Georgia-Based Companies Brand Mortgage and Highlight Homes Team Up to Turn Foreclosed Houses Into Homes

Atlanta, GA, October 20, 2011 --(PR.com)-- In a lagging economy, the housing industry is often extremely hard hit. Rising above the news of bank failures and builders being forced to shutter their doors, two unlikely allies have teamed up in an effort to transform foreclosed and distressed properties into places their clients can call “home” for years to come. It was announced last week that Duluth, GA-based Brand Mortgage has designated Atlanta-area builder and remodeler Highlight Homes as one of the full-service lender’s Repair and Renovation Partners. Brand Mortgage – a subsidiary of the highly respected, century old Brand Banking Company – is focused on being the best and strongest lender in the Southeast, making it an excellent fit for Highlight Homes in their similar quest to be the best and strongest design-build firm in the Southeast.

“We’re very excited about this new relationship,” explains Highlight Homes’ Principal, Tony Pourhassan. “Both Brand Mortgage and Highlight Homes believe in putting the customer first, and that’s a rare thing to find in this day and age. We also share a common bond in our desire to not only achieve, but to provide excellence in our respective industries. I look forward to a long and rewarding partnership between my company and Brand Mortgage. With an inordinate number of distressed properties and foreclosures on the market today, it just makes sense for mortgage lenders and renovation professionals to form strategic alliances in order to help these homeowners mold their new houses into their own versions of ‘home sweet home’.”

According to a recent study by RealtyTrac – publisher of the monthly U.S. Foreclosure Market Report – Georgia ranked #5 on the list of states with the highest foreclosure rates in August 2011, indicating that on average one in every 346 housing units falls into foreclosure. There were a reported 11,743 foreclosure filings across the state during the month of August alone. Often, before a home falls into foreclosure – it can fall into a state of disrepair, which may get worse over time depending on how long the property sits on the market or is tied up in the court system. Armed with this knowledge and a major uptick in the number of loans on foreclosure properties, Brand Mortgage saw a need to have qualified repair partners standing by. Each repair and remodel partner is carefully screened before being selected.

“When doing repair escrow accounts, we need to be sure to have contractors waiting in the wings who will treat our borrowers with the utmost professionalism,” explains Sandi Flagg, SVP, Production Manager for Brand Mortgage. “A house is one of the biggest investments our borrowers will ever make. We need to ensure they have a great experience and are very well informed. That’s why all references are called and only those contractors with high reviews are chosen. Highlight Homes came highly recommended – everyone endorsed them because of their timeliness and professionalism. We love partners that take care of our borrowers during the repair process.”

Highlight Homes will prove a strong partner for the lender. With roots in the home-building industry, the talented team of designers, builders and remodelers can tackle any sort of issue or improvement – from basic home maintenance and repair, to custom renovations and room additions – allowing the new homeowner the opportunity to make their home uniquely their own. With such a large inventory of foreclosure properties on the market and historically low interest rates for buyers, this could be the perfect time to buy a new home. To learn more about Brand Mortgage and their wide variety of mortgage finance products, visit www.brandmortgage.com. To learn more about Highlight Homes and their custom construction and renovation services, call 678.873.9234 or visit them online at www.highlighthomesga.com.

About Brand Mortgage:

While the mortgage industry as a whole may be getting bad press, Brand Mortgage is standing tall on their century-long history of operating with respect, trust, and integrity. Brand Mortgage is a subsidiary of The Brand Banking Company, which was founded in 1905 and is one of the oldest privately-owned banks in Georgia. Brand Mortgage is focused on being the best and strongest lender in the Southeast. While they provide loans in 10 states, they have never outgrown their Georgia roots. Brand Mortgage is a full-service lender offering a wide variety of mortgage finance products. They help each and every client choose the best options to fit their budget and meet their individual needs. Brand Mortgage strives to take the guesswork out of the application process and explains all of the options in simple, straightforward language so their clients can feel comfortable and secure with their decision. Brand Mortgage NMLS# 75615/627350.

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