“Sometimes…  The  Bigger  You  Are,  The  Slower  You  Perform”  Northern   States   Funding   Group,   Inc.   (NSFG)   talks   about   the   advantages   that   Realtors®   experience   when  working  with  Mortgage  Lenders  who  are  more  localized  in  the  Realtors®  demographic.    We   recently   sat   down  with  mortgage   industry   veteran  Gene   Reeber,   President   of   Northern  States  Funding  Group,   Inc.   (NSFG)   to  discuss   today’s  mortgage  business   challenges  and  how  Realtors®   can   improve  business  by   simply  working  with   localized  mortgage   lenders,  who  are  more  focused  on  upholding  the  promise  of  exceptional  customer  service.    Let’s   open   the   discussion  with   a   briefing   about  yourself   then   walk   us  through  the  birth  of  NSFG:      “I  will  keep  the  part  about  me  brief.   What   I   have   learned  over   the   course   of   my   35   +  years   as   a   business   owner   is  that   a   company’s   true  success   is   dependent   upon  the  quality  of  people  who  are  committed   in   the   oath   of  upholding   the   promise   of   exceptional  customer   service.   NSFG’s   core   business  remains   focused   on   delivering   the   highest  level   of   customer   service   to   it’s   Realtor®  

clients.      We  are  a  close-­‐knit  team   and  we   are   all   cross-­‐trained   to   help   each   other  expedite   on   deliveries,  period”.      Reeber   embarked   on   the  entrepreneurial   journey   of  business  ownership,  first-­‐  by  working   his   way   through  the  many   levels  of  business  and   management,   then  learning   the   intricacies   of  

real   estate   and   mortgage   lending,  eventually   opening   the   doors   to   Northern  States  Funding  Group,  Inc.                                                                                                              

 NSFG  is  a:    1.            Full-­‐Service   lender   with   an   end-­‐to-­‐end  

streamlined   process   that   expedites   all   from  ONE  local  location  

2.            Small  company  with  big  lending  authority:                    (VA   Direct,   DE   approved,   in-­‐house  

Conventional  and  USDA  underwriting)  3.            Full-­‐Service   lender  with   the  ability   to  present  

and  approve  additional  lending  options  where  other  lenders  can’t  or  won’t  

4.            Full-­‐Service  lender  with  single  point  of  contact  advantage  (No  sales  “teams”,  processing  “teams”)    The   financial   industry   experienced   sharp  fluctuations   in   recent   years.  What   do   you  see   in   the   mortgage   business   today   that  can  be  improved  and  what  is  NSFG’s  secret  formula  to  success?      “Simply  put,   in  order  to  deliver  exceptional  customer  service  you  have  to  perform  more  localized   operations   management.   Big  companies   often   fail   at   delivering  excellence   to   its   Realtor®   relationships   due  to   ignoring   attention   to  detail,  which   is  everything  in  business…  the  ability  to  handle   various   tasks   and  ensure   that   everything  gets   done   quickly,  accurately   and   on   time   is  the   biggest   challenge  large   lenders   face   daily.  Remember   that   old  expression,   the   devil   is   in  the   details?   Well,   this  holds   true   to   the   large  lenders  who   just   have   far   too  many   layers  and  a   lot  of  bottlenecking   that   slows   them  down.   As   far   as   NSFG’s   secret   formula   to  success:   it’s   about   staying   localized   and  delivering  excellence  to  our  Realtor®    

 relationships   the   exceptional   service   they  need  to  close  the  deal,  on  time,  every  time.  It   also   helps   having   the   right   people   who  are   equally   obsessed   about   even   the  smallest  of  details   and  who  are   committed  to   delivering   on   the   company’s   promise   of  exceptional   customer   service.   We   are  fortunate  to  have  the  recent  addition  of  the  new   generation   of   “Reeber”   who   joined  NSFG  earlier  this  year.  In  the  short  time  Eric  has  been  with  us,  he  has  already  more  that  doubled  our  business  by   applying  new  and  diversified  smart  business  to  our  mix”.      Talk   to   me   a   bit   about   what   Customer  Service  truly  means  to  NSFG…    “We  at  NSFG  define  customer  service  as  the  life-­‐blood  of  our  business  -­‐whether  you  like  it  or  not,  you  have  to  pay  close  attention  to  customer  service  on  many  levels  and  across  all   business   to   effectively   demonstrate  

company   competence.   It's  my   belief   that   customers  can   get   a   strong   indication  about  how  a   company  does  business   and   how   it   will  attend   to   big   concerns   by  how  it  attends  to  little  ones.  The   consumer   mind   has   a  logical   and   emotional   part  to   it,  and   if  you  don't   speak  to  both,   you  will   lose   them.  Great   customer   service   and  delivery   also   depends   on  

