Felicia Killman
Chief Experience Officer
The mortgage business found me after I bought my first home. After our transaction together, my loan officer recruited me from my banker position with a large bank to an entry level clerical role with a smaller, local lender. At the time, I didn’t realize that it would change my life forever through changing the lives of others. I have worked in the financial services industry since 2011, mainly in Retail Banking, but I grew up in the restaurant business… literally. My parents owned a quaint restaurant/bar in the Pacific Northwest for most of my childhood and we lived in an apartment upstairs. They showed me what genuine service is through their actions everyday and even now. Serving others hasn’t just been a passion of mine, but rather, is a part of my make-up. I don’t know how to do it any other way.
As I learned the banking and mortgage industries and worked face to face with clients, I realized there is an enormous gap in understanding the rules and the complexities that have led to misperceptions, misunderstanding, intimidation, fear, confusion and a general lack of trust. I saw this as an opportunity to bridge that gap for people by providing the communications, tools and services that will help them achieve their goals. I remember helping a family who had their mortgage denied with an online lender just days before their closing and a month after living in a hotel, all amidst a PCS move with the military. The wildest thing was that the issue arose due to a lack of communication/understanding between the lender and the family. To fix the issue, I listened and communicated, acting as a translator between the family and the mortgage industry. This family’s experience has stayed with me because they were both professionals at their craft, but their craft wasn’t mortgages.
From my first home buying experience, I had anxiety about the overwhelming amount of information available online. I like to think I can be smart when I try to be, but I felt I knew less about buying a home after doing my research online. My mission is ensuring that everyone we serve at HomeFactor has full trust and confidence that they can come to us for advice, whether or not they do business with us. Building HomeFactor is my opportunity to create a mortgage company with a team that does business for the right reasons. Providing a mortgage isn’t about the technology or how fast we claim to be, it’s about the service and whether we listen and communicate. Our team knows that providing ‘home’ opportunities for people includes many more elements beyond a roof over your head. That is why we are committed to lifting others and bridging the gap to make the process better.
If I’m not working, you’ll probably find me on a road trip with my husband and two boys. We might be in the woods or hunting elongated souvenir pennies at an obscure attraction. Because my husband is military, we move around a bit which leaves us with plenty to explore. I love to support organizations that lift others such as American Corporate Partners (ACP). They help military members transition into the civilian workforce. The NC Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED) is another favorite as they help educate their community and provide tools to help with independence. Habitat for Humanity is also on my list as they build affordable homes for those who are working to better themselves.