Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen Caddell.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I graduated from Marist College in 1995 with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Communications. I am very proud to say I was also part of the Division 1 Women’s Swim Team that won the first Conference Championship in 1994 in Marist history and repeated in 1995. After graduation, I immediately began working for the AIG Life Insurance Company. I started out in an administrative role and immediately obtained my life, accident & health insurance licenses. I transitioned into being the area Sun America Securities Sales Rep for AIG and obtained my Series 6 & 63 licenses, eventually becoming the Regional Sales Manager for AIG throughout New England & New York. I also obtained the FLMI & CLU professional designations. AIG ended up purchasing American General Life Insurance Company and all 1500 employees were let go, I was offered a position in another part of the country but decided to pursue other opportunities.
In 2002, I started Caddell & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. and continued to be the contact for the 700+ Financial Planners and Insurance Professionals I had assisted before AIG Life closed their doors. I assisted them and my clients with their life, annuities and long term care needs. Simultaneously, I took a position of New England Regional Sales Manager for United Benefits Systems & Solutions, Inc. For this company, I met with HR directors and helped filled gaps in their current benefits portfolio by bringing innovative voluntary products for them to offer their employees at no cost their company.
I was introduced into the mortgage industry in 2004, by one of my long time Financial Planning clients/agents that I had worked with for many years. My financial planning background helped me tremendously to hit the ground running and I truly loved the business instantly. I worked initially for Sallie Mae Home Loans, Inc. and several of us branched off to Legacy Mortgage Group. Legacy Mortgage Group became a net branch of Fairway Independent Mortgage in June, 2008. In the fall of 2010, I had the incredible luck of sitting beside our incredible CEO, Steve Jacobson, by chance at the MBA dinner in Newport, RI. That evening changed my life tremendously for the better. Jake, as we refer to him, gave me the most intense two hour interview of my life: Everything about where I had come from, my background, my family, my education and what exactly my current business looked like now. We bonded over the fact that we were both Div 1 walk-ons, he in Basketball. He introduced me to Fairway’s #1 producer, who led not only Fairway but the entire mortgage industry, Amy Slotnick. Jake arranged for her to be my mentor. Amy helped me grow from being an $8 – $10 Million dollar producer per year to over a $35 Million Dollar producer and ranked in the top 1% in the nation, earning many production awards from Fairway since 2014.
I am grateful for the changes in the industry over the last 14 years and most importantly to require loan officers to be licensed with NMLS (Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry). This means the LO needs to have passed Federal & State exams, extensive background & credit checks and be exemplary in order to hold an individual license. I am licensed in four states presently: MA, NH, RI and FL – but I can refer my clients interested in buying or refinancing in the other 46 states of the US to wonderful Fairway colleagues that are licensed in those states.
Fairway is an incredible company and I call myself a Lifer for Fairway. I am totally in love with the corporate culture, incredible support and tremendous commitment to serve our clients, referral partners & community. When I joined 8 years ago, the group I joined with pushed the company over 1,000 employees. Today, there are over 6,800 employees and in 2017 lent over $22 Billion to consumers! We are up over 43% this year, when many companies are exiting the business and lay off employees – Fairway is continuing to hire! Scotsman Guide just ranked us #2 out of the top 100 mortgage lenders for Volume in the US! I am honored & privileged to be part of such an amazing company and be able to provide my clients such incredible service, tremendous products with speed & satisfaction! Fairway is also a company that gives back and gives back BIG. Fairway started a non-profit known as The American Warrior Initiative, where we educate, encourage and inspire Americans to give back to our military. Realtors are given incredible boot camps where they not only earn education credits, but they have the honor of witnessing a local disabled veteran in their community get surprised with a dream or need met. For example, Fairway to date has given away more than 28 mortgage free homes, 33 service dogs, business grants, home renovations, furniture, baby showers and so much more! The majority of the funds needed for this program are donated by our own Fairway employees! (www.americanwarriorinititive.com) I am very excited to see what the future holds for Fairway!
I have built my business 100% through referrals and networking. I have been an active member of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce for the last 6 years and served several years as an Ambassador. I was honored to be awarded the 7th Player Award by my fellow Ambassadors in 2014. I have also been incredibly active with the South Shore Young Professionals over the past decade, having served on the Board of Directors from 2012 – 2017. I was the Chair of the Membership & Golf Committee and helped SSYP start our own charity, The Foundation. The Foundation awards economic grants to young companies or professionals on the South Shore to help grown their businesses. To date, we have been able to fundraise and give over $40K in grants! In addition, I served previously as a President of a local BNI group and on the Women’s Board of Directors for both Segregansett Country Club and Plymouth Country Club. I am also an active member presently of The South Shore Business Leaders and South Shore Real Estate networking groups. I am an avid golfer and am a member of Pinehills Country Club in Plymouth, MA. In 2015 I was incredibly humbled & honored to be the recipient of the Darryl E. Jacobson Business Courage Award from Fairway, chosen by our CEO Steve Jacobson and named in honor of his beloved father. I was the honored recipient in 2017 of the Rising Stars Award of the South Shore. I am also the winner of the 2014 Fairway Club, 2015 & 2016 President Club and 2016 Fairway Club production awards from Fairway. I was awarded the Top 1% of Mortgage Professionals award in both 2015 & 2016 by Mortgage Originator Magazine.
