Craig Markhardt, CRMS

My Committment to You and the Industry

My team and I have worked to create the perfect loan process, to educate, inform, and answer all questions and concerns that many homeowners and homebuyers have. When working with a first time homebuyer, whether in South Dakota, or over the phone, we spend quality time covering the differences from renting to owning a home, especially when it comes to finances. I take pride in being the preferred choice for homeowners in Sioux Falls, South Dakota when obtaining a home loan. Since not every person or family budget is the same, especially in South Dakota and the surrounding states, we spend quality time presenting benefits of loan programs that others don't take the time to.

The decision to buy or refinance a home can be overwhelming and scary. My goal is to remember that everyone has different concerns and get all the questions answered to eliminate any fear. I have spent years building a reputation known for honest and up front service, and love to spend my time learning about the industry. The mortgage industry is challenging, and I keep up on it by attending conventions, conferences, and taking classes. This additional dedication has allowed me to rise above the norm and obtain a certification only awarded to less than 2% of the industry. With these challenging economic times, I have chosen to give homeowners the peace of mind they are working with a knowledgable, honest, ethical, and up-to-date loan officer by obtaining my CRMS certification.

The Certified Residential Mortgage Specialist designation takes a minimum of two years to prepare for by taking educational classes, contributing to the mortgage industry, teaching others, and attending national conferences and conventions. I hold the only CRMS in the state of South Dakota, and am the first to obtain it. It is important to me to hold this certification to prove to my customers that I have the adequate training and advanced knowledge of the industry to provide excellent service, today and in the future.

I am the founding and current President of the South Dakota Association of Mortgage Professionals. This association was created to bring the State of SD up to date with current happenings in Washington DC, and provide a place for professionals in the industry to help the consumers in SD. The SDAMP has successfully passed the consumer protection bill in 2007 that required all mortgage originators to pass an FBI criminal background check and register with the state of South Dakota. Since then, Congress has passed a similar bill that will require the same to occur on the Federal level, therefore adding to the protection of consumers. Each year we spend time bringing education to SD, and have recently brought South Dakota's first Ethics training for loan officers. We continue to work on laws and issues that will protect consumers' interests, and keep those who choose this as a profession accountable.

Areas of Expertise

My specialty is working with borrowers who are looking for service that is unique and informative, so an educated decision can be made. Whether it is the move up homebuyer that is looking for the best advice on price range to shop in, loan size to consider, and payments that are affordable, to the empty nester that wants to downsize and buy a smaller home, and are thinking of retirement in the future. I specialize by bringing both the current factors in life, and the future financial decisions not often considered into conversation so proper planning today, can be beneficial financially down the road. With the informed buyers of today, this sophisticated buyer may actually be the first time homebuyer. They often ask advanced questions others do not since they may have learned the basic information on the internet, or in a periodical, and want additonal information for their decision.

I watch rates carefully each day to come to an educated decision on what rate to lock at. When looking to save money on monthly payments, it is often important to consider more factors than just the interest rate, so I review all items that go into a payment, to benefit the customer overall, not in just one area that most individuals think of.

My team gains respect from real estate industry professionals by being up front at the beginning on costs involved with financing. Because we are realistic at the beginning, it prevents customers from being disappointed at the closing, which often occurs when other loan officers in the industry are trying to win business. Educating the borrowers is the most important part of giving the breakdown of costs involved. We won't leave anything out and keep unknowns from coming up later.

News and Current Events

I just returned home last weekend from the SD Association of Mortgage Professionals 4th Annual Convention in Deadwood, SD. Since I am the President of SDAMP, I am required to attend, but would even if I didn't hold that position. We held educational classes over the two day event and covered Ethics and Fair Lending. Spending the time to take classes such as that has been worth it since I started in this industry, mainly so I can have an edge over my competition, and have more knowledge of the importgant things in our industry.

The weater was cold and snowy, the first hint of what is coming for the next few months in SD. I had a great time visiting with an official from Washington, as well as the Division of Banking from SD. South Dakota is in good hands when it comes to industry laws, and I'm proud to be a part of it.