Owner
NMLS# 868759
Stephen was raised by an entrepreneur father and school teacher mother, learning that hard work and patience are vital to success. He credits his parents for his uncanny ability to recognize opportunities and broaden people’s understanding on subject matters, and if you ask him, he’ll tell you that he’s not in sales, he provides to buyers. He believes sales are just transactions while buyers acquire solutions.
With a passion to learn, teach, and explain mechanics behind how things work, customers who’ve worked with Stephen will tell you that he’s thorough, honest, and driven. If it’s not right, it’s wrong, and if there’s a way to do it, it can be found. These are his mantras.
Stephen understands that debt is a tool (there’s a reason Wall Street calls it an instrument), and used prudently, can be the most pivotal ingredient to success. Why do successful businesses utilize debt? Because it presents opportunity: leverage. Stephen likens personal finance to business ownership and believes, just like corporations, individuals should strategically utilize leverage. He also has an affinity for numbers because they never lie. Light years into space, 1 + 1 still equals 2.
Lastly, Stephen is a geek. He loves to learn and isn’t ashamed to say it. He’s worked and gained experience with some of the largest financial institutions in the world, as well as small, local businesses where the owner is around the corner. Since 2006, he’s studiously pursued finance, helping diversify portfolios, plan futures, and shrewdly position debt.
His experience consists of investment advisement and financial planning, including education prerequisites for a Certified Financial Planner designation, and since 2012 involved specifically with mortgages. Since that time, he’s originated $250M+ in residential loans spanning over hundreds of closings. He’s excited to add you to our family of happy customers!
Operations & Processing
Zach Strader has always been rooted in the financial service industry and has grown a genuine passion for helping clients achieve financial stability and realize their home buying dreams. His parent’s background in the mortgage business exposed him to the trade at a young age, however, his own experience in the field has led to his personal success as a knowledgeable leader in the industry. Through his various roles, Zach has had the opportunity to support both operations and sales, and it’s evolved him into an expert with valuable insights into every single step of the lending process.
His resumé includes experience on both ends of the lending spectrum, from conventional to non-QM, which gives him the ability to customize his approach to each borrowers’ specific needs and deliver the best results for his clients. Although some may characterize Zach’s personality as “laid back”, his calm demeanor is simply a result of thriving in high-pressure situations, and it allows him to provide a level of customer service that alleviates the stress from the home lending process. A former college athlete, Zach’s competitive nature also drives his desire to find the best deals, and there’s not a single challenge he can’t overcome to arrive at the winning result.
Zach has delivered lending solutions to thousands of clients from across the country, but he has always kept his roots firm in the Carolinas. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, and a graduate of the University of South Carolina, he is a devoted Gamecocks supporter who is allegiant to his hometown team (even when he’s upset by the scoreboard).
Today, he resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife Tina and their rescue mutt Bear. Outside of the office, he can be found enjoying a round of golf or cheering on his Windy City favorites, the Chicago Cubs and Da Bears.
Licensed by the California Department of Business Oversight, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, North Carolina Commissioner of Banks Office, and South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
NMLS # 1961623
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1565 Ebenezer Rd.
Suite 113
Rock Hill SC 29732