great   communication,   which   starts   at   the  top.   Our   team   knows   that   I   am   accessible  which   also   gives   them   a   positive  psychological   boost   -­‐-­‐   they   know   they   can  contact  me  anytime  a  problem  comes  up      

 that   requires   my   attention.   Thanks   to   our  focus   on   delivering   great   customer   service  and   attention   to   detail,   we   continually  improve  as  a  company  and  get  better  every  day,   regularly   receiving   plaudits.   Notice  how   I   say   better,   not   bigger.   We   are   a  company   that   has   full   ability   to   get   large,  we  don't  want  to.    We  want  to  stay  the  size  that  we   are   and   focus   our   growth  more   in  delivering  excellence  in  customer  service  to    the   local   New   Jersey   and   Pennsylvania  markets”.    How   do   you   manage   as   “the”   company’s  primary  resource?  Do  you  ever  have  down  time?    “Some  people   do   better   than  others  when  it  comes  to  wearing  many  hats  and  juggling  various   responsibilities,   but   it   is   important  to  remember  that  as  a  business  owner,  you  need  to  get  good  at  it  as  quickly  as  possible.  I   am   very   hands-­‐on   and   engaged   in   every  aspect  of  the  business-­‐  part  by  passion,  part  by   necessity…   I   admit,   I   have   an   obsessive  compulsion  to  detail.   If  you  want   to  call  all  the   shots,   and   be   a   business   owner,   then  you   need   to   know   all   the   facets   of   the  business.  Family  is  equally  important  to  me.  I   cannot  express  how   thrilled   I   am   that  my  son   decided   to   join   the   family   business.  There  are  many  companies  that  employ  the  young   leader   under   the   direction   of   the  executive  parent.  At  times,  we  might  agree  to   disagree   however,   THE   BEST   part   is  guiding  your  own  destiny  and  creating  that  same   opportunity   for   your   kids.   You   are  able   to   make   decisions   and   see   them  through;   make   things   happen.   I   can  challenge  my  son  with  difficult  tasks  and  be      

 there  to  see  him  achieve  results”.      What   message   do   you   want   to   send   to  local  Realtors®?    “Give   us   the   opportunity   to   earn   your  business.   We've   never   missed   a  commitment   date   and  we've   never  missed  a   closing   date,   so   let   us   be   your   lender   of  choice.  We  personally  take  responsibility  for  each   of   our   commitments   to   each   of   our  business  relationships.    Rarely  do  you  see  a  mortgage   lender   that   employs   the   same  employees   for   over   20   years.   Our   team   is  trained   to   personally   take   pride   in   what  their   responsibility   is,   and   every   day   they  set   their   personal   goals   and   they   achieve  them-­‐  because  they  truly  care”.      What  message  do  you  want  to  send  to  loan  officers   seeking   or   considering   a  professional  move?    “If   you   are   a   licensed   Mortgage   Loan  Originator  in  in  New  Jersey  or  Pennsylvania  and   are   thinking   of   making   a   professional  move,   consider   the   awesome  benefits   of   a  truly  amazing  lifestyle  when  working  in  your  local   community   and   market.   Especially,  when   working   for   a   local   mortgage   lender  that  will  get  the   loan  closed  on  time,  every  time  for  you  and  your      Realtor®  client.  Our  team’s   character   and   ethics   are   real   and  focused   on   delivering   only   the   highest  quality  of  service.  If  you  have  a  decent  book  of  business  and  require  expedited  services,  we   want   to   talk   to   you.   We   are   a   local  mortgage  lender  with  a  lot  of  heart”!        

 Northern   States   Funding   Group,   Inc.,   Gene   and   son,   Eric   have   BIG   plans   and   are   truly  unstoppable.  We  look  forward  to  following  them  as  they  continue  on  this  journey.    About  Northern  States  Funding  Group,  Inc.-­‐  NSFG  is  a  full-­‐service  mortgage  lender  with  a  strong  reputation  of  outstanding  performance  in  satisfying  the  lending  needs  of  Real  Estate  Professionals,  Builders  and  Individual  Homebuyers  in  the  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  markets.  Lender  NMLS:  120891  -­‐  Equal  Housing   Lender,   Equal   Opportunity   Employer.   600   Birchfield   Dr.   Suite   604,   Mount   Laurel,   NJ     08054   -­‐   Toll   Free:  877.302.4044  www.nsfg.net