I presently live in Plymouth, MA where I built my home in 2005. I am the legal guardian of my special needs sister who has cerebral palsy and mental retardation, resulting from encephalitis that she contracted as a baby from a mosquito bite. She is an incredible gift to the world and she keeps me focused on what matters most in life – taking care of each other!
Has it been a smooth road?
No journey in life is without its many bumps & bruises. Just after I built my home in December, 2005 – the mortgage world collapsed as we flipped the calendar to 2016. I struggled to pay my own mortgage as I had to learn to build my business in an entirely new world. Interest rates rose, values of homes fell and many of the lenders/brokers that we funneled our business through were shutting down on a daily basis. It was incredibly scary times! I saw so many changes come out of these times and gratefully a lot people left the industry and didn’t belong in it. The lending pendulum swung drastically where one “needed only a pulse” to get a loan to needing to triple verify everything provided. The good parts that came were, in my opinion, the licensing of loan originators that work for mortgage companies. The good parts for clients were they needed to prove they were qualified and had the ability to repay their mortgages. It is tougher to get a loan now, but it should be – not everyone is able to qualify today but these safeguards are there for their own protection. Education is the key to everything and communication is the key to life. I have learned that it is essential to constantly be educating myself, my realtors & referral partners and most importantly my clients. The key is constant communication and managing expectations.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Fairway Independent Mortgage – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My financial background sets me apart from other loan officers. It ensures that I am able to guide my clients on the best loan products for them – suitability to meet their individual needs. I can help them as a true consultant through their needs: Whether it is helping them to improve their credit scores, better understand the loan process and that perhaps they need to save more or pay down some debt and making sure they are working within their own personal budget. There is a huge difference over what one can “qualify” for and what one is “comfortable” with and my goal is to keep my clients comfortable. I want them as clients for life, referring me to all of their friends, family, co-workers and neighbors. I am also the Reverse Mortgage specialist for my office and can educate clients on this important product as well.
I pride myself on my excellent customer service skills and offering education, information and guidance to make obtaining a mortgage as easy, smooth and stress free as possible. The most common feedback I receive from clients is: “Kathleen walked me through every step and explained it all in detail. There were no surprises and I felt 100% comfortable and taken care of” as well as “Wow – that was like pushing the Staples button, I can’t believe how fast & easy it was, not like the horror stories I hear at all”.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love MA because there are so many different areas within a relatively small state than can meet pretty much anyone’s needs. There are vast differences in the prices & types of homes available from Pittsfield to Provincetown and everything in between. I love our city as it provides incredible education, hospitals and so many job opportunities. The South Shore has quickly become an extension with so many companies relocating there – bring the companies and the employees will come! We have so much culture, diversity and of course THE BEST professional teams of all: The New England Patriots, The Boston Red Sox, The Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins! We can hold our heads high as truly the #1 fans in the country that will defend these teams to the end!
We are also one of the most expensive places to live in the United States and we truly do have a housing crisis – more people & demand than we have housing. Listening to economists and experts, our area of the US is going to continue to grow tremendously over the next decade – including the values of our homes. Yes, housing is in high demand and there are bidding wars on nearly every property (especially if it is priced right) these days. We are experiencing houses going in hours, not days. Now is the crucial time for buyers & sellers to be fully pre-approved before they even begin to start looking. This is simply not like HGTV – you are more than likely not going to get a second bite at the apple with your offer. You need to be prepared before you start house shopping with a TRUE pre=approval. Research the loan officer and the lender you are working with – it is important they are a true professional that is going to deliver on time and be there for you every step of the way. It is so important to have an exceptional full time Realtor that knows the industry inside & out as well that can guide you & negotiate on your behalf. It is important to have an attorney as well – to help you through the process. This is the biggest debt of your life – it should be handled with true professionals that will meet with you in person and get you to the closing table safely & with no surprises!
Contact Info:
- Address: Kathleen A. Caddell
Senior Mortgage Consultant
NMLS # 39620
180 Wells Ave, Suite 300
Newton, MA 02459 - Website: www.kathleenloans.com
- Phone: 781-644-4609
- Email: kcaddell@fairwaymc.com
- Facebook: Kathleen Caddell NMLS #39620
- Other: Linked In – Kathleen A. Caddell
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
