When it comes to mortgage lending bigger isn’t always better. That’s the impetus behind St. Tammany’s own Integra Mortgage INC. Walk through the front doors of their Madisonville office—just South of I-12 on Highway 21—and you won’t find yourself in a sterile bank/ mortgage company environment.

Don’t let the informality fool you though. President and Secretary, Guy Jones and Lance Scott, know what they’re doing when it comes to residential mortgage lending. In a short time their unwavering commitment to area homeowners has made them the ones to call when you’re ready to obtain a home mortgage loan.

If you reference the word “integrity” in the dictionary you’ll find this definition—depth of principles; steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards. At Integra Mortgage they take their name seriously with a commitment to keeping the individual homeowner and his needs at the forefront of the home loan process.

“Buying a home can be a stressful time,” Lance explained. “The average homeowner doesn’t understand much about the home purchase process. It’s our job to serve as their advocates from start to finish—to look after their best interest and keep the experience as stress-free as possible.”

Instead of dealing with a huge, impersonal banking conglomerate, when you obtain your home mortgage from Integra Mortgage INC, you’re partnering with St. Tammany residents. “We live here, go to church here, send our kids to school here,” Lance said. “We’re invested in St. Tammany Parish and care about the future of its people.”

“We have no affiliation with real estate agencies or title companies and that’s the way we like it,” Guy explained. “We work for St. Tammany homeowners. Period. You will not see an Integra employee with a side office at a real estate firm or title company. We don’t work for them. We work for you—the homeowner.”

Not only does Integra Mortgage INC hold no obligation to real estate and title companies but also they are not beholding to any bank to obtain the money they will lend you. They are a direct lender, which means that Integra Mortgage INC actually funds the loan, which in turn allows them to expedite the entire process with less hassle than ever before. Eliminating the need for a middleman allows the homeowner to have a personal relationship with the person they’re borrowing from.

The Integra team is committed to being available seven days a week whenever homeowners need them. “Since most real estate activity takes place on the weekend when both husband and wife are off work, two Integra employees are on call each weekend and available to accept applications, title, and appraisals,” Guy said. “Before close of business each Friday we make sure the name and number of those two employees is posted on our web site. Even on weekends and holidays they have electronic access to all the information they need to deliver a loan commitment to a customer within an hour even when our office is closed. Every Integra mortgage consultant holds a college degree and is provided with a company lap top they keep with them at all times.”

The Integra team has also taken the mystery out of the home loan process by electronically posting the entire process on designated web sites as it unfolds. “As soon as we begin the mortgage process with a client, we establish a web site for that specific transaction,” Lance said. “Any action that’s taken is posted immediately to the site. When any change is made, all interested parties are instantly notified by email. That way the homeowner, real estate agent, title company and everyone involved has access to all information at all times. There’s no mystery about where we stand or how things are progressing.”

“Just the other day we worked with a family who was relocating here from New Jersey. The wife had found a home but her husband was still back there. Once their application was approved, the wife was able to sign electronically from here, we signed electronically from our office, the husband signed in New Jersey and the home was theirs without having to wait on faxes and make a dozen phone calls.”

“All the business we do is centered right here in St. Tammany Parish. We don’t have offices scattered around the state,” Lance said. “We chose to establish our state-of-the-art lending studio right here to keep the money within the parish, generating tax revenue for St. Tammany and the state of Louisiana and providing jobs for St. Tammany citizens.”

“Our goal is to provide the American dream for the American worker,” Guy said. “We’re proud to be small and happy to be able to provide St Tammany residents with something they need—honest, personalized home mortgage service.”