The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program
Help first responders, teachers, and thousands of Floridians in over 50 critical professions buy their first home.
AIME advocates for 65,000 Independent Mortgage Brokers and their consumers.
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Amend the Hometown Heroes Housing Program
The Broker Action Coalition (BAC) strongly supports the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, which stands to help first responders, teachers, and thousands of Floridians in over 50 critical professions buy their first home.
Questions?
Katie Sweeney, CEO
Brendan McKay, President, Advocacy
Jamie Cavanaugh, Vice President, Outreach
advocacy@aimegroup.com
Katie Sweeney
Katie Sweeney
CEO of AIME
Katie Sweeney is the CEO of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts. Katie oversees the day-to-day operations of the AIME team by spearheading partnership development, membership growth initiatives, and business analytics. Previously, Katie served as the Senior Vice President at ARIVE where she successfully brought to market a revolutionary portal that provided an all-encompassing technology solution for wholesale brokers.
After joining AIME as the Executive Vice President of Strategy, she spearheaded partnerships with top wholesale mortgage lenders and industry vendors to provide real-time support and exclusive access to mortgage brokers with the launch of the Brokers Are Better Network.
Katie has strengthened the capabilities of AIME’s Brokers Are Better Network to deliver top-tier products & services for the benefit of the wholesale community along with bringing on nearly 20 vetted Sponsors. This collaborative effort between AIME and industry-leading vendors has grown to over 30 dedicated industry partnerships providing independent mortgage brokers exclusive access to technology and services that mortgage professionals need to compete in a historically crowded marketplace. She has also overseen the development of a best in class member portal, launched mentorship and job placement services, and ushered in a renewed focus on diversity initiatives through AIME’s Spark and Ignite Programs.
Katie’s contributions to the growth and success of the wholesale channel has been noted by HousingWire who presented Katie as one of 2020’s Women of Influence within the mortgage industry and Mortgage Professional America who named Katie to the 2020 Mortgage Global 100 list.
Brendan McKay
President, Advocacy at AIME
Brendan McKay co-founded McKay Mortgage Company, LLC in 2017, a mortgage brokerage that serves the DC Metropolitan area. Since then, Brendan has originated 850+ units and $350M in volume. In 2020, Brendan was named to the Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators as the #34 Mortgage Broker nationally.
Involvement in the mortgage broker community is a family affair for McKay Mortgage. Brendan’s mother and business partner, Tina McKay, is a former President of the Maryland Mortgage Brokers Association. Brendan also spent the beginning of his career working in Wholesale Mortgage Operations at American Brokers Conduit and Sierra Pacific Mortgage.
He sits on the Board of Governors for the Maryland Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association (MMBBA) and the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. Brendan is also a member of VettedVA, an organization that serves active duty and former military homebuyers.
Brendan has been a proud and active member of AIME since its inception. Continuing in his advocacy for brokers, Brendan’s role at AIME is pivotal in the future of the community’s growth and will amplify the needs of wholesale mortgage professionals from across the country.
Jamie Cavanaugh
Vice President, Outreach at AIME
Jamie Cavanaugh is the Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Amerifund Home Loans, Inc. Jamie’s ability to combine over 20 years of industry expertise in operations, sales, business efficiencies, and vendor services through the eyes of an originator makes her a sought after advisor in the industry.
Over the course of her career, Jamie has broken through the barriers of many glass ceilings to sit on executive leadership teams. Her diversified experience includes sales, compliance, origination, credit risk, post-closing, and secondary marketing management. Jamie enjoys being an active member of AIME, the Women’s Mortgage Network, and Women With Vision and has been a guest on a number of well-known industry podcasts. She is often invited as a Keynote speaker and Panelist at industry conferences where she speaks passionately about marketing, building a sustainable business, effective leadership, and empowering others to find their seat at the table.
CEO of AIME
Brendan McKay
President, Advocacy at AIME
Jamie Cavanaugh
Vice President, Outreach at AIME
We've Got Your BAC
Join the Broker Action Coalition Today and bring YOUR voice to Capitol Hill.
Take Action Now!
Take Action Now!
Click below to read bio
This program dedicates $100 million in assistance to help Florida’s “Hometown Heroes” purchase their first homes.
First-time, income-qualified homebuyers can receive down payment and closing cost assistance to purchase a primary residence in the community where they work and live. Homebuyers can secure up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount (maximum of $25,000) in down payment and closing cost assistance.
