Episode 9

What top agents really want from lenders with Michael Tomlin

In real estate, relationships aren’t just a bonus—they’re the foundation.

Few understand that better than Michael Tomlin, one of the top 1.5% of agents in the country and a top 5% Coldwell Banker producer globally four years running. Based on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Michael has built a thriving real estate business on one principle: relationships over transactions.

In this episode, Dale and Michael unpack:

✅ How the NAR settlement is actually playing out

✅ What agents want from lenders (beyond rates)

✅ The #1 deal killer—and how to avoid it

✅ Why niche products and problem-solving matter

✅ How faith and family fuel Michael’s success

Whether you're in lending, real estate, or both, this conversation is a masterclass in how to build trust, deliver value, and stay ahead in a changing market.

#RealEstate #MortgageLending #LoanOfficers #NARSettlement #MichaelTomlin #DaleVermillion #Batting1000

About Michael Tomlin

Michael Tomlin is a top-performing real estate professional on Florida’s Emerald Coast, ranked among the top 1.5% of agents nationwide by America’s Best in both 2023 and 2024. He has earned Coldwell Banker’s International President’s Circle Award for four consecutive years—an honor reserved for the top 5% of agents globally.

Known for his “relationships over transactions” approach, Michael has built a reputation for integrity, dedication, and deep local expertise. He specializes in condos, single-family homes, first-time buyers, and new construction. When he’s not helping clients navigate the real estate market, Michael enjoys life as a devoted husband and father of four.

Connect with Michael

Instagram → instagram.com/mrmichaeltomlin

Facebook → facebook.com/michaeltomlinrealestate

LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/michael-tomlin-9b183b112

YouTube → youtube.com/c/itsmichaeltomlin

About Dale Vermillion

Dale Vermillion, an industry icon, has trained over 1,000,000 lending professionals and worked with more than 600 organizations. He is a three-time HousingWire Vanguard, a member of the 2022 Global Mortgage 100, and the author of Navigating the Mortgage Maze. Dale is also the founder of Mortgage Professionals Providing Hope.

Connect with Dale

LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/dalevermillion

YouTube → youtube.com/@DaleVermillion

Facebook → facebook.com/dalevermillionofficial

X → x.com/dalevermillion

Website → dalevermillion.com

Email → listen@dalevermillion.com

About Batting 1,000

Batting 1,000 with Dale Vermillion is a production of Mortgage Champions. The show is produced and edited by Jake Vermillion. Music by Envato Elements.

Transcript
Dale Vermillion:

All right.

Dale Vermillion:

Hello everybody and welcome back to Betting a thousand where we

Dale Vermillion:

talk with the heavy hitters in the mortgage and real estate industry.

Dale Vermillion:

And today I've got a real treat for you guys 'cause I've got a

Dale Vermillion:

a, a good friend, um, Michael Old Tomlin and his wife Caroline, are

Dale Vermillion:

good friends with Laurel and I.

Dale Vermillion:

And Michael is a top real estate agent in the country.

Dale Vermillion:

He is literally, um, one of the top one and a half percent of agents, um, in the

Dale Vermillion:

country by America's best and Real Trends.

Dale Vermillion:

He's a top 1000 agent in Florida.

Dale Vermillion:

He's a top 5% of Coldwell Banker, um, agents globally, four years consecutively.

Dale Vermillion:

This guy sells some real estate.

Dale Vermillion:

He knows the business inside and out.

Dale Vermillion:

He's just an absolutely great guy, um, and a great family man, and a dear friend.

Dale Vermillion:

So Michael, great to have you with us.

Dale Vermillion:

Glad to be here.

Dale Vermillion:

Thank you.

Dale Vermillion:

So, Michael, let's talk today about, I, I guess we'll start with

Dale Vermillion:

the topic, um, before we get into.

Dale Vermillion:

Talking with you about how to work with mortgage lenders and loan options and all

Dale Vermillion:

that stuff, but everybody's been talking about the NAR settlement that's been top

Dale Vermillion:

of mind for most real estate and mortgage professionals over the last 90 days.

Dale Vermillion:

I personally have said many times, I think it's much ado about nothing.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

And I know that as we kind of talked offline mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

Uh, you've got some of the same feelings, but, you know, it is a, it

Dale Vermillion:

is a major shift that we're seeing.

Dale Vermillion:

In the industry.

Dale Vermillion:

There's no question about that.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

Uh, love to hear from your perspective what you are seeing on the ground as

Dale Vermillion:

to the impact from the NR settlement.

Dale Vermillion:

And not only that, but you know, how is that affecting buyers and sellers

Dale Vermillion:

and agents and the transactions?

Dale Vermillion:

Love to get your perspective on that.

Michael Tomlin:

So

Michael Tomlin:

pre nar settlement.

Michael Tomlin:

It was always, you always knew what you were gonna get paid, even on the buyer's

Michael Tomlin:

agent, because at the end of the day, the listing agent's gonna come in and say,

Michael Tomlin:

Hey, I'm going to charge you X amount, and we'll share a piece with that.

Michael Tomlin:

There was some things that went on that brought about this settlement, and what's

Michael Tomlin:

interesting about the settlement is that.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, people scream doom and gloom when, when stuff like this happens.

Michael Tomlin:

It's, it's super, it's kind of silly to me because what I've learned is as the

Michael Tomlin:

real estate industry changes you, you begin to see there are your top level

Michael Tomlin:

guys are always gonna say your top level guys because they know how to adapt to

Michael Tomlin:

changes that happens in the industry and.

Michael Tomlin:

You.

Michael Tomlin:

The other part that I think was really, really, really confusing, and

Michael Tomlin:

I think it's it's still going on when it first launched, was there was.

Michael Tomlin:

A different settlements.

Michael Tomlin:

What, um, happened with different companies?

Michael Tomlin:

So like, I'm with Coldwell Banker Realty, which is un under anywhere

Michael Tomlin:

real estate, well anywhere.

Michael Tomlin:

Real estate had their own settlement versus like exp had

Michael Tomlin:

their own settlement and Keller Williams had their own settlement.

Michael Tomlin:

So everybody had their own settlement and what I watched was different.

Michael Tomlin:

Brokerages began to implement different best practices, come out with their

Michael Tomlin:

own set of forms to help protect, um, and, and be in compliance.

Michael Tomlin:

And so there was a lot of different information being given and it brought

Michael Tomlin:

about, honestly, just a ton of confusion.

Michael Tomlin:

I, I mean, and so I. Being me, pick up the phone and I started

Michael Tomlin:

calling other top level producers.

Michael Tomlin:

And I go, what are you seeing?

Michael Tomlin:

What are you being told?

Michael Tomlin:

How are we, how are you handling this?

Michael Tomlin:

Here's how I am and this is what I'm being told and how I'm being taught.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and so you begin to get a general consensus of, okay, I see how we can

Michael Tomlin:

get here, um, with this confusion.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and, and it's not misinformation, it's just, just

Michael Tomlin:

different stuff getting shared.

