Brian R. Jessen is a Senior Mortgage Loan Professional at Wintrust Mortgage for their Lake Forest, Illinois lending office. Brian specializes in custom residential mortgage lending for single family homes, condominiums, townhouses and 2–4-unit buildings ANYWHERE within the United States. Additionally, with a national lending footprint, Brian enjoys structuring mortgage options for new home construction and renovation/remodeling projects, second homes and investment properties ANYWHERE that a client may be interested in looking.

Going into residential mortgage lending was not something Brian had ever planned to pursue. Jessen intended to become an investment banker in Boston/New York, until the 1987 stock market crash, which immediately eliminated those job opportunities.

“I ended up selecting a career in private banking and mortgage lending to help people, rather than large corporations,” recounts Jessen. He works with his team out of Lake Forest, Illinois. Brian has been working in lending for 29 + years. “Having a supportive, positive environment to offer my teammates and my clients is extremely important to me.”

“The absolute biggest compliment that I can receive is when clients and referral partners recommend their family members, friends and co-workers to me,” says Jessen. “That level of trust is the greatest feeling to me, validating how much I care to make sure clients are happy and well informed with the biggest financial decision in their lives.”

His experience working for his father’s architectural practice during high school and college provides another lasting competitive edge. “I understand the details and specific steps for homebuilding and home renovation projects. Using my finance and economics education background, I can clearly communicate what may be happening within the economy, where it may be headed; thoroughly and calmly advising clients much more than most mortgage professionals,” he remarks.

Jessen knows that at times the best advice is not even to get a mortgage loan; paying cash, borrowing from a retirement plan or against their investment assets, or even waiting awhile to become best prepared to purchase. Jessen and his team will help address any credit issues, creating a specific plan to improve their credit, while making sure that clients understand the genuine cost of owning a home beyond their mortgage, including repairs, maintenance, real estate taxes and insurance. “To become a trusted advisor, always act in your clients’ best interests, first and foremost” he notes.

​​​​​​​Outside of work, Jessen enjoys biking, golfing, reading, and taking leadership roles in various charities; including Soldiers to Sidelines and Cradle to Crayons.