Podcast “MPA Talk” Features Damon Germanides

Admin
July 24, 2023

MPA Talk, the podcast for U.S. mortgage professionals by MPA Magazine, featured Insignia co-founder, Damon Germanides, in their latest episode entitled “Serving Up Solutions.” In this episode, host Simon Meadows interviewed Germanides for his perspective as a broker who specializes in complex loans, particularly for those who are self-employed. They discuss how he cut his teeth in the last big financial crisis of 2008, before co-founding Insignia Mortgage in Beverly Hills, California, in 2010. Beginning slowly, the company established relationships with smaller banks and credit unions, to build the business to where it is today. The son of a restaurant owner, Germanides likens the mortgage industry to the restaurant industry in terms of the tough challenges it presents – it’s been his driving force to succeed.

“My dad owned a restaurant for 43 years, an, that business is such an tough business that I used to look at the mortgage business and say, ‘as tough as it is today, man, the restaurant business is, is even tougher’. I’ve picked tough businesses because both of them have their challenges. That was a driving force early in my career, knowing how hard another business was, made me pretty tenacious.

When 2008, 2009 hit, my good analytical skills really started to shine because the business had moved away from the limited information type loans or the no doc loans or whatever. You had to have a complete understanding of the borrower’s financials, which required mortgage professionals to start to learn to read tax returns, understand cash flow, you know, do a sensitivity analysis on revenue and income, understand everything on the borrower’s financials and that, that really fit well with my skillsets.”

Damon Germanides, on why his key skills made him a good fit for the mortgage industry.

Listen to the full episode below, or via your podcast streaming platform of choice.

MPA Talk, July 21, 2023, featuring Damon Germanides, a broker who specializes in complex loans, particularly for those who are self-employed.

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Insignia Mortgage Appoints Jay Robertson to Associate Broker 

Admin
June 22, 2023

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – June 22, 2023 

As of June 22, 2023, Insignia Mortgage is thrilled to welcome Jay Robertson to our team of brokers. Jay has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry. As the former president of First Capital and Luther Burbank Mortgage in Los Angeles, he has overseen or personally originated over $20 billion in loans in Southern California. 

Jay’s deep knowledge of the industry, combined with his commitment to exceptional customer service, makes him a perfect fit for Insignia Mortgage. We know that his expertise will help us to continue providing our clients with the best possible service and advice.  

In his new role at Insignia Mortgage, Jay will work closely with clients to help them secure the right mortgage for their needs. He will use his extensive network of industry contacts and his in-depth knowledge of the mortgage market to help our clients navigate the complex process of securing a mortgage. 

Damon Germanides, co-founder of Insignia Mortgage commented that “Jay brings such a unique perspective to Insignia Mortgage as he has been both a CEO of a large mortgage company as well as a loan originator. He knows better than most what it takes to win over clients and how to create long-term partnerships with referral partners. His knowledge will be great to our boutique firm.” 

When asked to describe his customer relationship style, Jay stated that “I believe in taking care of my clients.” He is known for being a trusted advisor who always puts his clients’ needs first. “It’s not about the volume of business I do. It’s about arming my clients with the most current information so they can make educated decisions about their future,” he explains. Jay’s honest and expert guidance, backed by decades of experience in real estate finance and luxury residential real estate sales, continues to define his personalized white-glove approach to service.  

About Insignia Mortgage 

At Insignia Mortgage, we understand that what works for one client does not always work for everyone. Especially when your financial picture doesn’t adhere to the strict model that many conforming lenders demand. Even under the most complex circumstances, our team of loan experts can quickly navigate through the process to deliver the most highly competitive loan solutions. We’ve successfully closed some of the largest and most complex transactions in the country for high net-worth clients, many of whom are self-employed and have significant assets but fluctuating incomes; and, for foreign nationals who receive income outside of the United States or are buying in the United States for the first time. 

Scott Sealey Joins Insignia Mortgage

Admin
April 28, 2023

Scott Sealey is joining the Insignia Mortgage team! With several decades of experience in the mortgage business and hundreds of positive client reviews, we are confident that Scott will be an asset to our team and provide exceptional service to our clients. His dedication to providing personalized and professional service aligns with Insignia’s company values, and we are so excited to have them join our team. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Scott Sealey to the Insignia Mortgage team. With his extensive experience in the mortgage industry and commitment to putting clients first, Scott will be an asset to our company and help us further grow our conventional loan production. We look forward to working together to continue providing exceptional service and solutions to our clients.”

Damon Germanides, Co-Founder, Insignia Mortgage

More about Scott Sealey: 

With over 30 years of experience in the Southern California mortgage industry, Scott Sealey is known for his out-of-the-box thinking. Scott has secured over 750 million in home loans for his clients, ensuring that each one is closed with the utmost consideration and efficiency. Scott is extremely well-versed in FHA, VA, Jumbo, and Conventional loan programs, as well as alternative income products and Reverse Mortgage loan programs. Check out what Scott’s clients have to say about his lending approach, with over 240 all 5-Star reviews on Zillow, he has one of the highest rankings in California. 

