When he heard John F Kennedy say, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” he knew he would join the military. His drive to serve took him through three tours in Vietnam.
Meet Art LaFlam, Benchmark Client.
What is an IRRRL VA refinance loan?
An IRRRL, or Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loan, is a quick VA refinance option with fewer qualifications and less paperwork than other refinance loan options. It’s meant to be a quick and non-complicated refinance option for qualified VA homeowners, and there is no appraisal requirement. Read more
What to look for when touring the home you want to buy.
If you are looking for your first, or next, home, you will likely tour several before finding "the one." Before you let yourself be swept off your feet, stay grounded and take a closer look. While you will want to get a professional inspection, it's a good idea to get a good idea on your own. Doing so may save the cost of a professional, if significant issues are discovered, or if the home needs more work than you are willing to take on.
2019 Summer Market Update With Jim McMahan: Is it a good time to refinance?
In this video, Jim McMahan, President of Benchmark Mortgage, talks about the market, interest rates, and debt strategy to help you decide whether refinancing might be a good option for your financial goals.
How to Refinance Without a New 30-year Commitment.
Now, you could get a refinance loan for any term between 15 and 30 years! Get a better rate without "starting over". Benchmark presents: Odd Term Mortgages.
Celebrating 20 Years Of Mortgage Excellence
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.
Your Top Google Searches about Buying a Home: We’ve Got the Answers!
With the summer home buying season heating up, we are here to help with some of your top Google searches about buying a home. We looked at the data from Google Trends to find out your top questions about homeownership.
Natural Lawn Maintenance Tips for Safe Summer Fun
A lawn in summer is a wonderful thing! It is the proper location for picnics, barbecues, slip-n-slides, and more. Forget chemical fertilizers and herbicides. You can still enjoy a healthy SAFE lawn by following natural lawn maintenance tips below.
Win The Bidding War With Storytelling
Get your offer accepted without the highest bid. Can't raise the competition with a higher offer? Use storytelling to win the seller over. Read it here.
Boot’n & Shoot’n 2019 Recap: Benchmark Gives Back
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.