The First Team Real Estate family of companies and Stearns Lending—two of Southern California’s most prominent financial powerhouses—have joined forces to announce the creation of a new mortgage company, branded Bankers Lending Center. Its purpose: To deliver truly comprehensive real estate finance service to the area’s clientele.
As of November 1, 2017, the collaboration is officially underway, with the new company’s official launch slated for the spring of 2018. “Our partnership with First Team is a very exciting opportunity for us. The leadership at First Team has done an impressive job growing their organization to become the #1 independent real estate company in Southern California. Their passion for innovation and creative thinking that propelled their growth is shared by Stearns,” said David Schneider, Chief Executive Officer at Stearns Lending. “Our leadership teams are like-minded in our commitment for excellence, and belief that people and relationships are powerful tools in achieving success. We’re thrilled that the transition is underway and look forward to the formal launch in the spring.”
“During the last year, it’s become more and more apparent that our markets are in the midst of a consumer-centric shift,” Mahon explained. “With this shift, the demand for a greater diversity of mortgage solutions, as well as a simpler transaction process, continues to grow.”
According to Michael Mahon, President of First Team Real Estate, Bankers Lending Center is the answer to the evolving needs of today’s consumer. “During the last year, it’s become more and more apparent that our markets are in the midst of a consumer-centric shift,” Mahon explained. “With this shift, the demand for a greater diversity of mortgage solutions, as well as a simpler transaction process, continues to grow. By partnering with Stearns Lending—one of the largest privately held lenders in the United States, with a sterling reputation for quick to close processing, large diversity of products, localized underwriting, and closing loans with high customer satisfaction—First Team is proactively satisfying the changing needs of a wide variety of consumers. We’re thrilled to announce this collaboration, and confident that Stearns will prove the best possible partner for the endeavor, ensuring clients an unmatched caliber of service, opportunity and quality as they pursue their most important life objectives.”
By leveraging the strengths of both organizations, as well as by incorporating products from other lenders, Bankers Lending is poised to emerge as a new industry standard, empowering First Team’s sales associates with an unprecedented set of resources to service consumers’ financing needs. Through on-site mortgage loan officers, plus new consumer technology designed to streamline application processes and customer service, Bankers Lending will raise the bar of excellence when it comes to service and results.
ABOUT FIRST TEAM REAL ESTATE
Beginning with a single office in Huntington Beach in 1976, First Team Real Estate is now Southern California’s largest, full-service and trusted family-owned real estate agency with 27 offices across Southern California and over 2,000 real estate agents, service professionals, and employees. First Team is consistently recognized as Best Real Estate Company by Orange County Register, and mentioned among the nation’s top 20 firms in RISMedia’s Power Broker Report and the REAL Trends 500, which identify th largest volume brokerages in the United States. In 2016, First Team closed over $5.9 billion in sales volume, representing over 9,300 buyers and sellers. To learn more about First Team Real Estate, call 888.236.1943 or visit firstteam.com.
ABOUT STEARNS LENDING, LLC
A rapidly-growing mortgage industry leader and innovator, Stearns Lending, LLC, provides responsible, simplified mortgage solutions in Wholesale, Retail, Strategic Alliances, and Consumer Direct sectors throughout the United States where licenses are held. The company and its team members are passionately committed to delighting customers, while leading the industry in profitable growth.
Stearns Lending is an equal housing lender and is licensed to conduct business in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, Stearns Lending is an approved HUD (United States Department of Housing and Urban Development) lender; a Single Family Issuer for Ginnie Mae (Government National Mortgage Association); an approved Seller/Servicer for Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association); and an approved Seller/Servicer for Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). Stearns Lending is also approved as a VA (United States Department of Veterans Affairs) lender, a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) lender, and is an approved lending institution with FHA (Federal Housing Administration). Stearns Lending, LLC is located at 4 Hutton Centre Drive, 10th Floor, Santa Ana, CA 92707. Company NMLS# 1854. For more information, visit www.stearns.com.
