Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Denicola.
Hi Mark, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I earned my Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati and got into sales. I may be showing my age, but I saw a newspaper ad for a mortgage loan officer at a small bank in Cincinnati. I was working in the cellular industry and wanted a change. I walked down to the interview at lunch, spoke with the sales manager, and he offered me the job. That night, I called my dad and told him I got a new job selling mortgages. My dad was very happy for me. I then asked him, “What’s a mortgage?” I knew it was a loan, but that was really it. My dad laughed out loud and said, “Come over for dinner, and I’ll explain everything to you.” My dad explained the different types of mortgages, how title works, and gave me a great overview. I started the next week, in May 2002. I moved companies a couple of times, then started working for U.S. Bank in April 2005. They offered me a transfer to the Phoenix/Scottsdale market, so I relocated on my own to Scottsdale, Arizona, in March 2006. The first time I was in Arizona was the day I stepped off the plane, and from that moment on, Arizona felt like home. I met Jessica in 2021, and we live together in Scottsdale with our two dogs, Lexi and Ozzy.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life can be peaks and valleys. How you deal with adversity and how you appreciate the good times make you stronger, wiser, and kinder if that is what you choose. The biggest challenge I faced was the only time I considered moving back to Cincinnati. It was the most difficult period for me around 2009/2010, when the housing market collapsed. It was very difficult for me financially, socially, and mentally. I could have walked away from the home I bought in 2007, which was “upside down.” I was working back at US Bank again in Arizona, so I could have easily transferred. I was single and felt alone, with the weight of the world on my shoulders, until one day… I cried my eyes out and had that “moment of clarity.” I decided that day I was going to stay and I was going to succeed. My life changed nearly 180 degrees. From that moment on, all the challenges became problems to solve, things to let go of, or lessons I needed to learn to keep moving forward and succeed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in Mortgages, Purchase Loans, Refinancing, and Lines of Credit. I have over 2 and 1/2 decades of experience and consider myself an expert. It’s funny to say that, since I had no idea what a mortgage was when I began. I love what I do. I love helping someone get into their 1st or 10th home. I take pride in helping someone improve their financial situation by using their biggest asset to make their lives better. I care about my clients and strive to improve each day to help them achieve their financial goals. In short, I care. I make myself available to my clients and business partners to assist them however I can. I never shy away from challenges or tough situations. I love to problem-solve, but I always appreciate the easier mortgages to get done. I am most proud of how far I have come, the adversities I have overcome, and the experience I gained by moving across this wonderful country of ours because I wanted to.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Housing Wire daily podcast. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Pricing:
- Free consulataion – It all starts with a phone call. I like to take time to call get to know you find out your goals and explain my process from a high angle view
- Application/ Documentation – I ask to get it on paper, get your income documents, credit and personal information.
- Meeting/ Zoom – I schedule all my clients to either meet in person or if you are busy a zoom call so we can see each other to discuss how mortgages work. This is where we discuss rates, fees and what you qualify for with the current rates of that day.
- Accepted contract / Moving ahead with a refinance – this is where we lock in your rate and get things moving.
- Closing – The finale, things can change during the process with appraisals and other things, by this point everything is near final or final on what we set out to accomplish.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cfmtg.com/mdenicola/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark.denicola.73/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.denicola.73/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-denicola-98121b174/
