Nov/Dec 2021 RMM

mortgages work. She had a sick feeling, realizing she could have fulfilled her dad’s wish to stay in his house, but it was a timely lesson, too. Wendy was later offered a job with the same reverse mortgage specialist she previously rejected. Wendy’s personal experience with her parents and her background as an educator would be a plus. “I was a math teacher,” she says. “I’d teach people how to problem solve, and I didn’t even follow my own steps when I was trying to figure out things for my parents. You have to look at all options and their outcomes to see which is the best solution.” Today, she works for Mutual of Omaha Mortgage as a reverse mortgage sales manager for the Honolulu branch. She joined the company in July of 2021 and is thriving amid the support and the team atmosphere, “which was therapeutic after the social and political challenges our country faced in 2020,” she says. Now, she feels restored and better able to focus on serving seniors and the community. The state has some unique challenges. There are “lava zones” on Hawaii island where FHA guidelines require properties to be in lava zones three or greater. Plus, housing is incredibly expensive, from a median price of $469,000 for a condo to a typical $1 million for a single-family home. Leaving a home to their kids can make it possible for a family to remain in the islands, Wendy says. “As such, I spend a lot of time discussing how the reverse mortgage may impact the heirs because inheritance is important to so many seniors here.” “People are being more thoughtful about the reverse mortgage and how they’re going to use it,” she says. “What if they need help in the home? What if emergencies come up? Especially with COVID, nobody expected this to happen, so now they want to be better prepared for the unexpected.” One couple took six years to decide that they were ready to move forward. That couple became good friends who got Wendy involved with their nonprofit that trains pups to become service dogs for people with disabilities. Through volunteering, Wendy learned about her community and the nonprofits that help it thrive. Her daughter recently graduated and works with her as a reverse mortgage specialist. Her son was her summer assistant and looks forward to becoming a reverse mortgage specialist when he graduates from college. For her clients, it all comes back to education. That’s what motivated her to seek the CRMP designation in 2018. It was a good way to keep herself “informed and challenged.” “Being a good student is important to being a good teacher,” Wendy says. “I strive to not only increase my understanding of retirement challenges and solutions but also look for ways to grow both personally and professionally. ‘Be a blessing’ is what we’ve always told our kids, and I strive daily to do the same.” CRMP: Across the Kitchen Table Financing Seniors’ Independence ServingUtah and Idaho for Over 20Years We opened our doors in 1999 to provide local homeowners and those wishing to be homeowners good quality mortgage loans with no hidden surprises or costs. We pride ourselves on being customer oriented and find loans that are tailor made for our clients. We added the reverse mortgage loan to our great line of product offerings and have been providing the people of Utah and Idaho this loan as another mortgage available to meet whatever financial need arises. We continue to remain committed to our clients’ mortgage financing needs, and our variety of all residential mortgage loan products makes us a great company to add to your network of professionals. FSI Mortgage Independence Square 111 East 5600 South • Suite 102 Murray, UT 84107 • NMLS #4398 www.fsimortgage.net 1-800-808-3066 REVERSE MORTGAGE / NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 17