Often, experiences in life become the reason a person excels at their profession. Take, for example, Jill Allen, Burleson branch manager for Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation.
“I bought a house in 1995, and it was a horrible experience. Having my down payment and closing costs change by $2,000 at the last minute was hard,” Jill recalled. “After we closed, my mom put $20 under a magnet, so I could buy diapers.”
Jill began as a bank teller while in college at Texas Wesleyan University. “After I graduated in 1994, I moved to mortgage. I’d had a baby. I needed the flexibility, and I needed money to pay bills.”
Then came her bad experience buying a house as a single mom. She became determined to do her best to make sure others avoided such misfortune.
“It’s not about the money,” she said. “It’s about the people.”
As for what separates her and Fairway from other mortgage companies, she said, “Not everyone fits in a box. A mortgage line is the biggest transaction most people have. It’s easy to forget what it was like to be on the other side, but I’ve been there, and I remember very well.”
In fact, Jill was there again not too long ago — twice. She had a home built in Burleson, close to where she grew up in Joshua, and relocated her branch from Arlington, where she officed for almost a decade.
“In 2015, my son graduated high school and went to college in New York. I was single. I decided to build a house in Old Town,” she said. “But during construction, I met someone and got married.”
Hence, the house suddenly became too small. Now, she and her husband live in Egan, where they moved in December.
“We love it here,” she said of the Burleson area. “I drive by my childhood home every day.”
Jill moved her offices to Burleson in May 2018. She hesitated at first, not wanting to uproot her employees who worked in Arlington for so long. However, they fully supported the move. It has been a beneficial one.
“It’s been wonderful. We have people in and out all the time,” she said. “Burleson is a great place to do business. Everyone is so friendly, and there’s a small-town charm.”
Jill joined Fairway 10 years ago. She simply liked that their mode of thinking was in line with hers — finding ways to help people achieve their dream of home ownership in the smoothest and most comfortable way possible.
“Fairway was one of my clients when they were tiny. I was friends with the CEO, Steve Jacobson. He left a larger mortgage company to start Fairway. He and about 10 other people decided they wanted to do things differently,” Jill said.
The company’s philosophy is quite simple. The better they can make someone’s life, the better they are doing their job. “It’s not about the loans we close. It’s about the lives we change along the way,” Steve said.
Now, several members of Jill’s family also work for Fairway. One of her sisters is a loan officer in Jill’s office. Another sister works in the corporate office, and her son, Hayden, works in the marketing department of the corporate office in Carrollton.
“I’ve gotta say, it’s a great feeling to have them share this with me,” Jill said. “We’re a big family here at Fairway, and our job is to make your family happy.”
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Jill Allen, Burleson Branch Manager, NMLS #982854
240 E. Renfro St., Ste. 104
Burleson, TX 76028
Office: (469) 252-6685 • Cell: (817) 366-4390
[email protected]
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Saturdays by appointment.
Written by Rick Mauch
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