Guardian Mortgage‘s Al Young was one of the first people to move to Frisco, and he says he’d never live anywhere else. Why? Because it’s a wonderful family community that has great leadership and top-notch schools and amenities.
We have to agree with Young, who is this month’s Guardian Angel. While Young has spent a lot of time working with Frisco’s youth, coaching basketball teams for his kids, he has a genuine knack for getting to know his clients and making sure they get the right loan for their home buying situation. He says it’s all of these things that make him a better loan officer, and we have to say that Guardian Mortgage is a richer company because of his dedication to Frisco.
Congratulations on this recognition, Al!
daltxrealestate.com: Nice to meet you Al! I hear that you were one of the first people to live in Frisco – on the ground floor so to speak. Now it’s one of the biggest suburbs in the area! What drew you there?
Al Young: It is a pleasure to meet you Candy, and thanks for the time. My wife and I were attracted to Frisco because of its vicinity to Plano and Dallas. We really love the small town atmosphere, yet close enough to Dallas for our jobs and activities.
CD: Did you know it would blow up like it did?
AY: We had an idea it would be a good long term investment when we built our first home. But never expected property values to appreciate the way they have to this point and the city being as attractive to families as it is. So much so, that we opted to build another home in Frisco in 2007.
CD: How have you seen the community evolve and change over the years? You been there since the early 90s, right?
AY: Yes, we built our first home in the early 90s and watched the city grow from a population of 6,000 to now close to 175,000 citizens and increasing in 2016. Our city leaders did a marvelous job of planning Frisco’s growth and infrastructure for families and businesses. We love how the city schools, parks, and facilities are really geared to family needs and activities. For example, my daughter played basketball at Fieldhouse USA, which is a sports facility that supports our local youth in developing skills in many different sports up to the AAU level.
CD: How have you been involved in the Frisco community since you’ve lived there? I know you’ve done a lot with local sports teams!
AY: Yes, I have. We support many of the local charities through donations and participate each year in the Gary Burns Walk. I have coached Girls Basketball for 5th graders participating in leagues at Fieldhouse. I love working with young kids and enjoy watching their transformation and development as they grow and compete.
CD: And now, your daughter is one of the best athletes in the city! Tell us a little bit about her.
AY: Her name is Melecia and she is a junior this year at Frisco High. She is a starter on the basketball team and has been on varsity since her sophomore year. Her team has had winning seasons both years she has played. They went to the District Playoffs last year for the first time in many years. She also runs track for the school. Her most impressive accomplishment is a GPA of 3.85/4.0; she is ranked 65 of 548 (Top 12%) and was an Academic All-District for 2015-2016. She does volunteer work at elementary and middle schools, takes advanced AP courses, and is recognize by staff and teachers as a leader. She was on the 5th-grade team I coached and it has been a thrill to watch her skills, and abilities grow.
CD: Does she get her athleticism from you? Did you play a lot of sports growing up, too?
AY: Actually, both our children (11-year-old son Ashton) got their athleticism from my wife, Beckie, and myself. I did play basketball in high school and college. I also ran track in high school as well.
CD: Do you think all this experience – in the community, as a coach, as a homeowner, etc. – helps you be a better loan officer for your clients?
AY: There is no doubt I am a better Loan Officer because of my family, skills, community involvement, and my company. My interactions with people in different venues really enables me to understand the needs and wants of a variety of clients especially since I am a homeowner in the same community. These interactions allow me to take the time to be able to better relate to all levels of buyers. For example, an experienced buyer may want to plan the purchase of a million dollar home or guide a first-time homebuyer with no experience to buy a modest size home. When you take that practical experience and blend it with the Guardian Mortgage approach to keep a client for life, and not just a transaction is what sets Guardian Mortgage apart from most other mortgage companies.
