BB&T

Bringing You Better by Melissa LaScaleia Lisa Mabrey is assistant vice president and mortgage loan officer with BB&T now Truist. The company is currently in the process of finalizing a merger, reflected in their name.  BB&T purchased SunTrust in 2019. The acquisition was completed in December of that year, and as it was a merger of equals, the two banks became a new entity, combining the best of what both offered to bring their customers additional ways to grow their finances and enrich their lives.  For the past two years, BB&T has been updating all of their marketing materials, signs, and letterhead to reflect this change and their new name. For now, they are known as BB&T now Truist, and expect to have the transfer finalized by 2022, at which point they will be known solely as Truist.  Lisa began work with BB&T in North Carolina, in 2008.  “I was an administrative assistant for seven other loan officers until I was promoted to be one myself, in 2009,” she says. “I was hired by my current manager, Larry Craddock. I came to Myrtle Beach in August, 2011. My market in North Carolina was in a very rural place, and I saw more opportunity for growth in the Myrtle Beach area. As a mortgage loan officer with BB&T Now Truist, Lisa Mabrey works to bring her clients solutions for their unique situations to facilitate them with their goal of homeownership. “When I first moved here, I worked hard so that my name would be spread to the local realtors, and so I could establish a steady stream of referral sources. I have established several business relationships along with many personal friendships, and my business, today, is thriving.”  “Realtors rely heavily on mortgage loan officers,” she explains. “The realtors need us to pre-approve people who want to buy homes because it saves everyone, the realtors and the home-buyers, time.  “Realtors don’t want to spend a lot of time showing people houses that they could never get approved for, so it’s important that I be accurate and knowledgeable in my work.”  80% of Lisa’s clients are referred to her by realtors, a testimony to what she is able to accomplish.  “I offer many options to my clients in order to assist them in attaining their dream of homeownership,” Lisa says. “I work with people purchasing their first home and I also work with clients building their million-dollar dream home. I help them every step of the way from the initial application through closing and even after closing. I really reach to accommodate my clients and meet them where they’re at to best serve them. Lisa Mabrey prides herself on her ease of accessibility for her clients, so she can best serve them during on of the biggest purchases of their lives. (Photo Lisa Mabrey) “I also pride myself on being very accessible to my realtors and clients. I answer my phone, texts and emails all hours of the day and night, and even on weekends. This is very important in today’s hot market. Properties are moving so fast that you need a loan officer that is available and responsive.”  “And,” she adds, “I make myself available to assist my clients with any questions they may have long after they close on their new home. I strive to be great in customer service. It builds trust and rapport, and people know they can count on me, especially for something as stressful and exciting as buying a new home.”  Lisa is proud of what she does, and proud to be an employee of Truist— a company which she feels is very solid.  “My business has really grown over the years,” Lisa says. “I have a constant stream of referrals from some of the most successful realtors in Myrtle Beach. I also get many referrals from my previous customers, which is a great compliment, as it shows that they trust me enough to help their friends and family with one of the most important decisions in their lives.” BB&T now Truist Envelope Map-marked-alt Globe Phone

It’s Business As Usual, With Surety and Excellent Service by Melissa LaScaleia Jim Kondravy is a mortgage loan officer for BB&T, now Truist. He and his wife and three children moved to Myrtle Beach in 2015. “My wife has an autoimmune disease, and she wasn’t doing well where we lived in Philadelphia with the cold, wet winters,” Jim says. “But every year, when we vacationed in Myrtle Beach, she felt better.” So Jim sold their house and possessions and left his career in the North. He and his family embarked on a new life journey— to warmth, sunny skies and healthier living in Myrtle Beach. In searching for a career, Jim heard a lot of positive feedback from the community about BB&T. Soon after the move, he accepted a position working for them as a branch banker at their Carolina Forest location. He did so well, that in 2017, the company asked him to become a mortgage loan officer. Jim found his niche in this environment, and has been working for the company in this capacity ever since. “I’m taking care of my clients from the day they want to get qualified on a loan to the day they close on their house,” Jim says. “And ensuring that when that day comes, they have big smiles on their faces. “As a company, the most important thing to BB&T, now Truist, is client service. We want to offer the most competitive loan rates and facilitate a seamless experience from beginning to end. We know that if we take care of our clients, they’re going to be happy. “With all the regulations involved in buying a home, it’s overwhelming for most people. Holding someone’s hand and helping them through the process is really the best way I can ensure the experience stays stress-free and positive.” For Jim, taking care of his clients means building strong relationships with everyone he interacts with to ensure the maximum amount of ease and communication for his clients along every step of their mortgage-loan journey. “Today, everything is technology based,” Jim says. “But what separates me from everyone else is that I’m relationship-based. I have relationships with real estate agents, closing attorneys, insurance agents— all the people involved with the home buying process.” As a mortgage loan officer with BB&T, now Truist, Jim Kondravy works to make the entire client experience of applying for and getting approved for a mortgage loan as smooth as possible. “I haven’t been living here very long, but I’ve rapidly built my business because I make myself available by email, phone, and text. It doesn’t matter if it’s during normal business hours. People can get ahold of me, and if they can’t, they know I’ll respond as quickly as possible. To me, this is part of relationship building— that the people I work with know they can reach me when they need me. It creates trust.” Recently BB&T purchased SunTrust. The acquisition was finalized in December 2019, and as it was a merger of equals, the two banks became a new entity— Truist. Over the next few months, BB&T will be updating all of their marketing materials, signs, and letterhead to reflect this change and their new name. “Change is difficult for people, it can be scary for them,” Jim says. “So we’re trying to make the transition as worry-free and smooth as possible. But for our clients, there’s really not much of a change.  “This merger grants us access to better technology which allows our internal processes to run more smoothly and efficiently. This, in turn, helps us serve our clients better. Now we can do more and do it better while continuing with our great client service. There’s always room for improvement, and that’s what I’m trying to do— get better everyday, for our clients.” The current COVID-19 epidemic has created a lot of uncertainty within the economy, the mortgage world, and the real estate market. But Truist is still taking loan applications, funding loans, and serving them. “Right now, people are calling me saying, ‘I’m supposed to close tomorrow on a house and the bank is telling me that I can’t.’ But because Truist is so well-funded, we are able to be lenders. For current and new clients, it’s business as usual, with the same excellent service.” As a company, Truist is taking all the necessary precautions such as working from home, and limiting face-to-face client contact. “There’s a lot of scary things happening right now for people, a lot of lenders aren’t able to procure loans, and some people can’t close the loan,” Jim says. “So we’ve made accommodations— in manpower, for clients, for agents, and for the builders we work with— to make things happen.” BB&T, now Truist Phone Map-marked-alt Linkedin Phone