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At Benchmark, we are driven by a set of core values that guide our everyday actions. The daily fulfillment of these Core Values drive what we call The Benchmark Way. Welcome to Benchmark. Welcome Home.

Benchmark Is Making Waves: Best Company, Best to Work For!

by I Am Benchmark

Benchmark has been named one of the 50 Best Places to Work for by Mortgage Executive Magazine!

We’re ranked #7 on average score!

Additionally, Benchmark was named to the magazine’s Top 100 Mortgage Companies in America. We landed at #38 alongside some of the biggest names in the country.

64 of our teammates were recognized as the Top 1% Originators in America.  The magazine stated, “the top 1 percent of mortgage originators delivered outstanding results in a challenging market” and we couldn’t agree more!

 

Benchmark brings you home.

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Steve Remington of Benchmark Named New TMBA President

by I Am Benchmark

April 26, 2022 – Steve Remington, Benchmark’s C.O.O., was sworn in as the 2022/23 President of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association last month at the TMBA Annual Convention in Austin, TX. 

The TMBA’s membership is the largest in the nation, made up of mortgage bankers, banks, credit unions, attorney firms, vendors, technology firms, and more. Remington joined the TMBA in 1998, reverent of the associations impact on legislation through legislative advocacy and policy making for the mortgage industry since 1917. Remington assumed many roles within the non-profit organization, serving on committees, boards, and projects, developing relationships with colleagues/friends he leans on for mentorship.

“I’m grateful for the tremendous amount of networking, and access to industry veterans whose careers span decades longer than my own that have been very successful in our business.”

“Their lessons in servant leadership have influenced my style of leading at Benchmark through flourishing times and moments of uncertainty.”

Steve Remington

Remington calls himself a student of the industry, and one of his goals during his presidency is to educate those in real estate finance, while attracting new members.  Leadership development is a personal passion Remington shares with the TMBA. Communicating and navigating challenges and issues on a national level to protect & prosper our industry will be high on his priority list as he serves his term.

Strategies for A Successful PCS Move

by I Am Benchmark

Active duty service members move every 3 years on average. For military families, frequent relocation can create added stress, as you have to find new housing, coordinate the logistics of a move, and establish new roots in an unfamiliar place.

At Benchmark, we want to help alleviate some of that stress, and help ensure a smooth transition during your Permanent Change of Station (PCS). Below are some strategies to make your PCS experience easier.

Know Which Resources and Benefits are Available to You

The military offers many resources and entitlements to help you navigate your PCS move. A great place to start is your installation’s housing office, which can provide you an overview of the housing options available to you at your new installation. You may be granted up to 10 days of leave to travel to your new location to explore housing. If you are thinking about buying a home in your new location, this a great opportunity to go house hunting and check out properties for sale in-person.

To coordinate moving logistics, get in touch with your local installation’s personal property office. They can provide you all of the options to coordinate your move with one of their transportation providers. Alternatively, you may opt to handle the move on your own with a Personally Procured Move (PPM), which allows you to be reimbursed to move your own belongings. Make sure you ask about additional entitlements and expense reimbursements that might be available to you during your move. Depending on your situation, you may be eligible to receive reimbursements for Temporary Lodging Expenses (TLE), a Dislocation Allowance, per diem travel allowances, non-temporary storage, and more.

Get an Experienced Home-Buying Team by Your Side

Finding a lender that has experience with military buyers can make a huge difference when navigating the home loan process during a PCS move. At Benchmark, we are committed to providing an outstanding home buying experience for our military clients. We understand the unique challenges you face as an active duty service member looking to buy a home in a new community.

Once you have your PCS orders and decide buying a home is the right choice for you and your family, get in touch with a Benchmark Loan Officer to get pre-approved for a home loan. A pre-approval lets you know your price-range when searching for homes and puts you in the strongest possible position to make an offer. We can also connect you with a Veteran-friendly real estate agent who specializes in assisting relocating military personnel. Choosing the right realtor who has experience working with buyers during the PCS process will make a big difference towards securing the perfect home with ease.

Take Advantage of Technology

Taking advantage of technology can help guarantee a thorough home search process alongside your realtor while limiting the amount of time you need to spend on the ground in your new location. Your realtor can provide you with an online search tool to check out homes within your price-range and specifications. Many listings today offer virtual tours to help you envision what the space feels like beyond traditional photos.

Once you have narrowed down your options online, your realtor can arrange a virtual video tour using a video-chatting app to lead you through the property and answer any questions you may have as they move through each room. Throughout the virtual ‘walk-through’ of the home, you can ask questions like, “can you show me how big the closets are” or “how high are the ceilings in the living room?,” so you get a better feel for the functionality of the home. If you do have the opportunity to personally tour homes in advance of your PCS, you can focus on your top contenders without having to waste time on properties that are not a good fit.

Close on Your New Home

At Benchmark, we have created an “easy button” to ensure a smooth home buying process for our military clients. Our team will take care of you on your journey to your new home, and ensure you have a first-class experience. If you have any questions about the PCS process, get in touch with one of our local experts or join one of our PCS Facebook communities.

 

The Benchmark PCS Promise

Moving is common with the Military. Whether you’re relocating to another state or country we want to give you the peace of mind you deserve. When purchasing a home you need speed and certainty. We can provide you and your family the certainty you deserve by fully underwriting your file prior to making your offer. That will put you in the best position to win in a competitive market. You’ve made a commitment to us. Now it’s our turn.

