Sam Sharp

Senior VP of Mortgage Lending
Guaranteed Rate

Few people can say they had as good a 2016 as Sam Sharp. In addition to getting married and welcoming a baby boy into the world, Sharp finished out the year as the No. 1 mortgage lending purchase producer in the state of Illinois. In his 16 years in the industry, Sharp has made quite the name for his professionalism and success, and is consistently listed as one of the top originators in the country. His wife Carrie, also a top producing loan officer with Guaranteed Rate, has been the cornerstone of his career. “I couldn’t do half what I do without her support and understanding,” he says.

A former drummer, Sharp toured the country playing with big-name national acts until he broke his hand. Realizing he’d be out of work for almost a full year, Sharp began looking for a new career. Real estate was a perfect fit. Both music and real estate are about forming connections with people, and Sharp’s outgoing and vibrant personality have been key to his success. “Clients enjoy the communication, quick response time, transparency and comfort level they get when working with me,” Sharp tells us. “A lot of my clients state that we were able to simplify what is an otherwise intimidating process.” His friendly, patient approach is clearly paying off, and Sharp proudly reports that more than half of his clients are referrals from those he’s worked with in the past. In this industry, there’s no better testament to stellar service.

Sharp is also the type of person who’s never satisfied with sitting back and resting on past success. Instead, he’s constantly searching for new innovations that will provide an edge to him and his clients. By taking advantage of Guaranteed Rate’s technology, for example, Sharp is able to save time and focus his attention more fully on his clients. “I am always learning and challenging myself to find improved ways to accomplish my goals,” he says. “I feel that I have successfully identified what will be the future of the mortgage industry for loan officers.” With his forward-thinking mentality, we expect Sharp’s successes will continue for years to come.