Abby Torres | Mortgage Lender

The Savvy Brokers Club

Early in Abby Torres’s career, she found her niche as a Mortgage Lender specializing in home renovation loans. Now, a VP of Mortgage Lending at Guaranteed Rate, she discusses ways she helps both her clients and Real Estate Broker partners alike.

Born in Los Angeles, but raised in Kansas City, MO, Abby always had dreams of moving to Chicago. When she finally made the move to attend college, she found an opportunity in the mortgage business. She recalls the conversation that got her interested in mortgage lending.

“When the mortgage business came along I was going to school, went to college the first year and then I went to a small business community college to learn more about business. I remember telling this mortgage broker at the time ‘I'm going to school and he's like, you know, we can teach you here, we'll teach you.’’

Though her path to becoming a mortgage broker wasn’t immediate, Abby would find her niche early thanks to the help of a mentor. Wanting to differentiate herself, it wasn’t enough to be a bilingual broker. She discusses that conversation which pushed here to become known for originating home renovation loans.

“I speak Spanish and I like talking to people; and he's like, ‘No, there's gotta be a specialty, because knowledge is power. You have to know what you want do.’

So when I started to learn that program, I was very involved and loved it. To this day I'm still doing them and during COVID, there were so many mortgage lenders that had to stop doing them, because they couldn't originate them.

Despite what was going on with the market, Guaranteed Rate never stopped. I was just getting calls from brokers, other lenders, and it was great. My mentor, whom I still talk to this day, every time I see him, I give him a big hug.”

Tune in to hear more on Abby’s story and how she’s helped her clients through her knowledge and experience originating home renovation loans.