DOWNHOME MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS

BY LISA GORDON

Nicole George was born and bred in Newfoundland and has no plans to leave – unless she’s going on vacation.

Growing up in Mount Pearl, southwest of St. John’s, George made a conscious decision to pursue her bachelor’s of business administration on the other side of the island, at Memorial University in Corner Brook. There, she earned her degree and learned how to snowboard at nearby Marble Mountain Ski Resort.

When she returned home, her father, Lawrence George, asked her to join APlus Mortgage Group, the company he’d founded in 2007. As a full-time financial advisor, he’d branched into mortgages when he realized he was always sending clients to the banks.

“He said, ‘Just try it. See how you feel about being a mortgage broker.’ He wanted me to try it and that was 13 years ago,” laughed George, who became a franchise owner in 2011. “I can’t imagine my life any other way.”

Today, the St. John’s-based brokerage is part of Pineapple Atlantic, and George is a co-owner helping to oversee a team of 24 mortgage brokers spread across the four Atlantic provinces.

She loves the freedom the job provides.

“My dad gifted me with the opportunity to have a career and personal freedom while still helping people,” she reflected. “It offers me a really well-balanced life. I can be anywhere in the world and do the thing I love, which is helping people buy homes.”

As a self-described “people person,” George also enjoys the opportunity to meet new people across her home province, drawing on her experience and knowledge of Corner Brook and other areas to fund mortgages across Newfoundland.

“I get to meet so many people that I’d never come across normally,” she continued. “It’s so rewarding to see the people who really need your help buy a house or get rid of their debt. Plus, thanks to my experience living on the other side of the island, I know the demographics and I can lend outside the St. John’s city centre. I know how diverse this province can be in terms of the people, landscape and jobs.”

George believes the mortgage industry is truly unique. Instead of cutthroat competition, she feels it’s characterized by an inclusive atmosphere that welcomes everyone, while truly empowering women.

But the job isn’t stress-free.

“It can be very stressful sometimes,” she said. “We’re trying to help people and we never want to let them down. I myself carry a lot of that stress with me. And, our job isn’t 9 to 5. It’s 24/7, and as mortgage brokers we pride ourselves on being reachable and accessible.”

Regardless, success always outweighs the stress. Recently, George helped a client keep the family home he thought he was going to have to sell. Another client was spared from filing for bankruptcy. In both cases, alternative lenders saved the day. George said it’s the access to multiple lenders that sets mortgage brokers apart from the banks.

“I think we’re going to see a lot of growth in Newfoundland, and in Canada as a whole, as consumers become aware of what we can do,” she said. “A lot of people are carrying a lot of debt. The way the stress test is now, I do think the mortgage broker industry will be the solution a lot of borrowers turn to. I also think we’ll see the banks realize how important the broker channel is.”

Still, George knows it’s not possible to help every single client – but she’s resolved to learn from each of those experiences.

“I can’t always get the approval somebody needs. Sometimes, I am going to let people down, but it’s about learning and changing my approach, changing my processes... finding a different solution to make sure that doesn’t happen again. With constant improvement, I’m always going to be a different Nicole next year than I am this year.”

She said her professional growth has been enabled by her network of mentors and colleagues, including her father, who, “as a financial person, he was able to help me see things in a deal that I’d never have seen before. Such as, consolidating debt can be more beneficial than a straight renewal.”

Christa Mitchell, chief strategy officer at Pineapple, has also been an invaluable connection since the day George started in the business.

“I have a lot of mentors spread throughout the community. I’m fortunate to have a circle of people around me with varying careers in the mortgage industry. We are a real community spread over different networks, and we help each other.”

Recently, George became more involved with the work of the CMBA by volunteering her time to participate in educational initiatives. She’s also active in other industry associations, as well as in her community.

“I do a lot of volunteer work with the Canadian Cancer Society, primarily sitting on the board and helping them do regional festivals and events,” she said. “Before the pandemic, I ran a daffodil table every year.”

In her spare time, she and her dog, George (“yes, George George!”) embark on many adventures close to home, although travelling beyond provincial boundaries is always a lure.

“Travelling is the key to my heart. It helps me change and grow and see a different side of the world. I’m not hard to please; just give me a plane ticket!”

Despite the pull of new sights and sounds, George is true to her Newfoundland roots and her personal values.

“I always knew Newfoundland is where I wanted to settle, where I wanted to live,” she concluded. “I think it’s important to always stay true to yourself and what you want and value. That’s what will attract people to you. I think it works.”