Team KW

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Team KW Lenders

Preston Laird
VP, Producing Production Manager
NMLS ID#: 891696
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Carla Estep
Loan Officer
NMLS ID#: 200443
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Aaron Sharp
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS ID#: 687597
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Katie Patronis
Loan Officer
NMLS ID#: 1846805
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About Team KW

The KW Team is unique because we are a tight-knit group that truly cares about the client’s well-being and overall experience during the home-buying process. We want every client to feel comfortable and know they can trust us! We love the market we serve because this is our home. Some of us were born in Savannah, while some of us moved into the Savannah area and made it home. We are all in love with everything about the diversity, culture, history, and beauty of Savannah and its surrounding communities. Our team has been described as dependable, experienced, compassionate, accountable, nimble, and accurate. We strive to meet this criterion each and every day with each and every client and agent we deal with. A few things that make us an expert in our market is how much we have truly invested in our community with our presence, charity, and true passion for helping homeowners! Today’s top needs for homeowners are understanding what to expect during the loan process, understanding what the market is doing, and knowing that a home purchase is the first step in building a financial investment while simultaneously having a place to call home. We make sure the client knows that purchasing a home is building wealth and that we pair them with the best loan product available to meet their long-term financial goals. Our approach to serving clients is simple: listen and advise with truth and compassion.

Reviews

4.94
Ratings
209
Total Reviews
Powered by Experience.com
A
Anthony D W S
HINESVILLE - GA
Posted on April 16, 2024
5.0
for Preston Laird
verified-review
Excellent experience all around
M
Marshernell W
GUYTON - GA
Posted on April 12, 2024
5.0
for Preston Laird
verified-review
My husband and I can not even find the words how thankful we are to have worked with Preston and his team. He truly exemplifies what passion he has for his job means. Never once did he give up on helping us, even when I was ready to quit he kept fighting to help my husband and I bring our dream of home ownership to a bright reality. He and his team answered every question and every call to ensure we understood the process. I'm so thankful to have met Preston and I look forward to referring people to him in the future.
H
Harry E W J
GUYTON - GA
Posted on April 11, 2024
5.0
for Preston Laird
verified-review
From what I can tell, Preston is very good at what he's doing. Underwriter, not so much.
W
William M E J
DAYTONA BEACH - FL
Posted on April 25, 2024
5.0
for Carla Estep
verified-review
Carla was very helpful & knowledgeable. This was the smoothest loan process I have ever been through.
Reply from Carla Estep
I'm thrilled to hear that you found the loan process smooth and efficient, William. I always aim to provide knowledgeable and helpful service to all of my clients. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and it was a pleasure working with you. Thank you for choosing BankSouth Mortgage and for your 5-star rating. Looking forward to assisting you again in the future. - Carla Estep
A
Adrian D B
SAVANNAH - GA
Posted on April 8, 2024
5.0
for Carla Estep
verified-review
BankSouth provided step by step guidance throughout the entire process, starting with Carla Estep (Mama Bear). Carla and team communicated with us every step of the way from beginning to end. Additionally, having ReadyLoan for documents made it easy to upload and easy to review and esign documents.
Reply from Carla Estep
I'm thrilled to hear that you had a positive experience with BankSouth Mortgage and found our step by step guidance helpful. I take great pride in being known as 'Mama Bear' and guiding my clients through this process. It's wonderful that ReadyLoan proved to be a useful tool for you to easily manage your documents. Thank you very much for the 5-star review, Adrian. I'm here to assist you anytime in the future. I am your Lender for Life:)
B
Brad F B
SAVANNAH - GA
Posted on April 6, 2024
5.0
for Carla Estep
verified-review
The experience was excellent 👌
Reply from Carla Estep
I'm thrilled to hear that you had an excellent experience, Brad! Your positive feedback means a lot to me and the entire team at BankSouth Mortgage. We aim to provide top-notch service to each customer and it's always rewarding to hear when we've succeeded. Thank you very much for your kind words and stellar rating. It was a pleasure working with you! We want to be your Lender for Life :)
J
John A N I
RINCON - GA
Posted on April 19, 2024
5.0
for Aaron Sharp
verified-review
Thanks to Aaron, I refinanced my house with little to no headache. I would recommend his service to anyone.
L
Lisa M W
POOLER - GA
Posted on April 7, 2024
5.0
for Aaron Sharp
verified-review
Aaron is always quick to get in touch with and resolve any issues or concerns I may have.
J
Janan M M
GUYTON - GA
Posted on February 24, 2024
5.0
for Aaron Sharp
verified-review
Thank you!
R
Rochelle O
SAVANNAH - GA
Posted on April 2, 2024
5.0
for Katie Patronis
verified-review
Katie has a nice personality to work with and is knowledgeable about concerns or questions that I may have. During this process her patience was greatly appreciated. Working with her is amazing.
Reply from Katie Patronis
I'm so grateful for your kind words, Rochelle. It was an absolute pleasure assisting you with your mortgage needs. Your satisfaction is always my top priority and I'm thrilled to hear that my efforts were appreciated. I strive to make even the most complex processes as straightforward and stress-free as possible. If you ever have additional questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Thank you again for choosing BankSouth Mortgage and for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review.
K
Kelton D K
SAVANNAH - GA
Posted on February 18, 2023
5.0
for Katie Patronis
verified-review
Kate is extremely knowledgeable, and made the lending process very smooth. I would recommend her team to any first time homebuyer.

The Mortgage and Lending Services You Need

There are a lot of different types of mortgages out there. Our job is to find you the right one. We’ll help you understand how your home financing works for you when you close and for decades to come.

