Real story: Mike & Mary

After renting for over nine years, we decided to take the plunge: A place of our own, something to invest in, a home. We are fairly new to Colorado as well as to the Fort Collins area so we were apprehensive about whom to contact in our quest. We met Ken through a Rotary Club connection. He was recommended as being “very thorough, professional and detailed.” He turned out to be all that and much more.

Mike and Mary at their new homeThe purpose of our first meeting with Ken was to get an introduction to the mortgage process and talk about our options for financing. Not having purchased a home before, we weren’t even sure if we had the financial wherewithal to be considered for a loan. Also as first time homebuyers, we had to learn the vocabulary of mortgages and interest rates, talk about what kind of financial situation we were in, what we wanted to spend, what we could afford monthly, and how we wanted to finance. We had a lot to learn and Ken was a patient teacher. He started by asking where we saw ourselves heading and how he could help us achieve our goal. The question took us off guard. We expected a car salesman smooth talker who would tell us how much we qualified for and what our payments would be, not someone who would offer possibilities and tailor a program to our needs. Throughout the process of our home purchase, Ken offered new ideas, asked gently probing questions that helped us to prioritize and provided timely answers to our endless stream of questions. Ken always projected a concerned, thoughtful and patient attitude. He ended each of our conversations with a request for feedback. What did we need him to be doing? What other information did we need? How else could he help? If only the process of finding a home to buy would have been as easy as working with Ken!

Mike and Mary at their new home In all, we met with Ken only 4 times in person, but communicated almost daily by email or phone as he answered questions or researched new options. Ken never seemed to “sell” one way of financing over another but would explain the pros and cons of of all new options and leave us with something to think about. When the numbers were crunched and prepared but the housing market was slim, Ken encouraged us to keep searching for a home that fit our needs as well as our dream. We finally found a keeper and Ken even took the time to attend our closing for moral support. Throughout the 3-month time of working with Ken, we found him to be extremely professional, genuinely interested in his clients and concerned with finding the best financial options for each individual. He expressed a personal interest in us and let us know that we were a priority to him. Ken is the kind of professional you would want to take care of your mother or sister if they had to go through the mortgage process by themselves. He would treat them like members of his own family.

Top 10 reasons to work with Ken

Mike and Mary at their new home10 The first time you hear him laugh, you know that you’re going to like him.

9 Ken is equally concerned that you understand the process of a mortgage as well as how you feel about the process.

8 He follows through with everything he says he’ll do, when he says he’ll do it (if not sooner).
7 Wait until you see a picture of his family.

6 Ken is active in community organizations like Rotary Club and Habitat for Humanity.

5 He takes notes on everything to make sure he remembers the smallest detail. He offered suggestions based on statements we had made six weeks earlier. WOW!

4 Ken knows the market and provides a mortgage plan tailored to each client’s needs.

3 You would never get a form letter or a sales pitch from Ken. He’s genuine.

2 It’s impossible not to smile every time you start an email with [email protected].

1 He doesn’t help you move in, but he’ll do the next best thing for the folks who do.