Worth the Risks

 Dedicated, loyal, determined, independent, passionate, trustworthy, committed and enthusiastic are just some of the adjectives used by friends, family and business associates to describe Belinda Janecke. As the managing partner in Pinnacle Mortgage Group, LLC, a company she built from the ground up in only three years, Belinda is all this and more.

As a child, Belinda had planned to be the first woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court—that is until Sandra Day O’Connor came along. Belinda is just that type. She sets a goal and does whatever necessary to achieve that goal, always making sure that what she does is done with honesty and integrity.

“Always treat people as you wish to be treated,” Belinda said. “It is the way I try to live my life and what I live by in my business. It was something instilled in me by my parents as a child, and something I strongly believe.”

Belinda grew up in the small town of Dyer, Tennessee. It was a good upbringing—a place where she learned the importance of morality, family, Christian values and what it is to have and be a good friend. These are lessons as important today, as they were as a child. They are also one of the things that attracted her husband Eric to her more than 15 years ago.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, Belinda worked for the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau and then in the Convention industry in Washington, D.C.  It was while traveling from a trade show in a shuttle bus, that fate intervened, and Eric met Belinda. “I was attracted to her beauty, no doubt,” Eric said. “What I really found, was that we were a lot alike, and she had everything I was looking for—good ethics, morals and a real commitment to God and family.”

Belinda and Eric married and settled in Washington. Three years later, they welcomed their pride and joy, Rebecca. Not long after, Eric was offered a job with the Hilton in New Orleans, which brought the Janecke family to their new home on the Northshore. That was 12 years ago when Rebecca was only 13 months old.

Belinda and Eric soon found a home with the help of real estate agent Ann O’Bryan, who became a trusted family friend. It was Ann who suggested that Belinda look into the mortgage business. That was October, 1998, and today, 11 years later, Belinda is at the top of her game.

Pinnacle Mortgage Group, LLC, which started in a single office just three years ago, is now celebrating its success in a brand new office building currently staffing five employees. “My whole life is tied to this business,” Belinda said. “When someone comes to me for mortgage help, it is important for me to take care of them. I watch the rates, search for the best products for their situation and I make sure they are getting sound financial advice. It is what I would want my mortgage broker to do for me, so it is what I do for them.”

“Belinda has such incredible enthusiasm and passion for what she does,” Ann O’Bryan said. “She knows the mortgage business and sincerely takes every client and their needs to heart. I know that when I refer a client to Belinda, I don’t have to worry.”

In the current economic climate, many are confused whether this might be a good time to buy or refinance a home. Belinda’s advice: now is the perfect time to buy or refinance for many reasons. One, rates are still very good and are poised to move higher. Two, the first-time homebuyer $8,000 tax credit has been extended to April 30, 2010. That means if you have a contract by April 30 and close by June 30, you are eligible for the tax credit. There is even a $6,500 tax credit for repeat buyers, buyers who have lived in their home three of the last five years.

Belinda knows that the loan industry can be very confusing. Every lender has its own guidelines and specific ways of doing things. When deciding to buy or refinance, it is important to find someone you can trust to be honest with you—someone that will tell you the real truth about whether you will or won’t get a loan based on the information provided. If it looks like the loan won’t be approved, you want someone willing to work with you and provide specific ways you can fix the glitches so that the next time you apply the answer will be “approved.”

Though Belinda lives and breathes the mortgage business, on those opportunities when she and her family can get away to one of their favorite vacation destinations, like skiing in Beaver Creek, Colorado, or surfing the waves of Maui, she can leave knowing the business is in good hands. Carl Benefield joined Pinnacle Mortgage in March 2009, but had worked with Pinnacle Mortgage for more than eight years, as a wholesale representative. Since December, he and Belinda have formed a partnership and purchased their wonderful new building with Belinda retaining responsibility for the day-to-day operations. When Belinda was asked to describe herself in just three words, they were confident, determined, and most of all, happy.

Pinnacle Mortgage Group, LLC, is located at 4030 Lonesome Road in Mandeville. For more information, call their office at 985-727-0755 or visit www.mortgagebypinnacle.com.