Down payment and closing cost assistance is available in the form of a 0%, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage. This second mortgage becomes due and payable, in total, upon sale of the property, refinancing of the first mortgage, transfer of a deed, or if the homeowner no longer occupies the property as their primary residence. The Florida Hometown Heroes loan is not forgivable.
The program is currently restricted to prevent more than 10,000 independent mortgage brokers operating as third-party originators from offering loans under the program. This restriction undermines the program and limits homebuyers’ access to qualified local experts in their community.
We've Got Your BAC
Join the Broker Action Coalition Today and bring YOUR voice to Capitol Hill.
Take Action Now!
*Click Below to Read Bio
Katie Sweeney
CEO of AIME
Brendan McKay
President, Advocacy at AIME
Jamie Cavanaugh
Vice President, Outreach at AIME
Katie Sweeney
CEO of AIME
Katie Sweeney is the CEO of the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts. Katie oversees the day-to-day operations of the AIME team by spearheading partnership development, membership growth initiatives, and business analytics. Previously, Katie served as the Senior Vice President at ARIVE where she successfully brought to market a revolutionary portal that provided an all-encompassing technology solution for wholesale brokers.
After joining AIME as the Executive Vice President of Strategy, she spearheaded partnerships with top wholesale mortgage lenders and industry vendors to provide real-time support and exclusive access to mortgage brokers with the launch of the Brokers Are Better Network.
Katie has strengthened the capabilities of AIME’s Brokers Are Better Network to deliver top-tier products & services for the benefit of the wholesale community along with bringing on nearly 20 vetted Sponsors. This collaborative effort between AIME and industry-leading vendors has grown to over 30 dedicated industry partnerships providing independent mortgage brokers exclusive access to technology and services that mortgage professionals need to compete in a historically crowded marketplace. She has also overseen the development of a best in class member portal, launched mentorship and job placement services, and ushered in a renewed focus on diversity initiatives through AIME’s Spark and Ignite Programs.
Katie’s contributions to the growth and success of the wholesale channel has been noted by HousingWire who presented Katie as one of 2020’s Women of Influence within the mortgage industry and Mortgage Professional America who named Katie to the 2020 Mortgage Global 100 list.
Brendan McKay
President, Advocacy at AIME
Brendan McKay co-founded McKay Mortgage Company, LLC in 2017, a mortgage brokerage that serves the DC Metropolitan area. Since then, Brendan has originated 850+ units and $350M in volume. In 2020, Brendan was named to the Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators as the #34 Mortgage Broker nationally.
Involvement in the mortgage broker community is a family affair for McKay Mortgage. Brendan’s mother and business partner, Tina McKay, is a former President of the Maryland Mortgage Brokers Association. Brendan also spent the beginning of his career working in Wholesale Mortgage Operations at American Brokers Conduit and Sierra Pacific Mortgage.
He sits on the Board of Governors for the Maryland Mortgage Bankers and Brokers Association (MMBBA) and the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. Brendan is also a member of VettedVA, an organization that serves active duty and former military homebuyers.
Brendan has been a proud and active member of AIME since its inception. Continuing in his advocacy for brokers, Brendan’s role at AIME is pivotal in the future of the community’s growth and will amplify the needs of wholesale mortgage professionals from across the country.
Jamie Cavanaugh
Vice President, Outreach at AIME
Jamie Cavanaugh is the Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Amerifund Home Loans, Inc. Jamie’s ability to combine over 20 years of industry expertise in operations, sales, business efficiencies, and vendor services through the eyes of an originator makes her a sought after advisor in the industry.
Over the course of her career, Jamie has broken through the barriers of many glass ceilings to sit on executive leadership teams. Her diversified experience includes sales, compliance, origination, credit risk, post-closing, and secondary marketing management. Jamie enjoys being an active member of AIME, the Women’s Mortgage Network, and Women With Vision and has been a guest on a number of well-known industry podcasts. She is often invited as a Keynote speaker and Panelist at industry conferences where she speaks passionately about marketing, building a sustainable business, effective leadership, and empowering others to find their seat at the table.
Questions?
Katie Sweeney, CEO
Brendan McKay, President, Advocacy
Jamie Cavanaugh, Vice President, Outreach
advocacy@aimegroup.com
AIME advocates for 65,000 Independent Mortgage Brokers and their consumers.
Learn more