T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ Land Home Financial Services, Inc. recently opened up branches across Iowa, including at 126 W. Main St. in Marshalltown. Branch Manager Adam VandeKamp, left, will divide his time among the other Iowa branches, while loan originator Bill George will work in the Marshalltown office full-time.

Whether you’re in the market to buy a home, refinance or need to pay off a debt, Land Home Financial Services, Inc. offers ways to meet your financial goals. The company, based in Concord, CA, recently opened several offices in Iowa for the first time, with a branch now open in Marshalltown, located at 126 W. Main St.

Adam VandeKamp, who serves as branch manager, is a native of Gilman. He said Marshalltown was identified as a place to set up operations based on economic factors.

“Marshalltown is too big for USDA financing, and a lot of people don’t have savings,” VandeKamp said. “We use a grant program called the Sapphire Program that pays people’s down payments, through the National Homebuyers Fund. We have very lenient guidelines versus other lenders. If we can’t get you approved, no one can … If you have $200 in your bank account, in most cases, you can still get a house.”

Prospective customers first meet with the office’s loan originator, Bill George, a resident of Le Grand, who will provide credit counseling and discuss ways in which people can improve their credit score.

“You can apply online, by phone or in person, and we just have the conversation about where they are credit-wise and with financing,” VandeKamp said. “We provide follow-through where a lot of other lenders don’t take the time.”

The counseling portion will include gaining tips on how making payments on a debt or opening up a line of credit can improve someone’s credit score.

“If you went through a bank for a loan and needed a credit score of 640 or better, here, we could work with a score of 580,” he said.

Land Home Financial Services’ other Iowa offices are located in Ankeny, Winterset and Davenport, with one in West Des Moines opening in the future.

VandeKamp said the company is excited that it will soon also run an operations center based in West Des Moines, where it will provide a team of in-house underwriters, processors and closers to help streamline the financing experience.

“It’s a huge deal, and real estate agents especially like this. It’s a rare commodity in Iowa,” he said.

While VandeKamp will divide his time among the other Iowa branches, George will work in the Marshalltown office full-time, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“People can call me anytime, 24/7 for assistance,” George said.

To learn more, contact VandeKamp at: 515-422-4227 or George at: 641-751-0636.