As the first Black realtor with 55 years of experience, LEGACY Home Loans’ Founder & CEO Ben Slayton is all too familiar with the challenges African Americans face while working in mortgage and real estate.
Slayton and other leaders at LEGACY are determined to open the door for future generations by equipping them with the tools needed to succeed. LEGACY Home Loans is the nation’s largest Black mortgage lender, and it has partnered with the HBCU Career Development Marketplace to increase the representation of African Americans in the mortgage industry.
Currently, only 3% of the mortgage industry’s loan originators are Black. Loan originators play a vital role in educating the public about available lending options and the path to homeownership. The company’s mission is to fund $1 billion to new Black homebuyers by year-end 2023. By increasing the number of Black loan originators, the company will be able to service more Black communities and help close the 30% homeownership gap.
As a part of its partnership with the HBCU Career Marketplace, LEGACY has selected 14 students from HBCUs to be trained and employed as mortgage loan originators.
This month, Selena Washington of the University of Maryland, became the first HBCU graduate to complete the training and sign her employment agreement with LEGACY Home Loans. She has already obtained her mortgage originators licenses to service Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
“I am thrilled to begin my new career with LEGACY Home Loans,” said Washington. “I am looking forward to giving back to the African American community through education initiatives and by helping young adults achieve the American dream of homeownership for themselves.”
The nation’s first and largest Black mortgage company, LEGACY Home Loans is on a mission to help the Black community build sustainable wealth through homeownership. Led by President & CEO Ben Slayton, a 55-year mortgage industry veteran who was also the first Black REALTOR® in America. LEGACY’s goal is to fund $1 Billion to new Black homebuyers by year end 2023.
“We are profoundly pleased with our relationship with the HBCU Marketplace to help HBCU students begin a career in mortgage banking,” Slayton said. “We are so proud of Selena and her accomplishment of becoming the very first of our candidates to complete our training program and pass her state’s licensing examinations. We are ecstatic to welcome her to the LEGACY family and look forward to seeing her develop into one of the industry’s top mortgage loan originators.”