When Kevin Gillis started his career in mortgage lending 31 years ago, he handled many loans for newlyweds and couples with babies on the way. Now, he’s taking care of loans for their adult children.
“I understand that mortgages play a significant role in people’s overall wealth management strategy,” says Gillis, senior vice president of strategic growth/vice president of mortgage lending with Guaranteed Rate. “I work closely with clients and their advisors to provide mortgage solutions tailored to their individual needs, comfort level and long-term investment goals.”
At the advice of his brothers, Gillis began working in the industry during college, and pursued his career full-time after graduation. Since 2008, he has been among Scotsman Guide’s Top 1% of Mortgage originators and for the past four consecutive years, Guaranteed Rate’s Chairman’s Circle and Presidents Club.
Dedicated to providing clients a high level of service, the team leader provides detailed answers to their questions and will get them pre-approved any time of day. To give borrowers a competitive advantage, he encourages them to do a full, upfront underwrite while they’re still shopping for a home. “It conveys to the realtor that we can move quickly and accommodate the sellers whenever they want to close,” says Gillis. “We just closed a jumbo loan in 18 days, so the borrowers could celebrate Christmas in their new house.”
Gillis is most proud of having a strong year during the biggest rate increase in three decades. He credits his success to viewing the tough market as an opportunity to gain more market share and differentiate himself from competitors. “I learned a lot more about the bond market and was able to time a volatile market very well,” he says. “I slept well at night, knowing I locked a lot of loans at the right time and consistently got the best deals for my clients.”
Guaranteed Rate, Inc. is a private corporation organized under the laws of the state of Delaware. It has no affiliation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any other government agency.
