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At Homestead Funding, we celebrate that our employees are just as unique as our borrowers. Every person’s life experiences motivate their service to our borrowers and their home financing needs.
Our Spotlight this month focuses in on Michael Angelo, a Licensed Loan Originator that works with borrowers in New York, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
After being encouraged that his skill set would lend itself to assisting individuals with their home financing, Michael joined the mortgage industry. At the time, he was already considering a switch in his career. His wife, Jade, encouraged him to become a Loan Originator because she believed he would excel. “I interviewed before shadowing a couple of Loan Originators and went on appointments with them,” he said. “I kind of just gave it a whirl.”
He was extremely motivated to work hard for their growing family. Michael closed his first loan in under a month. In his first 60 days, he became the top salesperson and continued into leadership roles.
As he continued his growth in the mortgage space in his early 20’s, Michael became the Vice President of a mortgage company from 2000 to 2009. “I was recruiting, training, and finding talent. It was a rush for me.”
In 2009, the industry collapsed. He loved his position but was unsure of the future. “When the bottom fell out, I was trying to find a company to acquire us. I knew the writing was on the wall.”
Despite the hardships, Michael focused on the positives. “There are quite a few people that I trained and are still in the business. They weathered the storm and they were able to make it.”
After the collapse of the brokerage business, Michael continued his mortgage journey with a major corporate bank. Despite their size, he grew frustrated with their lack of customer service. “They were too big,” he recalled. “You couldn’t get anyone on the phone. I couldn’t do it anymore, especially around the holidays when people were trying to refinance their home to pay for college the next semester or to afford Christmas gifts.”
With his frustrations growing, he was looking to leave the mortgage space. That was when two previous coworkers introduced him to Homestead Funding. The company was a better personality fit for Michael. “It was pretty fast paced,” he recalled. “I liked the idea that there were people I could thrive off of.”
Homestead was able to give Michael the opportunity to help people, something he had been missing while working for big banks. “I think everyone deserves a chance to be a homeowner,” he said. “Even if it’s not me that gives them that chance, I’m always aware and conscious of people’s needs and how they want to be treated.”
When his wife was offered a job in Austin, Texas, Michael wanted to be able to support his partner with her career shift. When it came to deciding, Homestead was behind him and his business. “My only concern was how I was going to maintain my relationships with my business partners and clients,” he confessed. “I haven’t had any issues with that. New York is still my focus. I call my partners, I stay in touch with them, I come back to see them. It doesn’t affect the job I do just because I’m here.”
Above all, Michael misses the people of New York. “When we first moved here, it was a little easier to travel back and forth. Now, it’s expensive,” he admitted. “After 47 years, I’m not spending the holidays with my sisters or extended family anymore.”
While he may miss his extended family, his three sons have since relocated to Texas as well.
When asked what his favorite part of the job was, Michael responded, “when I know the loan is clear. They aren’t easy! I lose a lot of sleep at night thinking about clients. ‘How am I going to fix this?’ ‘What am I going to do here?’ ‘The rate is expiring; I have to get this done right away.’ The job doesn’t end at five o’clock.”
Michael emphasized how important it was for him to ensure he kept true to himself. “You have to work the business and be determined that you can make it. You need the drive and be able to redirect rejection. You can’t give up just because somebody told you ‘no.’ Put your head down and make sure you get it all right.”
As an organization, Homestead Funding is honored to have unique and dedicated employees who tirelessly work to ensure the success of their borrowers and communities. To learn more about how we can help you achieve your dreams of homeownership, contact us today.
Homestead Funding offers exceptional customer service and a convenient mortgage process. Whatever your financing needs, our goal is to exceed your expectations.
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