Confessions of a Career
Mortgage Professional
I
By Jayson Stebbins
Mortgage Professional
Jayson Stebbins is a 23 year
veteran of the Mortgage
Banking industry and an
Accredited Mortgage
Professional through the
Mortgage Bankers Association.
He grew up in Morgan
Hill and currently lives in
Gilroy. He is the local Branch
Manager of Guild Mortgage,
a 56 year old Mortgage
Banking firm. His office is in
Morgan Hill and serves all of
Santa Clara, San Benito, and
Monterey counties. You can
reach Jayson and his Team at
408-782-8800 or at jsteb-
bins@guildmortgage.net
realized just recently that the Spring
of 2016 marks 23 years that I have
been in the Mortgage Business. That is
a long time. I have been working in this
industry now over half my life and longer
(just barely) than I have been married.
That has caused me to reflect on our
industry. It is so different from when I
started, but very much the same. Too
many “refinance booms” to count. Too
many “housing slowdowns” to count.
One major mortgage meltdown, and one
is plenty I think.
My first job in the mortgage business
when I was 21 was as a Facilities Clerk.
I did mail runs, fixed things around the
office, ran original notes to and from the
warehouse banks, and tried to learn as
much as I could. After asking a lot of
questions and showing some initiative, I
was trained by a forward-thinking men-
tor and learned how to evaluate credit,
assess risk, and underwrite loans. That
lead to my wife and I packing our things
and moving to Austin, Texas to open a
new mortgage office in a new market.
From scratch. With no clients.
When we landed in Austin in 1994
the industry was just coming out of
a refinance boom, rates had jumped
significantly, the markets had dried up,
and Texas Mortgage Brokers were tired of
California companies coming into their
state. We worked hard to win them over,
hired great people, and built a nice little
office. Then corporate came calling and
we came back to the Bay Area to help
grow the company on a national footprint.
Back in 1994 the business was a
lot like it is now. Full documentation,
sometimes too many requests for paper-
work, tough appraisals, tough guidelines,
difficult times for the self-employed
or the unique client. The deterioration
of common sense and guidelines, and
abuse that led to the mortgage meltdown
claimed the company I worked for as
one of its casualties. After 15 years I
found myself unemployed and wondering
what to do in an industry in flux. So my
business partners and I decided to open
an office in our hometown of Morgan
Hill to serve our local communities. After
years on the road growing a national
company, we decided to stay small and
local, and we opened our office of Guild
Mortgage. From scratch. With no clients.
Now we can celebrate eight years
of growth, and our local office ranking
among the Top Five in the state. We can
celebrate helping thousands of home-
buyers or refinance clients in that time
period. My team and I can celebrate our
recent designation to the Top 1% of Loan
Officers in the nation, Circle of Honor
and Presidents Club recognitions from our
parent company, and an overall joy in our
jobs day in and day out.
This is not just my job, or my career.
It is my passion. I love my job. And while
this industry continues to evolve, I am
grateful for everything I have learned in
23 years. And I look forward to what
additional growth and learning lies ahead.
Jayson Stebbins is a licensed mortgage agent in CA for Guild Mortgage Company NMLS#38463;
Licensed by CA Disclosure:Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California
Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS Company Unique ID 3274; Branch Unique ID 38480.
The postings on this editorial don’t necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of Guild
Mortgage Company or its affiliates. This information is not guaranteed to be accurate and shall not
be construed as a guarantee of loan approval. All loans are subject to underwriter approval, and are
subject to change without notice. Equal Housing Lender.
66
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
MAY/JUNE 2016
gmhtoday.com