Mentoring, leadership and collaboration seem to come naturally to Anna Castillo-Martin, a 22-year veteran of the mortgage lending industry. She’s known for brainstorming with her peers and guiding newer home lending advisors, and she applies the same leadership skills to her relationships with clients, educating them and setting expectations from the start.

Fluent in Spanish, Castillo-Martin takes pride in her attention to detail and prompt response time, skills she developed in her early career as a bookkeeper in the fast-paced restaurant industry. However, that doesn’t mean she is all work and no play. Her many years of experience and deep knowledge of the business also give her the confidence to take a fun and easygoing approach to her relationships with borrowers. “I do believe being social and friendly has been instrumental,” she says, ”but also my knowledge of the industry and being bilingual have helped many people better understand the process.”

Throughout her two decades in the business, Castillo-Martin has developed the ability to adapt to market changes, a skill that has been tested often for lenders in the last few years. She is Chase certified in FHA and VA loans, but her expertise lies in the area of conventional and specialized lending programs, such as those for low- to moderate-income borrowers or those with a limited credit history. Many clients come to her through banking partners within Chase, but Castillo-Martin also prioritizes cultivating and nurturing professional relationships with Southwest Michigan-area real estate agents, who frequently refer their clients to the Grand Rapids-based senior home lending advisor.

Castillo-Martin is also involved in philanthropic and charitable endeavors. One that is especially close to her heart is the King’s Table Ministries annual Christmas event for families impacted by developmental and intellectual challenges in Grand Rapids.