Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Gibb.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In 2015, my husband, who is a US Army Veteran, and I were in the market to buy a home. We went to our bank to get pre-approved, and then met up with our Realtor. He recommended that we get a second opinion from a local mortgage broker. We were sure our bank would offer us the best rate because it’s a Veteran-friendly bank. Instead, we learned that the mortgage broker could offer us a much lower rate and fees than the bank was charging. He explained that banks and retail lenders often charge higher rates and fees and then keep the credit attached to those rates as profit for themselves, rather than passing it on to the consumer. We wound up taking a job and buying a home in Utah. When we moved into our neighborhood, we became friends with someone who owned his own mortgage brokerage. Since our kids were getting older, I began thinking of what I could do for a career. My husband suggested I talk to our mortgage broker friend. One thing led to another, and I found my passion in helping people build wealth through homeownership with low broker rates and fees as a mortgage broker.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Though our friend is awesome, he was not set up to train a brand new loan officer or guide me on the path to success. I worked hard, took several online trainings, and hired a coach to help me learn what to do to gain referral partners and guide clients through a positive experience while getting their home loan. I was often tempted to quit as I went months without a paycheck, but I continued to do the work knowing that it had to pay off. My coach recommended that I switch brokerages to one that offered mentorship and support. I finally listened and found my second place of employment just as the pandemic unleashed on the US. My second boss offered training, support, coaching, and leads. I was able to refine my skills and process as I helped many families refinance or purchase their homes while I grew my business. My passion is helping our Veterans utilize their VA home loan benefit and educating Realtors and our community on what a great loan the VA loan is. I was surprised when I became a loan officer to learn that there are biases against it. People think VA borrowers are weak borrowers because they take advantage of the 0% down benefit, or that the loans take too long to close, and the appraisals always come in low. This is not the case. My first two bosses weren’t very enthusiastic about me pursuing mostly Veteran clients, so I decided to join forces with Jimmy Hobson at UMortgage out of Bountiful, UT. I’d been following him since I signed up with the Military Mortgage Bootcamp in 2019. He did the work and became one of the premier VA loan officers in the nation. I have finally found my home at UMortgage, where we offer low rates and fees, and share the same drive and vision that provides fast closings and excellent customer experiences. I’m privileged to be on the VA Extension team at UMortgage, where we will soon grow to become the biggest VA lender in the US. Our goal is to help as many Veterans as possible obtain homeownership without getting fleeced by big name lenders who charge high rates and fees and provide call-center level service.
Now I teach classes to realtors and homebuyers about the VA home loan, and why it is such a great loan. My goal is to dispel the myths in our community that surrounds the VA loan and help VA buyers win more offers. I love the VA loan because my husband and I were able to use it to buy our first home. It was a huge help! I’ve done a lot of training on the VA home loan benefit and have become a Certified Veteran Lending Specialist through NAMB and a Veteran Mortgage Advisor through the Veteran Lending Council. I study the guidelines daily and seek to be a resource for our Veteran homebuyers and the realtors who help them. I love serving our Veterans. They inspire me to do my best.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I do all loan types, but my favorite by far is the VA loan. I’m a Veteran Mortgage Advisor, certified by the Veteran Lending Council, and a Certified Veteran Lending Specialist, certified by the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. I love demystifying the VA loan for borrowers and Realtors. It’s always exciting to me when I can help a Veteran access their VA home loan benefits especially after another loan officer has told them that they had lost it. It really matters who you work with. You want to work with someone who is very familiar with your loan program and can guide you through its nuances. The VA loan has the most flexible guidelines of all the loan programs. “Underwriters are encouraged to consider every possible appropriate factor in seeking a proper basis for approving loan applications for every qualified Veteran” (VA Handbook). I’m grateful to be on a team of VA loan officer powerhouses who can back me up if I’m not sure of the answer, or mastermind with me about different scenarios. I love teaching VA Myth Busting classes to the Realtors in our community and hope to change the stigma in Utah surrounding VA loans.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the different seasons in Utah. My family and I enjoy snowboarding, camping, rafting, and visiting the beautiful parks Utah has to offer. We also like watching movies and hanging out together. We’re pretty low-key most of the time.
Pricing:
- Brokers saved borrowers $9407 in 2021 over retail lenders
- When you’re financing a home, check with a mortgage broker.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gibbhomeloans.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristigibbmortgage
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristigibbmortgage/
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristigibb
- Other: https://www.umortgage.com
