While the world started to pick the pieces back up from an unprecedented 2020, and COVID-19 continues to be a threat that we deal with on the daily, we still found reasons to be thankful in 2021. For a year that was full of challenges, we were able to do some pretty amazing things for our Flat Branch family and our community.
Growth
Mortgage rates continued to stay low throughout most of 2021, which meant we were able to continue to smash records and help even more families buy their dream homes. Since January of 2021, we’re proud to say we’ve helped nearly 18,000 families purchase homes. That totals over $3 billion in loans funded – a milestone that’s brand new for us. That growth prompted us to expand our Flat Branch family even more. We have over 700 employees – adding more than 200 new teammates just this year. We also opened our first branch in Texas – a new territory we’re excited to serve. We can’t wait to see what this team does in 2022 and beyond.
ESOP
With the huge growth we’ve seen since our birth, we knew we wanted to do more for the people who make up our amazing company. That’s why this year, we decided to become employee-owned. This was an incredibly important decision that cements the future of what kind of company we want to be. We invest in our teammates, and we want them to be an important part of our future – helping to make decisions that extend our reach even further than before.
In the Community
With 2020 keeping us all in our homes for the most part, we knew we needed to make a big splash in our communities in 2021. We put a focus on community outreach, so we created several initiatives we’re extremely proud of.
Last year, the president of the United States deemed June National Homeownership Month, and we made sure to celebrate. During the month of June, we gave away mortgage payments to people throughout our regions – helping eight members of communities relieve financial stress and invest in things that matter to them. Throughout the month of June, our foundation, The Giving Branch, also donated funds to housing focused organizations. Through the generosity of our Flat Branch Home Loans family, we were able to give $90,000 to some amazing community charities.
Speaking of The Giving Branch, we’re proud to say we’ve expanded even more. This year, we raised a grand total of $1,169,522 for our communities. These funds have gone to 297 families and organizations right in our neighborhoods. We also grew The Giving Branch scholarship, giving away 6 scholarships totaling $14,500 to adults continuing education. With the growth of our team, we know we can do even more to give back in 2022.
Culture
At Flat Branch Home Loans, we’re a family. We use every excuse we can to get together, no matter how we do it. In 2021, we held our first ever virtual Rally – our company wide event reviewing the last year and showcasing initiatives for the next. While we weren’t together in person, we still found ways to celebrate together – even sending out party boxes to all of our employees. At Rally, we also rolled out our third and fourth beers with Bur Oak Brewing – Postmark Pilsner and Branchy Brew.
In addition to two new beers, we’ve also expanded our Flat Branch spirits family. This year, we debuted Flat Branch Fizz – our seltzer. We partnered with another amazing local brewery, Mother’s Brewing Company in Springfield, MO, to create the summer release. It was such a hit that for winter, we decided to create Branch & Vine, our very own FBHL branded wine. We’re proud of this amazing family of spirits which help to christen the homes of many of our new homeowners. We still have the Flat Branch Home Loans event truck, which finally had the chance to make its rounds in our regions – gracing many tailgates, parades, and events in our communities – stocked with our whole family of spirits, of course.
Achievements
Flat Branch Home Loans has grown to new heights in 2021. In addition to closing more loans than ever and growing to a company that is 700 employees strong, we’ve also had the honor of earning several awards. This year, we were named the #1 USDA lender in Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. We’re also ranked as the #8 USDA lender in the country. In addition, we are now the #1 purchase lender in Missouri. We’ve expanded to over 70 locations throughout the Midwest, and we have lending offices in six states.
We didn’t know what 2021 would hold for us when we rang in the new year, but we think it’s safe to say we’ve made the most of it. We want to take a moment to tell you - our borrowers, employees, and communities - how appreciative we are of everything you’ve done to help us grow in 2021. We can’t wait to see what 2022 holds. Remember that we’re here for you – living, working, and playing in the communities we serve. Let’s get you home.
