Rate Hires Team to Serve New Branch in Northwest Florida
April 21, 2020 – Rate, one of America’s top 5 retail mortgage lenders, welcomes a team of experienced mortgage professionals to its new branch in Niceville, FL. Located near several military bases, it will serve Okaloosa County and surrounding communities with a special focus on assisting veterans and active-duty military in the homebuying process.
“I’m incredibly excited to be overseeing Rate’s new branch in Niceville,” said Steve Schutt, the location’s Branch Manager. “Rate’s best-in-class tools and technology, support for originators and commitment to customers and business partners are unparalleled. I firmly believe there are no limits to what our team here in Niceville and across Northwest Florida can achieve. Rate is on the forefront of mortgage lending, and we’re excited for what’s to come.”
Schutt, who has been serving borrowers in Northwest Florida for nearly 17 years, has been ranked as a Top Originator in VA Volume by Scotsman Guide since 2015. He will be joined in the new branch by Adam Vafides, an Associate Vice President of Mortgage Lending; Andy Poveda, a Licensed Sales Assistant; Erica Nelson, a Business Development Coordinator; and Laurie Noel, a Mortgage Consultant.
Rate, which was founded in 2000, delivers competitive pricing, innovative mortgage products and unmatched expertise from top-producing loan officers. The company is well known for introducing the world’s first digital mortgage, an easy-to-understand, transparent loan process that enables industry-leading customer satisfaction and exponential growth.
To learn more, please visit www.GRateHomeLoans.com.
About Rate Companies
The Rate Companies, which includes Rate, Inc., Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, and Proper Rate, LLC, has more than 10,000 employees in over 850 offices across the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate Companies is one of the top 5 retail mortgage lenders in the United States, funding over $73 billion in 2020. Founded in 2000 and located in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Rate has helped homeowners nationwide with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has established itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates and delivering unparalleled customer service. In 2017, the company launched Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Rate, Inc. and Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in residential real estate franchising and brokerage. In 2020, the company launched Proper Rate, LLC, a mortgage origination joint venture between Rate, Inc. and @properties, one of the nation's largest residential brokerage firms. Collectively, the Rate Companies have earned numerous honors and awards including: Forbes Advisor’s Top 10 Mortgage Lenders for 2021; Best Mortgage Lender for Online Loans and Best Mortgage Lender for Refinancing by NerdWallet for 2021; 2018 Top Lender for Online Service by U.S. News & World Report; HousingWire’s 2020 Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashCloseSM technology; No. 3 ranking in Scotsman Guide's Top Retail Mortgage Lenders for 2019; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for five consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven consecutive years. Visit rate.com for more information.