Your mortgage isn’t far away. A customized mortgage plan puts you in control with down payments and mortgage payments that make sense for your lending needs. You can take the steps to this investment in your future.

It’s your life. It’s your future. We’re here to make it happen for you.

Multiple, standard mortgage options for qualifying homebuyers and homeowners.

Create your dream home with a loan that provides funds to cover the cost of building or rehabilitating a home.

Mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration requiring lower minimum credit scores and down payments - especially popular with first-time homebuyers.

A USDA home loan helps low to moderate income families buy affordable homes in rural areas.

Replace your old mortgage with a new one to lower your rate, reduce your loan term, or cash out home equity.

Special financing for military veterans, service members, and surviving spouses offering favorable terms with options to buy, build, renovate, or refinance a primary residence.

VA loans, USDA loans, FHA loans and other options that help buyers finance their new home while putting less money down.

For buyers considering higher-end properties – Jumbo loans can help provide the financing you need.

Want to fix up your existing home? A renovation loan gives you the funds to make those renovations updates to your home.

Mortgage Ready When You Are with ReadyLoan®

What can ReadyLoan® do for you?

Explore your mortgage options with calculators that help you understand how much you may qualify to borrow and what future payments might be look like.

Ready to look for a home? A preapproval gives you – and sellers – confidence that you’re ready for the next step.

Apply anytime and anywhere - from your phone or tablet. No waiting, No paper. No need to visit a loan office.

Submit required documents and forms through our state-of-the-art app with our encrypted and secure portal.

Check the status of your mortgage and see what steps are ahead in the process.

Securely communicate with your loan officer and agent if you have questions or need to provide other information.

Review your closing package and sign most documents prior to closing.

Apply Online

Download the App

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Mortgages Don’t Have To Be Scary

Buying a home is a big deal. You deserve clear language, clear timelines, and clear expectations. At BankSouth Mortgage, we believe that your lender should be on your side.

We’ll make sure you feel comfortable with your choices, confident in your decisions, and informed every step of the way.

Learn how the process will work, meet the people you’ll be working with, and get the information you need to move forward.

What Happens After I Prequalify?

 
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Step 1

Initial Mortgage Consultation

When you begin thinking about buying a home, contact BankSouth Mortgage to get prequalified. A prequalification gives you an estimate of the size of mortgage loan you qualify for based on your credit history, income, and assets. At this time, your mortgage banker will discuss loan options, down payment requirements, and current interest rates. Simply follow this link to securely apply online. This will give your loan officer the preliminary information they need to determine your prequalification. This is also the perfect time to get set up with our electronic portal to make it easier to securely exchange documents and information throughout the mortgage process.

Step 2

Initiate Loan Application

Once you go under contract, we will provide you with an initial list of documentation needed to begin processing your loan. Quickly providing all requested documentation is essential to moving through the loan process without delays. Also, your BankSouth Mortgage expert will discuss locking in your interest rate and encourage you to get a hazard insurance quote from an insurance agent.

Step 3

Disclosures

Once we have a complete application, we will prepare a packet of disclosures for you to sign. Included in these disclosures is the Loan Estimate, which contains information on the cost of your loan. It is very important to review this closely and talk to your loan officer about any questions you may have. Revisions to your loan later on in the process may push your closing date back. It is extremely important for you to sign and return all disclosures within 24 hours from receipt. Any delay with returning your disclosures may delay your closing. Fees for your appraisal will be collected once we have received your disclosures and payment information.

Step 4

Estimated Market Value

Once you have received your Loan Estimate and disclosed your intent to proceed, BankSouth Mortgage will order your title work and appraisal. The appraisal process identifies the market value for the property. These generally take at least 10 days from the date requested to delivery. As soon as we receive the appraisal, we will provide you and your realtor* with a copy.

*We commit to providing timely and accurate information to your realtor when prior authorization is received from you.

Step 5

Loan Processing

Next, the loan moves to a loan processor, who reviews the file to ensure all the proper documentation is included. You may be contacted to provide any outstanding or additional items, and verifications of employment, etc. may be obtained. Once all the requested information is gathered, the loan will be passed on to underwriting so that a final determination can be made. By this point in the process, please try to limit changes to your contract to ensure a smooth closing.

Step 6

Underwriting

An underwriter will investigate the information in the file and make the final decision on the loan approval. Underwriting can take as little as one day and up to two weeks, depending on the type of transaction and market conditions. Because each loan is unique, it is common practice for the underwriter to request additional documentation to support what was submitted in the original file. We will notify you if additional items are needed, as well as when a final decision has been made.

Step 7

Review Your Closing Disclosure

A critical component of the loan process is YOUR confirming receipt by signing the Closing Disclosure (CD) a minimum of 3 business days before closing. This document further reviews the cost of your loan. BankSouth Mortgage makes every effort to send you this document with ample time to review. However, due to the often expedited nature of the mortgage process, you may receive this document close to the third day prior to closing deadline. As soon as you are able to review this document, it is imperative you sign and return it as quickly as possible. Signing only confirms your receipt of the CD. This integral step requires close communication with your lender to ensure an on-time closing.

Step 8

Closing!

Three days after you return your signed Closing Disclosure, you are able to close on your loan! Depending on the amount due at closing, you may need to send a wire to the closing attorney. At the closing, you and the seller will be required to sign the final loan closing documents. After the closing documents are signed, BankSouth Mortgage will wire funds for the amount of the loan to the closing agent. The closing agent will disperse the funds. The deed that transfers the title from the seller to you will be sent to the county in which the home is located to be recorded. You will receive the original deed once it has been recorded along with your owner’s title insurance policy if you purchased insurance at closing.

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