Mortgage Solutions for Homebuyers, with Geoff Smith, Assurance Financial (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 803)
In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray interviews Geoff Smith, Assurance Financial. Geoff shares his journey from journalism to mortgage banking and highlights Assurance Financial’s services, including in-house mortgage lending, customer service excellence, and specialized loan products like bank statement loans and bridge loans. He emphasizes the importance of understanding federal guidelines and the steps Assurance Financial takes to ensure seamless client experiences. The episode also discusses current market dynamics, interest rates, and the importance of buying in a vibrant housing market like Georgia. Additionally, Geoff shares success stories and the impact of personalized service in handling complex loan situations.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Geoff Smith, Roswell, GA Branch Manager and Loan Officer, Assurance Financial
Geoff Smith has been in the real estate industry since 2001, when he became a general contractor. In 2011, he went all in with mortgages, becoming a full-time loan officer with Assurance Financial and opening his own branch with them in 2021 on Canton Street in downtown Roswell.
Geoff volunteers in the community. He is currently sitting on the board of STAR House, an after-school tutoring and mentoring program for at-risk elementary school students in Roswell; he is on the Advisory Board for Wellstar North Fulton Regional Hospital; he is on the board for the Alpharetta Business Association; and he coaches 6th grade football at Blessed Trinity High School.
Geoff is married to Brenda and they have two boys, Samuel, who is a freshman at Auburn, and Charlie, who is a sophomore at Blessed Trinity.
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Assurance Financial
Assurance Financial is a mortgage lender and refinance company that has been serving homeowners since 2001. The company is known for its customer-centric approach, offering a wide range of loan options tailored to meet the individual needs of homebuyers. They provide various loan types, including VA, FHA, construction, non-qualified, modular home, jumbo, first-time home buyer, conventional, and USDA RD loans.
Assurance Financial emphasizes a seamless and efficient loan application process, utilizing the latest technology to simplify steps such as prequalification, full application, processing, and funding. They pride themselves on outstanding customer satisfaction, with an average rating of 4.98 out of 5 stars based on numerous reviews.
The company is recognized as a Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac seller/servicer-approved and Ginnie Mae issuer-approved lender. Assurance Financial operates across 28 states in the U.S., providing personalized support through their team of experienced loan officers. Their services are designed to assist clients at various stages of life, whether buying a first home, a vacation property, or an investment property.
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Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
01:33 Guest Introduction: Geoff Smith. Assurance Financial
02:10 Geoff’s Career Journey and Passion for Mortgages
03:21 The Mortgage Process and Customer Experience
06:48 Challenges and Problem-Solving in Mortgage Lending
14:49 Understanding Interest Rates and Market Dynamics
18:48 Expanding Business Across States
19:02 Housing Market Dynamics in Georgia
22:03 The Impact of Waiting to Buy a Home
22:48 Innovative Loan Products for Homebuyers
24:47 Assurance Financial’s Unique Bridge Loan
27:05 Success Stories and Client Experiences
33:35 Community Support and Final Thoughts
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Renasant Bank supports the Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer
Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer (formerly It’s The Journey) is a registered 501c3 non-profit that strives to support Georgia’s breast cancer community by raising funds to support breast health and breast cancer programs throughout the state of Georgia.
GAABC’s mission is to engage with Georgia’s breast cancer community to increase access to care and reduce disparities in cancer outcomes.
Randi Passoff, a breast cancer survivor, founded GAABC in 2002. She created “the kinder and gentler breast cancer walk” based off the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. Instead of a 3-day walk of 60 miles over 3 days and sleeping in a tent, the Georgia 2-Day Walk covers 30 miles over 2 days, and participants sleep in a hotel. Most importantly, what’s raised in Georgia stays in Georgia.
Renasant Bank is a major supporter of GAABC, both in corporately donated funds and employee donations and participation in the walk.
To learn more about GAABC and the 2-Day Walk, go to the GAABC Website.
About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 800 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show welcomes a wide variety of business, non-profit, and community leaders to get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates business by sharing positive business stories that traditional media ignore. Some media leans left. Some media leans right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.
Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven-ready, cooked from scratch meals to go they call “Let Us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to 
