Missouri
New American Funding has announced that it is expanding its Mid-Western territory with a new Missouri location in St. Robert, Mo. This full-service branch will meet the residential mortgage needs of local consumers, and real estate agents who are facilitating home loans in Fort Leonard Wood and surrounding communities of Missouri. The location will offer a variety of products, including purchase and refinance loan options.
To lead this expansion, New American Funding has enlisted the expertise of mortgage industry veteran Kevin Gibbs who will serve as branch manager.
“This is an exciting chapter for New American Funding and I could not be more thrilled to play a role in this new venture,” said Gibbs. “The company genuinely cares about what it is doing, cares about its workforce, and its customers; so I’m extremely blessed to be part of such a decorated, dynamic organization that’s poised to have tremendous success in serving communities throughout Missouri.”
This is the fifth Missouri branch for New American Funding, which also has locations in St. Louis, Lee’s Summit and Nixa.
A new effort to help teachers in St. Louis locate affordable housing involves the transformation of a defunct school building into a housing complex exclusively for teachers.
According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, the city’s Wilkinson School, which closed in 2008, is being transitioned into a 40-unit apartment development that will be marketed primarily to local teachers. This endeavor is being spearheaded by the St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) system to help the city keep its teachers from moving to suburban districts. Other cities, including San Francisco and Baltimore, have similar programs, and the Teacher Corps has an identical program that provides housing in a former convent to aspiring educators St. Louis’ Catholic schools.
“We’d love to see this as a pilot that could be replicated in not only other SLPS buildings, but maybe other cities and states that are struggling to retain quality teachers,” said Donna Smith, of Smith NMTC Associates LLC, a local company chosen by the SLPS to convert the defunct school. Smith added that it was too early to determine the rental prices for apartments in the former Wilkinson School; rents for a one-bedroom apartment in St. Louis can run for $1,000 or higher in certain parts of the city.
The Wilkinson School is among 22 vacant properties that were recently marketed by the SLPS for conversion into commercial real estate developments. Other former school buildings are being transformed into senior living developments and community centers.
GSF Mortgage Corporation has added Larry Bleich as a mortgage loan originator in St. Charles, Mo., joining GSF with 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to becoming a loan officer, he was a real estate agent for new homebuilders. When the housing bubble hit, and most people were pulling out of the industry, he decided to become a fully-licensed mortgage loan originator and continue to help his clients realize their dream of homeownership.
Bleich believes that honesty and clear communication are the utmost importance in this industry. He takes the time to fully educate all of his clients on every facet of a home mortgage process. His goal is to not only match his customer with the best mortgage product based on their financial goals but to also have his clients fully understand the entire homebuying process.
“I am excited to welcome Larry to our team,” said GSF Mortgage Branch Manager Jeremy Greenlee. “He has several years of experience on both sides of purchases and refinances alike, and will help grow our market around the St. Louis area.”
The 2017 Great River MBA Conference will be held May 9-11, 2017 at The Peabody, 149 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tenn.
The Great River MBA Conference is the place to be in the mortgage industry!
With the addition of a fourth host state, Missouri, this Conference [formerly known as Tri-State MBA Conference] continues to grow in size and status. In 2016, the Great River MBA Conference sold out weeks prior to the event. Don't be left off the attendee list in 2017!
We offer attendees and sponsors an intense 3-days of inspiring and motivational instruction, with opportunity to network with top experts in the mortgage industry. Come learn how to be industry leaders and gain valuable knowledge today to drive success tomorrow.
If you want to know what is happening in the Southeast, The Great River MBA Conference is the place to be!
Click here for more information, call (901) 321.6702, e-mail info@greatrivermba.com or visit greatrivermba.com.
GSF Mortgage has added Branch Manager Brandon Campbell and Mortgage Loan Originator David Campbell to its team in Joplin, Mo.
They both join GSF with 16 years of mortgage industry experience. Campbell holds a business degree from Missouri Southern State University. Throughout college and beyond, he worked at a local bank and a family friend offered him an opportunity to open up his own office. Campbell joined the business in 2000. He was a real estate agent and eventually transitioned to into the mortgage industry and became a branch manager. In 2012, he moved to Alabama and recently decided to move back to Missouri and re-enter the business.
“I am pleased to welcome Brandon and David Campbell to GSF Mortgage. We all share years of experience in USDA lending and look towards Brandon and David’s expertise to help deliver new, affordable homeownership to those in Joplin, Mo.,” said GSF Mortgage Regional Manager Mike Maida.