Kristen Neff
Business Development Manager – West Division (Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado & Louisiana)
FBC Mortgage, LLC
As a business development manager who supports individual loan originators and branches, Kristen Neff believes that nothing prepares oneself for this kind of career like actually doing it everyday. “You have to get your hands dirty and cross things off the checklist to make sure you’re doing as much as you can to make a real difference,” she explains. “When it comes to homes and getting people in them, I know the ins and outs from dirt to studs to signing loan papers, so my clients can rely on me to have the answers or to get the answers, regardless of how difficult they may be.” Neff speaks with the kind of confidence that is backed up by a strong record of accomplishments that verifies her expertise. Take, for example, the fact that her management team bolstered its division’s monthly transactions from $30 million to nearly $100 million in part by helping lending professionals develop savvy marketing and build strategic relationships. “At the end of the day, everybody wins: our company, the loan originators, the REALTOR®s and most importantly, the homebuyers.”
Although Neff does not work directly with borrowers at the moment, she nonetheless understands what it takes to achieve homeownership. “A borrower needs to be knowledgeable about so many aspects of the homebuying process, like how appraisers determine value, why a home inspection is critical and how necessary it is to be open and honest with the loan originator, especially since every loan is unique,” she explains. Neff has worked with a range of clients as a mortgage originator herself, so the attributes she encourages are those that she herself has honed over the years, like punctuality, candid communication and strong organization skills. In addition, she advocates effectively managing expectations, especially to better ensure an on-time closing.
A Texas Tech University graduate, Neff is committed to continuing education because both the industry and clients’ needs are subject to change, which she says is a good thing. “Change reignites your passion for real estate and also refreshes your memory so that you draw on previous lessons learned to apply them to today’s challenges,” she says. “It gives you that creative spark!” Another source of inspiration is her affiliation with organizations like the National, Texas, Houston and MetroTex Association of Realtors and Greater Houston Association of Builders. Her community engagement also allows her to give back to the community through support of causes like ovarian cancer research, animal rescue and homelessness. In addition, Neff is both a Texas and MetroTex Association of Realtors Leadership Graduate.
With 14 years in the industry, Neff possesses the kind of insight needed to cultivate other professionals who seek her expertise because she knows what it takes to develop and sustain business. “This industry isn’t about the short-term; it’s about the long-term relationships that you build,” she offers, adding that this requires consistency and reliability. In fact, former clients can hardly believe that she has the same phone number today that she had in 1997. “It always makes me laugh when people say that!”
