14 Questions with Hometap’s Learning & Development Manager

man using laptop

As our first L&D Manager, Alex is using his background in the field to help build programs that hone Hometappers’ professional skills and create a culture of learning.

Alex Valentine headshot

Q1: You studied accounting and finance in college. What led you to the L&D space?

My previous company encouraged innovative and new ideas often. I noticed a gap in our training and development programming and put together a business plan to fill it. This was endorsed by the senior leadership, and with a lot of support, I was able to lean into the L&D industry and build many programs.

Q2: Do you find yourself applying any skills or learnings from your past positions at Hometap?

Every day! Building relationships is so important, and I try to utilize my communication skills to get to know other Hometappers. The most important skill I have been able to bring to Hometap is Emotional Intelligence: working with those around, understanding how I feel, and how it impacts others.

Q3: What’s the biggest challenge you face as Learning & Development Manager?

Helping others understand the importance of taking time out of the business to work on yourself has long term benefits! It’s hard when we are all “busy” to step away and spend time developing, but it ALWAYS works out for your benefit.

Q4: What’s the most rewarding part of the role?

Seeing behavior change. Watching someone go through a learning experience and come out better equipped to tackle a situation.

Q5: How do you stay apprised of the most current news in the industry? What are you reading, listening to, or watching?

Gartner, LinkedIn, Association of Talent Development, and peers across the industry!

Q6: What’s the best advice that you’ve received during your career?

“There is no shade in the spotlight.” Be accountable and take ownership of what is yours and the decisions you make.

AT HOMETAP

Q7: What led you to Hometap and appealed to you about your initial role here and the company?

The culture, the business concept, and the leadership. I wanted to be a part of something exciting and something bigger than myself, and that feeling comes in buckets here at Hometap.

Q8: As Hometap’s first Learning & Development Manager, what is your biggest priority as you shape the role?

Building a culture of learning. Not making learning an agenda item, but being the ante to lead.

Q9: What’s something you wish members of other teams within Hometap understood about L&D or the work that you do specifically?

L&D isn’t just being in a classroom. In fact, the most impactful learning happens on the job in experiential training. So, don’t think L&D means school!

Q10: If you could trade jobs with anyone else at Hometap for a week, what position would it be?

I’d love to see what Andrew Vassallo does working with capital and investments for Hometap.

Q11: What’s one quality someone needs to be successful at Hometap?

Vulnerability.

three photos of alex with coworkers

OFFICE CULTURE

Q12: What qualities do you look for in a company’s office culture?

Transparency, diversity, and ownership.

Q13: You’ve been with Hometap for a few months now. What’s one word you would use to describe the culture here so far?

Community.

Q14: What are the best and worst parts of working from home?

The isolation! I am an extroverted person, so the lack of in-person collaboration isn’t my favorite. I do love being able to pick up and drop off my daughter to school and to work outside when the sun is shining!

We’re hiring! Learn more about the open career opportunities at Hometap!

Meet Bobby Mendenhall

Meet Bobby Mendenhall

Our Investment Managers are experts in helping you tap into your home equity, but you may have more in common with them than you think. Learn a little more about your Investment Manager, their life outside of Hometap, and why they love working with homeowners like you.

What’s the best part of your job? How does being an Investment Manager at Hometap differ from your past work experiences? 

The flexibility is bar none. You get what you put into this job.

Is there a particular homeowner story that really made an impact on you? What is it and why?

People who are down on their luck with nowhere else to turn. We help them clear their debt without losing their homes or having to declare bankruptcy.

What are your favorite things to do when you’re not working?

I like to exercise and spend time with friends.

Describe your dream home.

Large enough to host gatherings and family, and in close proximity to the ocean.

What’s one thing you wish people knew about Hometap? 

How friendly and helpful everyone is!

Hometap CEO Jeff Glass discusses using home equity to fund small businesses

Throughout the past few years, it’s no secret that home prices have risen substantially. More recently, inflation has raised the cost of living and conducting business, and higher mortgage rates have reduced homeowner’s ability to access that equity via downsizing.

One alternative that has been increasing in popularity is providing capital to homeowners for a share of future home appreciation.