Michael Tomlin:

Um.

Michael Tomlin:

But now it's, it's pretty easy because, you know, I've got a ton of people

Michael Tomlin:

that I'm working with who are selling their home at the moment, and I, I've,

Michael Tomlin:

I can count on one hand how many of those sellers are saying I'm not gonna

Michael Tomlin:

offer a commission to a buyer's agent.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay, that's fine.

Michael Tomlin:

If that's what you want, if that's what you choose, fine.

Michael Tomlin:

Understand that in the event that there is a buyer representation form

Michael Tomlin:

that says, Hey, by the way, um, if you're not offering compensation,

Michael Tomlin:

I'm directing my, my agent to not.

Michael Tomlin:

Show your house, so you have that going on as well.

Michael Tomlin:

And sh that takes some time to learn and adjust.

Michael Tomlin:

Sometimes sellers just have to learn that.

Michael Tomlin:

But buyer's agents as well are gonna go, I'm gonna provide the value here

Michael Tomlin:

and I'm gonna show you what I'm worth.

Michael Tomlin:

By the way, I'm gonna try to, we're gonna try to work this into the

Michael Tomlin:

offer, so we need to make that.

Michael Tomlin:

Keep that in the back of our minds when we present an offer that here's where

Michael Tomlin:

we are without the commission being paid by the seller, here's where we

Michael Tomlin:

are gonna, what we're gonna have to.

Michael Tomlin:

So it's a lot more negotiation, a lot more back and forth.

Michael Tomlin:

But, but the biggest thing that I think was upfront was the, the kind of,

Michael Tomlin:

the confusion of information that was being passed between just brokerages.

Dale Vermillion:

Yep.

Dale Vermillion:

Good, good observation.

Dale Vermillion:

And, and, and I think we can all agree that, you know.

Dale Vermillion:

At the end of the day, I think the biggest impact that we're gonna

Dale Vermillion:

see outta the NAR settlement is.

Dale Vermillion:

Those agents who were part-time not doing a lot of sales and really

Dale Vermillion:

weren't investing in this as a career, yeah, it's probably gonna

Dale Vermillion:

be difficult for them to survive.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

And, and do well.

Dale Vermillion:

But those who have been great agents who have, you know, really committed

Dale Vermillion:

to knowing their game, that bring a lot of value to the seller's agents.

Dale Vermillion:

They're gonna be in demand forever.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

Because there'd be no reason why the sellers wouldn't want them, uh,

Dale Vermillion:

to be involved in that transaction if they're bringing a good buyer.

Dale Vermillion:

Right.

Dale Vermillion:

It's all, it all comes down at the end of the day to, to matching

Dale Vermillion:

together to a great buyer with a great seller that qualifies for

Dale Vermillion:

the loan and can move forward.

Dale Vermillion:

Exactly.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

Love that.

Dale Vermillion:

So let's talk a little bit about, um, I, I'm.

Dale Vermillion:

There's so many people who watch this podcast who are in the mortgage

Dale Vermillion:

arena, and I always love to hear the perspective of boots on the ground,

Dale Vermillion:

people on the real estate side as to.

Dale Vermillion:

You know, from your perspective, what makes a great lender?

Dale Vermillion:

What makes a great loan officer?

Dale Vermillion:

What are you looking for?

Dale Vermillion:

Because what I hear a lot from the loan officers is, well,

Dale Vermillion:

agents just want the lowest rates.

Dale Vermillion:

Now I know that's not true.

Dale Vermillion:

What, what they want is they want a great transaction and be

Dale Vermillion:

represented well by their lender.

Dale Vermillion:

But I'd love to hear your perspective on what do you look for?

Dale Vermillion:

And a lender and a loan officer.

Dale Vermillion:

What matters to you?

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

What services are important and also what drives you crazy?

Dale Vermillion:

What are the things that you don't want 'em to do?

Dale Vermillion:

So

Michael Tomlin:

the relationship between a loan officer or you know, anybody in,

Michael Tomlin:

in that arena with a real estate agent.

Michael Tomlin:

We are inundated with people trying to get our business.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah, that's just the way it is and I, and understandably so I get it.

Michael Tomlin:

Um.

Michael Tomlin:

It, it, it, you, you, it needs to be far more than just business transactions.

Michael Tomlin:

The people that I tend to refer business to is people that I actually will have

Michael Tomlin:

a conversation with that has nothing to do with real estate or mortgage.

Michael Tomlin:

That, that we're, we're genuinely a. It, it, it is a relationship based business.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and, and I know you guys are the same way as those who sell real estate.

Michael Tomlin:

This is a relationship, relationship over transactions.

Michael Tomlin:

I care more about you and what's going on in your life than what I care

Michael Tomlin:

about getting this deal closed, right?

Michael Tomlin:

The deal closing will happen just because of the relationship.

Michael Tomlin:

It's all about the relationship, and that's been my motto from the.

Michael Tomlin:

Beginning of real estate was relationships over transactions.

Michael Tomlin:

I will always value that.

Michael Tomlin:

'cause that is the key component to, uh, our business.

Michael Tomlin:

And so with mortgage and, uh, lenders and real estate agents, you, it's

Michael Tomlin:

not this, Hey, I'm gonna treat you to a coffee or to a lunch and let's

Michael Tomlin:

talk and you can gimme your business.

Michael Tomlin:

There.

Michael Tomlin:

There's, there's so much more that goes in there that you're

Michael Tomlin:

like, yeah, you're a nice guy.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah, you get loans done.

Michael Tomlin:

That's great.

Michael Tomlin:

Cool.

Michael Tomlin:

If I think about you, I'll send something to you, but, but it's much

Michael Tomlin:

more, I, I don't want to be seen as a a, um, another deal for you to close.

Michael Tomlin:

Right.

Michael Tomlin:

That's that.

Michael Tomlin:

Because that's almost where that is.

Michael Tomlin:

I can tell you, I don't necessarily even get referral or, sorry,

Michael Tomlin:

referred buyers from lenders.

Michael Tomlin:

'cause I know there's a lot of lenders that do that.

Michael Tomlin:

I don't even work that way, but it's.

Michael Tomlin:

So it's not, it's the exchange isn't that necessarily, it's the organic

Michael Tomlin:

relationship and friendship that you have with those other people that really

Michael Tomlin:

come forward and, and you know, the other side, there's one caveat to that though.

Michael Tomlin:

The only caveat there is.

Michael Tomlin:

Where we live, we have to have certain types of loan products.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

I call, you know, I had a guy there, there was a lender up in Chicago that

Michael Tomlin:

was, um, doing a deal for a buyer and he said, oh, we can do non rewardable,

Michael Tomlin:

non rewardable, non wearable.

Michael Tomlin:

I said, okay, that's fine.

