Thanks to his strong purchase business and consistent past client referrals, Ryan Skaggs has thrived in the increasing interest rate environment of 2022.

Skaggs, senior vice president of mortgage lending for the North Shore with locally based Neighborhood Loans, serves the area with a focus on his hometown of Glenview, but he welcomes clients from across the state and Indiana, where he grew up. “My mother was a special education teacher for 38 years,” he says. “The patience, compassion and understanding that trickled down from her classroom and into our household is something I demonstrate in my business each day.” His new office at 101 Green Bay in Wilmette houses his team, key operations partners and other originators who offer clients in-house jumbo underwriting and processing services.

Humbled that nearly half of his business comes from past clients and their referrals, he never strays from his three core values: “Wow everyone” — aim to go above and beyond to exceed expectations; “client centric” — be transparent from the very first conversation and keep the process centered on the client; and “process driven” — ensure the client has a streamlined transaction.

His approach is holistic; he aims to help clients understand the full undertaking of a mortgage, as well as how to get out of debt and meet their financial goals. Skaggs does a full mortgage analysis for every client, providing side-by-side comparisons of several products and down payment/structure options to help them choose a product that best suits their family’s needs. “Many lenders will omit this step and simply throw out a quote on a 30-year fixed,” he says. “My business is not like that. I prefer making each experience unique to my client.”

His dedication has not gone unnoticed. Skaggs received a North Shore Choice Best Lender Award from 22nd Century Media two years in a row and was nominated by the Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association for a 2017 Best in Business award.