The concern with some lenders is frankly the loan officer sucks and it takes more of my time to manage them than it does the transaction.With that said, if the loan officer is popular in the real estate community, it can help. 

If you want to work for an institutional investor or have any desire to play in the middle market or above [which the best way to do the latter is to have worked at for an institutional shop] then a degree is a requirement and if you want to work at the shops that do the most interesting deals [family offices, pension funds, REITS ect] you will have had to work at some of the larger firms to cut your teeth and they do care where you went to school.

I learned to put a memorandum on the home at the sheriffs office as a "lien" to further secure my deal.Doing my research and communication with everyone from the court, bank, attorneys, etc.on a constant basis ensured that nothing was delayed or missed.I learned about abatements and how to get to the next level when I had a uncooperative code enforcement office.

As @Hayden W Gibson mentioned- For mortgages I would create relationships with a small local bank's loan officer.

I spoke with a mortgage officer local to Missoula. 

Instead, she called the office to let them know what took place.

I don't act as an agent, but if you provide a few more details, I can surely connect you with great realtors/teams within our office that will help!

The spouse is looking at everything from SFR, BRRRR packages, to mixed-used, to commercial office, to purchases that get us nowhere (another personal residence for us).

Now I manage 3,100 apartments, office spaces, and single family homes. 

@Cameron Weld if you go to the county clerk office or website, you can pull the title history yourself for free because its public record and look for any liens that have been filed against the property.