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March 29, 2013
Roxanne Carr Named to Top 50 Women in Business
Pacific Coast Business Times Chooses Carr for Top 50 in Tri-Counties
Roxanne Carr, Division President of The Mortgage House, with local offices in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, was named as one of the Top 50 Women in Business by the Pacific Coast Business Times in its seventh year of identifying outstanding women in the Tri-Counties. She was chosen from “more than 100 nominations” according to the special edition printed for March 22-28, 2013.
Interestingly, Roxanne is one of a very select few chosen in San Luis Obispo County. She was recognized for her outstanding accomplishments in business, beginning with her tenure at ARCS Mortgage as West Coast Regional VP and continuing with her co-founding of The Mortgage House in 1995.
She has received many accolades in her career for her business acumen and commitment to the community. Just last year, Cuesta Community College recognized her as the Outstanding Foundation Board Member for 2012. She will be honored by the Pacific Coast Business Times in Santa Barbara at the Bacara Resort reception and awards program on April 11, 2013.
The Mortgage House was formed in 1995 by Ira Cohen, Allen Satenberg and Roxanne Carr. Their goal was to create a service-oriented local mortgage banking organization, and their philosophies of service and integrity have kept the group at the top of mortgage banking companies dedicated only to residential lending. It is one of a very few mortgage banking firms in the Tri-Counties, “pledging individualized attention to customer needs for financing and maintaining all of its mortgage processing in-house, never outsourcing,” according to Carr.
Roxanne added, “I am deeply honored by the Pacific Coast Business Times recognition this year. It was very unexpected and gratefully appreciated...so nice to continue to receive acknowledgement in a career I love. I believe our firm is more than unique in its personalized attention to customer needs, especially in our current environment when most mortgage firms send applications far away for handling.”
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October 15, 2012
The Mortgage House Extends Lease and Remodels in SLO
The Mortgage House, local mortgage banker in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County, has extended its lease at 1131 Monterey Street and undertaken a comprehensive remodel of its 5000 sq. ft. office. Roxanne Carr, Division President, said that remodeling was started October 1st to have the carpeting replaced and walls removed to enhance the reception and processing area and will continue during the month.
She added that work has been moving along very quickly, and with the cooperation of the construction and carpet crews, the staff and loan officers have been able to continue closing loans at a record pace. Roxanne mentioned that it has been difficult with such a large office during a busy closing month, but “the team has been remarkable, so very cooperative and patient and enthusiastic about all the upgrades. We’ll all be glad when it is done; it’s been a massive project.”
“We are looking forward to continuing our positive impact on the community with the addition of new staff members, a second underwriter and additional loan officers.” The Mortgage House in San Luis Obispo has added to its underwriting team so that all loans can be approved locally, smoothing the closing process for borrowers. Although it uses the latest in all technology available, Carr added that “there is no comparison to having real in-person communication for loan approvals and final closings. That’s the secret of our doing what might seem impossible to others.”
New team members include the return of loan officers Jimela Bewley and Christy Chapman and Sr. Processor Tanya Wormley. Also added to the staff are Funding Assistant LuJean Arnold and Processing Assistant Jennie Schwarzkopf in SLO, and Processor Linda Cook in Santa Maria. Gail Anderson has been promoted to Funding Supervisor. “It’s all about keeping the very best people available to do the job well in this challenging industry,” Roxanne said.
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May 15, 2012
Roxanne Carr Returns to The Mortgage House
Lending Pro Returns to Company She Helped Found;
New Loan Product Offered
 Roxanne Carr is returning to The Mortgage House, Inc. as Division President. Carr semi-retired in late 2011 with a two-year commitment to continue in an advisory capacity, but growth plans for The Mortgage House and exciting new loan products have enticed her back.
Carr noted that her formal retirement was brief, and she is excited to be back at the firm she helped create in 1995. Carr added that her husband, longtime local architect Rod Levin, has now settled in at the Villages at Sydney Creek, a full-time dementia residential care facility, and is doing well. “My day-to-day routine has changed and I missed my great team, my colleagues and clients at The Mortgage House,” she said, “and with the market moving forward again, this is a great time to jump back in.”
