The Handoff with Paul & Colin

Paul & Colin
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Every deal starts somewhere. A conversation. A referral. A moment where valuable information passes from one professional to the next.That moment is The Handoff.We are Paul and Colin — mortgage and insurance professionals having the conversations that move deals forward and build careers. Every episode we break down what buyers need to know, what young professionals need to hear, and what the industries we work in rarely say out loud.Real estate. Mortgage. Insurance. Where they connect is where deals are won or lost — and that is exactly where we live.Whether you are buying your first home, protecting your biggest asset, or building a career in this space — there is something here for you.New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe so you never miss one.Two trades. One conversation.

Episodes

  1. 12 Aug

    How Realtors Choose Who Gets the Referral With Geoff Smith | EP. 07

    What actually makes a Realtor trust an insurance agent, lender, attorney, or other referral partner enough to put their client in that person’s hands? In Episode 7 of The Handoff, Paul Martinez and Colin Lacey sit down with Realtor Geoff Smith to break down what Realtors really want from the professionals they work with. And it turns out that simply being known, liked, or attending networking events isn't enough. Geoff explains why every referral reflects back on the person who made it, how he decides which professional fits a specific buyer, and why the best referral relationships feel like an extension of the experience he is already providing his client. The conversation covers: • Why knowing, liking, and trusting someone still doesn't guarantee a referral • How Realtors evaluate referral partners • Why different clients may need different professionals • The importance of responsiveness when a deal is moving quickly • Why accuracy matters more than simply answering first • When insurance should enter the home-buying process • How lenders, Realtors, and insurance agents can operate as one team • Why forced referral relationships usually fail • What happens when someone you referred lets the client down • How newer Realtors should choose a brokerage and mentor • Building a career without sacrificing your entire personal life Geoff also explains one of the most important realities of referral-based business: when you recommend someone, their performance becomes part of your reputation too. The Handoff with Paul & Colin brings together the people behind the real estate transaction to have the conversations buyers, Realtors, lenders, insurance professionals, and other industry partners usually don't hear. Subscribe for new episodes and conversations about what really happens behind the scenes of getting a deal to the closing table. Chapters 00:00 Why Relationships Don't Create Referrals Overnight 01:29 Meet Realtor Geoff Smith 02:06 What Geoff Looks for in Referral Partners 03:10 Why Referred Clients Are Different 04:12 Getting Over the Fear of Networking 06:10 Geoff's Approach to Building His Network 06:54 Stop Expecting Every Relationship to Produce Business 07:27 Phone Calls vs. Texting and Email 08:24 Why Communication Matters After Closing 10:12 Should You Ever Turn Down a Client? 11:01 Geoff's Buyer Consultation Process 12:01 Matching Referral Partners to the Client 12:20 Setting Expectations With Referral Partners 14:20 Why You Shouldn't Force Referral Relationships 15:09 Colin's Strategy With Realtor Partners 16:17 Letting Buyers Control the Conversation 17:59 Building a Referral Team Around the Buyer 18:41 When You Should Fire a Client 19:22 Geoff Walks Away From an Unethical Buyer 20:29 It's a Process, Not Just a Transaction 21:14 Business Planning and Referral Growth 22:28 When Your Business Has a Different Plan 23:37 Can Your Business Grow Too Fast? 24:27 The Problem Nobody Talks About With Growth 25:16 Knowing When to Refer Business Out 26:00 What to Do During Slow Seasons 27:04 Geoff's Organic Approach to Prospecting 28:27 Preparing for the Natural Business Cycle 29:12 When Should Insurance Get Involved? 29:26 Building the Buyer's Team Early 30:18 Why Geoff Now Introduces Insurance Earlier 31:30 Showcase the Complexity, Deliver the Simplicity 32:05 What Realtors Really Want From Referral Partners 33:20 Why Responsiveness Matters So Much 34:15 Trust Under Pressure 34:32 How Colin Evaluates Referral Partners 35:13 Fast Answers vs. Accurate Answers 36:06 Consistency Across the Entire Referral Team 36:36 One Bad Partner Can Damage the Whole Experience 36:59 Your Referral Reflects Back on You 37:23 Advice for New Realtors and Professionals 38:33 Get to Know People on a Human Level 39:21 Take Accountability for Bad Referrals 40:01 It's Okay to Say “I Don't Know” 40:57 Choosing the Right Brokerage as a New Realtor 42:18 New Agents Should Be Picky About Their Brokerage 42:36 Why Mentorship Matters 43:01 Don't Promise 24/7 Availability 43:16 Protecting Family and Personal Time 43:40 Closing Thoughts Disclaimer Disclaimer: The Handoff is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed in this podcast should be considered financial advice, legal advice, insurance advice, a lending decision, a loan commitment, or individualized guidance regarding risk, insurance coverage, real estate, lending, or financial decisions. Always consult the appropriate licensed professional regarding your individual circumstances.

