When interest rates were at 3% last year, securing a mortgage loan was merely a hurdle in a race to the finish. A lot of care was thrown out of the window when speed and efficiency became the most important factor. Now that rates are back where they were before the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to vet lenders with care. “Buyers are more cautious, they’re stretching their budget, they’re shopping around,” says TJ Dyer of Bancorp South in Brentwood. “People are trying to do their due diligence in researching mortgage options,” and he and his team are up for the challenge.

With a decade and a half of experience, TJ had no trouble adapting to the changing market. His first position with a high-volume Dallas lender demanded that he successfully communicate with tons of clients at once. By the time he moved to Nashville in 2015, local real estate was already picking up Dallas-esque demand. Here, though, he wanted to run things his own way with a highly personal touch, and Bancorp South gave him that opportunity. New to town, TJ says, “they took a chance on me when no one else would.” Seven years late, other companies are calling back trying to recruit him!

What makes TJ stand out is his unrivaled commitment to the customer. Clients and REALTORs know that when they call TJ, that’s who they’re going to get. “I take the time to actually talk to the client,” he says, “they get me, not an assistant or an office manager.” He is truly originating each loan, managing the process from start to finish. It requires him to be transparent and within reach 24/7: “they get my cell phone, they get my email, and they like to know the person they’re talking to.” His in-house team is structured to help him maintain that level of communication. 

Customers can trust that when they work with TJ, he’s going to follow through with his word. Too often, TJ hears from people who had a lender change their approach in the final hours or drop out of a deal they initially claimed would work. “They know I’m going to get them what I said I would,” he says. “Rarely ever do I have a customer that gets declined,” because he’s got a wide variety of loans that he knows how to execute well. He’s highly detailed and communicative, and he knows how to pair each customer with the best loan option for them. 

If obstacles arise, “I keep it real,” laughs TJ. “If there are issues or potential issues, I’m going to let the buyer know.” Keeping everybody informed and aware of what’s going on is key. “Even if there are some blemishes on their credit, knowing that ahead of time” helps him assure clients “that we can get past this.” His goal is always to “keep surprises from happening at the closing table.”

Being local also gives TJ greater insight – he loves living in Nashville with his wife and two kids, and he knows the city well. In spite of all the changes, he’s not planning on going anywhere. “There’s always going to be a need for somebody who can explain things and do that well,” he says. Technology may be advancing, but that serves him well. “Things can be streamlined digitally to make things easier for people,” he explains, “but think of all the questions home buyers have – fees, taxes, how closings and PMI work. We walk people through all of it.” At the end of the deal, the success makes it worth it, “there’s nothing like being able to call someone and say, ‘you’re going to be a homeowner in three days!’”