Posted Nobember 19th, 2025

A Real-World Story for Every New or Struggling FHA 203k Consultant

For three long years, Evan Marshall kept the same promise to himself every January:

“This is the year I start accepting 203k projects.”

And every single year, that promise died somewhere between a lukewarm cup of coffee and the unmistakable feeling that he didn’t have any business being out there as a HUD 203k Consultant.

Not after the training he got.

Not after how unprepared he felt.

Not after how his confidence disappeared the moment he tried imagining himself at a homeowner’s dining room table explaining a scope of work.

Three years of excuses.
Three years of doubt.
Three years of staring at the same untouched email folder titled “203k Leads.”

It got to the point where he didn’t even open them anymore. Why bother? They only reminded him of the training course that left him with a certificate but no real guidance. Sure, it covered the theory, and it sounded good at the time, but when Evan actually needed to roll up his sleeves and walk into his first property—there was nothing. He didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what order to walk the house. Didn’t know how to talk to the contractor. And he definitely didn’t know how to put together a credible Work Write-Up.

So the leads just sat there.

And if you’ve ever been a brand-new consultant with your HUD number in hand but no confidence to use it, you know exactly what that feels like.

Evan didn’t fail because he wasn’t capable.
He failed because he didn’t have anyone in his corner when it mattered.

But then something happened that changed everything.

The Name That Kept Showing Up

One slow Wednesday afternoon, while scrolling through renovation groups online, Evan started noticing the same name over and over again.

Mike Young Team
203kSoftware.com
203kOnline.com
203k consultant training
Certified 203k contractor support

He didn’t just see it once.
He saw it in threads from consultants, contractors, homeowners, and loan officers.

People weren’t whispering the name.
They were practically shouting it.

And it hit him—
“Why haven’t I reached out before?”

He sat there staring at his phone for a long minute. Then, almost without thinking, he dialed the number.

“Your problem isn’t ability. It’s that you were never shown what day one really looks like.”

When I answered the phone, Evan sounded like hundreds of new consultants I’ve talked to over the years.

Experienced in his main trade.
Hard worker.
Smart.
Motivated.

Just stuck.

He told me about the course he’d taken. He told me how he kept waiting for a confidence he thought would magically show up. He told me about letting three years of potential work slip by because he didn’t want to make a fool of himself on his first job.

I told him something I’ve told many new consultants:

“You don’t need three years of experience.
You need one real job with someone in your corner.”

Then I said the words he’d been needing to hear:

“Take the next order you get. I’ll help you through it — one, or a few if you need it.”

He didn’t hesitate.

For the first time in years, he sounded hopeful.

The First Job Arrives

One week later—
his phone rang.

A lender he’d spoken with years ago was checking if he was still available for a Standard 203k project.

His heart was pounding so loud he could barely hear the lender talk.

Old Evan would have said no.
But this time he said yes.

He called me right after and we went through exactly what to do:

• The order to walk the property
• What to ask the homeowner
• When to take photos and how many
• How to determine required vs optional items
• How to talk to the contractor without stepping on toes
• What the lender actually needs
• What HUD actually expects
• What to avoid saying
• And most importantly—what gives consultants their authority and confidence on site

He took notes like his life depended on it.

By the time he hung up the phone, he wasn’t anxious anymore.
He was focused.

Inspection Day: Where Confidence Is Born

Evan pulled up to the property 15 minutes early, just like he should.

He walked the exterior first, exactly like we’d discussed.
He took photos in a clean, logical order.
He made notes that actually meant something instead of random scribbles.
He asked solid questions.
He kept the conversation simple and direct.
And for the first time ever, he felt like the consultant he’d been trying to become for three years.

When he got back in his truck afterward, he didn’t feel panic.

He felt ready.

Then Came the Turning Point: 203k Software

When Evan got home, he opened 203k Software from 203kOnline.com.

He had used it briefly before, but without confidence.
This time was different.

He selected the Standard Work Write-Up Package.

The structure was there.
The formatting was done.
The flow made sense.
The items populated cleanly.
The numbers tallied automatically.
The forms were in the right places.

He wasn’t fighting the software —
the software was guiding him.

By 11:30 that night, he had something he never had before:

A complete, clean, professional 203k Work Write-Up — on his first try.

No panic.
No second-guessing.
No calling five people to ask what he was supposed to do.

He hit send.

And then he sat back and stared at the screen in disbelief.

Three years of avoiding this moment…
and he had just done the entire thing in one evening.

The Loan Officer’s Reaction Says It All

The next morning, Evan’s phone rang again.

It was the loan officer.
He braced himself, expecting criticism or corrections.

Instead, she said something no new consultant ever forgets:

“You’re doing so much of my job. This will save me an hour and a half on every project.”

Imagine hearing that on your very first real assignment.

That’s when Evan knew:

This wasn’t just a good start.
This was the beginning of a career.

Momentum Hits Hard

Within 30 days, Evan had four more orders.
Within 60 days, he had a rhythm.
He built relationships with lenders who appreciated his professionalism.
He worked with contractors who actually listened.
He referred several into the Certified 203k Contractor network.
He finally started earning what he should have been earning years ago.

Not because he was the smartest consultant on the planet.

But because he finally had:

• The right training
• The right guidance
• The right software
• The right support
• The right first experience

That first job is everything.

And most consultants never get the right push through it.

Why This Story Matters

I share Evan’s story because it’s not rare.

There are countless consultants who signed up for programs that gave them a certificate but no confidence.

They weren’t shown how to actually do the work:
How to handle the inspection.
How to talk to the contractor.
How to prepare the write-up.
How to interact with loan officers.
How to follow HUD 4000.1 requirements without being overwhelmed.
How to use software that eliminates 80–90% of the stress.

They weren’t told what to expect.
They weren’t shown the flow of a real project.
They weren’t taught the things that matter on day one.

And so they freeze.

Just like Evan.

Until someone finally says,
“Let’s do the next one together.”

If You’re Reading This and You’re Stuck… You Don’t Need More Time. You Need the Right Help.

If you’ve been sitting on your HUD approval…

If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect moment”…

If you’ve been afraid of getting your first job wrong…

If you wish someone would just walk you through that first property visit…

Then let’s solve that.

I’ve been consulting and training for decades.
My team and I have helped thousands of consultants, contractors, and lenders.
We work across the country, and we know exactly what your first job should look like.

And like Evan discovered, confidence doesn’t come from the classroom.
It comes from doing, with the right person by your side.

If You’re Ready, Here Are Your Next Steps

1. Book a Discovery Call

Let’s talk about where you are, what you need, and how we can get you confidently taking projects right away.
👉 https://calendly.com/mike-203konline/discovery-call

2. Get real 203k consultant training that works

Not theory.
Not vague explanations.
Real-world guidance based on thousands of projects.
👉 www.203kSoftware.com
👉 www.203kOnline.com

3. Use the right tools — the ones that helped Evan succeed on day one

Consultants save time.
Lenders love it.
Contractors appreciate it.
And new consultants gain confidence almost instantly.

The first job is the hardest…
unless you have someone who’s done thousands of them guiding you through it.

After that?

You’re off and running.

Just like Evan.