The C-Suite

The C-Suite

Nancy Skinner

President and Partner A Mortgage Boutique

A Mortgage Boutique, based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was founded with the goal of providing a “smaller and better” community mortgage lender in contrast to the larger lenders.

Nancy Skinner

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is knowing how many people we have allowed the opportunity of the “American Dream” of homeownership. From first time homebuyers to people upsizing or downsizing their homes to refinances to help a household lower their monthly payments or a cash out refinance to payoff bills or make improvements to their property, knowing we have helped these people obtain their goals makes me feel that we have accomplished our job. A home is probably the biggest investment a person will make in their lifetime; we want to make sure we fit the borrower in the best loan program for their needs and make sure they understand and are comfortable with the process from beginning to end.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge facing the mortgage banking industry in 2021?

I think we will be facing several challenges in the mortgage industry in 2021. With a new presidential administration coming into office in January to the continuing effects of the COVID pandemic, there are a lot of unknowns. Will rates remain low? Will guidelines be relaxed? Is there going to continue to be an inventory shortage? All these things have a significant impact on the mortgage industry, and while economists can make educated guesses, they are still in fact guesses. We have faced challenges in the mortgage industry for as long as it has been around, to include “Black Monday” in October 1987 to the mortgage meltdown beginning in 2007, but we have always found a way to come back with better opportunities for our borrowers with less risk for all involved.

What time do you get up in the morning?

5:30 a.m.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Pet my cats.

What is your mantra?

Everything happens for a reason.

What is on your desk?

Desk planner, phone, and notebooks.

What is your best habit?

What time to you go to bed?9:30 – 10:00 p.m.

What is the last thing you do at night?

Pet my cats.

Amit Haller

Co-Founder and CEO Reali

Reali is a mortgage lender with 153 employees and is headquartered in San Mateo, California with an engineering team based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Amit Haller

What is the most rewarding thing about your position?

I get to create and direct life-changing products for the entire homeownership journey with an incredible team. Seeing how Reali impacts people's lives daily, and driving results for the consumer, is what keeps me going. Buying and selling a home and the process of getting a mortgage are the most stressful transactions in someone's life. Being able to provide a stress-free and simplified process while saving customers money is very rewarding.

What do you think the biggest challenge the industry is facing in 2021?

2021 is a great year to demonstrate the need for a super-efficient process. Fragmentation throughout the real estate and financing process in the industry today is our biggest challenge. With many service providers and regulatory agencies handling different tasks, customers pay the price for inefficiency. Interest rates will continue to stay low and drive demand by the consumer. If mortgage bankers cannot keep up with demand or develop an efficient process, the disruptors will come.

What time do you get up?

I get up at 5 a.m. every weekday; on weekends, I sleep in later.

What is the first thing you do in the morning?

The very first thing I do is let my dog Padfoot out while I fix my first of many espressos for the day. Another 15 espressos are still to come throughout the day until midnight.

What is your mantra?

My mantra is: ask why five times. Asking why is highly important as you are problem-solving and looking to disrupt. Often, the reality and the perception of something may be very different. The only way to understand is to keep digging in. To me, why? is the most important question in life.

What is on your desk?

My trusty Space Gray MacBook Pro.

What time do you go to bed?

Midnight.

What is your best habit?

My best habit is the ability to look at the glass half full in any situation, both in my professional and personal lives.

What is the last thing you do at night?

I drink one last espresso right before my head hits the pillow. It relaxes me and helps me fall asleep.