I had an interesting conversation with a brother firefighter in Florida the other day. It just underscored why we’re here.
At first he was somewhat apprehensive on the phone when it came to sharing any personal info; many of us can understand and relate to that, present company included. As the conversation continued, he seemed more at ease and even said he was glad that he’d called.
‘He’ is a 20+-year lieutenant with a great amount of knowledge and experience in the fire service and managing scenes. It was obvious he was an intelligent guy and that his skill set, like many of us, was unique to the job and the result of many years of dedicated service. It was also apparent that mortgages weren’t really his thing- and why should they be?
He mentioned that he didn’t know much about us at first and didn’t know if Firefighter Mortgages was “hokey.” I asked what he meant by that out of sheer curiosity. I asked what his perspective was when he first saw us online. He said he didn’t know if it was some kind of marketing scheme and wondered why any company would “market only to firefighters.” It was a bittersweet moment for me (mostly sweet). I realized that our initial message could always be clearer. At the same time, the answer that I’ve carried around for the past 19 years couldn’t wait to reveal itself.
I explained to our brother FF how (with a couple of other firefighters I worked with) I started doing mortgages for firefighters on my days off from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue in 1996. By default, we worked with fellow firefighters, paramedics, sheriff’s deputies, and other county employees. We even put together a Firefighter Mortgages shift calendar with some mortgage facts and passed them around the stations.
The more loans I originated, the more I realized how much trust was a factor in obtaining a mortgage. And, much more importantly, I realized how much and how often that trust was breached by other mortgage “professionals.”
We all know firefighters and first responders who are absolutely incredible at what they do. These are smart, dedicated, hard working people who literally risk their lives for strangers. At the same time, many don’t know very much about the inner workings of a mortgage transaction or the many potential pitfalls to look out for- and why should they have to?
By combining the loyalty to our community with the knowledge of the mortgage industry and the passion to make a difference, Firefighter Mortgages’ mission was born. First responders deserve a safe place to get their home loans. A place that offers a friendly environment, peace of mind, and incredible value. A place where they can trust and learn. Whether they want to know and understand the finer points of the mortgage process, or simply want to know that they’re being taken care of regardless of the details, they can find it with Firefighter Mortgages.
That’s why we’ve established our presence in the first responder community. And there’s no place that we’d rather be. Thanks for asking the question, LT.
Thanks for reading this and stay safe, all…
Peter
