By John Aretos of Police Mortgage
End-of-Watch Loan Protection is a special debt-cancellation benefit created exclusively for active police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. It is available for multiple loans taken through Police Mortgage and its parent company, National Police FCU, at no cost to the borrower. End-of-Watch Loan Protection cancels the outstanding loan balances for eligible active first responders upon their line-of-duty deaths up to a combined maximum of $850,000 for all of the qualifying loans with Police Mortgage and the National Police FCU.
So, you read that correctly. We’re now welcoming firefighters into End-of-Watch. We, of course, continue to offer the program to all eligible active police officers as well.
What may set Police Mortgage apart from just any patrolman credit union or other mortgage providers, is that we offer End-of-Watch Loan Protection free of charge. We pay for it. It attaches to the loan at closing. There’s one disclosure to sign. There is no physical. There’s no blood work.
End-of-Watch Loan Protection is not an insurance policy. It is a debt-cancellation guarantee in the event of a line-of-duty death up to $850,000 in aggregate loans with Police Mortgage and our parent company, National Police FCU. In other words, your police home loan would be forgiven.
This really hits home with most young couples where one spouse is a first responder. If you are a police officer and you’re on the street I know you don’t want to think about it, but if something happens to you this could help your family tremendously.
Think of End-of-Watch Loan Protection as a gift from Police Mortgage and the National Police FCU to say, “Thank you” for what you’re doing out there. While there are competitors who offer similar coverage, the coverage is usually not as much as we offer.
So, let’s say you are an active police officer. You have a $300,000 home loan for police with Police Mortgage as well as a $25,000 auto loan and a credit card with a balance of $5,000 both with the National Police FCU. If the unthinkable happens and you are killed in the line of duty, the End-of-Watch Loan Protection will wipe that $330,000 debt clean.
This just adds value to any life insurance policy because now instead of using that life insurance to cancel out debt, those are additional funds your family can use to recover since the mortgage has gone to $0. That can provide real peace-of-mind for the surviving spouse.
I think that is very powerful. We understand the risks that the police officers and firefighters take. This is a way Police Mortgage may be able to provide a little comfort at home.
Police Mortgage specializes in conventional mortgages, purchase money transactions, FHA loans, and VA loans. Led by founder and CEO John Aretos, Police Mortgage is known and respected for providing clients with exceptional service, customized terms, quick and easy closings, and low money down options. To learn more about Police Mortgage, go to www.policemortgage.com or call 312-499-8878.
Police Mortgage for First Responders Who Are Second To None.
I have my bachelor’s in business administration and have been involved in the banking industry for over 10 years. During this time, I managed two of the National Police Federal Credit Union locations prior to transitioning to Police Mortgage. I have family members who are police officers with the Chicago Police Department. My work has been very rewarding, and I take pride in having assisted countless members and their families with their financial needs and financial wellness. My hobbies include exploring new restaurants in the city and running for marathons that support pediatric cancer foundations and Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Run To Remember. I come from a large family primarily from the south side of Chicago and love to share all the diversity and beauty the city has to offer with my two children.
I am honored to grow up in a multi-generational family of Chicago Police Officers. I joined Police Mortgage in the summer of 2020 and love the opportunity to help both first-time buyers and repeat clients alike achieve their dreams of purchasing a home. Having been born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, I happily live in the Lakeview neighborhood today. Along with my two younger sisters, I am a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a lifelong Chicago Bears fan. I have a strong passion for food and love exploring the vast array of restaurants throughout our city. Nothing makes me happier than spending a summer afternoon on a golf course with family and friends!
I joined my brother at Police Mortgage as a loan officer in August of 2021 after a 10-year career in sales and marketing. Most recently, I worked as a Senior Account Executive for Ricoh North America, an office electronics company, where my main responsibilities were building new client relationships and maintaining over 400 existing customer accounts. I believe my work experience has transferred over to the mortgage industry well, because I am able to multi-task effectively while working with multiple customers. The skillset I learned in my previous employment allows me to stay organized and to manage my time well for my customers. My number one goal is always to make the loan process as quick and painless as possible for our borrowers. I am excited to further develop the Police Mortgage brand with my brother. It is a unique situation, and I believe working in an office together allows us to help our borrowers even more due to streamlined communication and our ability to help each other with our respective files. I like to spend my free time relaxing, watching sports, exercising, going out to eat with my wife, and trying to keep up with our three daughters – all under five years old!
After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2015, I moved to Chicago where I began a career in marketing at a firm called Ansira. I sought a career change and contacted Police Mortgage, where I was first introduced to the mortgage industry. I have spent the last 5 years training with our CEO, John Aretos, who has taught me all of the intricacies of the mortgage process. I love finding solutions for our clients to help them purchase the home of their dreams. I feel a huge sense of accomplishment when helping homebuyers, especially first-time homebuyers, all the way through the loan process, from pre-approval to closing day. I recently moved back to my hometown of St. Louis, where we opened a new office. I am excited to help start this new chapter for Police Mortgage. My wife, Megan, and I are happy to be back in our hometown. We are always checking out new outdoor events such as music or food festivals – anywhere we can take our dog, Remy!
As the CEO of an organization associated with serving the Police and their loved ones, I am privileged to play a role in helping our clients achieve their life’s financial goals. Our mission is to make the home buying or refinancing process as comfortable as possible, providing our clients with competitive products and excellent service.
I was born and raised in the Chicago metropolitan area, and I have a deep-rooted love and appreciation for the diverse culture which makes our city so special. My two older siblings and I grew up working in our parent’s restaurant, which instilled a work ethic and sense of family that I carry with me to this day.
I am a graduate of Indiana University and have been involved in the mortgage industry for nearly 25 years, helping thousands of clients save money or finance the home of their dreams. My passions are passing down my love of food, music, art, snow skiing, and red wine to my three children, who motivate me to be a better person each and every day!
