Good Neighbor Podcast: Fort Collins
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Fort Collins. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Nick George helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around Fort Collins, Colorado.
Is your business serving the residents of Fort Collins? Then, we need to talk! Visit gnpFortCollins.com to schedule your free interview.
Good Neighbor Podcast: Fort Collins
Unlocking Mortgage Myths with Kimberly Mashek
Ever wondered why banks turn down your mortgage application while others get approved? The answer might be simpler than you think. Mortgage broker Kimberly Mashek reveals the hidden truths of home financing that traditional lenders won't tell you.
After 18 years as an accountant, Kimberly found her true calling helping people navigate the complex world of mortgages. With access to over 250 lenders, she specializes in finding solutions for clients who've been told "no" elsewhere. "If you get denied somewhere, always hit me up," she encourages, "but come to me first."
The conversation shatters common mortgage myths that prevent many from pursuing homeownership. Think your credit score is too low? Kimberly works with programs accepting scores as low as 500. Worried about your recent job change or bankruptcy? These may not be the roadblocks you imagine. Perhaps most surprising: your college years actually count toward employment history when qualifying for a mortgage if you're working in a related field.
What truly sets Kimberly apart is her accessibility. While banks close at 5 PM, she's answering calls at 9:30 PM because "that's when people are off work or trying to look into this sort of stuff." This commitment extends to her diverse service offerings—from first-time homebuyer programs to VA loans, construction financing, and even commercial mortgages.
Ready to discover what's possible with your home financing? Connect with Kimberly Mashek at 308-249-6441 or find her on social media and at MASHMortgagePros.com, Licensed in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Florida, and Texas, she's breaking down barriers to homeownership one client at a time.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Nick George.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a good mortgage person? Well, one might be closer than you think. Today I have the great pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, kimberly Masek, with Nexa Mortgage. Kimberly, how's it going? Good, how are you today? Good, tell us all about your mortgage business.
Speaker 3:Well, I am a mortgage broker, so a lot of people don't know what that means. But basically what that means is I can shop out the deals for you, so get you the best deal possible, no matter what the situation is. I have over 250 lenders to shop out. So if you get denied somewhere maybe you started somewhere else always hit me up, but come to me first. I prefer that, but I'm available all the time. As a mortgage broker. I'm not a nine to five. I'm not like your typical banks, so I'm available. I'm not a nine to five. I'm not like your typical banks, so I'm available evenings and weekends, when a lot of people are typically shopping, and I do answer my phone. So I've been hearing a lot of times lately that people aren't getting calls back from their lender or their broker or whatever, and I find that crazy. So if you want somebody who's got your back, come to me.
Speaker 2:How did you end up here? How did you become a mortgage broker in the first place? Where'd you start?
Speaker 3:Long story short, my background is accounting, so I was an accountant for 18 years approximately and I kind of was just getting burnt out on it. And so I was talking to my friend at one point who owns his own business and mortgage, and he was talking to me about it and kind of convinced me to sign up or take a look at it at least, and so I did. I was planning on making it a part-time gig. This was during COVID 2020. So I was like you know, I could use something else in my life and so, long story short, I was like you know, I could use something else in my life and so, long story short, I was planning to move over to a brewery and do operations or finance there, and during COVID, of course, all that changed and so they alternated what they were looking for and kind of internally hired that position, which was great.
Speaker 3:I passed my test to do this and got laid off my job the very next week. So the part time position kind of turned into full time and I've loved it ever since. I was not a my personality is not a behind the desk type person. I'm very much people oriented and I love helping people, so this kind of fell into my lap at the right time. I wish sooner to be honest, and here we are.
Speaker 2:Well, you have a great attitude for jumping into the industry at a time that was not its bright spot right as far as interest rates, so you cut your teeth on learning all of this at a time that wasn't an easy time for mortgage brokers.
Speaker 3:Well, it actually was super easy because interest rates were in the twos and threes and people were buying and refining like crazy. So I got thrown into the fire pretty much.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay, I thought that you started after those good times were over.
Speaker 3:No, I started right in the middle of it all, which was great. It kind of taught me what busy can be and what it can look like.
Speaker 2:Right. What are some myths or misconceptions in your industry?
Speaker 3:I would say that it's hard to get into a mortgage and that we always know what the interest rates are. I wish I knew what the interest rates were going to be in a couple of weeks, because I get that question all the time and I love that question. But if I knew that answer, I probably would not be doing this role. I'd be a millionaire and then hard to get into? It's really not. I'd be a millionaire and then hard to get into it's really not.
Speaker 3:If you have the right person, you know to kind of hold your hand, walk you through it, which is kind of my favorite part is repeat it 20 times, I don't care. I like having that knowledge with my client and however much they want to grasp on or hold onto is fine. I think the misconception, the biggest one, is that it's hard to get into and there's a lot of paperwork and there's all this stuff that comes into it. But our applications and whatnot are all online. You can upload documents directly at the end or to a Google Drive or however you prefer, and the hard part's on me, it shouldn't be on you.
Speaker 2:What about from the customer's perspective? What are some concerns that you dispel that customers have before they ever get to talk to you about calling a mortgage person?
