Michelle Bobart
Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending
Guaranteed Rate
After 16 years in the industry, Michelle Bobart has never been more excited to be in mortgage lending.
“The refinance boom is over, the real estate market is coming back strong, the bar will be raised and less committed industry folks will exit – and the top real estate and mortgage professionals will continue to flourish and gain market share,” she says.
The excitement is understandable, because this senior vice president of mortgage lending is one of the best. In 2013, she was listed in the top 1 percent of mortgage originators in America by Mortgage Executive Magazine, as well as the top 1 percent of mortgage originators in Mortgage Origination News magazine. Bobart credits a strong work ethic and a high volume of transactions for her success.
“Every client’s circumstances are unique, but specific scenarios can repeat themselves,” Bobart says. “It is helpful to pull from past successes to quickly discern the best approach to meet a client’s needs.”
Clearly, Bobart’s extensive experience has given her the upper hand. Living in downtown Chicago for 15 years has also made her the go-to woman for urban dwellers looking for a condo-financing expert. Condos are just one niche for Bobart, as she’s assisted clients through a variety of life stages.
“One of the things I enjoy most about my career is supporting families with their first homebuying adventure, and then they upgrade to the next place where they will raise their family,” Bobart says. “On the other side, clients come full circle, and I help empty-nesters with right sizing to a retirement home and second home purchase. My client profile runs the gamut.”
Bobart’s business grew exponentially when she built a strong team of professionals who shared her work ethic, common values and excellent client care. Additionally, this year, Bobart decided to expand her business into areas outside Chicago, including the Denver metro and the Washington D.C. metro where she grew up.
“I am a 100 percent referral-based mortgage practice,” Bobart says. “Seventy percent of my clients come from past client referrals and thirty percent are from my strategic partners – Realtors, attorneys, CPA’s and financial planners. My goal is always to make my clients feel special and well-cared for, and to make my Realtor partners look good.”