Michael Tomlin:

If you say you can, like I have sold enough property to know that you

Michael Tomlin:

have to have an an in-house service portfolio product because this is not

Michael Tomlin:

going to fit just a general condo, you know, condo, hotel type deal.

Michael Tomlin:

I say this, this is a very specific kind of deal because of the.

Michael Tomlin:

Building and the type of questionnaire that you're gonna get.

Michael Tomlin:

And he goes, and he assured me, assured me, assured me two weeks before

Michael Tomlin:

closing, he was like, oh, I'm sorry.

Michael Tomlin:

We can't, we can't do this deal.

Michael Tomlin:

We can't do the deal.

Michael Tomlin:

And I said, well then why did you tell me?

Michael Tomlin:

You could right there Our, our area specifically, because we

Michael Tomlin:

live down here along the coast, we have very specific products.

Michael Tomlin:

Everybody can do a va, everybody can do an f, HA, everybody can

Michael Tomlin:

do a conventional, but there's specific type of products that.

Michael Tomlin:

I may not, may have necessarily the best relationship with you, but you

Michael Tomlin:

are the only one that I know that could really close that kind of product

Michael Tomlin:

because your company can service that kind of loan and not everybody can.

Michael Tomlin:

So that's the only caveat that I would say, um, is that unless if

Michael Tomlin:

it's not a relationship based type, uh, um, kind of transaction there.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, then you better have said really good specialty.

Dale Vermillion:

I love it.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

So that, that so dovetails into what I teach mortgage, originators

Dale Vermillion:

and lenders all the time, is that at the end of the day, this

Dale Vermillion:

industry's a relationship industry.

Dale Vermillion:

It's, it's not a transactional industry If you really want to be successful,

Dale Vermillion:

and I see that with every top producer that I work with, is they're the

Dale Vermillion:

ones who are really focusing on building the trust and the loyalty of.

Dale Vermillion:

They're partners.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

They treat 'em like partners, which means they have a deep personal

Dale Vermillion:

relationship with them that goes beyond just the transaction.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, and, and then you talk a little bit about the importance of product

Dale Vermillion:

diversity and, and making sure that you've got some niche products.

Dale Vermillion:

And you know, I, I say this all the time to lenders.

Dale Vermillion:

If you want to get in with a top producing realtor.

Dale Vermillion:

Do not walk in and ask them to be, you know, or tell 'em that you want

Dale Vermillion:

to be one of their primary lenders.

Dale Vermillion:

That's just the dumbest thing you could ever say, right?

Dale Vermillion:

You wanna walk in and say, look, how can I serve you today in areas

Dale Vermillion:

you're not being served, right?

Dale Vermillion:

And what do those look like?

Dale Vermillion:

And all of a sudden you could say, well hey, you know, here's some areas of of

Dale Vermillion:

opportunity and products that I don't have access to that if you have those.

Dale Vermillion:

That's a way we can start a relationship and then you build a

Dale Vermillion:

relationship from that point forward that really makes a difference.

Dale Vermillion:

Right.

Dale Vermillion:

So I love that you're, you are thinking the same way on that.

Dale Vermillion:

Let me ask you this question.

Dale Vermillion:

Open houses, do you, do you do many open houses?

Dale Vermillion:

Is that something that you see a lot of in the marketplace you're in?

Dale Vermillion:

So here's what I'll tell

Michael Tomlin:

you.

Michael Tomlin:

I personally.

Michael Tomlin:

Do not like to do open houses for the fact that in today's world, a lot of open since

Michael Tomlin:

Covid, lemme phrase that, since Covid open houses have really kind of tried,

Michael Tomlin:

they've, they've kind of, the activities really went down with open houses.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, it's, um, I tell sellers upfront, Hey, listen, um,

Michael Tomlin:

here's the secret open houses.

Michael Tomlin:

If they generate business, they don't necessarily sell your house.

Michael Tomlin:

It might, there's a chance, like if you look at the percentage, like you've,

Michael Tomlin:

there's like a three or 4% chance that they could sell the house, but

Michael Tomlin:

reality is, it's more of a generator.

Michael Tomlin:

But if you feel strongly about it, I will, because I want to

Michael Tomlin:

serve you in every way that I can.

Michael Tomlin:

But here's here, you know, here's what, and, and, and I'll do.

Michael Tomlin:

There are agents that I know that 15, 10, 15 years ago, that's

Michael Tomlin:

how they got their business.

Michael Tomlin:

That's how they really started.

Michael Tomlin:

They, they honed in a neighborhood or an area and they said, alright, I'm gonna

Michael Tomlin:

do open house every single day from this time, and I'm gonna get to know the

Michael Tomlin:

neighbors and I'm gonna get to know this and I'm gonna know what, that's great.

Michael Tomlin:

But my own personal style is not a, it was not an open house scenario.

Michael Tomlin:

I.

Dale Vermillion:

Okay.

Dale Vermillion:

Got it.

Dale Vermillion:

Talk about what are the major no-nos.

Dale Vermillion:

So when a lender's working with you as a realtor, what are the things

Dale Vermillion:

that just drive you mad that lenders do that you wish they wouldn't do?

Michael Tomlin:

They don't communicate.

Michael Tomlin:

You wanna blow up a transaction so fast?

Michael Tomlin:

Don't provide any information.

Michael Tomlin:

Don't provide updates to both buyer and seller because that will be the one

Michael Tomlin:

thing that will crumble a deal faster.

Michael Tomlin:

If you've got a seller who's antsy to sell and they're sitting

Michael Tomlin:

there going, what's going on?

Michael Tomlin:

When's the appraisal?

Michael Tomlin:

Do we know where they are?

Michael Tomlin:

Have they gotten conditional approval?

Michael Tomlin:

Do we know?

Michael Tomlin:

I mean, like, and they're asking questions and I'm sitting there going.

Michael Tomlin:

I don't know, man, like I've tried to call the a, their, the buyer's agent.

Michael Tomlin:

The buyer's agent said that, you know, they'll ask for an update,

Michael Tomlin:

but then it's a week goes by and then we still don't hear any like

Michael Tomlin:

that is so incredibly frustrating.

Michael Tomlin:

I think it's a lack of professionalism as, to be honest with you, because Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

But agreed.

Michael Tomlin:

From a contractual standpoint, I am su the buyer's agent supposed to provide

Michael Tomlin:

us the information to the seller.

Michael Tomlin:

Now, if I'm the buyer's agent, my lender that I have.

Michael Tomlin:

Become friends with, I talk to regularly anyways, so I'm

Michael Tomlin:

gonna get that information.

Michael Tomlin:

But if I'm on the other side and I'm, and I've got the seller and I'm sitting

Michael Tomlin:

here going, I don't know, I, I, I've called him, I've left him a message.

Michael Tomlin:

I'm still not getting anything back from him.

