Austin Barnard
with First Community Mortgage
Austin Barnard is a loan officer with First Community Mortgage, which is a subsidiary of First Community Bank. They are a specialized group of mortgage professionals that do not cross-sell and are provided funding/licensing through our bank, which provides opportunities nationally. Learn more about Austin in our question-and-answer interview below:
How and why did you decide on this particular industry?
My family is close friends with our CEO and president, who started the initial conversation. Outside of that, I graduated with an MBA with a concentration in finance, so the financial world has always been of interest to me. Lastly, I was a collegiate and professional football player with the Titans, so I am very competitive, which is valuable in the mortgage industry. When you put all of that together, I felt like it was a perfect fit to join the mortgage world.
What sets your business apart from similar ones?
Upfront honesty, transparency, and hard work drive my business. I want my clients to know as soon as possible what they can expect without any surprises and educate them, so they know what to expect and how to best utilize the market. The hard workpiece has to do with the day-to-day work; gathering documents, communicating to agents and clients, ordering 3rd party items, following up on appraisals or title work, quick responses on emails/phone calls/text messages, and then getting the loans cleared to close as smoothly as possible.
What do you most want the top producing REALTORS® to know about your business?
When you work with me, you’re not just getting a lender that closes loans; you're getting a partner and advocate for your real estate business to help build your future referrals.
What do you find most fulfilling about your work?
The most fulfilling piece of my job is the ability to work with some really great people/agents and also having time to spend with my family.
What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?
The most notable change I have seen in the industry is the ability to do almost everything online. We are now at a point where 1/3 of our closing package is e-sign, so our buyer doesn’t have to spend an hour at the closing table, making their hand sore.
Tell us about your family and what you all enjoy doing together.
I have been married for two years now (yes, we got married in the heat of COVID), and we have two massive dogs: a Great Dane and a Bernese mountain dog. We love to travel and are very active, either working out or playing sports.
When you aren’t working, what’s your favorite way to spend time?
When I’m not working, I want to be with my family, either playing with my dogs or watching a good tv series/movie with my wife.
How would you define success?
Success to me is meeting my goals. I set goals yearly (and even quarterly) for my business, my health, and my family. If I meet those goals, I state that as a success.
What do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for the impact I’ve had on my referral partners, clients, and co-workers' lives. That could be as simple as finding a creative solution to help close a loan for a buyer and help my agent make money to feed their family or as in-depth as being a go-to person for someone in need or going through tough times.
What other specific information about you/your business would you like to share with REALTORS®?
For the most part, every lender provides the same mortgages, but at the end of the day, you need a partner that not only closes that loan but helps you grow, helps you look good, and helps ease the stress during the contract period. That is what my team and I strive to do every day!
To Contact Austin:
Phone: 770-314-1732