FROM THE TOP:
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| Name: Craig Schrank // Title: Chief Executive Officer |
January 2022:I can’t believe another year has come and gone. It seems like we say this every year, but the last couple of years have really flown by. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a devastating reality for so many people and yet we are in an industry that flourishes when the economy stumbles. We are fortunate to have benefitted from the low interest rates resulting from the pandemic. We have helped thousands of people better their financial foundation, whether it was by buying a first home, refinancing an existing one, or by buying a vacation home or rental property. Our record production over the last two years is a far cry from the humble beginnings of Willow Bend Mortgage. We now do more business in 2 weeks than we did in our first year of operation. The mortgage industry has changed so much, thanks in large part to technology. It has allowed us to be much more efficient, do more with less people, and it has also created a lot more competition. There is one thing that has never changed in the mortgage business. We have never been able to predict interest rates. Since rates are often a function of production, it makes our future business hard to forecast. We enter the new year with a question mark on where rates are headed. Willow Bend Mortgage has always been a purchase-driven mortgage company and I am very proud of that. We are fortunate to have the relationships that we do and are so thankful for the clients that we have. The housing market remains strong and that great news! 2022 brings a new beginning for all of us. Each individual, each team, and the company as a whole has the opportunity to take a look back and review what we have done. What worked, and what didn’t work? It is a fresh start to improve on the things that worked and eliminate the things that did not work. It is a simple concept, but an integral part of building a business. Willow Bend Mortgage will be working hard this year to be even better. We will provide the best platform for each member of our team to succeed. The motto of my college fraternity was “One man is no man”, and that is true at Willow Bend Mortgage. We are nothing without each other but together we can do great things. I am proud of each and every member of the Willow Bend Mortgage team. I am proud of what we have accomplished over the last couple of years and I look forward to what the new year brings! |