Why I Added Mortgage to My Business (And Why You Should Consider It Too)

This week marks something new for me — I officially became a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator with One Real Mortgage through their One Real Originate program.

I was just onboarded yesterday, and I wanted to share why I made this move — especially for other agents who are thinking about how to grow their business long-term.

The Reality of Real Estate Income

If you’ve been in this business for any amount of time, you already know:

Real estate can be unpredictable.

Some months are great. Others are slower. And everything depends on deals closing.

That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot — not just how to close more deals, but how to build more stability and additional income streams within the business I’m already working in every day.

What Is One Real Originate?

One Real Originate is a program through One Real Mortgage that allows real estate agents to become licensed Mortgage Loan Originators (MLOs).

In simple terms:

• You can help guide your clients through the financing side
• You stay more involved in the process
• You create an additional income stream from the clients you’re already working with

Why This Made Sense for Me

Before this, I was already helping my clients:

• Get connected with lenders
• Start the pre-approval process
• Understand their buying power

But once I handed them off, that was it.

Now, with this setup:

• I help initiate the pre-approval process
• I stay involved and informed
• I work directly with an internal loan officer I trust
• And I earn extra earned income on deals I was already a part of

Nothing changes for the client in terms of experience — if anything, it gets better because communication is tighter and everything stays under one roof.

Better Experience for Clients

One of the biggest benefits I see already is control and communication.

Instead of:

“Let me know what your lender says…”

It becomes:

“I’m already looped in — here’s exactly where we’re at.”

That means:

• Faster updates
• Smoother transactions
• Less confusion for the client

And ultimately, a better overall experience.

Multiple Streams of Income Matter

This isn’t about doing more for the sake of doing more.

It’s about being intentional.

The clients I’m working with already need financing. That part of the process isn’t going away.

So the question becomes:

Why not be part of it?

Adding mortgage as another stream of income doesn’t replace real estate — it strengthens it.

It creates:

• More consistency
• More control over the transaction
• More opportunity from the same amount of work

Just Getting Started

Like I said, I was just onboarded yesterday — so I’m still learning, growing, and getting everything dialed in.

But I already know this was the right move.

Not just financially, but for the level of service I want to provide.

For Other Agents Thinking About It

If you’re an agent reading this, I’d encourage you to at least look into opportunities like this.

Whether it’s mortgage, investing, or another lane within the business — having multiple streams of income isn’t just a nice idea anymore.

It’s necessary.

Final Thoughts

I’m excited about what this opens up — for my clients and for my business.

And I’m grateful to be in a position where I can continue to grow, learn, and find better ways to serve the people I work with every day.

If you have questions about how this works or want to learn more about the program, feel free to reach out.

Always happy to share what I’m learning.

Travis Tamillo REALTOR® | MLO | Veteran
NMLS #2796485 | ORM #198414
📍 St. Augustine, FL | Serving all of NE Florida
📲 808-222-6146
🌐 travistamillorealtor.com
📧 TravisTamilloRealtor@gmail.com