Also announced is The Mortgage House’s acquisition of the new HARP (Home affordable Refinance Program). “This program is desperately needed by homeowners who are ‘underwater’ in their value and in danger of foreclosure,” said Carr, who praised the product managed by the U.S. Treasury Department as part of its Making Home Affordable initiative.
Requirements under this program include:
- Loan-to-values over 80%, with no upper limit
- A reduced interest rate as available under today’s terms
- A reduced mortgage term or more stable mortgage product
- Loan must have been purchased by FannieMae before June 1, 2009
- Owner-occupied if over 80%; Non-owner occupied and 2nd Homes available
under the “Non-HARP” condition at under 80% loan-to-values.
Carr also announced the addition of Shaun Hobbs as Underwriter. Hobbs most recently came from Wells Fargo Bank and has over 25 years’ experience in approving residential mortgage loans. “He will be a great addition to our super team and especially to our senior underwriter, Sean Warren,” Carr said. “This will bring our local underwriting staff to full capacity for approval of all loans in our office, emphasizing our belief that keeping mortgage applications processed and approved and funded in our local office is a distinct advantage unique to us.”
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April 23, 2012
Foundation Honors Campus Volunteers
Cuesta College Foundation hosted a reception for the Cuesta College 2012 Volunteer Award recipients on Thursday, April 19. Three community members and a trio of students were recognized for their invaluable service and commitment to the college. Cuesta Superintendent-President Gil Stork acted as master of ceremonies.
One of the three volunteers was our Division President Roxanne Carr. Quoting from the press release:
"Roxanne Carr will received the J. Vard Loomis for Distinguished Board Service Award, which recognizes the special dedication of members of the Cuesta College Foundation Board of Directors and/or the Cuesta College Board of Trustees. Carr, senior adviser with The Mortgage House Inc., has served on the Foundation board since 2004 and is its vice president of alumni relations. The licensed real estate broker served many years on the board of directors for the UCSB San Luis Obispo County Economic Forecast and advocates for the underserved via various community organizations."
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December 20, 2011
Longtime Business Leader Announces January 1st Retirement
The Mortgage House Division President Roxanne Carr will continue as senior advisor
Roxanne Carr, one of the trailblazers in the local mortgage lending industry, has announced her retirement effective Jan. 1, 2012. Carr helped found The Mortgage House in 1995 after more than 20 years with the then-ARCS Mortgage.
A Southern California native, Roxanne came to the Central Coast more than 30 years ago to establish an ARCS office in San Luis Obispo. Within three years, her operation was the highest performing of ARCS’ 59 nationwide branches. While at ARCS, she pioneered mortgage banking in the area, establishing FHA and VA lending and offering the area’s first reverse mortgages. She eventually rose to Western Regional Vice President for ARCS, overseeing some 29 branches and more than 300 employees.
Roxanne and her former boss at ARCS, Ira Cohen, along with Allen Satenberg, founded The Mortgage House in 1995, three dynamic and experienced mortgage professionals. The new mortgage banking firm offered clients a firm that was intentionally small, had impeccable integrity and a focus on close; personal service. It quickly became the community’s premier mortgage lending organization and, true to its founding principles, operated without being drawn into the “mortgage meltdown” that characterized many of its business competitors.
She says her company reflected her core beliefs and her fervent interest in helping people achieve the goal of home ownership. She has a special interest in women’s issues and has been a powerful public speaker on the topic.
Roxanne is also a sought-after leader, having served as a founding board member for the UCSB Economic Forecast Project and Mission Community Bank. She is the past president of San Luis Obispo Rotary Club and has served on the boards of numerous business and philanthropic organizations. She is a current member of the board of directors of the Cuesta College Foundation. She authored the successful “Ask Roxanne” columns that appeared in local newspapers for more than 10 years and has amassed nearly 500 columns and continues to receive questions from throughout the world.
Roxanne married well-known local architect Rod Levin 18 years ago. The couple makes their home in Shell Beach.