Michael Tomlin:

That is the one thing that, and, and I, and I'll, I'll add to this.

Michael Tomlin:

That's the one thing, that's the one way I'll never work with that lender.

Michael Tomlin:

Is because if I ever have somebody, they may have closed the deal,

Michael Tomlin:

but they sucked at communication.

Michael Tomlin:

They sucked at providing updates.

Michael Tomlin:

They were terrible about it.

Michael Tomlin:

And I just, for me, that is the biggest, biggest deal.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, and then if I were to add anything else, I mean, obviously, you know, I,

Michael Tomlin:

I mentioned the story about where this guy said he could do something, comes

Michael Tomlin:

find he couldn't because he just wasn't experienced or didn't have the knowledge.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, kind of not essentially kind of lied out of just.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, his lack of knowledge.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

But, but the, those two things are probably the biggest.

Michael Tomlin:

Just I will.

Michael Tomlin:

I'll, it's like I turned red just thinking about it.

Michael Tomlin:

'cause I'm like, you've got to do better.

Michael Tomlin:

Got to do better.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, the lack of communication is a really, really big problem with a

Michael Tomlin:

lot of people in the industry because you have to think how many people are

Michael Tomlin:

gonna touch a real estate transaction outside of just your, your, your lenders.

Michael Tomlin:

Right?

Michael Tomlin:

You, you've got 10 to 12 people at some point.

Michael Tomlin:

It will be in the hands of a, of somebody.

Michael Tomlin:

And the only way to keep that gear turning and firing on all cylinders is

Michael Tomlin:

by providing proper communication and updates to keep everybody informed.

Michael Tomlin:

And then if there is a hiccup, we've had enough conversations to know,

Michael Tomlin:

to go, how can we overcome this?

Michael Tomlin:

I had a I, I had a deal a couple months ago that there was a

Michael Tomlin:

situation that came up and.

Michael Tomlin:

The cash to close was much higher than the buyer thought.

Michael Tomlin:

And so I said, look, here are the comps.

Michael Tomlin:

We're buying this under market value.

Michael Tomlin:

Why don't we go back to the seller and ask if he'll provide X amount of dollars for

Michael Tomlin:

closing costs and we could just raise the price of the home to cover the difference.

Michael Tomlin:

And then you, you're not, and it was just a simple like conversation.

Michael Tomlin:

But because we had had enough conversations leading up to

Michael Tomlin:

that point, it was an easy.

Michael Tomlin:

Way to just keep the deal going and, and, and so it, that, that's the number one

Michael Tomlin:

issue that I run up against, um, just because with the saturation of, of, of

Michael Tomlin:

lenders that are in, in, in the market.

Dale Vermillion:

Good.

Dale Vermillion:

So you work predominantly on the, on the listing side, correct?

Dale Vermillion:

Yes.

Dale Vermillion:

Okay.

Dale Vermillion:

Do you also do the buyer side?

Dale Vermillion:

Yes.

Dale Vermillion:

Representation sometimes.

Dale Vermillion:

Okay.

Dale Vermillion:

Yep.

Dale Vermillion:

So you, you've been on both sides of transaction.

Dale Vermillion:

Oh, absolutely.

Dale Vermillion:

I've got a question I wanna ask you that I'm curious about.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, as, as a, on the listing side mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

The seller side, because most mortgage loan officers, they generally

Dale Vermillion:

work with the buyer's agents.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

At, because that's who they're representing.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

When they're representing the, the borrower.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, as a listing agent, how often and how many transactions do you think the lender.

Dale Vermillion:

Who's working with the buyer's agent reaches out to you when they get

Dale Vermillion:

the contract to introduce themselves to build relationship with you?

Dale Vermillion:

How often does that happen?

Michael Tomlin:

Probably 30% of the time.

Dale Vermillion:

Very, I'm surprised it's even that high, to be honest with you.

Michael Tomlin:

Very little.

Michael Tomlin:

Well, the reason why I say that is because a lot of times it's me emailing,

Michael Tomlin:

like, we have an accepted contract.

Michael Tomlin:

I sit down Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

To email title.

Michael Tomlin:

And every, and everybody involved.

Michael Tomlin:

I'll go back to the guy's preapproval letter, see the

Michael Tomlin:

email, attach it to the email.

Michael Tomlin:

So a lot of times it's just because I've already sent them an introduction

Michael Tomlin:

email with the information.

Michael Tomlin:

Got it.

Michael Tomlin:

And that's, but that I, it is a rarity that I hear a true phone call

Michael Tomlin:

from them without me providing them.

Michael Tomlin:

Wow.

Michael Tomlin:

A lot of times As, so I, I, I'll add this, that as the,

Michael Tomlin:

when you're on the seller side.

Michael Tomlin:

And you, let's say we're working with a piece of resort property, a

Michael Tomlin:

condo that doesn't require, again, a special type of loan product,

Michael Tomlin:

or maybe it's a land deal, right?

Michael Tomlin:

Land deal.

Michael Tomlin:

There's not a lot of land loan options out there, and I'm sitting there and I, before

Michael Tomlin:

I approach a decision with a seller, it is wise to still pick up the phone and go.

Michael Tomlin:

Hey, so I don't care about your borrower.

Michael Tomlin:

I need to know about these products because here's the thing, that's

Michael Tomlin:

also a good way for me to learn who's doing them and who's not, right?

Michael Tomlin:

But also be able to provide, Hey, you've got a, a, a niche

Michael Tomlin:

that I need to know about.

Michael Tomlin:

So, but I often need to make sure that my seller's protected that in

Michael Tomlin:

the night that we're not crumbling, trying to scramble for, you know,

Michael Tomlin:

kind of a rescue deal, if you will.

Dale Vermillion:

Yep.

Dale Vermillion:

So from your perspective, if it's, it's interesting when you think about

Dale Vermillion:

that, that a hundred percent of the time you're sending an email out to

Dale Vermillion:

the lender and only 30% of the time does that person even respond to

Dale Vermillion:

your email, which is hilarious to me.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

I would assume that if you had somebody who actually did their job, the way

Dale Vermillion:

that I teach loan officers to do it, which is the moment you get that

Dale Vermillion:

contract, the first thing you do.

Dale Vermillion:

You dial up, you do your research on that listing agent to know a

Dale Vermillion:

little bit about their business.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

So you don't sound like you don't know what you're talking about.

Dale Vermillion:

Right.

Dale Vermillion:

You give 'em a call.

Dale Vermillion:

You, you, you let 'em know who you are, introduce yourself.

Dale Vermillion:

Tell 'em how excited you are to work with them and how much

Dale Vermillion:

you're looking forward to it.

Dale Vermillion:

Answer any questions they have for you.

Dale Vermillion:

Provide any credentials that they need and any information.

Dale Vermillion:

If you got that call, how much would that impress you for a loan officer?

Dale Vermillion:

And then.

Dale Vermillion:

Would you then put that loan officer at the top of your list as somebody

Dale Vermillion:

you'd wanna work with in the future?

Michael Tomlin:

Yes, and yes.

Michael Tomlin:

The, and I, because we're all busy professionals, I don't necessarily always

Michael Tomlin:

grab the phone every time I see it.

Michael Tomlin:

Right.

Michael Tomlin:

You can't.

Michael Tomlin:

Of course, of course.

Michael Tomlin:

But a simple, I, I will check my voicemail.

Michael Tomlin:

Like I, I'm one of those that do, um.

Michael Tomlin:

Sh shoot me a text.

Michael Tomlin:

Hey, left you a message.

Michael Tomlin:

Just want to, you know, introduce myself.

Michael Tomlin:

Super excited to work with you.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, call, call me when you can.

Michael Tomlin:

Like, those types of things really go such a long way because it just,

Michael Tomlin:

it gives you a peace of mind to know you're gonna be put in the loop.

Michael Tomlin:

You're gonna be able to have.

Michael Tomlin:

The updates that are needed.

Michael Tomlin:

Like, it is, like I, I have a situation, I got a penthouse over here that's un, un

Michael Tomlin:

under contract and I'm pulling teeth just to get when's the appraisal being done?

Michael Tomlin:

Like it, and it shouldn't be that hard to go.

Michael Tomlin:

Was it ordered?

Michael Tomlin:

Yes.

Michael Tomlin:

When is it?

Michael Tomlin:

Don't know.

Michael Tomlin:

I'll let you know.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay.

Michael Tomlin:

A week goes by.

Michael Tomlin:

When is it?

Michael Tomlin:

I mean, it's like, like Gimme a break, dude.

Dale Vermillion:

Yep.

Dale Vermillion:

I love it.

Dale Vermillion:

So, so good to know.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, these are the kind of things that I, I believe are absolutely

Dale Vermillion:

imperative that loan officers do, um, and is to reach out to those agents,

Dale Vermillion:

and I'm gonna ask you this question.

Dale Vermillion:

What if that text message, I love the text message that you

Dale Vermillion:

just, I. Poured out right there.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

It's simple, sweet.

Dale Vermillion:

Short to the point.

Dale Vermillion:

What if the loan officer actually did a video text message with that same

Dale Vermillion:

thing with their smiling face on it?

Dale Vermillion:

Would it mean more to you, the same to you?

Dale Vermillion:

Would it make a difference?

Dale Vermillion:

Um,

Michael Tomlin:

I don't think it, here's, here's.

Michael Tomlin:

I love video.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay.

Michael Tomlin:

Let, lemme say this.

Michael Tomlin:

I love the use of video within business.

Michael Tomlin:

I think it's, I think it, it, it's a li it separates just a little bit.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

Some of the type of programs that I've seen come out that are for video type,

Michael Tomlin:

um, texting and emails and things like that doesn't always get clicked and.

Michael Tomlin:

Because it, it's like it takes you, it opens up a new window and then you

Michael Tomlin:

gotta, it's, that's the whole thing.

Michael Tomlin:

I think it could be a little bit better doable by a true like.

Michael Tomlin:

Like I take my phone, we're hit record video message.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

Hated, blah, blah blah.

Michael Tomlin:

Click send as a text.

Michael Tomlin:

So the there, like I said, it's the programs that I get from different people

Michael Tomlin:

that I don't, that doesn't get clicked on, but, and a true text message I think is.

Michael Tomlin:

Much more doable.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, yeah, like I said, for me it, for me, I'm such like, I mean, you know,

Michael Tomlin:

I've, I've got four kids I'm running, I'm doing all, doing a ton of stuff.

Michael Tomlin:

I don't always have time to watch a video, but I can glance down at a quick text.

Michael Tomlin:

So for me personally.

Michael Tomlin:

I think either way it was great.

Michael Tomlin:

Just, I think it's the effort of reaching out is the bigger thing, how you do

Michael Tomlin:

it, whether it's via video or just via just some words on a screen, but, but.

Michael Tomlin:

Regardless, it's the effort of reaching out, putting me into that system

Michael Tomlin:

that when on Fridays or Mondays or whatever day you do it, and you send

Michael Tomlin:

out that update of conditional approval done, you know, it's like that is a

Michael Tomlin:

bigger thing and let's me know that I'm gonna be able to provide and be.

Michael Tomlin:

Knowledgeable of the updates, whether I'm working on the buyer's side

Michael Tomlin:

or I'm working on the seller side.

Michael Tomlin:

It it's, it's, it's the, it's the, just the effort of reaching out and

Michael Tomlin:

the effort of providing the updates.

Michael Tomlin:

I'm telling you, effort goes a long way.

Michael Tomlin:

A long way.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

It does

Dale Vermillion:

love that.

Dale Vermillion:

So if there was one thing that you wish lenders did that they don't

Dale Vermillion:

do, what would that one thing be?

Michael Tomlin:

That's a good

Dale Vermillion:

question.

Michael Tomlin:

Um,

Michael Tomlin:

beyond, beyond the, what we've already talked about, right?

Michael Tomlin:

We, we, we've talked about communication and, and just, and just being there.

Michael Tomlin:

I think, I wish that lenders had a little bit better

Michael Tomlin:

knowledge in certain aspects of.

Michael Tomlin:

Of their own job.

Michael Tomlin:

And I don't mean that in a derogatory sense.

Michael Tomlin:

I mean that in a growing and learning sense because there's a lot of

Michael Tomlin:

lenders that I have come across and, and you know as well, when you have

Michael Tomlin:

a real estate boom, it seems like everybody gets into the business.

Michael Tomlin:

You have new lenders.

Michael Tomlin:

Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

You have new realtors, you have new title.

Michael Tomlin:

Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

So you have all this stuff and.

Michael Tomlin:

When you have people that come in, there is when you are dealing with

Michael Tomlin:

a hard situation with a buyer and.

Michael Tomlin:

You have being able to have the ability to go, okay, I have to be one step ahead

Michael Tomlin:

of you in every part of this transaction.

Michael Tomlin:

And because if something were to happen, I have a plan B, I have a plan C, and I have

Michael Tomlin:

a plan D. And it's knowing the ability to, to to stay a step ahead and knowing if

Michael Tomlin:

something happens, I can always do this.

Michael Tomlin:

It may change this and this.

Michael Tomlin:

But we can fix it.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and I've, and there's a lot of lenders that I've come across

Michael Tomlin:

that it's kind of face value.

Michael Tomlin:

Like if it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

Michael Tomlin:

But they didn't go through the process to try to go, here's how I can overcome this

Michael Tomlin:

problem and this problem and this problem.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and I just, it.

