Chelsea Bladen, a mortgage banker with Bank of England, didn't intend to make a career of the mortgage industry, but luckily it is working out pretty well.
She started working as an administrative assistant at Ace Mortgage in 2006 while attending college in the evenings. When Ace Mortgage closed, Quinton Harris and Timothy Gill, formerly of Ace, opened a Bank of England branch in Jacksonville and brought Bladen on as the office manager.
Harris and Gill would give her projects from time to time and she was able to learn the business from the ground up. Over time, she became a processor and then an originator this year.
College
Bladen is still working toward a bachelor's degree in public relations at University of North Florida in the evenings. "It's important for me to get my degree, but I have found a career with Bank of England that was unexpected."
Area she covers
Amelia Island, St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach.
How's business?
Bladen said it is going very well. She said many of her customers are having trouble finding a resale home, but if they are interested in a new build, that industry is really ramping up.
Reins a little looser?
It is a little easier to get a loan if you have the right requirements, but "the flood gates are not wide open" as they were before, she said.
Like about your job?
Bladen really enjoys coaching clients to help them get a loan. She said many people will come to her, thinking they aren't able to afford a home or have had a bankruptcy, but she directs them on the path they need to take to be able to buy a home.
"We don't say, 'You can't do anything today. Sorry.' We sit down with them and say, 'we can't do anything today, but here's what you need to do to get where you want to be.'"
Social media
Bladen advertises every closing on the bank's Facebook page. "We take pictures at the closing. It's a fun moment and the customers really like seeing themselves on Facebook."
How are Realtors important to you?
"They are my clients and are the people who continue to drive business to us. We are very appreciative of them."
Best way to do business?
"I'm not always going to paint you rainbows and unicorns. It's not always going to be that way. Sometimes it's not pretty and I will tell you the honest truth. You may not like it, but it is what it is. Sometimes it's not what you want to hear today, but we are going to get you there."
Like about lending?
Bladen said she enjoys seeing customers' dreams come true. She said sometimes their situations are heartbreaking, but after talking with them, they come to the realization that they actually can buy a home, they just have to work harder to get what they want.
Whole picture?
"I don't just try to sell a mortgage. My first question is always, 'What are your goals with this?'"
She wants to know where they see themselves in 10 years, what they want their mortgage payment to look like and what their spending habits are.
"I make sure the mortgage fits their goals and if it doesn't we need to re-evaluate."
Advice for Realtors
"Get your clients with an originator early to do a pre-approval." She said it makes it easier on the Realtor, so they can show them homes they can actually afford.
Family?
Bladen is single and lives in Mandarin with her dog, Nielly.
Something no one knows about you?
Bladen was editor-in-chief of the Fernandina Beach High School newspaper, The Pirate Press, during her senior year.
Professional associations
Amelia Island/Nassau County Association of Realtors.
— By Michele Gillis