For many years, Rodney Massie worked as a branch manager and mortgage adviser before deciding to go out on his own. Until last year, he worked at Geneva Financial, 425 Cross St., Unit 11, in Punta Gorda, but now Massie’s own company, SimpliFi Home Loans, occupies his former employer’s space. 

The company was founded July 1, 2023, and earlier this month, Massie, a licensed loan officer, and his staff held their official ribbon-cutting with the support of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce. 

For nearly three decades Massie has been serving residential loan customers in Charlotte County. He said the advantage of dealing with a local mortgage adviser is their ability to shop for lenders looking for the best programs and rates. 

“We are extremely experienced and can solve problems others cannot,” Massie said. 

In addition to his years of experience, Candice Day, vice president and loan officer, and processor Jeff Day, each have 10 years of experience. Haley Pietraniec has been a marketing and loan officer for three years, and Todd Stolpe has been a loan officer for five years. 

Being a licensed loan officer and the president of his own mortgage firm, Massie closely follows real estate trends. When it comes to residential home loans, he is optimistic about lenders and the direction of the local real estate market. 

“The real estate market is strong. Unfortunately, we need more supply, as many people continue to move or want to move to our area,” Massie said. “This high demand puts upward pressure on home prices, often making housing unaffordable for those who work here.” 

He said with interest rates beginning to decrease, it will bring more buyers into the market and add more pressure on prices.” 

Massie said while new construction will help, “it will be difficult to build enough supply for the demand. We expect prices to increase but at a more moderate pace than in 2020 and 2021.” 

His advice to first-time homebuyers is to buy now and refinance later as rates continue to decrease. “Do not think that prices will go down, they will not,” he said. 

SimpliFi Home Loans offers conventional, FHA and VA, HELOC, Non-QM and construction loans but doesn’t deal in commercial loans.