 

If you are ready to talk to a professional, contact your local Benchmark branch today.call me or contact me today.contact us today, and let our team take care of you.

20 Years of Benchmark: STRENGTH and REPUTATION

Celebrating 20 Years Of Mortgage Excellence

by I Am Benchmark

20 Years of Benchmark: STRENGTH and REPUTATION

In 1999, a couple of friends who worked as loan officers decided that they could do more. The mortgage industry needed something new and better. The time was right to prioritize the client experience. They knew that doing better meant putting the best team together. They wanted to create a company that would set standards; a company that would lead the industry not only in numbers, but most importantly, in their signature first-class home buying experience. In August of the same year, Benchmark Mortgage was born.

Starting the way many great companies have, Benchmark has grown from a single office in Dallas, Texas and a small team to over 100 branches in 47 sates across the nation. We were founded on core values that we have based, and continue to base every business decision on. These values – Success, Excellence, Positive Attitude, Dynamic, and Relationship – have shaped us into the company we are today. We are grateful for our team, their relationships with real estate partners, and the thousands of clients who have trusted Benchmark to finance their first home, their next home, or to refinance their forever home. We couldn’t have made it this far without you, and the tapestry of our story is embedded with the thousands of threads in our progress so far.

At Benchmark, it has never been enough to do things well. We are proud of our commitment of striving to exceed expectations. We are proud of being more than just a mortgage company. Benchmark created an event to give back to, and celebrate, the brave men and women who have served our country. In 2012, the first annual Boot’n & Shoot’n event took place to raise money for veterans. Boot’n & Shoot’n has become a staple for our nationwide family to come, join, and give back to our veteran and first responder heroes. As we reflect on our 20th year, we celebrate that Boot’n & Shoot’n 2019 raised over $1million for the Brain Treatment Foundation.

Benchmark’s love for helping those who serve never wavered, and in 2017 we launched our initiative to change the way VA lending is done. Veterans deserve better. With our history of striving to excel, it was only a matter of time before this same model was applied to help veterans make use of their VA loan benefits. In 2018, Benchmark sponsored the Patriot Tour by Team Never Quit.

If you are a past client, you are part of our story. If you are a current or future client, welcome to the family. We are Benchmark.

Here’s to a bright future!

Benchmark brings you home.

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Boot’n & Shoot’n 2019 Recap: Benchmark Gives Back

by I Am Benchmark

Boot’n & Shoot’n 2019 took place on April 18th, and we are pleased to announce that more than 1 million dollars was raised to help veterans this year!

This is Boot’n & Shoot’n’s 8th year, and Benchmark has been behind every single one. Every year, this event is special, and this year’s was no different. The night before the event, the Boot’n & Salute’n Dinner packed in at the Omni Frisco to rally around support for veterans. The keynote address was given by GySgt Brian Meyer. On March 14, 2011, GySgt Meyer lost his right leg above the knee, his right arm below the elbow, and sustained amputations of his thumb and two fingers on his left hand in an IED (improvised explosive device) blast in Sangin, Afghanistan. He spoke on never giving up, and resilience in the face of adversity.

The guests who joined us that night helped raise over $400,000 through the live auction! Jeff Crosby and the Refugees helped cap off one of the most successful dinners Boot’n & Shoot’n has ever seen. This was a positive start for the day that would follow, when we all gathered together for an amazing day of giving back and honoring our veterans at The Dallas Gun Club.

On the morning of April 18th, clay shooting commenced, and shooting teams of four were paired with a veteran to take the course. More than 90 shooting teams took aim, interrupted only by a brief, albeit heavy, rain shower, catching some off guard. While the rain fell, the sound of shooters calling for their clays still echoed from the course, their gunshots ringing under the sound of the falling water.

Lt. Col. Allen West delivered a speech on teaching our children history to foster a sense of patriotism and appreciation for the brave men and women who have served our nation at any cost.

Every year, Boot’n & Shoot’n honors a veteran and their family, and this year, we honored John “JT” Tumilson and those killed in action on Extortion 17. On August 6, 2017, insurgents shot down a Chinook transport helicopter in Afghanistan. All 30 service members were killed, including fifteen Navy SEALS from Tea Six’s Gold Squadron.

Fallen officer Corporal Garrett Hull of the Fort Worth Police Department was also honored. Corporal Hull dedicated his career to the Fort Worth Police Department, having served in specialized tactical units, including the Special Response Team, the Narcotics Division, and the Tactical Intelligence Division. He was also loaned to the DEA, and worked closely with the FBI. He served the FWPD for 17 years.

Both of these heroes were added to Boot’n & Shoot’n’s “Remembrance Row”, a stretch of road leading to the site, with banners proudly displaying those fallen heroes who have been remembered and honored at the Dallas Gun Club during the event.

Babe’s Chicken sponsored and served lunch, after having set up the event with us the day before. Everyone enjoyed the spread, dessert included. Then came the donations. Giant checks were presented to The Brain Treatment Foundation, 22Kill, and The Third Option. We are proud to have helped raise more than $1 million, hosting over 1,000 guests and 500 veterans through Boot’n & Shoot’n.

At Benchmark, we do more than bring you home. We give back.