Stephen R. Bowdon - Loan Officer, Vancouver, WA

If you're buying in the Portland area, you absolutely need to be talking to Stephen about your financing. Not only is he top-drawer when it comes to getting your loan to close, he treats you like a customer even after your loan has been sold to another entity - all lenders will sell your loan, and almost none will give you a hand after that point. Stephen and his team at Academy are different. Our realtor recommended Stephen to my wife and I. His rates were competitive, and he was able to help us identify creative options we weren't aware of to finance our home that allowed us to conserve tens of thousands of dollars in cash. The Academy team did a great job of giving us clarity about what information they needed from us, and didn't ask us for multiple duplicate documents that other lenders have. The process was incredibly smooth, and Stephen worked with our realtor to make sure that the offer we presented to the sellers represented our financing in the best possible light. Our offer was accepted, we go the house, but the story doesn't end there. As nearly every mortgage originator does, Academy sold our loan to another company that had its own mortgage servicer. The transition was smooth, no problems. A little over a year later, interest rates had continued to drop while our home had appreciated substantially due to other sales in the neighborhood, so we decided to refinance. At the end of the new lender claimed we owed them thousands of dollars for escrow payments to cover insurance the new lender had purchased on our home. In response, we reached out to Stephen (at this point, he didn't have any financial interest in our loan), who rallied his team to provide proof to the purchaser of our loan that Academy had provided all the documentation during the loan transfer that the new company needed to avoid buying insurance. After a joint phone call between my wife, Academy, and the new loan company, the new company agreed to refund thousands of dollars to us because Academy had been able to prove it was the new company's mistake. At the end of the saga, we're so grateful to have had Stephen and his team in our corner. They're a great group of people that provide exceptional service and guidance in navigating the complexities of financing real estate.

Stephen Bowdon and team were top notch during our home buying process. As first time buyers, we wanted someone who could execute quickly without sacrificing detail-orientation given the enormity and complexity of a home purchase. It was our first house, and we were beyond pleased with how expertly and quickly Stephen and his team (Hannah Moore, Baylee Badley) were able to answer every question we had - from conversations about how rates were changing and the best approach for us, to how to declare certain assets or handle them - they were wonderful. From start to finish, they made us feel comfortable with the process and when we requested white-glove service, Stephen would always join our calls to clarify information or how the latest NYT article I read applied (or didn't) to us. The final touch - after a successful home search and mortgage services from Stephen, they provided a "Welcome Home" package that was the first to arrive on our doorstep! Thank you for your support and continued email market updates.

Stephen is the very best. I love working with him - great customer service and amazing knowledge of all things mortgage! I have personally closed 5 loans with Stephen and every time the communication, knowledge and expertise is 5 stars. I can always rely on him for honest opinions and quick communication.

If you're buying in the Portland area, you absolutely need to be talking to Stephen about your financing. Not only is he top-drawer when it comes to getting your loan to close, he treats you like a customer even after your loan has been … More

Stephen Bowdon and team were top notch during our home buying process. As first time buyers, we wanted someone who could execute quickly without sacrificing detail-orientation given the enormity and complexity of a home purchase. … More