She has named Charlotte Storlie Vice President / Regional Manager to replace her at The Mortgage House, and will continue as a senior advisor for the firm.
Roxanne was interviewed by Dave Congalton on local radio station KVEC AM920 on December 20, 2011. To listen to her interview, click here to go to the show's podcast page, then scroll down to December 20, 2011. After the show loads, forward to 01:26:00 to start listening:
Roxanne Carr on the Dave Congalton Show
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November 2011
Mike Belezzuoli Returns to The Mortgage House 
Charlotte Storlie, VP and Central Coast Division Manager of The Mortgage House, the leading local mortgage banker based on the Central Coast, has announced the return of Mike Belezzuoli as a Loan Officer in its San Luis Obispo office. “This is so exciting for us,” she said, “because we all were so sorry to see Mike leave in 2007 after 6-1/2 years. Everyone loves him, and he is so talented.”
“Mike began his lending career at The Mortgage House in 2000, starting in an apprentice position as assistant to its top gun, Rolf Storlie, and continuing on as a Loan Officer as his experience grew,” Roxanne added. “He weathered many of our very unusual years in mortgage lending.” Soon after starting at The Mortgage House, Mike graduated from Cal Poly with a BA in Ag Business, with a concentration in Finance and Appraisal.
Mike added, “I left The Mortgage House to test the environment at a large lender. After spending a year at Wells Fargo and then as a mortgage broker, I am thrilled to be back amongst the old team. Everyone here is great, and I look forward to continuing to serve my clients with the best residential financing available.”
Mike can be reached by email at mikeb@themortgagehouse.com or by phone at 805-788-4488.
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August 2011
Homes for Heroes Program Announced in Temecula
A large group of well-wishers gathered on August 17th to help in a kickoff of the “Homes for Heroes™” program. Karen Davis, Affiliate Lender, VP of The Mortgage House and Lorraine Best, Affiliate Realtor® with taffeco Real Estate are assisted by Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Washington in a ceremonial cutting of the ribbon on the steps of the Temecula City Hall.
Many dignitaries were on hand to celebrate, including Tim Ritter, Temecula Valley School Superintendent, Jessica Bottrell, Affiliate for the North San Diego County and Jesse Salas, Affiliate for the South San Diego County Homes for Heroes™, Justine Loren, Miss Temecula 2011, County and City Sheriffs and Firefighters, U. S. Army Service personnel and members of the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The Mortgage House is the Riverside/San Diego County Homes for Heroes™ Affiliate Lender and Lorraine Best the designated Riverside County Affiliate Realtor® to assist in offering special discounts to qualified owners or buyers. A network of professionals, including real estate agents, mortgage loan officers, home inspection companies, etc. was created to offer savings on fees to show their appreciation for local heroes who serve and sacrifice for our communities and country. Homes for Heroes™ is a national, community-minded effort formed in 2002 after the September 11th tragedy in 2001.
More information can be obtained by calling Karen Davis, The Mortgage House, at (951) 695-2727 or Lorraine Best, taffeco Real Estate, at (951) 233-6334 or at www.HomesForHeroes.com.
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December 2009
The Mortgage House Announces New Staff Member
Growing During Difficult Financial Times
- Bob Bevan has just joined the loan officer staff in the San Luis Obispo office as a Reverse Mortgage Advisor, bringing over 27 years’ experience in real estate lending and Reverse Mortgages here on the Central Coast. After serving in Vietnam, he graduated from Cal Poly and has lived in the Arroyo Grande area with his wife and children for over 35 years.
- Raylene Gardner came on board in the San Luis Obispo office as a loan officer assistant/processor. She has over 19 years of mortgage processing experience, and is a valuable addition to the staff.
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Bob Bevan |
Charlotte Storlie, VP, Central Coast Division Manager, commented “we are very excited to have Bob and Raylene join our staff in San Luis Obispo office. Their industry experience will benefit our clients, making for easier, faster fundings. As a local direct mortgage lender, we are fortunate to be able to work very closely with our borrowers and help them select the right mortgages for their needs. This has kept us from having foreclosures and loans in default.”
