Author: Megan Chastain

Our borrowers are impacted by rates, and we want to make sure that our clients know what is happening with them. And here, as we ease into the May, are signs that the U.S. economy is moving, and wants to move, forward. Not only is it springtime, but as more people are vaccinated more portions of the economy are opening up. Unemployment, although bumpy, has generally been showing reductions, and there is optimism out there.

Yes, as the calendar moves into the second quarter, U.S. economic data points to an economy that is gaining momentum as the long-awaited consumer boom has arrived. Total retail sales were 17 percent higher in March than they were prior to the pandemic, and every subcategory of store benefited from consumers’ desire to spend. Given that a portion of this spending was due in part to the generous stimulus most households received, the question of how sustainable this elevated spending is top of mind. Many economists point to much improved household balance sheets buoyed by heightened savings over the last year as potential fuel for successful service re-openings this summer. This assumes businesses, which are currently struggling to hire, can find workers to fill the expected demand.

Surging demand also brings inflation concerns, and higher rates, including mortgage rates. Consumer prices were up 2.6 percent in March compared to one year ago, and while last year’s low baseline will lead to elevated annual comparisons, recent inflation readings pointing to increasing prices. Despite those concerns, our loan officers and management have noted that the Fed continues to say it will wait until it feels higher prices are sustainable before making any major changes to monetary policy which could leave the near-term direction of rates up to market sentiment. This is good news for our borrowers, as no one who hasn’t locked in a rate appreciates rates moving higher, regardless of the reason.

Privately held lender First Community Mortgage (FCM) has completed its acquisition of A Mortgage Boutique (AMB).

As part of the deal, FCM has rebranded its wholesale unit as AMB Wholesale. First Community has tapped Retta Gardner, co-founder of AMB, to lead the division as executive vice president. Gardner said that the combined departments will enable AMB to continue serving its clients as part of a bigger organization, “but one with the same people-focused roots.”

“Retta’s leadership and the combined teams enable strategic growth of our wholesale division while also leveraging many synergies across other FCM divisions,” said First Community Mortgage CEO Keith Canter. “Our clients and business partners will immediately see the benefits of these additional strengths and marketplace momentum and will have an even better experience.”

In addition to Gardner, AMB President Nancy Skinner and KJ Harden, a partner in AMB, will join FCM.

“We are excited to partner with the team at AMB,” Canter said. “We welcome the clients and team members of AMB and are already finding that we are better together, as we anticipated when we announced this opportunity.”

View original release here: https://www.mpamag.com/news/first-community-mortgage-secures-major-acquisition-248223.aspx

MURFREESBORO, TN (JUNE 2019) – First Community Mortgage (FCM) is pleased to announce that Samantha Meyer, Chief Risk Officer has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective April 23, 2019.

With 16 years of mortgage industry experience and 14 years at FCM, Meyer has worked in or managed almost every operational department at FCM. She has seen FCM grow from approximately 25 employees to nearly 250. She has played a key leadership role in this growth process.

“I am thrilled to have Samantha on the board; she has the experience, leadership qualities, and forward thinking we need to continue FCM on the path of helping families find homes, and doing it for the right reasons,” said FCM CEO, Keith Canter. “Not only is she part of FCM’s Board of Directors, but she has been a member of FCM’s Executive Team for 6 years, and she has been serving on our nonprofit organization, FCM Cares, Board of Directors as Vice President since its creation and will prove a tremendous asset as we continue to strengthen our presence in all the communities we serve.”

Meyer currently oversees FCM’s Compliance, Quality Control, and Fraud & Risk Departments, as well as Legal, Regulatory Policy and Audit. She is a member of the Executive Management team. She began her career at FCM in 2005 as a retail loan processor, then closer and later becoming an underwriter. She then developed the company’s original Loan Origination System, and started the Quality Control and Compliance departments. She has also managed FCM’s closing, post-closing and shipping functions.

She attended both the University of Minnesota and Emmaus Bible College. She is married with two young children ages 12 and 7 years old. She has been published in The M Report – Women in Housing Magazine, has been a panelist at local and national banking and regulatory compliance conferences, and has been a panelist with The Mortgage Collaborative women’s group. Samantha has a passion for mentoring young women and helping them find their voice while growing professionally.

“The board is extremely pleased to have Samantha join the team,” said Canter. “We know she will serve the employees, shareholders, company, and community, with meaning and skill only Samantha can offer.”

About First Community Mortgage

Founded in 2002, First Community Mortgage is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Community Bank of Tennessee. They are headquartered in Murfreesboro, TN with additional operation centers in Louisville, Columbus, and Kansas City. Support is given by retail branches alongside wholesale and correspondent relationships throughout the United States. First Community Mortgage is a FNMA, FHLMC, and GNMA seller/servicer and offers mortgage solutions to consumers and financial institutions. With mortgage volume of $2.1 billion in 2016, First Community Mortgage was ranked the #1 lender for new construction homes for the past eight years as published by Metrostudy and #5 for 2017 in the Nashville Business Journal’s Book of Lists. First Community Mortgage was the recipient of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s prestigious 2017 Residential Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award for Market Outreach Strategies.