Hometap is one company that uses this method to give homeowners cash they need, whether it be for medical expenses, college tuition or home repairs, in an attempt to take advantage of increasing home prices.

This article originally appeared on FinLedger.com. Read the full article here.

Hometap could look at buys as it expands across US, CEO says

Hometap, a home equity loan provider, is targeting coverage across the US and might seek to engage local legal expertise as it expands, said co-founder and CEO Jeffrey Glass. 

The Boston-based company allows customers to borrow against the equity in their homes by taking on an investor in their property rather than taking out loans. The investor provides cash in exchange for a share of the home’s future value. When the homeowner settles the investment, Hometap is paid an agreed-upon percentage of the sale price or current appraised value.

This article originally appeared on MergerMarket.com. Subscribers to MergerMarket can read the full article here.

Low Inventory, High Demand for Homes Across South Carolina

south carolina homes

South Carolina has a lot to love for homeowners: easy access to the ocean and other natural wonders, historic charm, a lower cost of living than the national average, and a year-round mild climate. Yet, it still faces many of the same challenges as other cities when it comes to rising home values and affordability.

As of April 2022, the average South Carolina home value was $280,637, a 25.9% increase from the same time a year prior. In 2021, the average homeowner in the state gained $48,000 in equity.

The metropolitan Hilton Head area saw its average home price jump 6.9% from March to April 2022, reaching $589,000, and the cities that have seen the highest appreciation in the past 20 years are either islands or located on the coast: Sullivan’s Island, Daufuskie Island, Awendaw, McLellanville, and Kiawah Island.

Just over a quarter of South Carolina homes (27.3%) were built past 2000, while more than half (50.3%) were constructed between 1970 and 1999, presenting the potential need for costly repairs on top of already skyrocketing home prices.

Hindrances, Help for First-Time Homebuyers

While South Carolina has a fairly high homeownership rate of 67.5%, those looking to break into the market as first-time buyers are facing major challenges that are, unfortunately, not unique to residents of the state.

“We all thought as rates started to creep up, that may have a calming effect on the market, but it hasn’t and rates are rising right along with values right now,” Graeme Moore, Realtor with The Moore Company, told News19.

State-sponsored programs like Palmetto Heroes, which helps first responders, teachers, and military members (both active and veterans) purchase their first homes through a $10,000 grant, has provided much-needed assistance to some first-time homebuyers.

“A lot of times, people have the salary to afford the monthly payment of a home but don’t have the down payment assistance to get into that home to begin with,” Chris Winston of SC Housing told News 19. This program “helps them buy their first home with some down payment assistance to help them into that home and also low fixed interest rates.”

Dipping Inventory Amid Growing Demand

Statewide, but especially in the Columbia area, low inventory also remains a problem, with the number of houses listed for sale in Columbia dropping 41.6% between February 2021 and February 2022. In the greater Charleston region, inventory has dipped almost 40% (39.67%) since 2021, making it the city with the 7th-highest decrease of the top 100 U.S. housing markets. And in 2021, the Myrtle Beach area saw a 56% drop in home inventory between June and July.

“The state and federal guidelines basically say that spending less than 30 percent of your take-home pay is affordable,” Chris Winston of the SC State Housing Finance and Development Authority told News 19. “We know across the state there are challenges because there’s a lack of inventory. There just aren’t enough affordable houses, whether that’s apartments or homes.”

What’s more, 63% of moves to or from the state in 2021 were inbound, the third-highest percentage in the country behind Vermont and South Dakota, so the demand isn’t likely to decrease any time soon.

Fortunately, not all areas of the state are experiencing issues. In fact, the city of Spartanburg, where the median home price was $198,250 as of April 2022, recently landed on lists of the best places to work in the country, as well as the most affordable cities in which to live. 

Are you a South Carolina homeowner who wants to make the most of your home’s value? A home equity investment could give you access to your equity with no interest and no monthly payments.

YOU SHOULD KNOW…

We do our best to make sure that the information in this post is as accurate as possible as of the date it is published, but things change quickly sometimes. Hometap does not endorse or monitor any linked websites. Individual situations differ, so consult your own finance, tax or legal professional to determine what makes sense for you.