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Julie Yarbrough
Founding Partner
NMLS#: 288648
DRE Lic#: 02092877
About
If there’s such thing as a mortgage “lifer,” Julie Yarbrough qualifies.
Starting in 1989, at 18 years old as a loan processor, she was quickly recruited by American Title, where she learned the escrow side of the business before jumping into loan originations.
After relocating from the Bay Area to Sacramento to take care of her ill father in 1999, Julie thrived as a loan originator in the broker world. In fact, she closed an astounding 43 transactions during her best month and soon opened her own mortgage brokerage, Gateway Capital in Roseville, CA.
She grew and thrived until the mortgage meltdown hit the region hard, and Julie saw the opportunity to transition into community banking at Five Star Bank in Sacramento, where she went on to become the President of the mortgage division.
Prior to joining EHL inc. Julie worked as a Regional Area Manager for the Pacific Northwest for a nationwide mortgage banker. She was strategic in creating, growing and overseeing a new operations center while growing out a multi-state sales team, hiring, leading, and coaching many Loan officers and staff.
But when approached by longtime friends and peers, Leo Whitten and Anthony Lombardo, with a special opportunity, Julie knew that she’d finally found her professional home.
The task was an ambitious one: to help create and grow Empire Home Loans Inc., a people-centric mortgage brokerage firm headquartered in the Sacramento region that merges cutting edge technology to deliver the ultimate home loan experience for clients. Julie took that leap, becoming a Founding Partner in Empire Home Loans Inc, and was tasked with the most pivotal component of the whole operation: PEOPLE!
“My strengths are found with people,” says Julie. “Coaching people, hiring people, and leading people – not managing. So, my mandate with Empire Home Loans was always simple: to recruit the right value based talent, develop them, and put them in positions to succeed with integrated platforms and technology.”
For instance, one of Julie’s goals with Empire is to use her platform as an owner to empower other women in business, helping them shatter the glass ceiling in the real estate and mortgage fields.
That’s no small feat, but if anyone can do it, it’s Julie, who’s graduated from some of the finest leadership, communication, and management courses like the National Speakers Association NSA. She’s also served as the PR Chairperson of the Sacramento CAMP Board for 7 years, co-chaired the Women’s Round Table – a CEO Women’s business mastermind group, and graduated with distinction from Future Leaders, CMBA through Pepperdine University.
Not only will she serve as an ambassador to loan officers who want to join the Empire Home Loans, inc. team and learn how to thoroughly outpace the competition but use her vast experience to create the best user experience in the entire mortgage industry for both loan originators and their consumers Anywhere. Period.
“It’s my job to establish our growth, marketing and branding, but, most importantly, to drive a winning culture. The main reason why the three of us are such great partners is that our talents are all so different. I say culture eats strategy for breakfast … and Anthony says a great strategy should include culture. Of course, we’re both right – as long as the client benefits!”
Somehow, this mortgage “lifer” still manages to balance work with her personal and family life.
She’s equally as committed to her beautiful daughter, Bella Bliss. Bella is in her freshman year in high school, an avid equestrian competing in 3 day eventing with her horse KING. Never one to sit still, Julie loves water sports, outdoor activities that include cycling and swimming (she’s even completed a triathlon!), and loves playing with Sierra, her German Shepard, Luna, her black lab and the newest baby to the bunch Bentley, half Aussie half Border Collie.
When not on the go, Julie also enjoys concerts and music festivals, cooking at home, mediation, and is a voracious reader and consumer of media from podcasts to Ted Talks and just about anything she can find on leadership, inspiration, and personal development.
It’s no wonder why Empire Home Loans, and the clients she serves are lucky to have Julie!
Starting in 1989, at 18 years old as a loan processor, she was quickly recruited by American Title, where she learned the escrow side of the business before jumping into loan originations.
After relocating from the Bay Area to Sacramento to take care of her ill father in 1999, Julie thrived as a loan originator in the broker world. In fact, she closed an astounding 43 transactions during her best month and soon opened her own mortgage brokerage, Gateway Capital in Roseville, CA.
She grew and thrived until the mortgage meltdown hit the region hard, and Julie saw the opportunity to transition into community banking at Five Star Bank in Sacramento, where she went on to become the President of the mortgage division.
Prior to joining EHL inc. Julie worked as a Regional Area Manager for the Pacific Northwest for a nationwide mortgage banker. She was strategic in creating, growing and overseeing a new operations center while growing out a multi-state sales team, hiring, leading, and coaching many Loan officers and staff.
But when approached by longtime friends and peers, Leo Whitten and Anthony Lombardo, with a special opportunity, Julie knew that she’d finally found her professional home.
The task was an ambitious one: to help create and grow Empire Home Loans Inc., a people-centric mortgage brokerage firm headquartered in the Sacramento region that merges cutting edge technology to deliver the ultimate home loan experience for clients. Julie took that leap, becoming a Founding Partner in Empire Home Loans Inc, and was tasked with the most pivotal component of the whole operation: PEOPLE!
“My strengths are found with people,” says Julie. “Coaching people, hiring people, and leading people – not managing. So, my mandate with Empire Home Loans was always simple: to recruit the right value based talent, develop them, and put them in positions to succeed with integrated platforms and technology.”
For instance, one of Julie’s goals with Empire is to use her platform as an owner to empower other women in business, helping them shatter the glass ceiling in the real estate and mortgage fields.
That’s no small feat, but if anyone can do it, it’s Julie, who’s graduated from some of the finest leadership, communication, and management courses like the National Speakers Association NSA. She’s also served as the PR Chairperson of the Sacramento CAMP Board for 7 years, co-chaired the Women’s Round Table – a CEO Women’s business mastermind group, and graduated with distinction from Future Leaders, CMBA through Pepperdine University.
Not only will she serve as an ambassador to loan officers who want to join the Empire Home Loans, inc. team and learn how to thoroughly outpace the competition but use her vast experience to create the best user experience in the entire mortgage industry for both loan originators and their consumers Anywhere. Period.
“It’s my job to establish our growth, marketing and branding, but, most importantly, to drive a winning culture. The main reason why the three of us are such great partners is that our talents are all so different. I say culture eats strategy for breakfast … and Anthony says a great strategy should include culture. Of course, we’re both right – as long as the client benefits!”
Somehow, this mortgage “lifer” still manages to balance work with her personal and family life.
She’s equally as committed to her beautiful daughter, Bella Bliss. Bella is in her freshman year in high school, an avid equestrian competing in 3 day eventing with her horse KING. Never one to sit still, Julie loves water sports, outdoor activities that include cycling and swimming (she’s even completed a triathlon!), and loves playing with Sierra, her German Shepard, Luna, her black lab and the newest baby to the bunch Bentley, half Aussie half Border Collie.
When not on the go, Julie also enjoys concerts and music festivals, cooking at home, mediation, and is a voracious reader and consumer of media from podcasts to Ted Talks and just about anything she can find on leadership, inspiration, and personal development.
It’s no wonder why Empire Home Loans, and the clients she serves are lucky to have Julie!
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Company NMLS: 1839243 | CA DFPI/CFL Lic: 60DBO-98315 | CA DRE Lic: 02086593 | AZ Lic: MB-1012019
