Daniel Chookaszian

Vice President of Residential Lending
PERL Mortgage

Before Daniel Chookaszian was helping people find their new homes, he was helping people in houses of worship. Chookaszian, now the vice president of residential lending at PERL Mortgage, spent 10 years working with disabled veterans as a chaplain. In 2006, he began working in the mortgage industry, where he drew upon his past experience to specialize in VA loans.

Chookaszian built relationships with the VA Regional Loan Center and familiarized himself with its channels and resources. “I’ve developed a depth of knowledge about VA loans that allows me to be a resource to veterans and their realtors alike,” he says. “I can answer questions and provide guidance based on guidelines I’ve learned through experience. I’ve found that when you know your answers with confidence, deals tend to close.”

Chookaszian also works with many first-time homebuyers and multi-family buyers who benefit greatly from his hands-on approach. “Clients think I’m a good teacher, and they appreciate my face-to-face meetings with them because they walk out with a clear understanding of their options and what the closing process will look like for them,” he says. “They also love my team because we practice good leadership from start to finish and stay ahead of everyone.”

As the second decade of his real estate career begins, Chookaszian has ascended to new heights. Last year, he grew his team to four members and was named a top 1 percent loan originator. “We’re at a point in our careers where we are adding a tremendous amount of value both to our clients and to our business partners,” he says.

In his spare time, Chookaszian shares his musical talents as lead vocalist and guitarist of his Contemporary Christian band, Abel’s Offering. He’s also an active member of Moody Church in Lincoln Park, where he teaches the Veritas class and serves as an advisory board member of the Moody Theological Seminary.