  2. 4 Aug

    What 10+ Years in Sales Taught Us About Success | EP. 06

    Getting licensed is only the beginning. Building a sustainable career in insurance, mortgage lending, real estate, or sales requires learning how to handle rejection, build genuine relationships, communicate under pressure, and keep going when the results do not arrive quickly. In Episode 6 of The Handoff, Paul and Colin reflect on what they wish they understood during their first years in the industry. They discuss the mistakes they made while chasing immediate results, why networking takes longer than most new professionals expect, and how emotional intelligence became one of the most valuable skills in their careers. They also break down: • Why your early career should be treated as learning years • The difference between being liked and being trusted • How to handle client stress without forcing a sale • Why familiarity creates long-term referral opportunities • How to recover from rejection and avoid burnout • The importance of self-auditing your conversations • Why giving without expecting an immediate return works • How to determine whether you should stay in your industry • Why doing the hardest task first builds momentum Success in a relationship-driven business is rarely immediate. It is built through repetition, patience, self-awareness, consistency, and showing up with intention. Subscribe to The Handoff with Paul & Colin for honest conversations about what happens behind the scenes in insurance, mortgage lending, real estate, and the relationships that keep transactions moving. Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial advice, legal advice, insurance advice, a lending decision, a loan commitment, or individualized guidance regarding risk, coverage, lending, or financial decisions. Chapters 00:00 This Business Is a Grind 01:55 What We Wish We Knew in Year One 02:59 Colin’s First Year in Residential Lending 05:38 Paul’s Early Insurance and Pricing Mindset 06:29 Why Success Takes Longer Than One Year 07:43 Stop Taking Business Rejection Personally 08:15 The Burnout Trap 09:18 Overwhelmed People Do Not Take Action 10:03 When You Question Your Career 12:33 Treat Your Early Career as Learning Years 13:38 The TRUST Method for Building Relationships 15:17 Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 16:04 Why Emotional Intelligence Matters in Sales 17:43 Self-Auditing Your Conversations 20:15 How Better Questions Build Trust 21:19 Treating Business Like a Sport 22:09 Improving One Percent at a Time 23:01 Helping an Overwhelmed Client 25:29 Listening Versus Actually Understanding 27:36 Career Growth Is Never a Straight Line 30:12 How to Handle Rejection 31:18 Why Traditional Rebuttal Training Falls Short 32:15 The “I Need to Ask My Spouse” Objection 35:03 Direct Communication Reduces Anxiety 36:16 The Law of Familiarity 38:52 Becoming Comfortable With the Uncomfortable 40:10 Showing Up With Intention 41:10 Confidence Is Mental 41:58 You Still Have to Practice Your Profession 42:28 The Meaning of Givers Gain 47:46 Understanding Return on Investment 48:41 Advice for Someone Considering Quitting 49:06 Define Whether You Truly Want the Career 51:25 Passion, Commitment, and Focus 52:38 Life-Work Balance 53:23 Your License Proves You Can Do Hard Things 54:07 Do the Hard Things First 54:59 Closing Thoughts

