How did Joe Huljak get into the mortgage industry?

Early Start in the Mortgage Industry

I got into the mortgage industry at a young age, and it changed the course of my life. Believe it or not, I got in the mortgage industry at 19, was pretty much right after I graduated from high school is when I got into the industry. And then I got my brokerage license in '97. So do the math: It's been a while! I never looked back after that, and it was the start of an exciting journey.

Uncertainty After High School

After graduating from high school, I found myself uncertain about my future. I graduated high school, and I was 18 at the time. Didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. was a loader at UPS. It just wasn't for me. So, I actually met a girl who worked for a mortgage company, and she's explaining to me what she did. I knew what a mortgage was, but I'm like, "You're doing what? What?" and it sounds interesting. And I just knew I didn't want to stay at UPS. That conversation was the catalyst for the next step in my career.

First Steps into the Mortgage World

A week after that conversation, I dove headfirst into the mortgage world. I interviewed, and a week later, I was telemarketing loan applications. And then it just kind of took off from there. And I'm looking around, and all I see is these guys who have families, and they're taking vacations, and they're living essentially the American dream. And I'm like, "I can do this!", and these guys are doing it I kind of started weighing myself against these guys. Like, "Okay he's pretty good. What's he got that I don't? She's pretty good. What does she have? Okay, that person, they're weak, but they're still making a living." I'm never going to know how successful I may or may not be in this unless I just roll the dice. I knew I had to go all in, or I would never find out my potential.

Committing to a Career in Mortgages

At the age of 21, I made the decision to fully commit to my mortgage career. At 21, I got my license and bought a couple of suits, and it just went from there, man. I started in '97 as a broker, closed my first loan, had no idea what I was doing. The funny thing is, looking back on it, the part that I was always stuck with was PITI, Principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. But for whatever reason, I just couldn't grasp it. It was real frustrating. And then I closed my first deal. I actually still have those people as clients today. Actually, one of their kids is one of my clients as well. That first deal solidified my belief that I could succeed in this business.

Finding Success and Building a Career

Everything eventually fell into place, and I realized I could build a career in mortgages. Everything came together. It all made sense to me. But I thought to myself, I'm like, man, I can actually make a real living doing this and turn this into a career. Essentially, I just rolled with it. From that point on, I was determined to make the most of every opportunity.