Meredith Severance is a mortgage loan officer with SouthTrust Mortgage Corporation in Fernandina Beach.
WHAT DOES SHE DO?
She originates mortgage loans and tries to fit her customers with the best product for their needs. She has worked for SouthTrust for 10 years. “I’ve done it all. I came in as a customer service representative and worked my way up to assistant manager, manager and then area manager. I then moved over to the retail lending side. I’ve only been a mortgage loan officer for five years.”
WHY GO INTO LENDING?
“It’s similar, but different. You still get to take care of customers which I love to do. I actually just wanted a little more flexibility in my schedule than management allows.”
BEFORE SOUTHTRUST?
She started her banking career out of high school with First Union as a microfilm clerk. She then became a loan officer assistant in the consumer lending division. She left the bank after three years, had children and then decided to go back into banking with SouthTrust.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT LENDING?
“The people. I love to see young couples come in who have never had a house and they want to have their own place. I kind of hold their hand, show them how to do it and make them feel comfortable. They feel good when they get to the closing table and they are excited about their new house. I just love helping people.”
AREA SHE WORKS?
All of Nassau County.
WHERE DOES YOUR BUSINESS COME FROM?
“Actually, right now, because of the refinancing, a lot of my business is repeat customers. Normally, I get my referrals from Realtors, builders and SouthTrust bank customers.”
HOW ARE REALTORS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
“Oh, they are very important to me. The rates are not always going to be super low, so the Realtors are very important in that, when business is normal, they are our lifeblood. They can make or break you. You always need to make sure you take care of them and that they are happy and informed. I think Realtors, more than anything, just want to be informed about the transaction.”
HOW ARE THINGS DIFFERENT SINCE YOU WERE AN ASSISTANT LOAN OFFICER?
“It has changed a lot. Everything back then was manual, where now everything is computer generated. It used to be that you couldn’t go over a certain debt ratio, but now, if your credit scores are high and the computer says you can, you can go to a higher debt ratio. There is more flexibility in lending now then there was 10 years ago.”
WHAT HAS HELPED YOU MOST TO GET YOU WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
“I think my ability to communicate and look at what the customer wants compared to what I might think is best for them.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“Every day you learn something new. The biggest thing that I have learned in this business is that you get a lot more with sugar than you do with salt. There are so many times in this business where the people you are working with just want someone to be nice to them. There are so many people who think that their aggression will get them what they want and that’s not how it is. In this business, you have to truly care about people, it can’t be fake. It has to be a true care and concern for what is good for that person.”
HOMETOWN?
She was born in Manassas, Va., but was raised in Fernandina Beach.
RESIDES
Fernandina Beach.
FAMILY
She has been married to Robert, a retired Fernandina Beach police officer, for 14 years. They have two children.
WHAT DOES SHE LIKE TO DO WHEN NOT WORKING?
Reading, horseback riding and singing at church for weddings and funerals.
FAVORITES
Her favorite movie is “Miss Congeniality” because she is a huge Sandra Bullock fan. Her favorite author is Francine Rivers, a Christian fiction romance writer. When relaxing at home, she enjoys tuning into the TV Land Channel to check out old favorites like “The Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island.” Her favorite place to visit is North Carolina and her favorite place to dine out is The Marina in Fernandina Beach.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis