First County Mortgage

REAL ESTATE

First County Mortgage Sarah Brown, Katie Blocker & Rachel Scott

Tucked away on Main Street in what looks like a home are three ladies – and a team of support people – who will not only help you find a home, finance it, and close on it, but, through the entire process, will make you feel “at home.” Katie Blocker, Rachel Scott and Sarah Brown work for affiliate companies under New Millennium Residential Services, offering expertise in the interwoven roles they play in the business. Blocker is the Culpeper Branch Leader with CENTURY 21 New Millennium, the real estate arm of the trio. Scott is a Loan Officer with First County Mortgage and Brown is a settlement agent with Bay County Settlements. “Having these companies together under one roof takes our clients from start to finish, in one seamless process,” said Blocker. “We’re a one-stop shop,” added Scott. CENTURY 21 New Millennium, First County Mortgage, and Bay County Settlements – with over 20 offices in Virginia, Maryland and DC and over 20 years of experience - bring vast resources to the table. Yet the teamwork of the Culpeper branch allows Blocker, Scott and Brown to personalize the process for clients facing one of the most daunting financial decisions of their lives. Scott, who started with the company in 2011 and began primarily as a transaction coordinator, takes clients under her wing first, discovering what their needs are, determining what types of loans best suit their budget, even offering help if they need to raise their credit score before applying. “My favorite part of working here is educating clients, demystifying the process so that they feel confident making decisions,” said Scott. Blocker began as a real estate agent with CENTURY 21 New Millennium in 2016 and took over as Culpeper Branch Leader in March 2020. She pairs clients with one of the office’s many top-notch real estate agents who, armed with pre-approval and budget parameters, utilize New Millennium’s powerful online tools and system to begin their search. Together, they narrow down likes and dislikes, tour properties, write purchase offers and negotiate contracts. “I love seeing the joy on folks’ faces when they find that perfect home, especially when they’re first-time homebuyers,” Blocker said. Brown — who has been in the industry since birth when her parents carried her around job sites in a sling — takes the ratified contract, initiates title searches for liens and judgments and follows the transaction through to closing. Once cleared, Scott processes the loan and Brown brings the clients in for closing. The three ladies work hand in hand and side by side. “How great is it that if you have a question, you can walk down the hall and get it answered immediately!” said Blocker. “At closing, if the client doesn’t understand something about the loan, we can ask Rachel to come into the room to clarify it for us,” said Brown. NM Management and its subsidiaries have won multiple awards for customer service both office-wide and for individual real estate agents. The Washington Post has consistently voted them one of the best places to work among mid to large companies for the past five years running. Yet the focus of these three ladies is still on a personal level with the clients they serve, utilizing the company’s strengths to tailor a trouble-free experience for them in their quest to feel at home.