Mary Hall, Personal Banker | SouthStar Bank Calvert
Mary Hall is a Personal Banker at the SouthStar Bank Calvert branch. She has worked in the banking industry for over 10 years, with seven years spent at various SouthStar Bank locations in Robertson County. Mary most enjoys working in the Calvert branch because it allows her to interact with the great people of Calvert and customers from Bremond, Hearne, and Franklin.
Away from the bank, Mary is a proud wife and mom of two kids. She enjoys spending her free time reading, traveling, thrifting at local garage sales, attending football games, and volunteering with her church.
The holidays are upon us! In the spirit of the season, many of our locations are serving as donation drop-offs for local toy drives. New unwrapped donations will be accepted for all ages. We are not accepting stuffed animals at this time.
Over the past 100 years, SouthStar Bank has built a tradition of community service, supporting past generations and the generations to come. Now, we want to give back to the communities who have supported and driven our success over the years.
See below to find the donation spot closest to you:
Zelle® is a fast, safe and easy way to send and receive money with people you trust, like your babysitter, your fellow PTA mom, your son’s soccer coach, or your coworker. Whether you just enrolled with Zelle® or have been an active user for a while, there are a few tips you should always keep in mind to ensure you are being safe when sending money.
Only send money to people you know and trust
Money moves fast with Zelle®, directly from bank account to bank account within minutes*. So, it’s important you know and trust the people you’re sending money to.
Why? Because you can’t cancel a payment once it’s been sent, if the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. And if you send money to someone you don’t know for a product or service you might not receive (like paying for something in advance), you may not get your money back. Keep in mind that sending money with Zelle® is similar to handing someone cash.
Beware of payment scams
One example of a payment scam is buying event ticket sat a price that seems too good to be true from a stranger and never receiving them. If the seller asks you to use Zelle® to purchase the tickets, you should refuse unless the seller is a person you personally know.
Also, keep in mind that no one from SouthStar Bank will ask you to send them money with Zelle® as a test or to send money to avoid a fraud event.
Neither SouthStar Bank nor Zelle® offers a protection program for authorized payments made with Zelle®. So, if you aren’t sure you will get what you paid for, you should use another payment method with purchase protection, such as a credit card.
Treat Zelle® like cash
Did your friend change phone numbers recently? It’s easy for people to change their phone number or email address. When in doubt, contact your friend to verify the email or U.S. mobile number they used to enroll with Zelle® before you hit “Send.” Another good check point for ensuring you’re paying the right person is to confirm the first name that is displayed for enrolled emails and U.S. mobile numbers.
If a person has already enrolled a U.S. mobile number or email address with Zelle®, you can’t cancel the transaction, so it’s important you get it right the first time.
If you’d like more information on safely using peer-to-peer payments, check out these articles from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
A SouthStar Bank portfolio loan is originated and funded right here at our institution, and never moves into the secondary mortgage market. It’s called a “portfolio loan” because it’s always going to stay in our portfolio. That means we can rely on our relationship with the customer to determine loan eligibility even if they don’t meet the typical mortgage profile.
For example, meet Annie. Annie is a freelance marketing consultant with variable income. Her credit score has taken a few hits but we’ve known Annie for years. She’s been a customer in good standing and a part of our community for a long time. Her business is picking up, and she’s starting to get back on her feet. Purchasing a home could improve her stability, her credit, and her children’s lives. She may even want to purchase a four-plex, so she can start earning some rental income on the other three units.
Annie comes to SouthStar Bank and meets with one of our loan officers to discuss the Star Advantage Loan. We look at her plans, her property, and total financial picture and make a decision about whether she’ll be a good risk. If we agree the loan makes good business sense, we move forward, even though she would not have been eligible for a loan through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Are portfolio loans a good idea?
A portfolio loan generally isn’t riskier for the consumer than any other kind of mortgage. It is riskier for the banker, which means it can come with higher interest rates and fees. Whether they are a good idea for you depends on your unique situation and goals.
Would you be able to qualify for a conventional mortgage with just a little more work and time? Do you have aspirations towards becoming a landlord or real estate investor? Are you trying to purchase a non-traditional property or unique property?
