In a mortgage origination career spanning three decades, Jeff Slater has established himself as a national leader in both loan production and client satisfaction. Slater consistently appears on Mortgage Executive magazine’s annual Top 1% Mortgage Originators in America list, and SocialSurvey recently named him to its top 100 loan officers ranking for customer satisfaction.
Slater has spent his entire career in the mortgage industry. After graduating with a bachelor’s in finance, he followed his roommate and a friend into a family lending business. “I had no idea what mortgages were,” he says, “but under their guidance, I learned the business the correct way.”
After stints at several different mortgage companies, Slater joined Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. in 2015 and currently serves as executive vice president and senior vice president of residential lending.
Homebuyers, homeowners and industry professionals alike rely on Slater for his encyclopedic home financing knowledge and talent for simplifying the often-complex mortgage process. He works with everyone from first-time homebuyers to seasoned investors, with typical loan amounts ranging from $60,000 to $2 million. Chicagoland is his primary service area, including the city and suburbs, and he is licensed to assist borrowers in other states as well.
Having originated over $1.5 billion in home financing, Slater’s expertise is extensive. This includes a mastery over complicated tax returns for self-employed borrowers and property investors. “My ability to navigate underwriting guidelines and my complete understanding of how to structure loans have been my biggest keys to success,” he says.
Slater is dedicated to providing each of his borrowers with personal attention. “Although it can be time-consuming, I like my customers to feel connected to me throughout the process and not feel abandoned after the application,” he says. “I remain involved in their files from start to finish.” Slater says he has systematized his procedures so that most motivated clients can close on their loans within two weeks.
Family is what most inspires Slater. He loves traveling with his wife of 28 years and spending time with his three adult children by sharing in their passions for horses and sailing.