Please join us in welcoming Scott to the Insignia mortgage team. Check out his client testimonials, successful transactions, and special dinner recipes here.

Mortgage Professional America Magazine Features Damon Germanides

Admin
April 12, 2023

Insignia Mortgage co-founder, Damon Germanides, was featured in the editorial article “From slinging hash to serving up the dream of homeownership” in Mortgage Professional America (MPA) Magazine. The article, written by Tony Cantu, shares how Germanides moved from the family restaurant business to be a successful mortgage broker in a niche space. In particular, the article highlights Insignia Mortgage’s unique business model as ”lean and mean” and how the team consistently ranks on the Scotsman Guide’s list of Top Originators. 

Despite the lean-and-mean model, his volume is far from shabby – $311 million across 140 units in 2021 and $285 million over 104 units last year. That performance has helped him secure the 27th ranking nationally among brokers. And he’s not alone in being nationally ranked, either: “I’m very proud of our little company,” he said. “We have four of the top 25 brokers in the country who work for this office.”

Read the full article here. Learn more about Insignia Mortgage’s successful transactions, unique loan scenarios, and mortgage industry innovations by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. 

FOUR INSIGNIA BROKERS RANK WITHIN SCOTSMAN GUIDE’S TOP 25 ORIGINATORS IN COUNTRY 

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April 10, 2023

Insignia Mortgage is thrilled to announce that 4 of our brokers have been ranked in the Scotsman Guide’s Top 25 Originators for 2023! In fact, co-founders, Damon Germanides and Chris Furie were ranked as #4 and #7 respectively, making 2023 their 7th year to rank within Scotsman’s Top 10. Following suit in recognition by Scotsman are team members Romy Nourafchan and Neil Patel, who were featured on this year’s Top 25 at #20 and #24. In addition to this achievement, Chris, Damon, Romy, and Neil have the largest loans by size in the rankings. The total loan volume for the company in 2021 alone was close to $1 billion and over $850 million in 2022. 

“We are honored to be included in this exclusive list of top mortgage brokers. Our ranking proves the value mortgage brokers serve even to higher-end borrowers as we help clients navigate the complexities of the mortgage loan process.”  

Damon Germanides, Insignia Mortgage co-founder, in response to the 2023 Top Originator List release.  

The Insignia team attributes their consistent standing on the annual Scotsman Top Mortgage Brokers List to their dedication to providing individualized lending solutions. They have unique expertise in successfully placing niche jumbo loans with local banks and credit unions.  

Insignia has focused on this jumbo niche area of the market for over a decade. Damon and Chris saw a need in the marketplace to locate lenders willing to fund multi-million-dollar loans for self-employed borrowers, foreign nationals, real estate investors, and retirees. As a result, their team has helped create customized loan programs with their lending sources to meet this need. They have also created industry resources like their Insignia Mortgage App to help improve the loan process for everyone involved. Their commitment to innovation continues to elevate the jumbo loan experience for clients and brokers.  

2023 marks the 7th year in a row that Insignia’s team has had the honor of ranking within the Top 50 on this list. View the full Top Mortgage Brokers List under The Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators 2023 here.

Insignia Mortgage Launches Digital Loan Application Tool “E-Insignia” 

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April 4, 2023

Beverly Hills, CA, April 4, 2023 – Insignia Mortgage, Inc. Developed and launched their new digital loan application tool, E-Insignia. The application is designed to remove all manual processes and provide complete automation to the lending workflow. Insignia Mortgage’s Digital Loan Application allows the company to better connect clients, real estate partners, and multi-tenant transactional businesses using a streamlined application and loan approval process, as well as, keep past borrowers apprised of the current state of the mortgage market by seamlessly syncing with the company’s marketing platform.  

“It’s far from typical and rather revolutionary for a company of our size to be doing direct lender implementations of technology and bringing this level of automation and borrower experience to the marketplace,” says Encompass Expert, Steve Shamoo. By leveraging enterprise-level technology from Salesforce to Simple Nexus, E-Insignia allows consumers to upload, manage, and sign documents online and via a single mobile app. “I’ve spoken to major lenders who don’t have a solution that’s as integrated as this. It says a lot about our passion for the business, our intention to exceed what our competition’s doing, and our commitment to be in this for the long term.” 

On average, a jumbo loan in California may require anywhere from 50 to 100 pages of paper documents over a period of as long as 60 days (about 2 months) to be processed. E-Insignia reduces the amount of paper used, expedites the loan process for all involved, and contains security measures to protect sensitive information as well as ensure compliance with regulations. Key benefits of the Insignia Mortgage Digital Loan Application also include ease of use, faster transaction times, timely notifications, and a streamlined loan experience. E-Insignia is available for download via The App Store. To learn more about Insignia Mortgage, click here.

