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At Treeline Realty, we love introducing you to trusted professionals who make a difference in the lives of homeowners and families across Southwest Florida. This month, we’re excited to spotlight Matt Pell, Mortgage Loan Officer with CrossCountry Mortgage. Matt is conveniently located right here in the Treeline office, making him an incredible resource for both our agents and clients who need trusted guidance through the mortgage process.
Interview with Matt Pell
Q: Matt, for those who don’t know you yet, can you share a bit about yourself and how you got started in the mortgage industry?
“After going through the economic housing crash of 2008, I decided to leave the fitness industry where I was the Regional Manager for a large health club chain, and I went back to college at the age of 30 to complete my bachelor’s degree in business management. After graduation in 2011, an opportunity became available in the mortgage industry to obtain my license as a mortgage loan officer, which has fulfilled a passion of mine in helping people with their financial needs.”
Q: What experiences or turning points in your life led you toward the mortgage and lending field?
“My program of study with my bachelor’s degree in business management had several financing, accounting, and economic classes that aligned with my interest. So, it was a great fit to transition into this new career path.”
Q: Were there any mentors or moments that shaped your approach to helping clients with financing?
“I have always been a fan of Dave Ramsey with how to be successful with personal financing. I also enjoy following Barry Habib with economic forecasts which has been valuable with counseling clients through the home buying process.”
Q: Working in mortgages comes with its own hurdles—what have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how did you navigate them?
“I would say the biggest challenges I’ve worked through have been over the past couple years with a high-interest rate environment. We have had challenging market conditions that have created new loan programs such as our Buy Now, Refinance Later, allowing clients to obtain their dream home now, with the goal of refinancing once interest rates drop.”
Q: Looking back, what achievements or client success stories stand out as defining moments in your career so far?
“One story that stands out to me happened recently where my clients put a nonrefundable deposit of $50k down on a home to win over the deal and we had to close in two weeks, or the sellers could keep their deposit. My team worked diligently to obtain our clear to close and we even closed sooner than expected.”
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone buying a home for the first time?
“Do not spend every dollar you have. Owning a home will require unexpected expenditures and you need to be ready for when life happens. Always keep a rainy-day savings of at least 6-months of expenses.”
Q: What common mistakes do you see buyers or homeowners make when it comes to financing?
“Living beyond their means. You would be surprised how many people live paycheck to paycheck while driving around in a BMW or Mercedes Benz.”
Q: How has CrossCountry Mortgage made a difference in the local community or supported local homeowners and businesses?
“CrossCountry Mortgage offers an array of loan programs designed for low-income families, veterans, first-time homebuyers, business owners, first responders, etc.”
Q: What’s your vision for your work and your role in the mortgage industry over the next five to ten years?
“I believe the mortgage industry will move increasingly more towards AI and away from the current methods used to obtain a home loan. As a mortgage loan officer, it will be imperative to pivot and grow in an everchanging world, or you will get left behind.”
Q: Are there any exciting changes, programs, or services on the horizon that you’re looking forward to offering clients?
“There is a lot of hype right now about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac going private and the impacts that will have with opening markets for unconventional borrowers.”
Q: If you could go back to the day you started in this career, what would you tell yourself?
“As a loan officer there is a saying in the mortgage industry, ‘I solve problems you don’t know you have in ways you can’t understand.’ I tend to want every file to be a perfect experience for my clients. That’s just not realistic and not real life. There are too many things throughout the loan process that I can’t control, but most of the time things have a way of working themselves out so don’t stress over it.”
Q: When you’re not helping clients with home loans, what’s your go-to way to unwind?
“Definitely, spending time with my two favorite people in this world, my wife and daughter. We’re usually spending time in the pool or playing family games.”
Q: As a local, what’s one of your favorite hidden gem spots in Southwest Florida?
“I love food, so I immediately thought of a local restaurant called Fancy’s where they serve southern food dishes like my favorite chicken and waffles.”
📞 Phone: (239) 293-4256
🌐 Website: crosscountrymortgage.com/matt-pell
📧 Email: matt.pell@ccm.com
CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC
8270 College Parkway, Suite 201
Fort Myers, FL 33919
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Personal NMLS: 1018529
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Branch NMLS: 2425927
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Company NMLS: 3029
📍 Matt is proudly located in our Treeline Realty office: 3850 Colonial Blvd., Suite 200, Fort Myers, FL 33966
💡 Bonus for Homebuyers:
We teamed up with Matt Pell to create the SWFL Homebuyers’ Credit Guide - a step-by-step resource covering how your credit score impacts your loan approval and interest rate, the do’s & don’ts before applying, Florida-specific costs like insurance and HOA fees, and even a 12-month action plan to boost your score before buying. 📖✨ Want a copy? Just email us at marilyn@treelinerealty.com and we’ll send it your way!