JK Home Loans Celebrates Growing Presence in Independence County
JK Home Loans, LLC, headquartered in Ash Flat, Arkansas, celebrated its growing presence in Independence County with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, September 24.
The event officially welcomed JK Home Loans to the Batesville business community and highlighted the company’s continued growth across Arkansas. Owner John Kunkel said Batesville was a natural next step as the company expands its reach and looks for opportunities to serve more people.
“We're excited. As we grow, we thought Batesville was the next spot for us,” Kunkel said. “It really kind of tied into what our pillars are – great communities and great realtors, and really just great families that we can help facilitate homeownership.”
As a mortgage broker, JK Home Loans works with multiple wholesale lending partners, offering many of the same mortgage programs available through traditional banks, as well as access to additional lending options, including some non-QM loan products.
The company’s approach focuses on understanding each borrower’s individual needs and helping make the homebuying process easier to navigate. JK Home Loans provides personalized mortgage guidance for first-time homebuyers, repeat buyers, second-home buyers, investors, manufactured housing buyers, and other residential financing needs.
“Our goal is to make what can sometimes feel like a complicated process much easier to understand,” Kunkel said. “Every borrower has a different story, and we believe they deserve personal attention, straightforward answers, and a mortgage professional who is willing to work alongside them from the first conversation through closing.”
Local Mortgage Professional Joins Batesville Market
JK Home Loans’ Batesville presence is supported by Mortgage Loan Originator Peter Paoletta, who will serve homebuyers, homeowners, and real estate professionals throughout Independence County and the surrounding area.
Paoletta brings a background in retail banking, including experience with personal and auto loans and accounts, and recently completed training focused on mortgage lending. He said he is excited to begin this new chapter with JK Home Loans and serve local customers.
“I’m excited to be part of JK Home Loans and to help grow our presence here in Batesville,” Paoletta said. “My goal is to make the mortgage process easier to understand, provide straightforward guidance, and be someone local families and real estate professionals know they can call when they have questions about buying or financing a home.”
Paoletta (NMLS #2875788) can be reached at Peter@JKHomeLoans.com or 940-745-0551. More information is available at www.jkhomeloans.com.
Growing Through Community Connections
During the ribbon-cutting, Kunkel also expressed his appreciation for the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce and its role in helping businesses connect with the community.
In fact, the Chamber played a direct role in helping JK Home Loans find Paoletta for its Batesville position. Kunkel said he contacted the Chamber while searching for a mortgage loan originator, and the Chamber’s job board helped connect the company with Paoletta.
“If you’re a Chamber member, you can post your job positions free on our job board, and so we love a success story like this that brought Peter to JK Home Loans,” said Amanda Roberts, Membership Engagement Specialist with the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Paoletta also joined the Chamber’s Ambassador team during the ribbon-cutting celebration, receiving his official red Ambassador blazer. Chamber Ambassadors help welcome new businesses, promote Chamber membership, support ribbon cuttings and build connections throughout the local business community.
Kunkel said he is looking forward to becoming more involved in Batesville and giving back to the community.
“I really want to get back out and help the community,” Kunkel said. “I have a close connection to Batesville and the boards that I've worked with, and it is just like coming home.”
JK Home Loans is a branch of Heritage Mortgage KC and serves borrowers in Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, and Missouri. The company is led by Kunkel, NMLS #1416078, a Certified Mortgage Advisor and graduate of the Barret School of Banking and Harding University, where he earned a degree in Business and Leadership.
With the company continuing to expand its presence throughout Arkansas, Kunkel said Batesville is an important part of that growth.
“We are excited about what we are building here and about the opportunity to serve more communities throughout the state,” he said.
JK Home Loans’ mission is “Unlocking homeownership dreams one key at a time.”
For more information, visit www.jkhomeloans.com.
Ambassadors in Attendance include: Abigail Ballard (Lifeplus), Brandi Curbo (Batesville Guard), Claire Geurin (AgHeritage Farm Credit), Christina Watts (LaCroix Precision Optics), Crystal Kimmer (White River Health), Julie Hinkle (Bank of Cave City), Lori Tacker (Batesville Eye Care Center), Michael Kelley (Peco Foods), Pete Paoletta (JK Home Loans), Robert Stephens (Network of Community Options), and Taylor Williams (First Community Bank).