  3. 28 Jul

    Is the House Actually Insurable? What Buyers Need to Know | EP. 05

    A buyer can qualify for the mortgage and still lose the house because of insurance. In Episode 5 of The Handoff, Colin and I break down the insurance problems that can delay or derail a real estate closing, including older roofs, manufactured homes, coastal exposure, prior claims, carrier restrictions, and premiums that push the buyer’s monthly payment beyond the mortgage guidelines. Colin also shares a real transaction where multiple carriers rejected the property because of the roof. The remaining insurance option would have pushed the buyer’s debt-to-income ratio into the 60s. The transaction still closed on time, but only because the insurance, mortgage, roofing, and real estate professionals worked together before the problem became irreversible. The takeaway: do not wait until closing week to find out whether the house is insurable. Episode 5 of The Handoff is available now. DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial advice, legal advice, insurance advice, a lending decision, a loan commitment, or individualized guidance regarding risk, coverage, lending, or financial choices. Chapters: 00:00 Why Insurance Must Start Earlier 00:55 A Manufactured Home That Couldn’t Get Coverage 02:28 When a Higher Premium Threatens the Closing 03:42 The Loan Officer’s Immediate Reaction 05:05 Finding Another Path to Save the Deal 05:26 Why Professionals Need Multiple Resources 07:19 Credit Scores and Insurance Premiums 10:16 Understanding Carrier Appetite 11:14 Three Skills Every Insurance Agent Needs 12:17 Coastal Homes and Hurricane Deductibles 13:10 How Insurance Agents Burn Referral Partners 15:33 Rip the Band-Aid Off Immediately 17:06 Can a Higher Premium Still Qualify? 18:35 Setting Realistic Insurance Estimates 20:03 Does a $50 Difference Actually Matter? 21:23 The Roof That Nearly Destroyed a Closing 24:21 When Insurance Pushes DTI Into the 60s 25:16 How DTI Can Affect Mortgage Pricing 25:54 Why Older Roofs Become Insurance Problems 27:55 What Actually Determines the Premium? 29:24 Using Deductibles to Reduce the Payment 30:11 Why Access to Multiple Carriers Matters 30:37 Get a Second Insurance Opinion 32:04 Your Neighbor’s Rate Is Not Your Rate 34:30 Final Takeaway

  4. 21 Jul

    5 Mortgage & Insurance Myths That Are Costing You Money | EP. 04

    Think you need 20% down to buy a house? Think the biggest down payment always wins the offer? Think the cheapest insurance quote is the best one? On this episode of The Handoff, Paul and Colin go back and forth debunking the myths they hear most from buyers — the ones people pick up from a quick Google or AI search instead of a real conversation with a professional. Colin breaks down why the 20% down payment "rule" is outdated, unpacks a brand-new Connecticut down payment assistance program for repeat buyers, and explains how PMI actually works (and how it actually falls off). Paul flips it to insurance, covering why replacement cost isn't the same as purchase price, why the cheapest quote can cost you more in the long run, and the one line item — car insurance — that people forget to touch when they move. This isn't financial or legal advice. It's two guys who do this every day, handing off what they wish more buyers knew before they got into the process. In this episode: Why you don't need 20% down (and where that myth comes from)A new CT down payment assistance program for non-first-time buyersHow PMI actually works — and the "extra payment" trick that doesn't do what people thinkWhy the biggest down payment isn't always the strongest offerProperty tax exemptions that don't transfer to a new ownerReplacement cost vs. market value — and why your insurance quote might surprise youWhy "cheapest" and "best" aren't the same thing in insuranceThe one insurance line people forget to update when they move📌 Got a mortgage or insurance question you want us to cover? Drop it in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes of The Handoff, where mortgage, insurance, and real estate meet — one conversation at a time. Chapters: 0:00 Intro — info overload and the misconceptions problem 1:29 Myth #1: You need 20% down to buy a house 5:09 New CT down payment assistance program (Next Move) 7:03 How PMI actually works 8:07 The "extra payment" PMI myth, debunked 10:33 FHA MIP vs. conventional PMI 11:34 Myth #2: The biggest down payment wins the offer 13:09 Property tax exemptions don't transfer to new owners 14:05 VA disabled veteran tax exemption explained 14:49 What actually makes an offer "strong" 18:03 Why the highest offer doesn't always win 20:20 Insurance myth: replacement cost vs. purchase price 22:13 Replacement cost at renewal + inflation guard 25:09 Myth #3: Cheapest insurance quote = best quote 29:00 Direct-to-consumer vs. independent agent value 33:36 The insurance line people forget when they move 36:12 Wrap-up: talk to a professional

  • 4 Episodes

About

Every deal starts somewhere. A conversation. A referral. A moment where valuable information passes from one professional to the next.That moment is The Handoff.We are Paul and Colin — mortgage and insurance professionals having the conversations that move deals forward and build careers. Every episode we break down what buyers need to know, what young professionals need to hear, and what the industries we work in rarely say out loud.Real estate. Mortgage. Insurance. Where they connect is where deals are won or lost — and that is exactly where we live.Whether you are buying your first home, protecting your biggest asset, or building a career in this space — there is something here for you.New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe so you never miss one.Two trades. One conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul & Colin
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Handoff with Paul & Colin