The past four years have been record breaking for Aaron Wise, vice president of mortgage lending at Guaranteed Rate Affinity. He has continued to hit career highs in Chicago’s market share in units and volume and was recognized by the company as a President’s Club member from 2020 to 2023, due to his achievements.

To enhance his team’s concierge-service level, he brought on his wife, Emily, and they act as a well-oiled machine to keep both their agents and their borrowers informed and happy. Emily’s expertise in sales and hospitality has elevated the team’s agent- and client-facing experience, making her a wonderful addition. “Our Closing Concierge program, where we have a team member literally at each individual closing, absolutely enhances the client’s experience.”

Wise initially began his career working with a mortgage company because they provided tuition reimbursement to help him take more technology courses. After a short stint juggling both, he continued working solely in mortgages because it seemed like an easy and natural fit, he says.

He’s been successful and growing his business ever since.

With over 20 years in the business, he says the key is to spend as much time setting up the process as needed, while making the borrower feel both comfortable and confident. “It’s easier to go through the process when the borrower knows the expected steps of that process,” he says. “Knowing the next steps eases their stress 100 percent.”

Wise says it’s his ability to listen, simplify the process into easy-to-understand steps, relate to what his clients are going through and always be available that makes working with him different from working with other lenders.

Guaranteed Rate Affinity, 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.