2023 Best of the Best Winner: Ian Beamer, Guaranteed Rate

Every year, as part of the Daily Herald Media Group's Readers' Choice program, we ask readers to vote for their favorites in more than 200 categories, including the areas of dining, entertainment, business, shopping, places and people. This year, readers responded with more than 63,000 votes, which we narrowed down to the top vote-getters in each category, and featured in our "Top Picks" special section.

Readers voted again for their favorites - 100,000 votes! - to narrow it down to the 2023 Readers' Choice Best of the Best Winners! We are proud to showcase some of these winners with more information about who they are and what they offer.

2023 Best of the Best Winner: Ian Beamer, Guaranteed Rate

Category:

• 2023 Best Mortgage Lender

Describe your business and/or services.

I am a residential mortgage lender here at Guaranteed Rate, and I have been providing lending advice and financing options to my clients for over 20 years.

What do customers say they like about the way you do business?

Most of my clients seem to appreciate my honesty, insight, and availability. I present suggestions as to how to best structure each client's individual scenario, and offer extremely competitive financing options.

What have you learned over the years that helps make your business a Readers' Choice- Best of the Best pick?

I always think long term, and am most concerned with what is in the best interest of my clients. My goal is to show value and provide services to my clients for a lifetime. I want to them to be comfortable passing my contact information to their family and friends so that I can keep my margins low and financing options as competitive as possible.

What makes your business or service unique?

What sets us apart is our unwavering dedication to innovation and personalized solutions. We pride ourselves on staying at the forefront of industry advancements, allowing us to offer cutting-edge technologies and tailored strategies that perfectly align with our clients' specific needs. Our commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for exceeding expectations, truly distinguishes us in the market.

Why do you think you were voted a Reader's Choice Best of the Best?

I was truly not expecting to win this award and was honored just to be nominated. I have been doing this a long time and certainly recognize that there are many bright people in the industry both at Guaranteed Rate and other lending institutions also offering fantastic advice and customer service for prospective buyers and homeowners looking to refinance. I would say my level of customer service, experience, and volume combined to help put me in this position, and I certainly could not have won without the support of my clients and realtor partners.

What's the hottest trend in your industry?

Trends are ever changing as the market is constantly in flux. We are going from a period with the lowest rates that have ever been available to some of the highest rates we have seen in the past 20 years. To combat the continuously changing market, we are offering lock and shop options for those buyers that fear rates may increase again before they find a property and temporary buy-down options that help keep interest rates a bit lower without throwing that money away if/when rates fall next year.

Does your company donate time or money to any philanthropic causes? If so, what causes?

Of course, as a company, Guaranteed Rate has the Guaranteed Rate Foundation to help those in need. The Foundation has donated over $7.3 million to over 520 families to help with the cost of food, housing, and health care. On a more personal level, I am always happy to donate to local schools and parks, sponsor events, and stay active in my community.

What community involvement does your business participate in?

In the past year, my team has personally sponsored events like the St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt, Trunk or Treat, Movie Nights in the park, and National Night Out among others. You may have also seen me handing out Gatorade at the 3v3 Youth Soccer Tournament, 3v3 Basketball Tournament, or the Whipper Snapper Youth Triathlon.

What do you do to make your business a good place to work for your employees?

I like to focus on the positives in business, which helps to foster an atmosphere of collaboration. I always look to my team for suggestions and new ideas. Learning from each other helps to give a fresh perspective, and allows us to assist our clients as best as we can. This is going to sound cheesy, but honestly just knowing that we truly provided the best service we could while helping someone achieve their dream of homeownership is pretty rewarding. I make sure my whole team knows how much their work is appreciated.

What is one interesting fact about your company that most people may not know?

Guaranteed Rate currently provides more residential loans to Chicagoland homeowners than any other lender in the country. And on a more personal note, while Guaranteed Rate Field is the home of the Chicago White Sox, I have been a die-hard Cubs fan for my entire life, and even had a dog named Wrigley when I was growing up.