With more than 100 years in the community, Peoples Bank has seen its share of market ups and downs. The recent interest rate hikes have challenged borrowing in a way not seen for many years. Dedicated to a higher level of service, the Peoples Bank mortgage lending team is committed to serving Whatcom County today and for years to come.
Peoples Bank’s Jennifer Evans Thompson, Director of Mortgage Banking, and Gina Walsh, Real Estate Local Production Manager, discuss how their lenders provide expertise and one-on-one customer support in each of the communities they serve while reassuring these communities that they are here to stay.
“We’re not going anywhere,” says Jennifer. “Our doors aren’t going to shut because the mortgage market is volatile. Our lending team is stable and can weather changes in the market because it has the backing of Peoples Bank.”
Locally owned and operated, Peoples Bank is known for its “people first” commitment. “Our lenders are caring and professional. They genuinely have the customer’s best interests in mind because they want them to succeed,” explains Jennifer. “We work together as a team to deliver a positive experience to our customers.”
It’s not every team that can claim to have a legacy of experience to rival the Bank’s own history. Together, the nine lenders on the Whatcom County real estate lending team have a combined 186 years of experience.
This experience also enables People Bank to maintain its loan servicing in-house. Loans remain at the Bank and will not be sold unless requested. Borrowers can have their payments taken directly out of their account, or they can come into any branch to make a payment. If a customer has a question about their loan, the team is on-site and available to work with them.
Gina emphasizes that the Bank is focused on creating relationships for the long term. “Peoples Bank offers a full-service financial relationship that covers every aspect of life. We might have your checking account, as well as a checking account for your teen and a credit card for when they go off to college. If you own a business, we have business banking and the ability to find a commercial loan. When you’re ready to buy a home, our mortgage lending team is here to assist.”
The mortgage lending team is also unique in that – of its nine members – five of them have been promoted from within the Bank. Those with retail experience have a much broader snapshot of what’s going on in a customer’s life. With that perspective, for example, they might put together a deal in a different way because they have the insight to set up a loan for success.
The commitment to Whatcom County spreads beyond the Bank’s doors into the community. Every member of the real estate lending team volunteers locally, with strong support from the Bank. They participate in Feed the Hungry events, volunteer with local veterans’ groups, and assist adults with disabilities and older adults. They serve on the boards of nonprofits and with local advisory groups. Gina, who volunteers with the Anacortes Family Center, appreciates that the Bank offers paid time off for volunteering.
Peoples Bank and its mortgage lending team remain committed to its customers and communities, regardless of market conditions. “We’ve been around for more than 100 years,” says Jennifer. “We’ve been in a down market before. Not only do we know how to survive that kind of market – or any type of market –but we know how to do it and stay strong.”
Equal Housing Lender