Insignia Ranks In Top 10 Brokers In Country For 6th Year

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April 5, 2022

Insignia Mortgage’s co-founders, Damon Germanides and Chris Furie were both ranked in the Top 10 Mortgage Brokers in the country by The Scotsman Guide for 2022. Damon and Chris were ranked as #7 and #9 respectively, with a total collective volume of nearly $743 million, and a total of 309 closed loans between them. Also featured on the list of the Top 100 Mortgage Brokers is Neil Patel, Insignia’s resident CPA and broker, ranking at #73 with over $135 million in loan volume and 54 closed loans. What separates the Insignia team from other brokers in the ranking is their decade-long focus on placing niche jumbo loans with local banks and credit unions. Chris, Damon, and Neil have the largest loans by size in the rankings. The total loan volume for the company in 2021 alone was close to $1 billion. 

Insignia has focused on this jumbo niche area of the market for over a decade. Damon and Chris saw a need in the marketplace to locate lenders willing to fund multi-million-dollar loans for self-employed borrowers, foreign nationals, real estate investors, and retirees. As a result, the Insignia team has helped create customized loan programs with their lending sources to meet this need.

2022 marks the 6th time Insignia’s team has had the honor of ranking within the Top 100 on this list. View the full Top Mortgage Brokers List under The Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators 2022 here. https://www.scotsmanguide.com/rankings/top-originators/2022/top-mortgage-brokers

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Damon Germanides Featured In Mortgage Professional America 2021

Admin
January 15, 2021

Insignia Mortgage Co-Founder was featured in Mortgage Professional America on January 12, 2021, in an article entitled “How to capture the foreign buyer market when borders reopen.” This article was written by David Kitai, who interviews Germanides on the foreign buyer niche.

“Assuming rates stay low and the dollar stays weak against the basket of foreign currencies there could be big tailwinds for foreigners wanting to buy second homes or investment properties in the United States,” said Damon Germanides (pictured) co-founder of Insignia Mortgage and a specialist in serving foreign buyers. “Typically, your foreign buyer is a well-to-do buyer looking to get a piece of the United States. They should be back assuming travel comes back thanks to a vaccine and herd immunity.”

This is not Germanides’ first time to appear in the industry-leading mortgage publication, and certainly won’t be his last. Read the full article here.

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Damon Germanides Featured in MPA Power Originator 11/25/20

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December 9, 2020

Insignia Mortgage co-founder Damon Germanides sat down virtually with David Kitai at MPA to discuss the secrets to his success in a recent issue of their Power Originator blog. In 2019, Damon personally shepherded over $200 million in loans over the finish line. He talks with MPA about the unique needs of their clients and how the Insignia Mortgage team is able to meet their needs smoothly.

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Insignia Mortgage Earns Nationwide Top Producers Ranking for the 5th year In a Row

Admin
June 18, 2020

Total Volume of over $417 MM in 2019

Insignia Mortgage principals Chris Furie and Damon Germanides have been named among the nation’s top mortgage producers nationwide in 2019, for the 5th year in a row. The rankings are published by the mortgage industry’s premier publications, The Scotsman Guide and National Mortgage News. Insignia Mortgage was also recognized as a Top 25 brokerage nationwide by AIME, the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts, a trade organization founded in 2017.

Scotsman Guide ranked both producers in the top 6 for the “Top Mortgage Broker” category and 45 and 54 in their “Top Dollar” category, respectively. Chris closed 94 loans in 2019, and Damon closed 107 loans for a combined $417,420,675 funded in 2019 and a loan average of over $2 MM, which has been increasing steadily over the past few years.

National Mortgage News, which ranked the top 400 originators who submitted entries by dollar volume, ranked Chris at  #20 and Damon at #21.

As a team, their combined production has been over $3 billion in loans funded since their founding 2012.

Insignia Mortgage is now far and away the top jumbo lender by loan size in the country with an average loan amount of over $2 million per transaction.

Insignia Mortgage has built its reputation by offering a suite of innovative and custom programs at low rates for non-traditional borrowers.

“We are incredibly humbled that our small boutique mortgage brokerage has been nationally recognized as a top 25 broker in the country,” says Damon Germanides, co-founder. As a top broker, Mr. Germanides was also featured in a recent issue of the Scotsman Guide in the article, “Talking Three P’s of 2020 With This Year’s Top Originators. “

Chris Furie, Insignia Mortgage’s co-founder commented, “Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and all the issues it has caused, we’ve been working closely with our lenders to help our clients with refinances and new purchases.”

This year will no doubt be impacted by the current coronavirus crisis, but Insignia Mortgage remains busy and is actively collaborating with lenders and clients to get deals done.

Insignia Mortgage works closely with local lenders to develop lending programs (from $500,000 to $25 million) for those borrowers that do not fit into conventional mortgage programs. Chris and Damon’s unique lending products are designed for foreign borrowers, borrowers with highly complex financial statements and entity structures, and those borrowers who require a no tax return loan, or a loan on an investment property. Later this year, Insignia Mortgage will be rolling out some new innovative products, including reverse mortgage programs.