Kevin Blair at Element Home Loans in Chattanooga: Direct Mortgage Broker for Local Borrowers
Element Home Loans operates as a mortgage broker in Chattanooga, meaning Kevin Blair connects borrowers to multiple lenders rather than lending directly from a single institution. This structure matters because it gives clients access to different loan programs and rate quotes in a single application, instead of shopping multiple banks independently.
What Element Home Loans actually is
Element Home Loans is a locally rooted mortgage brokerage where Kevin Blair works as a loan officer. Brokers like Element differ from bank-based mortgage departments in one key way: they source loans from wholesale lenders and are paid commission on each loan, not a salary from a single bank. That model creates both opportunity and conflict. A broker can shop your file across 30 or 40 potential lenders to find the best fit on rate, points, and fees; a bank can only offer its own products. But because the broker is commission-paid, the incentive is to close the loan, not necessarily to steer you toward the cheapest option. Knowing that structure helps you evaluate the advice you receive.
Loan types and what to compare
Element arranges conventional loans (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac), FHA loans, VA loans, and USDA loans. Within each category, lenders set different rates, origination fees (typically 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the loan amount), discount points (each point costs 1 percent of the loan and buys down the rate by roughly 0.25 percent), and closing costs. When you sit down with Kevin Blair, you should compare across three dimensions:
Interest rate plus points. If one lender offers 6.5 percent with one point and another offers 6.75 percent with zero points, the second may look cheaper until closing. Ask the broker to show you the total cost of points as a dollar figure.
All-in fees. Origination fee, underwriting fee, appraisal, title insurance, and survey (if needed) vary by lender. Ask for a Loan Estimate within three business days of application; lenders are required to provide it, and you can then compare the same loan across different lenders' estimates.
Lender overlays. Some wholesale lenders Element works with may have stricter credit score or down-payment requirements than others. A broker's job is to match your profile to lenders that will approve you at the best terms.
How Element compares to other Chattanooga mortgage options
Chattanooga borrowers can choose between brokers like Element, bank-based lenders (Chattanooga-based FirstBank, Tennessee-based Avenue Mortgage, or national chains like Rocket Mortgage), and credit union mortgage departments. Each has trade-offs.
A bank mortgage department employs its own underwriters and processors, which can mean faster closings and a single point of contact from application to funding. FirstBank, which operates branches across Chattanooga, originating mortgages in-house, offers that consistency. But you see only FirstBank's rates and programs.
Brokers like Element can show you multiple options in parallel. If you don't qualify for the best conventional rate at one lender, a broker can route your file to a lender with more flexible overlays, sometimes in hours. The downside is coordination risk: if the broker's underwriting team is backlogged, your timeline can slip. Confirm Element's average closing timeline and whether Kevin Blair can guarantee a close date before you lock the rate.
Credit unions often offer member rates below-market, but membership requirements and product limits vary. If you belong to a credit union in or near Chattanooga, get a quote there before committing to a broker.
Who this suits and who it does not
Element Home Loans is strongest for borrowers shopping multiple lenders or those with non-standard profiles: self-employed, recent job changers, or those with credit blemishes that may disqualify them at one lender but not another. If you have a conventional 20 percent down payment, a stable W-2 job, and a credit score above 740, rates are nearly identical across lenders; a bank may close faster and simpler.
Element is a poor fit if you value a single relationship and on-site staff. Brokers rely on phone and email, and if a problem arises with underwriting, you may find yourself caught between the broker and the lender's staff. A bank's one-stop-shop model avoids that.
What the first conversation involves
Kevin Blair will ask about your target home price, down payment, credit profile, employment and income, and timeline. He will likely discuss rate-lock strategy: locking in a rate immediately protects you if rates rise while your loan is underwritten, but floating the rate allows you to benefit if rates drop. (Most brokers float and lock within three days of closing, when the secondary market is most predictable.) You should receive a Loan Estimate within three business days of formal application; this shows all fees, and you can compare it to quotes from other brokers or banks.
Ask Kevin Blair for the names of the wholesale lenders he will shop your file to and whether those lenders have different credit or down-payment overlays. Confirm in writing when your loan will close.
Hours and contact logistics
Verify Element Home Loans' current phone number and office location through the company directly. Brokers operate office hours that may differ from retail banking hours; many offer evening or weekend calls by appointment.
Kevin Blair earns a commission on loans he originates, so he has an incentive to move you toward approval and closing. That doesn't make him dishonest, but it's a factor to weight. Compare his offer to at least one bank-based lender and one other broker before committing.
