FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Housing Corp. (KHC), the state housing finance agency, recognized its 2023 top lending partners last night at the 19th Annual Lender Recognition Awards held in the Galt House Hotel’s Waterford Room.
“We honored our top loan officers, lenders, and realtors yesterday, but I want to extend my gratitude to all 635 loan officers, 102 lending companies and 484 real estate companies who partnered with Kentucky Housing Corporation last year,” said Winston Miller, executive director and CEO. “Their dedication, hard work and ingenuity empowered more than 3,100 Kentuckians to become homeowners. We are proud of our partners’ success and look forward to another great year in 2024.”
For the third straight year, Stockton Mortgage Corp. earned first place. Closing 539 KHC loans in 2023, Stockton loan officers generated a loan volume of nearly $98 million for KHC’s portfolio. Stockton Mortgage is based in Frankfort but also has offices in Ashland, Bowling Green, Florence, Georgetown, Hopkinsville, Lexington, Louisville and Pikeville.
“I’m proud of the people here at Stockton,” said David Stockton, president and owner of Stockton Mortgage. “There’s a great group of people here who believe in affordable housing, who believe in homeownership, who have core values that closely align with Kentucky Housing Corp.’s. The best opportunity for most people to build wealth and security is by buying a home, and Stockton is committed to affordable housing and affordable homeownership.”
Kenneth Prost of Success Mortgage Partners Inc. received Top Loan Officer honors. He closed 68 KHC loans in Northern Kentucky and also snagged the Top Mortgage Credit Certificate Loan Officer award for 2023.
“It’s an honor to be awarded KHC Top Loan Officer, because there are so many talented loan officers in the state – I feel like I am part of the best of the best,” Prost said. ” Achieving this goal means that I helped a lot of folks in the community get approved and become homeowners, which is really important. KHC is a big part of our business, because it checks all of the boxes – lower credit score, debt income ratio, income. It allows borrowers, who may not always have great credit, to get down payment assistance and to become a homeowner is a win for the consumer and a win for the state.”
New this year was the Top Producing Real Estate Agency award, given to eXp Realty LLC. Working with KHC-approved loan officers, they helped more than 89 homebuyers close using KHC loans.
Elizabeth Monarch, principal broker for eXp, said it is the down payment assistance program that is most enticing to her buyers.
“We love working with KHC and offering their financial products to our buyers,” Monarch said on behalf of eXp’s 600 realtors. “We appreciate the opportunities they have given us to get people into homes and make that American dream come true.”
Owning a home has many advantages such as building equity over time, property value appreciation, and the pride and security that comes with homeownership. There is also a correlation between stable neighborhoods and strong communities where there is social and civic engagement and more access to education and economic opportunities.
Closing Cost Grant
During the celebration, KHC announced a new, limited-time closing cost grant. Starting today, homebuyers using a KHC loan are eligible for up to $2,000 in assistance with down payments, closing costs and prepaids on top of the up to $10,000 in down payment assistance qualified buyers can receive. The $2,000 is limited to the first eligible 500 KHC buyers and is a gift. It does not need to be repaid.
Award Winners
For a complete list of winners and pictures from last night, visit the official event webpage or see below.
Kentucky Housing Corp. 2023 Top Loan Producers
- Top Producing Lender: First Place Winner
Stockton Mortgage Corporation - Top Producing Lender: Second Place Winner
Ruoff Mortgage Company Inc. - Top Producing Lender: Third Place Winner
Supreme Lending - Top Producing Real Estate Agency
eXp Realty LLC - Top Third Party Originating Lender
Statewide Mortgage - Top Loan Officer
Kenneth Prost, Success Mortgage Partners Inc. - Top Mortgage Credit Certificate Lender
Stockton Mortgage Corp. - Top Mortgage Credit Certificate Loan Officer
Kenneth Prost, Success Mortgage Partners Inc.
Kentucky Housing Corp., the state housing finance agency, was created by the 1972 General Assembly to provide affordable housing opportunities. As a self-supporting, public corporation, Kentucky Housing offers down-payment assistance loans to assist first-time homebuyers obtain home mortgages; housing production financing; homeownership education/counseling; rental assistance; housing rehabilitation, and supportive housing programs for special needs populations
