Gretchen Fitzhugh has been a mortgage loan officer with Fifth Third Mortgage since last August. Before Fifth Third, she was a loan officer with Everbank for two years.
"I actually got into this business by accident," she said. "I moved back to Jacksonville from Orlando and met a few friends of mine who were working with Everbank at the time and they were able to get me the position there right out of college."
Past experience help?
While a student at the University of Central Florida, she worked in retail as a cell phone salesperson. "I had to manage customers face-to-face. I think it helped me because the position allowed me to deal with a lot of different customers. Also, I had to manage quotas there as well; therefore, I was prepared for a sales-based position in the mortgage industry."
How's business?
Fitzhugh said business is really booming because of the HARP 2.0 programs. "Banks are really gearing up for the HARP bubble that is coming in the next few months. Guidelines and restrictions are becoming somewhat less but they are still strict because we do not want to get into the housing crisis of 2005 ever again."
Specialize in?
"I specialize in the government programs such as VA and FHA loans. I also prefer to do all of our HARP Refinances as well. I have done quite a few purchases but not too many first time home buyer programs since we do not offer too many of those at this time."
Hometown
"You could say I am from Jacksonville. My dad was Navy and he was stationed here when I was three and we never left."
How are Realtors important to your business?
"Realtors are a big part of my business. Realtors are the individuals that I reach out to the most for new business. They play such a big role in my new household business that I bring to the bank but I am still building my relationship with the Realtors in the Jacksonville area."
Like about lending?
"Being able to help people either purchase their first, second or even third home or help them manage their mortgage payments better by refinancing them under all of the government programs that are available. It is really nice to be able to see my client's smiles."
Advice for Realtors?
"Work as a team with your loan officer. If you have a great relationship with someone, just continue to build that relationship and the opportunities are endless."
Family
Fitzhugh is single and has two dogs, Bella and Duke.
Professional organizations
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and Northeast Florida Builders Association.
Advice for a new loan officer?
"Listen to your superiors, ask for all the help that is available to you and be proactive about things. In my experience, I have run into some trials and tribulations with this business. If I had been more proactive in the beginning, I could have avoided many of the headaches that I faced. I have learned from my experiences and in turn have grown both personally and professionally throughout my journey."
Other interests
Fitzhugh loves sports. "I play in a couple soccer leagues at this time and we play all day on Sundays. I absolutely love the teams I play on, both women's and coed teams."
— by Michele Gillis