

00:20:14:14 – 00:20:18:22
Craig Snell
Before we let you go, what is the best way for people to find you?

00:20:18:24 – 00:20:33:04
Rob Serpa
Honestly, social media. Instagram is probably the best. It is @robserpa_mortgage. I am also on Facebook. You can find me at Rob Serpa Mortgage Advisor.

00:20:33:06 – 00:20:36:12
Vernon Miles
And we will put all that in the show notes, too.

00:20:36:14 – 00:20:50:08
Vernon Miles
One last question for you. If someone is out there and they are thinking about buying their first home this year, what is the one thing they should do right now?

00:20:50:10 – 00:21:15:22
Rob Serpa
Get your financial house in order. Do not wait until you find the house to talk to a lender. You need to know what you can afford and what your options are. Sometimes we need a few months to clean up credit or save a bit more. The sooner we have that conversation, the better.

00:21:15:24 – 00:21:28:06
Craig Snell
That is so true. Knowledge is power, and being prepared makes the whole process so much less stressful.

00:21:28:08 – 00:21:35:14
Vernon Miles
Well, Rob, thank you so much for joining us today. We really appreciate your insight and your time.

00:21:35:16 – 00:21:38:12
Rob Serpa
Thank you for having me. This was a lot of fun.

00:21:38:14 – 00:21:42:06
Craig Snell
Always good to have you, buddy.

00:21:43:40 – 00:21:44:40
Rob Serpa
See ya.

00:21:46:20 – 00:21:50:00
Vernon Miles
All right. What a guy. He has got so much energy.

00:21:50:00 – 00:22:08:15
Craig Snell
He really does. And he is a great example of a high producer who still makes time for his family and his hobbies. It is all about that balance we keep talking about.

00:22:08:20 – 00:22:25:10
Vernon Miles
I love that he said “wake up poor every day.” That is the mentality you need in this business. It keeps you hungry and prevents you from getting complacent.

00:22:25:12 – 00:22:45:00
Craig Snell
Complacency is the killer of any career. And he is right about the competition with Steve White. It is healthy. It pushes them both to be better producers and better advisors.

00:22:45:05 – 00:23:15:10
Vernon Miles
Exactly. And I think it shows on the scoreboard. Seeing those numbers every month creates that drive. I am looking forward to seeing who takes the lead in January. I think 2026 is going to be a huge year for the team.

00:23:15:15 – 00:24:00:22
Craig Snell
I agree. We have got some great talent in that middle tier too. People doing 20 to 25 million who are just one or two habits away from hitting that 50 million mark. If we can get ten guys to that level, the impact on Milestone would be massive.

00:24:01:05 – 00:25:30:14
Vernon Miles
That is the goal for the Presidents Club expansion. We want to reward that growth. But as Rob said, it starts with the activities we can control. If they focus on the realtor meetings and the phone calls, the volume will take care of itself.

00:25:31:00 – 00:28:15:12
Craig Snell
It always does. All right, we have a few minutes left. Let’s talk about the next few guests we have lined up. We are going to dive deep into some real estate investment strategies next week.

00:28:16:04 – 00:29:45:20
Vernon Miles
I am excited for that. Investing is where a lot of our clients are looking right now with the current rate environment. Providing that expertise is crucial.

00:29:46:00 – 00:30:12:15
Craig Snell
Definitely. All right, everyone, thank you for tuning in to Mortgage Daddies. Rob Serpa, thanks again for coming by. Make sure you hit the subscribe button and follow us on social media.

00:30:12:15 – 00:30:15:00
Craig Snell
Until next time, we are the Mortgage Daddies.

00:30:15:00 – 00:30:30:00
Vernon Miles
Peace.