Michael Tomlin:

That is the, that would be one thing that I think I wish lenders had and

Michael Tomlin:

those who are far experienced, they kind of been through enough of Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

Practice to know that.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

But because there's so much of the new crew that have kind of come in over

Michael Tomlin:

the last five years, there's just, that's one side of things that I, I, I

Michael Tomlin:

would love to see, you know, be, and, and, and what happens is, as my job.

Michael Tomlin:

I have to know a little bit about everything.

Michael Tomlin:

I have to know a little bit about mortgage and lending and yep.

Michael Tomlin:

When I, because I have a relationship with my lender, I, by natural conversation,

Michael Tomlin:

they begin to talk to me about, well, you know, if we did this, and this

Michael Tomlin:

is to change, I mean, it allows me to also become more knowledgeable

Michael Tomlin:

because now I'm able to talk to that buyer to kinda reinforce exactly what

Michael Tomlin:

that lender was just saying to them, because I now know that, and so.

Michael Tomlin:

That's the kind of thing that I wish I would see more lenders do that.

Michael Tomlin:

That they don't just come in and say, oh, we can do that, that and that.

Michael Tomlin:

And you know that.

Michael Tomlin:

And I mean, no, we, there's the if, if you are a true professional, you are

Michael Tomlin:

really trying to grow, you're really trying to make it in the business.

Michael Tomlin:

You really have to be willing to learn new things, learn

Michael Tomlin:

new ways, new tips and tricks.

Michael Tomlin:

It's so important.

Dale Vermillion:

Very cool.

Dale Vermillion:

So you, you mentioned, um, before we got on, and I'd love to hear a

Dale Vermillion:

little bit about this, that the real estate business is gonna be changing

Dale Vermillion:

quite a bit in the coming years.

Dale Vermillion:

What are some of the things that you see on the horizon that you think

Dale Vermillion:

are gonna change in the way that people buy and sell real estate?

Dale Vermillion:

There's, that is a loaded question.

Michael Tomlin:

So,

Michael Tomlin:

so, uh, uh, the, the NAR settlement, we will start here

Michael Tomlin:

because that's where we left off.

Michael Tomlin:

The NARS settlement will cre you.

Michael Tomlin:

It's, it's,

Michael Tomlin:

it's a lot more about disclosure.

Michael Tomlin:

You're disclosing what you're being paid.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, I love, love, love that a, that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, I believe that they

Michael Tomlin:

came out and said, Hey, we will cover buyer agent commission, and it's not

Michael Tomlin:

wrapped into seller concession percentage.

Michael Tomlin:

Love that.

Michael Tomlin:

I, I think that's that really helpful.

Michael Tomlin:

And it puts the consumer first by, by, by doing that.

Michael Tomlin:

So I love that.

Michael Tomlin:

Um.

Michael Tomlin:

I think that you're gonna see, it's gonna take some time, um,

Michael Tomlin:

to, to, to go through this.

Michael Tomlin:

I, I think it'll take a couple of years before we really start seeing some things,

Michael Tomlin:

but there's going to be some consumers,

Michael Tomlin:

because I do this for a living.

Michael Tomlin:

Cons, I hear that consumers.

Michael Tomlin:

They think that real estate agents are overpaid.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, they think that, you know, we don't do anything.

Michael Tomlin:

And

Michael Tomlin:

I, my goal is to show them by my work ethic that there

Michael Tomlin:

are people who are like that.

Michael Tomlin:

Yes, but I'm not one of them.

Michael Tomlin:

You know?

Michael Tomlin:

Um, and, and, and.

Michael Tomlin:

So we're gonna see a, I think we're gonna see a wave of, um, discount

Michael Tomlin:

brokers and, and, and, and whatnot that are gonna come in and they're

Michael Tomlin:

gonna try to capitalize on it because.

Michael Tomlin:

That's just, that's, that's, that's the way of the business.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, you're, I'll be honest, I don't think we're gonna see a significant

Michael Tomlin:

decrease in commissions paid nationally.

Michael Tomlin:

And I, I, I'll tell you why.

Michael Tomlin:

Because pre na settlement, you saw, I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna charge you

Michael Tomlin:

four or five, 6%, whatever percentage that, that they, they charge will

Michael Tomlin:

split x with, with the buyer's agent.

Michael Tomlin:

That's done.

Michael Tomlin:

Now it is easier to walk in and go, okay, listen, my professional fee's

Michael Tomlin:

3%, what would you like to pay?

Michael Tomlin:

The buyer's agent seller says, I don't wanna pay one until we get an offer.

Michael Tomlin:

So tell them I'll entertain, uh, an a buyer agent commission.

Michael Tomlin:

Uh, but I'm not going to pre-negotiate one upfront.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay, that's fine.

Michael Tomlin:

Do you, do you understand the repercussions of, of what

Michael Tomlin:

happens if you were to do that?

Michael Tomlin:

We may miss buyers who are, you know, director agent.

Michael Tomlin:

Yes, I understand that.

Michael Tomlin:

Okay, cool.

Michael Tomlin:

Well, let's do that.

Michael Tomlin:

So they're only paying 3% at the signing of those agreement.

Michael Tomlin:

You got a buyer's agent that comes in and says, okay, listen, my profession

Michael Tomlin:

fees three point a half percent.

Michael Tomlin:

Now it's a simple work into the deal.

Michael Tomlin:

It's that, that's a simple shift into, we'll just.

Michael Tomlin:

Put that into the purchase price and we're done.

Michael Tomlin:

Oh, your lender can also cover part of that.

Michael Tomlin:

Great.

Michael Tomlin:

Now I'm paid three and a half versus the 2% that I would've

Michael Tomlin:

been paid six months ago.

Michael Tomlin:

I think that that's part of the thing that we're gonna see, that this is

Michael Tomlin:

actually gonna be a bite in the butt towards the sellers because this

Michael Tomlin:

started because of sellers thought.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, there was a whole disclosure issue and they didn't realize

Michael Tomlin:

they were paying and there was all this, this stuff that came up.

Michael Tomlin:

But I think what's actually gonna happen is, um, we're not gonna see a shift

Michael Tomlin:

in commissions paid, especially those that bring true value to the deal.

Michael Tomlin:

So that's one of the things that I just, I, that I'm seeing.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, and, and, and it's, and it's a very simple way to word it as you're speaking

Michael Tomlin:

to a seller or you're speaking to a buyer and, you know, um, but it's a, it's gonna

Michael Tomlin:

be interesting to see how this phases out.

Michael Tomlin:

We're getting, we're, we're obviously, I think we'll lose a good part of

Michael Tomlin:

the, what I call part-timer, um, where it's not a real profession,

Michael Tomlin:

it's kind of a side hustle.

Michael Tomlin:

I think we'll lose some of that as well.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, which is, for me, that's great because that's what I do.

Michael Tomlin:

That's what I do for a living.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, but Right.

Michael Tomlin:

But I do think we're gonna s we'll, we'll see a shift away

Michael Tomlin:

from some of the part-timers.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, and, and you know, that'll, that, that will open up the market to those who truly

Michael Tomlin:

take this on as a, as a real profession.

