First Liberty Bank

JANUARY 2022

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT | GIL BARTEAU, MORTGAGE DIVISION MANAGER

“First Liberty Bank is an Oklahoma City-based community bank, and that word — community — has a special meaning to us,” Gil Barteau begins.

Founded in 2006, First Liberty Bank opened its doors with six employees. By 2007, the bank had grown to over $100 million in assets. Today, there are over 70 employees on staff, and the bank’s assets have increased to $550 million.

Yet, asset growth is only part of First Liberty Bank’s story.

“We are first and foremost a community bank providing commercial and personal lending products to local businesses and individuals. That's our purpose — serving our community," Gil continues.

True Locals

Gil describes First Liberty Bank as “hyper-local.”

"The mortgage industry has been moving toward an impersonal disconnect between the customer and mortgage loan originator," Gil explains. "You apply online, get automated responses, automated pre-approval letters, your loan goes into an assembly line, and you don't know who to call when there's a problem. We've taken the opposite approach."

First Liberty Bank's mortgage loan officers prefer meeting with clients face-to-face, getting to know them, understanding their needs, and staying personally involved with clients throughout the purchasing process. In a world that is moving more and more towards automation and reliance on technology, the First Liberty Bank team is choosing an alternative path of knowing their customer.

"We believe that technology, and automation in general, shouldn't replace the human touch. It should enhance it,” adds Gil.

Built on Values

First Liberty Bank was founded on the principles of kindness and service.

“We are kind, we are genuine, and we bend over backward to serve the relationships we establish,” Gil says. “These values permeate every level of the organization, and particularly in the mortgage lending department. We bend over backward for our clients. Our loan officers are available anytime for one of their REALTOR® partners.”

After a loan application is completed, loan officers remain intimately involved in every mortgage. They do not defer to an assistant, processor, or anyone else downstream. There are no gatekeepers to go through to reach a loan officer, and every customer has the loan officer's cell phone number. The client maintains one point of contact throughout the process — unusual in today's climate.

“This isn’t an 8-to-5 job,” Gil adds. “People aren’t shopping for homes during business hours, Monday through Friday. People shop Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays, and that’s when our lenders are available for them.”

The REALTOR®’s Resource

First Liberty Bank prides itself on being a resource for real estate agents. It’s another example of their personal, community-focused approach to mortgage lending.

A First Liberty Bank loan officer's goal is to make their real estate partners shine.

“We love being a resource for real estate agents, even if they are not referring customers to us,” Gil explains. “We enjoy being a resource because mortgage lending is complex and real estate is complex. There's a billion moving parts. If we can answer a question, we’ll stop what we’re doing to answer those questions.”

First Liberty Bank does the extra work upfront to get agents a rock-solid pre-approval letter. They understand how competitive the current market is and are ready to help their clients stand out.

"We go the extra mile to make sure our pre-approved borrowers don't fall out in underwriting,” says Gil. “The last thing our REALTOR®-partner wants is a busted contract days before closing because the borrower didn't qualify. Fortunately, our loan officers take pre-approvals very seriously, so underwriting turndowns are practically non-existent at our bank."

First Liberty Mortgage also offers its partners a mobile app that allows them to modify pre-approval letters in seconds, streamlining the process of issuing offers and counteroffers.

Stepping into the Future

As Gil and the First Liberty Bank team look ahead, they envision more organic growth and a continued focus on the Oklahoma City community. Currently, there are two branch offices — one in Oklahoma City and another in Norman. Gil envisions expanding deeper into Oklahoma in the coming years.

Regardless of the pace of expansion, however, First Liberty Bank remains primarily focused on their community, partners, and clients right here in Oklahoma City.

For more information, please visit www.myfirstliberty.com.

Written by Zach Cohen, photos by Shawna McDuffie at Peak RES