Orlando, FL – June 23, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — On Friday, June 12, Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) honored top-producing lenders for its First Time Home Buyer program during the Sixth Annual Lenders Appreciation Awards Dinner held at the Peabody Orlando Hotel. The honorees, who work at banking and financial institutions across the state, helped more than 3,300 Floridians become homeowners last year, using resources and programs from Florida Housing.
Florida Housing’s Executive Director, Steve Auger, gave an “affordable housing” update and thanked all of the lenders for the important work they do in helping families achieve the “American Dream” of homeownership.
“I want to take this opportunity to recognize you and thank you for the work that you do, and the many different ways that you continue to partner with us to help provide affordable housing to people throughout the state,” he said.
Auger also took a few moments to offer encouraging words to those committed to helping families purchase their first homes.
“The recession and global economic turmoil has challenged all of us and made it much more difficult to serve first-time homebuyers in Florida,” he said. “However, we want all of you to know that Florida Housing has conservatively managed its resources and stands ready to continue its mission to provide both first mortgages and down payment assistance to borrowers through the First Time Homebuyer Program.
Awards ranging from Honorable Mention to Platinum commended individual loan officers for the most loans closed during 2008.
Platinum Awards were presented to Pat Gaver, BB&T; Lisa Hand, Countrywide Home Loans; Teresa Frye, SunTrust Mortgage; Karen Skurla, Regions Bank; Robin Heath, Carolina First/Mercantile Bank; Molly Coberly, Shelter Mortgage; Laura Wells, Peoples First Community Bank; and Mary Keen, SunTrust Mortgage.
For the entire listing of award winners, please click here (pdf).
Florida Housing’s qualified lenders:
• Serve as the point of contact for interested homebuyers;
• Assist the borrower in determining eligibility for the First Time Homebuyer Program;
• Process the loan application;
• Determine the mortgage, down payment and closing costs amounts; and
• Close the mortgage loan.
More information about participating in Florida Housing’s programs or becoming a participating lender can be found at: http://www.floridahousing.org/Home/HousingPartners/LenderPage/.
Contact: Cecka Rose Green (850) 488-4197