Dale Vermillion:

Good.

Dale Vermillion:

Well, great stuff Michael.

Dale Vermillion:

Appreciate all the insight and the wisdom.

Dale Vermillion:

Uh, let me, let me close with the last question that I ask all of my guests.

Dale Vermillion:

You, you've been very successful in your career.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, you're, you're top one point a half percent in the

Dale Vermillion:

country in real estate agents.

Dale Vermillion:

That's an amazing accomplishment.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

Um.

Dale Vermillion:

Tell me about who has mentored you in your life, um, and, and how much

Dale Vermillion:

you valued that in your career, um, over your career that has helped

Dale Vermillion:

you get to where you're at today.

Michael Tomlin:

So when I first got into the business, I.

Michael Tomlin:

I came out of an industry that was an, was an e-commerce style business.

Michael Tomlin:

And so I was, you know, phone calls and emails.

Michael Tomlin:

They really didn't freak me out 'cause I was used to it anyways.

Michael Tomlin:

And I rem like there was a couple of guys that I, I was with a different brokerage

Michael Tomlin:

back then and there were a couple of guys that were about, had about 10 years on me.

Michael Tomlin:

Um.

Michael Tomlin:

Family, men, um, you know, were, we were, he and I both were, um, kind

Michael Tomlin:

of, we, we, we, we served in, in local churches and we did a couple things.

Michael Tomlin:

And, um, and I just was curious, asking questions and, and

Michael Tomlin:

wanting to learn and, and grow.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and, and he was like, yeah, sure.

Michael Tomlin:

Come on in.

Michael Tomlin:

And we will, you know, and I, and I, I'll let you just kind of shadow me and.

Michael Tomlin:

We only did that probably two or three times.

Michael Tomlin:

It wasn't that much.

Michael Tomlin:

But what I took away from it was like, man, that just, it just took, so, like,

Michael Tomlin:

I was amazed at just the willingness to go, I'm gonna let you in on all that I do.

Michael Tomlin:

Right.

Michael Tomlin:

Because it does.

Michael Tomlin:

Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and there's a couple of other people that that, that I did that

Michael Tomlin:

with, um, whether it was, you know, that one was done with a lot with

Michael Tomlin:

like cold calls and kind of general schedule production type of things.

Michael Tomlin:

Then I did one that was, um, a little bit more open house focus.

Michael Tomlin:

I did one that was like, I, I took people that I wanted to, that were

Michael Tomlin:

about 10 years ahead of me, and then I, and then I said, okay.

Michael Tomlin:

How can I learn from this, but kind of make it my own?

Michael Tomlin:

Like, I don't wanna copy, I wanna make it my own, but how do I copy that?

Michael Tomlin:

And, and, and, and the impact that it had on me wasn't necessarily made

Michael Tomlin:

me productive, but it, but what I learned was, is that if I share with

Michael Tomlin:

you my secrets of the industry and the trait and what I do, you're not

Michael Tomlin:

gonna do exactly what I'm gonna do.

Michael Tomlin:

You can't, 'cause you're not me.

Michael Tomlin:

Right, but there's an impact that it will leave on you and, and, and that

Michael Tomlin:

whether you stayed in the industry or not, you became better for it

Michael Tomlin:

as a person, and it's easy to get.

Michael Tomlin:

It is easy to try to, to let your pride kind of swell up and kind of

Michael Tomlin:

beat your chest, especially when you're performing at high levels.

Michael Tomlin:

It's easy to, uh, uh, uh, kind of be a know-it-all with, with, with

Michael Tomlin:

o other people if, if you don't have people that keep you in check.

Michael Tomlin:

My wife is the best.

Michael Tomlin:

She's incredible and she, and she is.

Michael Tomlin:

She wants to see me succeed in every way possible.

Michael Tomlin:

Yeah.

Michael Tomlin:

And when, when I look back in my career, the, the people that mattered that

Michael Tomlin:

were in my corner, even when stuff wasn't selling, even when stuff wasn't

Michael Tomlin:

moving, I still, like, you've got my wife who, you know, she, she, she goes

Michael Tomlin:

and she'll walk these listings and she'll, she'll just pray over the house.

Michael Tomlin:

Right.

Michael Tomlin:

That's impactful for me because she's just as invested as I am.

Michael Tomlin:

I look at my kids cool, and I go, I've got to get up.

Michael Tomlin:

I've gotta go to the office.

Michael Tomlin:

I don't want to, I'm exhausted.

Michael Tomlin:

I've got a migraine.

Michael Tomlin:

I'm, I'm not feeling good, but they need daddy.

Michael Tomlin:

To do something today.

Michael Tomlin:

And so there are people that have encouraged me, whether both in the

Michael Tomlin:

business but also I look outside of the business and there, like my faith is a

Michael Tomlin:

huge, huge, integral part of who I am.

Michael Tomlin:

If you meet me, you will, there, there is a very good chance the name

Michael Tomlin:

Jesus is gonna come up because it's a part of who I am and my faith.

Michael Tomlin:

Yep.

Michael Tomlin:

Is not separate from me.

Michael Tomlin:

I know in the world that we live in, it is, they say, you

Michael Tomlin:

need to keep that separate.

Michael Tomlin:

I. And that's fine.

Michael Tomlin:

If, if, if me having a faith in Jesus makes you not wanna do business with

Michael Tomlin:

me, then we don't need to do business together because that's who I am.

Michael Tomlin:

And if you're hiring me, you're hiring that.

Michael Tomlin:

And so there, there, there's.

Michael Tomlin:

Just through life.

Michael Tomlin:

There are people that have spoken into my life.

Michael Tomlin:

There are, there are experiences that has allowed me to go, Hey, you know what?

Michael Tomlin:

I'm not gonna change who I am.

Michael Tomlin:

If you, if you want Michael Tomlin, you're gonna get Michael Tomlin and

Michael Tomlin:

I'm gonna work my hardest for you to make this, this, this transaction

Michael Tomlin:

work buyer or seller, doesn't matter.

Michael Tomlin:

But, but you are gonna get who I'm, who I am, and the opportunities

Michael Tomlin:

that, that this has given me far exceeds any accolades that I may get.

Michael Tomlin:

The accolades are great.

Michael Tomlin:

They, they, it kind of shows, hey, he's good.

Michael Tomlin:

He knows what he's doing, but at the end of the day, it doesn't truly provide me

Michael Tomlin:

with fulfillment if my, the fulfillment of the business comes far beyond what.

Michael Tomlin:

How much money that I could make, what accolades that I could have, any of that.

Michael Tomlin:

And at the end of the day, you, it's, it's, it's, it's about giving

Michael Tomlin:

back to others and it's about pouring into, um, I. Um, it, it's

Michael Tomlin:

just pouring into other people.

