By John Aretos of Police Mortgage
I heard that Phoenix passed a bill in late 2023 that provides counseling for 911 dispatchers suffering from PTSD. While they may not be seeing the trauma they are certainly hearing it. Police Mortgage is proud to serve a number of 911 dispatchers and to do business with many first responders in Arizona. So, we’re happy to hear that those professionals are being taken care of.
In particular in Arizona, we’ve done quite a lot of business in Tempe, as well as Scottsdale. We are actively trying to offer more police home loans throughout the Phoenix metro area. So, more First Responders Who Are Second To None will be hearing more about Police Mortgage throughout 2025.
Arizona is an interesting state. We have talked about a lot of different markets on Mortgage Beat. Some of them seem to be a little bit more predictable when it comes to home prices. Arizona is all over the map. The median home price in the state is somewhere between $400,000 and $450,000.
However, prices range widely depending on where you are in the state. Scottsdale has a median home-price over $800,000. But, hey, that’s Scottsdale which is probably the most expensive area of Arizona. Home buyers looking for law enforcement loans can go to Mesa and find prices that are a little bit more reasonable.
If you enjoy mountain living, there’s Sedona. That market is crazy right now due to a lot of scarcity there. Taxes are higher in Sedona and there is a much higher cost of living than most other regions of Arizona.
Generally speaking, you can find reasonable property taxes throughout the state. You could buy a house for about $500,000 in Arizona and pay less than $3,000 a year in property taxes. At Police Mortgage headquarters in Chicago, you’re probably paying $12,000 a year in property taxes for a $500,000 property in Cook County.
I think Arizona is still very reasonable, but at some point because of all the transplants coming in from all over the country, California in particular, that’s going to change. When Police Mortgage first started offering home loans for law enforcement there, we couldn’t believe how cheap the property taxes in Arizona were.
Personally, I like Arizona. I like the Phoenix area. I don’t know if I could put up with the summers though. But Phoenix is a massive city that seems to have just about everything along with room to grow. Most important, I have met a lot of great people out there and have really enjoyed doing business with many first responders in Arizona.
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.
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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!
