It's not every day that someone reaches out to The Columbusite just because they want to get to know us. These days, we receive hundreds of emails a week from people hosting events or pitching stories to us about all kinds of things - but Felicia Killman was the first person who simply just reached out to get together because she genuinely wanted to introduce herself. And frankly, we loved that.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Killman recently moved to Columbus with her husband, an Army Infantryman stationed at Fort Benning. While many people would take months to get acclimated to a new place, Killman had only been in town two weeks when we first met her. Why? Because she couldn't wait to get connected with as many people as possible in our community. It's just who she is.
Killman has a passion for connecting people and helping them reach their goals. As a mortgage loan officer, Killman's business relies heavily on personal connections - but for her, it's about so much more than mortgages.
At the end of the day, Killman is just someone who loves to help people, and we believe that difference makers like Felicia Killman are what make our community the special place it's grown to be.
Meet Felicia Killman. Driven, energetic, positive, kind, and a proud new Columbusite. Read on to learn why she loves what she does, and all of the reasons she's learning to love calling Columbus her home.
Q: What do you love about Columbus?
A: I love that this city is actively working toward being a better version of itself. This is is something I always am trying do myself. It’s rare that you find a place that can be both a place to visit and a place to call home. There has been so much growth here that Columbus is becoming an attraction for tourists, but it still captures a hometown feel where you can enjoy local businesses, local art etc.
With my office being downtown, I am enjoying being able to walk outside my building to see families with their kids, dogs and out of town relatives all mixed in together with the students of the university and the military population enjoying everything downtown has to offer. There’s really something for everyone here.
Q: Why do you do what you do?
A: I can’t say that ‘mortgage loan officer’ is the sexiest job title, but I really do love it. My job is to help people make one of the largest purchases of their lives. It’s often a lifetime goal of theirs which makes me feel honored to work with each client and help them achieve homeownership.
From my own homebuying experience, I had anxiety about the overwhelming amount of information available online. When I made the switch the Southern Residential Lending, I knew that I was going to make it my mission to make sure everyone I worked with felt confident throughout the whole process. Mortgages almost have their own language, so I do my best to translate for people; even when I don’t get to work with them.
Q: We speak for the community when we thank you for your service. Being a military family is a joint effort, and while we are so thankful for your husband's role as an Army Infantryman, we acknowledge your sacrifice as a family as well.
Columbusites love our military families, but tend to wonder what life is like on Post?
A: This is my first time living on Post. My husband and I chose to live on post for a few reasons. The biggest reason was for family time. He was brought to Benning to be Drill Sergeant which means he’s going to have long, long hours. If we were to have any hope of seeing each other, we wanted to live as close to his work as possible so he could come home and see us. Overall, I’m really pleased. I had heard lots of complaints about the property managers being difficult to work with, but if you’re patient and kind, I don’t think you’ll have any problems. They manage over 4,000 properties, so I can’t blame them if I don’t get helped immediately for something that isn’t an emergency.
Q: What is your favorite thing about your job? How do you achieve making people feel at home while they find their place in a community?
A: Our company focuses on three things: being simple, creative and consistent. I like to think I am all three of these things. My job is complicated, but the customer doesn’t have to feel that, so I really work hard to simplify the process, same for my business partners. I am creative. I’ve always been an idea gal, it’s just something my parents taught me as a kid, but it has really helped me in my professional life. Finally, being consistent is just good business. I want to be a resource all of the time, not just some of the time.
Q: What is your main goal when it comes to being a Columbusite?
A: My goal is to be a resource. Whether I work with someone as a partner or as their loan officer, I hope they see me as a resource. I have been working really hard to get to know the people in this community so that I can connect people and point them in the right direction.
I also think that home is more than just the house you live in, which is why I’m so excited to learn the ins and outs of Columbus. There are so many things here that can make any person feel at home. ◼︎
Connect with Felicia:
Felicia Killman
Loan Officer | NMLS#1036884
#buyfeliciakillman | Military Spouse