Of course you should carefully consider the total picture before you make your final decision. Our loan officers are happy to discuss the risks and benefits of a portfolio loan in your specific case.
How do you qualify for a portfolio loan?
Applying for a portfolio loan isn’t just about forms and numbers. It’s about your story. Be prepared to sit down and discuss yours. Tell us what your assets are, what you hope to accomplish, what’s behind, and what’s ahead. Be thorough and be transparent, even if you think parts of your situation might create an issue. We might be willing to work with you anyway, or we might be able to walk you through specific steps you can take to address areas of concern.
What are some common uses for a portfolio loan?
Many of our customers have used portfolio loans to:
Purchase a residence after a bankruptcy, short sale, foreclosure, or divorce.
Purchase a residence while self-employed.
Purchase a residence as a foreign national.
Purchase a rental property or a fix-and-flip property.
If any of these scenarios matches your situation, reach out to a SouthStar bank location near you to meet with one of our loan officers today.
Mariela Tinajero has been a part of the SouthStar Bank family for the last nine years. She works out of the Gonzales Annex as an Assistant Electronic Funds Manager. In her role, Mariela is responsible for managing all electronic transactions, including wires and ACH payments. Her always-ready-to-help attitude has earned her great respect around the bank. One of Mariela’s most significant career achievements was being awarded the Ride for the Brand award, which recognizes the individuals who have gone above and beyond to uphold the SouthStar Bank brand and standards.
In her free time away from the bank, Mariela loves going on motorcycle rides with her husband, working out, and traveling with family. Something that might be surprising about Mariela is that one of her bucket list items is to travel to New York City.
Cockrum Commercial is based in Georgetown, TX. The family-owned and operated business grew from longtime roots in the Georgetown community. After many years of building custom homes in Williamson County, Bradley Cockrum, along with his family and staff, decided to expand into the commercial construction business in 2016.
As a Central Texas Commercial Construction firm, Cockrum Commercial offers “from the ground up” Commercial Construction services. The team of experienced construction professionals works closely with their clients throughout the entire process, from the build to leasing and purchasing. As a general contractor offering turn-key development services, the team is committed to providing the highest quality of work to every commercial project and continuing the reputation of Cockrum craftmanship that has been built through decades.
As a lifelong residents of Georgetown, Texas, the Cockrums recognized a need in the community for small to medium businesses to have ownership options in a first-class commercial development. After much thought, research and collaboration with partners, the vision for Sedro Crossing Business Park began. The 19-acre master-planned business park borders the widely popular Sun City community and offers high visibility opportunities with a uniquely aesthetic appeal.
Sedro Crossing Business Park broke ground in March of 2019. Since then, the development has continued to grow. Alexis Michael and the commercial lending team at SouthStar Bank worked directly with Bradley to structure a commercial loan that met the needs of his ongoing commercial development, as well as SBA and conventional loans for local businesses occupying the space.
While COVID-19 halted operations for many businesses, Cockrum Commercial forged ahead. Bradley secured a PPP loan through SouthStar Bank to keep jobs available to his longtime team and completed the first phase of Sedro Crossing in 2022. Already over half-occupied, Cockrum celebrated with a ribbon cutting on June 23, 2022. The team looks forward to further expansion.
SouthStar Bank Alexis Michael, Senior Vice President & SBA Director | NMLS# 790782 p: 512.986.7654 | m: 512.806.4250 alexis.michael@southstarbank.com
PREVIEW FOR SSB SITE: Cockrum Commercial offers a full line of commercial construction services. Through a commercial construction loan, they were able to continue development at Sedro Crossing Business Park in Georgetown, TX. Learn more>
SOCIAL POST Our #SmallBiz clients have expanded into commercial development. Learn more about how the Cockrum family’s decades of quality craftsmanship experience has led to Georgetown’s newest top-tier development.
Cockrum Commercial offers a full line of commercial construction services. Through a commercial construction loan, they were able to continue development at @Sedro Crossing Business Park by Cockrum Construction in #GeorgetownTX. #commercialrealestate #bankingtexasstyle
