There is a saying, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” Lee Pederson is that person. During the biggest refinance boom in history and a global pandemic, he transferred from a federally chartered bank to a mortgage company, became licensed in four states and still had a record year.
“I take the complicated and make it simple,” says Pederson, vice president of mortgage lending for Guaranteed Rate Affinity. “My borrowers understand everything they are signing and what it means to them.” He is great at finding solutions to problems that pop up along the way and structuring deals with creative solutions. “I try to make it easy and anticipate questions before I get them,” he notes. “I also communicate milestones as they come up, so no one has to ask about their loan status.”
Lee has worked in mortgage lending for 28 years and earned five Top Producer trips in the last nine years. He builds lasting relationships by demonstrating knowledge and competency, but also being relatable. “I take the time to explain the stuff behind the curtain,” he says, “so people can make sense of the information we ask for and why it is needed.”
Lee started out as a financial planner for an independent advisory firm. From there, he moved into the finance business, where he was involved in every aspect of the loan process, including underwriting. “The person who mentored me there became a close friend,” he recalls. “He entered the mortgage business, and I joined him to build a local branch for an existing mortgage broker.”
Personally, Lee and his wife recently fostered a newborn baby. “Having three boys who are now grown adults, the experience of being a first-time parent again with a baby girl was amazing and something I will cherish forever,” he gushes. Lee is also a “do-it-yourself” guy who has worked on several Habitat for Humanity homes in his community.
Guaranteed Rate, Inc. is a private corporation organized under the laws of the state of Delaware. It has no affiliation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any other government agency.