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November 2008
Major Moves at The Mortgage House
Charlotte Storlie, VP, newly named Central Coast Division Manager of The Mortgage House, has had her hands full with the addition of good people and expansion when other mortgage lenders are having difficulties dealing with the current environment. Charlotte explained, “The Mortgage House has always had the philosophy of putting customers first, analyzing each of their unique situations and fully explaining all choices available to them before proceeding with any mortgage transaction. This has put us in the enviable position of not having foreclosure activity and a mass of bad loans during these trying times. We are fortunate to have worked very closely with our borrowers and hopefully helped them select the right mortgages for their needs.”
Charlotte continued with the announcement of two personnel changes:
- Martha Morales joined the loan officer staff at the Santa Maria office, bringing over five years’ experience in real estate lending and sales after eight years with two local banks. She grew up in Santa Maria, attended Righetti High, and joins Charles Motley, Branch Manager, in helping prospective homebuyers qualify for real estate owned properties selling quickly in the area.
- Shar Gregory was welcomed back as a loan officer in the San Luis Obispo office, to the delight of everyone there. She was gone for a brief time and sorely missed by the whole Team. Her conscientious approach to serving her clients is appreciated by everyone. Shar joins the origination group, along with the addition of Jeremy Patch as a Reverse Mortgage Specialist last month. Reverse mortgages are a key ingredient of the extensive experience and qualifications of loan officers at The Mortgage House.
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Shar Gregory |
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July 2008
Charlotte Storlie New Division Manager at The Mortgage House
Expanded Responsibilities for the Central Coast Offices
Roxanne Carr, Division President of The Mortgage House, the leading local mortgage banker, announced the appointment of Charlotte Storlie, VP, as the new Central Coast Division Manager.
Charlotte has worked with Roxanne Carr for nearly 25 years and will be responsible for all offices in the Central Coast, including the division headquarters at 1131 Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo. “She is extremely knowledgeable in every area of finance,” Roxanne says, “having done it all through the years of changes in the our industry, and she is perfect for the job.”
“The Mortgage House has been successful for being helpful, honest and there for our customers every step of the way,” Charlotte added. “I see this as an additional effort to further improve our services, and I am very excited about the opportunity. Our main objective has always been to help people get the right financing and relieve their anxieties for choosing appropriate, sensible financing for their purchases and refinances.
Carr points out that the Central Coast enjoys low unemployment, mortgage rates “still great” and the area which has a wide range of housing costs. She says all these factors add up to opportunities for buyers and sellers, especially in a real estate market as difficult as the present one. Roxanne added that this will allow her more time to seek additional expansion opportunities for the company, and emphasized that she will still be available to her personal clients.
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April 2008
The Mortgage House Honors Top Producers
Local Mortgage Banking Firm Staying Strong
The Mortgage House, the leading local mortgage banker based on the Central Coast, honored Rolf Storlie and Sam Cotton as its premier loan officers for 2007 with a special presentation on April 9th, 2008.
Roxanne Carr, Division President, one of the founders of the company in 1995, made the presentation and emphasized the company’s strength in the current uncertain mortgage market. She remarked, “Although we have had a decline in new business, as have other lending firms, we are proud that we have not suffered because of the subprime loans that were made by other companies to what might have been unqualified borrowers. We were very careful with all of the mortgages we offered and made, and took special care with any applicants who had dealt with recent credit problems.”
The Mortgage House team also recognized Charles Motley, Santa Maria branch manager, for celebrating the one-year anniversary of its new office located at 937 Main Street, Suite 2007.
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January 2008 
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July 2007
Roxanne Carr Installed As San Luis Obispo Rotary 2007-2008 President
Mortgage lender Roxanne Carr will lead the San Luis Obispo Rotary Club for the 2007-2008 year. The service club has some 150 members. Roxanne, Division President and Corporate Senior Vice President of The Mortgage House, Inc., became a Rotarian in 1991. She is married to Rod Levin, an architect who is also a San Luis Obispo Rotarian.