“THE GRATEFUL SERVANT”

At First Community Mortgage (FCM) we are so grateful to serve those who serve others. Veterans are one of a kind people who choose to put everything on the line to serve their country and protect our freedoms. They are the kind of people who run to help in times of need, sacrifice a normal life away from their loved ones and everything that is normal to protect us here at home.

A home is something FCM employees work hard to give our customers. We don’t want to just help our customers find a house, we want to find them a home — after all, home is where the heart is. If we can help a family say they own the home of their dreams, we know we have succeeded.

The Hunnicutts are one of those families we are so grateful to serve. Mike and Cortney Hunnicutt recently purchased their dream home in Franklin, TN, only seven houses away from Cortney’s sister, Shannon Pellatiro, who happens to be an FCM employee. This home will be a place their five children will make memories in that will last a lifetime.

Mike is a Metro Domestic Violence Police Detective and has served on the force for 11 years. He is also an Army Reservist, with 16 years of service to his country and has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was recently promoted to Sergeant.

Cortney works at a daycare in Franklin, TN and plans on starting her substitute teaching with Franklin Special School District (FSSD) and Williamson county. She has a dream of teaching elementary school full time once all her children are of school age.

The Hunnicutt family is the definition of what it means to give to your community and your country. FCM was so happy to help them with the purchase of their dream home, and in their dream neighborhood with family just minutes away.

This house was not easy to come by as it had multiple offers, but their loan originator, Molly Catino, was able to make their dreams come true. She was with them every step of the way to make sure they were taken care of and the process was seamless.

“I’m grateful I can help veterans and their families find their dream homes,” said Catino. “I remember being at the closing only a few days after Cortney had given birth to her fifth child, and on top of that, her husband was leaving to go on reservist duty in just a few days.”

Molly took the extra steps to help the Hunnicutts in any way she could, knowing that would alleviate any unnecesary stress with the loan process — the human mortgage way!

Even with the chaos and stress of having a baby, purchasing a home, and having a husband and father heading out for duty, came a happy and beautiful moment when the Hunnicutts closed on their dream home.

Their children, Alora, Baylor, Temperance, Addilyn, and Liam can grow up with family down the street, in a great school district, and in a home filled with love, laughter, and memories.

These are a few reasons why FCM is so grateful to help Veterans and their families find their dream homes. We want to thank them for being brave enough to leave their families behind and fight for our freedom. We are thankful they choose us to help guide them home, and we are thankful to serve YOU.

“THE MISSION”

In 2010, Ashleigh was on her first mission trip with her church, Fellowship Bible Church, in Brentwood, TN. They were making their way to Iquitos, a village in Peru, which happens to be the largest city on the Amazon River.
Ashleigh is from Manchester, TN, a small town 60 miles south of Nashville. She went to Peru on an Evangelical Outreach Mission, and never expected God had another mission set out for her.

Genaro was the worship leader of the church Ashleigh would be working with, while also working in the Amazon as a Tropical Forest Ecologist doing habitat conservation. He lived in a 1,600-square foot house in Iquitos with his family, which consisted of his parents, five siblings, and four nieces and nephews. This is very common in Iquitos with the Latino culture being very loving and family oriented. The home had no running water or air conditioning, and his family used buckets of water to shower.

Ashleigh and Genaro were drawn to each other through their passion for the Lord. Ashleigh quickly learned Spanish to communicate with Genaro. A relationship sprouted and continued through four more mission trips and letters written back and forth during their time spent apart.

As their relationship continued to grow, Ashleigh took a leap of faith and moved to Peru to live with a family there. Genaro’s sense of humor and family values drew her to him even more. She was there for 6 months and in 2014, they got married in Peru with their families by their side, both of which have been incredibly supportive of their relationship.

After living in Peru for a year together, they made the decision to move back to the United States. Genaro was overwhelmed at the thought of starting from zero, but being with his wife was the most important thing. His mother was sad to see him go, but excited about the new opportunities for him in the U.S.

In November 2017, Ashleigh and Genaro welcomed their son Noah, 2 months earlier than expected! Genaro’s family was unable to make it to the states for his birth due to denied visas, but in October this year they will be bringing Noah to meet his grandparents for the first time back in Peru. They are so excited to share Genaro’s culture, family, and home with Noah, who is a dual citizen.

Ashleigh currently works as a Physical Therapist, and Genaro is a horticulturalist at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. Eight years have gone by since they first met, and now they are on a new mission to purchase a home together with First Community Mortgage (FCM) by their side.

They currently live in a townhome and will be making the move from Nashville to Murfreesboro, TN, to be closer to Ashleigh’s family and have more space for Noah to play.

Buying a home here in the United States versus in Genaro’s home country are vastly different. In Iquitos, you only need a notary to sign off on the house you’re looking to purchase. It has been overwhelming for Genaro, but thanks to JR Eastman, their Loan Originator, the Orellana’s feel like they’ve been able to truly understand the process thanks to the human touch they’ve received. It was as simple as walking into the FCM office asking to speak to a Loan Originator after hearing a radio ad. She ultimately met JR and just knew this was right. At times it’s been as simple as a text message being sent from JR that has made them believe he really cares and wants the best for their family.

As their mission of purchasing a house comes to a close, a new one begins when they start making memories in their new home. It all started with faith in the lord, and even though Genaro jokes, “He was the mission,” it turned into a mission that has brought true love, marriage, a baby, and a place to call home.