Meet Allison Byrd, Mortgage Loan Originator, in our Baton Rouge Office
For Allison Byrd, a mortgage loan originator with us since 2017, work days begin early with her 10-month-old son Conner by her side, enjoying his breakfast at the kitchen table while she checks up on loan files and emails clients.
Her days also often end late – after she and her husband, Matthew, have put their three sons (Warren is 5, Robert, almost 4) to bed, she has (amazingly!) fit in an evening workout, and sent her last email for the day.
As a working mom with a beautiful family, it’s fair to say that Allison’s days – especially in the wake of COVID-19 – involve a lot of juggling. And yet, alongside building her family, she has built a rewarding career in mortgage lending over the past decade. Allison says she wouldn’t have it any other way.
A Path from Banking to Mortgage Lending
Allison graduated from Tulane with double degrees in Finance and Marketing in 2006. She started her banking career in 2009. In April 2015, Allison decided to join a smaller local bank as a mortgage originator, a move that meant she’d have more flexibility in hours and a little more work-life balance.
“I absolutely love working with first-time home-buyers,” Allison explains. “It’s really an exciting and rewarding process. You’re taking your clients by the hand, helping make sure they understand every disclosure and know what’s happening, and you’re really helping make their dream of home-ownership come true.”
Though she enjoys working with all types of home loans, she is especially interested in handling new construction loans for her clients.
“I love being part of the new construction process, from origination to closing on a brand new house,” she says.
Allison has a unique point of view when it comes to new construction. She and Matthew just completed construction on their new home in Baton Rouge. They recently relocated from Metairie with their children and two jobs in tow.
In May 2017, Allison joined the Gulf Coast Bank Home Loan Division’s Metairie office with a dedicated spirit to serve her clients’ loan needs and a drive to find a more flexible working life for both she and her family.
A Flexible Workplace for Working Parent Life
“Gulf Coast Bank is really a flexible place for working parents and it’s one of the things that was attractive to me when I was interviewing,” she says. “At the time, we were juggling our kids in daycare and Matthew’s job, which required a lot of travel. That meant if anything happened with the kids, I’d need to stay home and care for them.”
“Gulf Coast Bank completely understood,” Allison says, adding that even in the days before COVID-19 pushed so many to work from home, including her, Gulf Coast Bank has always been flexible about where ‘work’ happens.
“With the right company and the right support, it’s absolutely possible to have a successful career in banking and finance as a working parent,” she says. “It’s not a cakewalk, but it is possible. You have to make sure your time is well-managed and that you are efficient and a pro in multi-tasking.”
“Family is our focus,” Allison says, adding that she is grateful and happy that Gulf Coast Bank supports her and so many other working parents in helping find their flexibility.
Fielding Referrals, Building Relationships, and Creating Trust
Most of Allison’s clientele are, not surprisingly, repeat clients! Overtime, she explains, she has developed a great referral network that includes financial advisors, real estate agents, commercial bankers, and even her hairdresser.
As she sees it, building her business and referral network comes down to one thing – trust.
“Building relationships with my clients and contacts has been so important for me,” Allison says. “They not only trust me with their referrals, but they also trust me with their personal or business information.”
These are rewarding relationships to have and Allison is grateful for the opportunity to serve.
In her downtime, Allison is a huge fan of participating in any event that requires a costume, especially Mardi Gras. From custom dresses to light-up tutus, she loves creating costumes and dressing up for the parade route.
She even met Matthew on a parade route and said “Yes!” to his proposal at the same spot two years later.
Need a Dedicated Loan Officer to Help You with a Home Purchase?
Allison Byrd loves working with new clients to help them meet their homeownership goals using a variety of loan programs. Contact her anytime!