A Shell Beach resident, Roxanne becomes the 86th person to serve as president of the club. Her goals as president include a strong committment to "enhance our membership, emphasize our support of The Rotary Foundation - a foundation that does unbelievable good works in the area of polio eradication, health, hunger and education worldwide - and continue the community service of our great club in San Luis Obispo."
Rotary's motto is "Service Above Self" and the men and women who are members of the San Luis Obispo Rotary Club took that message to heart this past year, as they raised $157,240 for programs, scholarships and non-profit organizations. The money benefits a wide range of worthy projects such as The Jack House, which will get $10,000 for a new picket fence, to school scholarships totaling more than $23,000. At least sixteen non-profits were given allocations, as were seven projects that honored San Luis Obispo's Sesquicentennial. At Roxanne's first meeting in July, 2007, members showed their enthusiasm for another year of giving by pledging thousands of dollars to the President's Club. The San Luis Obispo Club is actively involved in Rotary's International endeavors, as well, reaching out to help in Compostela, Mexico, Malawi in Africa, and in the Philippines.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Some 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 31,000 clubs in nearly 200 countries. More information on Rotary is available at www.rotary.org.
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June 15, 2007
The Mortgage House Continues Growth
Rolf Storlie, VP at The Mortgage House in San Luis Obispo, announced the addition of Beverly Davis to its loan advisor staff. Beverly brings a short career in lending to the premier organization after several years of entrepreneurial endeavors, including freelancing for TV commercial productions for 20 years.
She champions issues pertaining to property rights and personal justice and is very involved in the community, notably Big Brothers Big Sisters, and gives a portion of her earnings to charities with every loan closing. She is currently serving as an Ambassador for the Arroyo Grande Chamber of Commerce, and says, "I know I am in the right place, with top quality people dedicated to doing what's right for the clients." Beverly has joined the division office at 1131 Monterey St and can be reached directly at 805-788-4461 or 805-709-6400.
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April 25, 2007
The Mortgage House Expands Office Locations 
Lending Experts Identify Strengths in Central Coast Real Estate Market
The Mortgage House, the leading local mortgage banker based on the Central Coast, is expanding its locations to make it easier for buyers to tap into continued low mortgage rates and quality inventory.
The newly added office is located at 361 Town Center West, #200, in Santa Maria. It joins our other locations in California in providing a wide range of programs in a customer friendly environment.
The shakeout in the sub-prime market - accompanied by headlines of lenders laying off workers and closing their doors - may lead some to wonder about the viability of real estate and expansion during an upheaval in the market. Roxanne Carr, Division President, points out that’s the difference between knowledgeable bankers with a history in the local market and those who jumped into an escalating market to make a killing. “Our decision to expand is based on decades of experience. We are growing because we have confidence in the future of real estate in this area. This is a vibrant, growing area and has all the qualities to merit long term optimism.”
Carr points out that the Central Coast enjoys low unemployment, mortgage rates are “still great” and the area has a wide range of housing costs. She says all these factors add up to opportunities for buyers and sellers.
The Mortgage House is a direct lender not a broker, a substantial benefit to clients since all the steps from application to funding are handled locally. The Mortgage House was formed in 1995 by Ira Cohen, Allen Satenberg and Roxanne Carr. Their goal was to create a service oriented local mortgage banking organization. The philosophy of putting the customer first has vaulted the group into one of the most trusted lending companies in the west.
Roxanne Carr, author of the popular Ask Roxanne column, receives stacks of emails each week from people with real estate and lending questions. She is available for interviews to answer questions about: what programs are available to buyers with little or no down, the economic forecast for Central Coast real estate, the aftermath of the sub-prime meltdown, interest rate forecasts, how to select a lender, and the pitfalls of applying for loans on the internet.
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April 24, 2006
Earth Day is Celebrated at The Mortgage House...
...in a unique way. A collection of human-powered electrical vehicles, some referred to as velomobiles, were displayed at The Mortgage House parking lot and drew many curious and interested people in San Luis Obispo...quadricycles, electric cycle cars and many other transportation devices friendly to the environment were involved.
