Meet the real MVP at Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services
Mark (his middle name doesn’t start with ‘V’) Pullin.
Mark was born and raised in Calgary and attended Springbank High School graduating in 1977. For the last 35 years Mark has been involved in the Banking, Real Estate, and Lending industry, enjoying an 8-year tenure with First Calgary Credit Union, followed by a successful 15-year career selling Real Estate, however, it was then time for a change.
“With my past Banking and Real Estate careers, I had a very good knowledge of Real Estate in general and had built a loyal and long term portfolio of clients. With the combined work experience of both myself and Dianne, mortgage lending was a natural transition – and in December 2002 Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services was born.”
Mark Pullin Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services
In 2002, Mark founded Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services with his wife Dianne as a Private Lending Company. Mark credits the career step they made from the vision and determination of Dianne.
“We started operating out of our Signal Hill home, however, growth and increasing staff requirements forced a move to our current Glenbrook Place SW location in 2008 and ultimately now to our Sierra Blvd location. Over and above myself and Dianne, Cedar Peaks employs one part-time and three full-time employees.”
Today, Mark and Dianne live in Elbow Valley and each has one child who are both married. One of their children resides near Washington D.C., and the other in Toronto. As “young” empty nesters (with the exception of their precious pets-more about them later) Mark and Dianne enjoy golf (getting the most out of their Elbow Springs membership), and nice dinners.
Mark has been interviewed numerous times by the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA) and here are highlights from one of those interviews.
Where are you from?
As mentioned above I am a native Calgarian, however, I believe there are a lot more of us out there than what people think
What are a few of your hobbies?
During the winter months, I enjoy both playing and watching curling, however watching and following the NFL is my passion (Go Steelers). We also try and get to one NFL game each season. In the summer months that passion is replaced by golf, both here in Calgary and in Radium.
How did you get started?
After almost 15 years in Real Estate, it was time for a change where nights and weekends were your own. With my past Banking and Real Estate careers, I had a very good knowledge of Real Estate in general and had built a loyal and long term portfolio of clients. With the combined work experience of both myself and Dianne mortgage lending was a natural transition – and soon thereafter Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services was born.
What do you love about mortgages?
Putting together a mortgage requiring private funds requires creativity and thinking outside the box. When this is accomplished it is both satisfying and rewarding. Our Borrowers are not shopping for the best rate, but looking for the best solution. At the end of the day, we have helped the referring Broker, a Borrower in need of a short-term solution, as well as our Investors.
Want to learn more about Cedar Peaks Mortgage Services? Keep reading.
Experience with AMBA
Our experience with AMBA over the years has been nothing short of amazing. As private lenders, a large part of our business is derived from the Brokerage community, and by attending the many AMBA events we are able to provide the Brokers with knowledge and information about private lending, while at the same time having a great avenue of exposure for Cedar Peaks. Just as important is the opportunity to meet so many great people in the industry, many of which we are proud to call friends.
Vision for industry
As the years have progressed I am seeing a constantly increasing display of professionalism. In the upcoming years, we will see more niche Lenders and Brokers entering the mix as there is a realization you can’t be a “Master of all Trades”. Continued efforts are required to gain more public awareness and trust in using the services of a Mortgage Broker, despite having made significant progress in this area in the last several years. As the fog of the recession dissipates, I feel our industry will find balance once again, and success will be achieved through focus, integrity, and of course constant hard work.
Staying Ahead of Competitors
Our industry has healthy competitiveness. Many of us do the same type of lending, yet there is room for all of us. It’s not so much about staying ahead of them, as it is about having a great relationship with them. We often work together and have supported each other through industry and regulatory changes. Constant communication, discussions, and exchange of ideas with our peers have proven to be an invaluable part of our business success.