Speaker 3:Well, I think a couple big ones are I just graduated from college. I don't have a job yet. I can't get qualified for anything and I that's completely opposite. Your, your student career, like your four, six years, however long it took actually counts towards your um, your two years history of work, if you're in fact going into that, that same career you know um. Another thing is you know I declared bankruptcy or I just started a new job, or my FICO score is too low.
Speaker 3:We can go down to a 550 in some cases, 580 in a lot of others, and I'm actually talking to somebody right now for a down payment assistance loan at a 580. So don't think that you can't. I guess the biggest thing I would say to people is just call, whether it's me or somebody else that you may know. Call and ask, because you never know, and even if you can't get approved right now, we can help get you on the right path, whether that's paying down certain debts which a lot of people think they have to pay everything completely off. People think they have to pay everything completely off. Sometimes that's not the case. So give me or someone you know, call and and just see where you're at. You never know.
Speaker 2:We know that marketing is the heart of every business and we also know that in your business sometimes we just have to call leads that we get. But are you marketing yourself actively outside of the lead process and how are you doing that now and who is your target client, your target demographic?
Speaker 3:I probably could do better marketing myself. Um, I'm not one that likes to do selfies and videos a whole lot, but I've gotten better with that on my youtube channel and whatnot. I don't typically market to anyone specific. I don't like to put myself in a box because we can do so many different products and programs that I don't like to. I don't like to hinder that in the fact of I don't want people to think I just do that. So I help first time home buyers, I help veterans, I help people in rural areas, I help people looking to actually build, because we have one time close which includes construction. So reverse, I mean we have it all. So I don't really I don't really like to market to a specific person. When I do my posts and stuff on social, I usually am all over the place with it, in a sense, of what I offer. So again, if there's a need for a mortgage loan or even commercial I do commercial as well Just reach out and ask, because you never know.
Speaker 2:Oh, you do do commercial as well. That's good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, not many mortgage brokers can, but I have the ability here at Nexa to be able to do that.
Speaker 2:So, and for those of you that don't know, nexa is spelled N-E-X-A. Yes, he's got the shirt on.
Speaker 3:It's backwards in here, but you know.
Speaker 2:Kim, we have you ever thought about doing your own podcast?
Speaker 3:You know I haven't. Like I said, I started YouTube channel which, unfortunately, I haven't been as consistent as I would like to with just information, educational stuff about different programs and how you can get yourself to that approval stage, and you know things of that nature that I try to post every other week. I'm not like I'm not super great at being consistent with it lately, but yeah, podcasts I haven't. I have a hard time thinking of what to say sometimes and where to start, so no, that's the beauty, I'm guessing once you.
Speaker 3:yeah, I was like I'm guessing once you, once you start it, then maybe you get people asking questions, which then leads to the next sort of thing. So I should consider that a little bit more. What do you do for fun? Oh boy, anything outside. That's why I'm not looking forward to this colder weather. I like to golf sand volleyball is huge part of our life Patio breweries I'm pretty active, so I like to trail run and hike and all of those things. I've started getting back into the volunteer realm, so just anything outdoors you could find me doing probably.
Speaker 2:Kim, what is one major takeaway that people should remember about our podcast today regarding you and Nexa?
Speaker 3:Well, I would just say that I am always available for you. I know I'm not supposed to say that people are always like don't ever say that, don't pick up your phone after a certain time. But unfortunately, you know, I've answered calls at nine, nine, 30 at night before, because that's when people are off work or or trying to look into this sort of stuff. Um, and then also, just don't think that you can't do it. Uh, cause I've gotten.
Speaker 3:I've talked to quite a few of my, of my leads who were kind of pushing me off, pushing me off saying I can't do it right now and I'm like, why, if you don't mind me asking why, and they'll tell me. And you know I one of them was credit score. They thought that they were too low. And the other one is like, well, I got denied by a bank, so I can't do it. And I was like, well, they can't do what I can do, so let's take a look. So you know, if you're looking to buy and you know, think maybe you can't just give me a call and we can chat about it and maybe you're right, maybe you have to wait a little bit, but maybe you aren't right and you can get into how sooner than you think.
Speaker 2:Kim, what are all of the ways that people can learn about and get in touch with you on social media, website and the old fashioned way?
Speaker 3:touch with you on social media website and the old fashioned way. Well, I definitely have all the socials Insta, facebook, all that. I have a Facebook page as well, called MASH Mortgage Pros, so they can get on there and learn a few things. There's some Q&A on there. There's a calendar link where you can set up a time with me, but I don't require that. If you've got questions, reach out, text me, email me, call me. If I'm not available, I'm very quick to call you back as soon as I have a free chance. And what's a good phone number? 308-249-6441. Nebraska number. That's where I was born and raised and, by the way, I am licensed in States other than Colorado. I'm also in Wyoming, nebraska, florida and Texas. So you know, if you've got friends and family in those areas that are looking as well, I would love to help them.
Speaker 2:And guys, the last name, Meshack, is spelled. That can't see this on video is spelled M-A-S-H-E-K and Kim. We really appreciate you being on the show and we wish you and Nexa Mortgage the very best moving forward.
Speaker 3:Well, I appreciate you having me on here today. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:It was great to be on and chat with you a little bit. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpfortcollinscom. That's gnpfortcollinscom. Or call 970-438-0108.