Joe Caltabiano

Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending
Guaranteed Rate

The No. 1 loan officer for purchase volume in Illinois in 2011 and 2012, Joe Caltabiano closed $310 million in mortgages last year, making him the No. 4 loan officer in the nation, according to the widely cited Scotsman Guide. Caltabiano has closed more than $1.5 billion in loans since starting in the mortgage business 12 years ago, but the secret to his success, he says, is simple – hard work.

“My level of commitment to the client is unmatched. I work harder than anyone else in the business and am available seven days a week,” Caltabiano says. “I stay on top of all guidelines and programs, and am constantly reading updates from vendors. I meet with underwriters, underwriting managers, credit officers within my company and other companies that we sell loans to as often as possible.”

A recent example perfectly demonstrates Caltabiano’s talents. Though his client had been told by two other loan officers earlier that their loan was feasible, both deals fell through during the underwriting stage, on account of the property having two separate pin numbers. After going to Caltabiano, though, not only did he have an immediate answer for the client’s problem, but he helped them close on the purchase just seven days after taking the application. Caltabiano’s mortgage volume this year is already 20 percent higher than last year, and his early success makes him hopeful that he’ll reach his next goal – becoming the No. 1 loan officer in terms of volume in the country. But Caltabiano will be the first to admit that he won’t reach such a goal without his incredible team of mortgage professionals.

“I am fortunate to have a great team that works with me,” he says. “I don’t have an office. I sit in the middle of an open area, with my team around me. That way, I know what’s going on with every loan I have. Most top producers sit in some office and try and tune out the noise or problems; I live for it and enjoy it.”