Michael Tomlin:

And, and, and I say that from a, from a stance of whether you're pouring

Michael Tomlin:

into for us a new agent, right?

Michael Tomlin:

Hey, let me show you.

Michael Tomlin:

Right?

Michael Tomlin:

Or it's pouring into people in your community and, and, and pouring into

Michael Tomlin:

and, and into trying to make, um, your community better, you know?

Michael Tomlin:

So that's about all I got.

Dale Vermillion:

Well, I love that.

Dale Vermillion:

And, uh, you, you, you, that's a great way to close out.

Dale Vermillion:

You and I share a, a deep faith in Jesus.

Dale Vermillion:

Mm-hmm.

Dale Vermillion:

As, um, as the center of our lives and Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

You know what I love when you said, if you know, if, if you don't wanna work

Dale Vermillion:

with me because of my faith, that's okay.

Dale Vermillion:

But the fact of the matter is if we're living out our faith.

Dale Vermillion:

The way that the Bible tells us to.

Dale Vermillion:

Right?

Dale Vermillion:

Then people are gonna wanna work with us because we're going to

Dale Vermillion:

be the best version of ourselves.

Dale Vermillion:

We're going to work hard, we're going to be honest.

Dale Vermillion:

We're gonna do all the things that, that Christ amplified when

Dale Vermillion:

he, when he was on this planet.

Dale Vermillion:

Exactly.

Dale Vermillion:

So, um, I love the fact that that's where you're centered at

Dale Vermillion:

and that's where I'm centered at.

Dale Vermillion:

That's where Caroline centered, that's where Laurel centered at.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

And that's how we became friends in the first place.

Dale Vermillion:

So, uh, it's, it's.

Dale Vermillion:

Cool to see that that is such a central part of what you've done,

Dale Vermillion:

and it's also a key part of the mentoring side of what you do.

Dale Vermillion:

Right.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, so let's close out, uh, tell us how people can, you know, check you

Dale Vermillion:

out, uh, find you get ahold of you.

Dale Vermillion:

And I also know that, you know, you and Caroline are doing a lot of work.

Dale Vermillion:

In ministry along with what you do Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

In, uh, in your career, which they're, they're both the same thing.

Dale Vermillion:

Sure.

Dale Vermillion:

You've got the Waves Ministry that you're helping, you know,

Dale Vermillion:

young girls all over the world.

Dale Vermillion:

Yeah.

Dale Vermillion:

Not just, uh, you guys just got back from doing more of those.

Dale Vermillion:

And then the Kingdom Collaboration, take a minute and just share a little

Dale Vermillion:

bit about what you're doing on that side, and then how people can get ahold

Dale Vermillion:

of you if they'd like to talk to you.

Dale Vermillion:

Okay.

Michael Tomlin:

So.

Michael Tomlin:

This year, so, okay, lemme back up.

Michael Tomlin:

My wife and I run a 5 0 1 C3 nonprofit called Waves Ministry and, um, really

Michael Tomlin:

started, she started it about 11 years ago and we, she and I co-lead

Michael Tomlin:

and run this ministry together.

Michael Tomlin:

And like I said, it is a true 5 0 1 C3, but w like we got back last night

Michael Tomlin:

from Colorado, we had, um, a conference that we did and put on over there and.

Michael Tomlin:

It is a, you know, we, we, we deal with girls all over the

Michael Tomlin:

world, you know, we have, we have other things that we want to do.

Michael Tomlin:

Obviously, we, we love to expand, also bring in into the guys because guys need

Michael Tomlin:

it just as much as girls and, but, but we, we really focus on calling an identity

Michael Tomlin:

because when you don't know who you are, it's easy to get lost into a lot of the.

Michael Tomlin:

Kind of that, that, you know, you deal with cutting and depression and you deal

Michael Tomlin:

with anxiety and you deal with all these identity issues that if you don't know

Michael Tomlin:

who you are, all that stuff's gonna stay.

Michael Tomlin:

But until you know who you are, then you begin to, I. Um, kind of break

Michael Tomlin:

free from that because now it doesn't matter what you say that I am, because

Michael Tomlin:

I know who I am and I know whose I am.

Michael Tomlin:

So, you know, we, we are, that's, that's a big part of our lives is, is waves.

Michael Tomlin:

So, you know, between waves and real estate and then four kids

Michael Tomlin:

and running around schedules, like we live a pretty busy, busy life.

Michael Tomlin:

Um.

Michael Tomlin:

But where you can, you find me, I'm the easiest to find.

Michael Tomlin:

It is literally Mr. Michael Tomlin on everything.

Michael Tomlin:

Mr. Michael Tomlin on everything.

Michael Tomlin:

And you can, you know, from Instagram, you can message me.

Michael Tomlin:

Heck, you can, I think my phone number is actually on the Instagram.

Michael Tomlin:

You can call me from Instagram.

Michael Tomlin:

Like I'm, I'm very easy to get ahold of.

Michael Tomlin:

Um, I am, I am.

Michael Tomlin:

Uh, there is a term.

Michael Tomlin:

And, uh, that brokers will use to agents and, and they

Michael Tomlin:

say, don't be a secret agent.

Michael Tomlin:

You know, like, don't let everybody know that, you know, and so it's

Michael Tomlin:

like, trust me, there's no secret.

Michael Tomlin:

I'm pretty well found.

Michael Tomlin:

So good.

Michael Tomlin:

So,

Dale Vermillion:

well Michael, been great to have you, uh, appreciate you

Dale Vermillion:

and Caroline so much, and, uh, appreciate the, you taking time outta your busy

Dale Vermillion:

schedule to, to share with our audience.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, always great to see you, my friend.

Dale Vermillion:

Let's get together again soon.

Dale Vermillion:

Um, really, really appreciate this time today.

Dale Vermillion:

Thank you.

Michael Tomlin:

Thanks for having me.

Michael Tomlin:

It was good to, good to see you and talk to you and, uh, again, easy to

Michael Tomlin:

be found, so I'm, I'm always around.

Dale Vermillion:

Good.

Dale Vermillion:

Alright guys, that is a wrap for another Banning a thousand where we,

Dale Vermillion:

again, interview the heavy hitters in the mortgage real estate industry.

Dale Vermillion:

Thanks for being with us today.

Dale Vermillion:

God bless you.

Dale Vermillion:

We'll see you on the next one.

All Episodes Previous Episode

About the Podcast

Show artwork for Batting 1,000 with Dale Vermillion
Batting 1,000 with Dale Vermillion
Conversations with Real Estate's Heaviest Hitters

Listen for free

About your host

Profile picture for Jake Vermillion

Jake Vermillion

As part of the Mortgage Champions team, I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I love most: try something new every day. From improving our customer experience to influencing product development and positioning to overseeing our charitable arm, I'm fortunate to be steeped in every facet of our business's for-profit and not-for-profit impact.