The group drew visitors from all over San Luis Obispo, and the riders were roundly applauded as they left town going down Higuera Street in the afternoon on Saturday, April 22, 2006.
Although velomobiles are currently being used by some people in Europe as a practical and environmentally responsible means of personal transportation there are very few being used in North America. Many people are aware that the supply of fossil fuels is finite and their overuse has negative environmental consequences, however, relatively few are aware of the imminence of Hubbert's Peak (aka Peak Oil). Alternate solutions to our total dependence on fossil fuels are required in the very near future. The velomobile can play a role as part of the solution here in North America.
The vehicles may be viewed on the website: www.velomobiles.net and is intended as a resource for those who are just curious, the prospective velomobile homebuilder, as well as the individual considering purchasing a commercially produced road-ready machine.
Frederik van de Walle wrote his master’s degree thesis on the adoption of the velomobile as practical transport- a document which might significantly advance how we think about velomobiles and how they are perceived.
For more information, contact Michael Fitzgibbons at The Mortgage House, Inc. 805-782-6944 or 800-644-4030.
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 April 2006
The Mortgage House Is Offering Much More Than Just Loans
The Mortgage House was formed in June of 1995 by Ira Cohen, Allen Satenberg and Roxanne Carr, coming together to establish a mortgage banking organization dedicated to honesty and service. It has continued to grow and Roxanne Carr, Division President of The Mortgage House, says, “We attribute our success to the fact that we have a one-on-one, hands-on service with each client. The Mortgage House is also the actual lender (not a broker), directly responsible for the financing.” Roxanne Carr has always done things differently to give clients a compelling reason to do business with her and her firm. Before turning her talents and energies to The Mortgage House, she was the West Coast Regional Vice President for ARCS Mortgage, Inc, one of the nation's leading mortgage bankers. Under her leadership, ARCS was recognized as the #1 mortgage lender in San Luis Obispo County and the company reigned as one of the nation’s leading lenders.
“I am pleased to announce an affiliation that will truly bring our clients homebuying experience full circle through the synergy and cooperation of two leading firms in San Luis Obispo County,” says Roxanne. The Mortgage House, for a limited time is paying for moving services exclusively with Meathead Movers, Inc., for all clients who qualify under certain criteria set by The Mortgage House. Meathead Movers has grown to become the largest moving company in the Tri-Counties and has won every local award possible for being the biggest and best moving company. Meathead Movers hires student athletes from the local college and each employee is professionally trained before they move any furniture. These movers are paid more money when items are not damaged and when clients give them high customer service ratings on the post-job survey. Meathead Movers is known for their hustle and their breakage to move ratio is 7 times less than the national moving industry average.
“The Mortgage House has been successful for being helpful, honest and there for our customers every step of the way. I see this as an additional effort to further ease the anxiety of a purchase and move by joining with a top-notch, customer-first company. It has never been done before, and I love it!” says Rolf Storlie, VP-Regional Manager of TMH-SLO Division.
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September 30, 2005
The Mortgage House Continues Growth
Continuing its expansion in the County, The Mortgage House announced a new hire: Michael Fitzgibbons as a Loan Officer in San Luis Obispo.
 Michael joined The Mortgage House after working on Monterey Street for nearly a quarter century. He started with Bello’s Sports and recently completed nearly 15 years as sales manager of Smith Volvo/Lotus. Prior to joining the TMH team, Michael opened a satellite office for Murphy Bank and specialized in mobile home loans. In 2003, he completed his Bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly and was accepted to the Master’s program in Counseling Psychology. He says,“ I will bring the fun of the automotive world, the compassion of the therapist’s office, and the portfolio of products offered by The Mortgage House to everyone’s front door.”
Rolf Storlie, VP-Regional Loan Manager of The Mortgage House, SLO County, announced these new additions to its team, and remarked, “I am so pleased that we able to continue our growth with these talented new people. They have great potential, and we are excited about their success with our fabulous group. Our business has been steadily increasing with the level of purchase volume in the County, and they will be kept very busy helping our clients.”
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