GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Violet Benitez is the new residential loan officer at Territorial Savings Bank. She moved to Hawaii from the Philippines in 1976. On Thursday, she posed for a photograph next to her office window at 1132 Bishop St. in downtown Honolulu.

Philippines’ loss
is Hawaii’s gain

Violet Benitez moved to Hawaii
in 1976 and has made her
mark in residential loans

Violet Benitez » Territorial Savings Bank has appointed Violet R. Benitez residential loan officer at the company's corporate offices. » Previously a loan officer at Trust Mortgage, Benitez is a native of the Philippines who moved to Hawaii in 1976, » Age: 52 » She is a member of the Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association.

Question: What's your personal background?

Answer: I was born and raised in the Philippines, on Mindanao in Davao City. I was educated there and I finished with an accounting degree at the University of Mindanao, one of the biggest universities. In 1976 I moved here to Hawaii to join my fiancˇ, who is now my ex-husband. We were college sweethearts. We have three children. All my children are grown up now and I have three grandchildren.

Q: What was your first job here?

A: At first I got an accounting job. I landed as a teller at American Savings Bank. I really enjoyed the people. In the Philippines, I was a bookkeeper. I worked for an export company that exported bananas to Japan.

When I moved here, my first job was being a teller and I enjoyed working with people. After that I've been working at several banks. The last bank where I've worked was Bank of Honolulu. I also worked at Bank of Hawaii. And then I stayed home for a while, raised my kids and got a job at the MidPac Lumber credit union.

I was the one-shop person. I did teller loans and bookkeeping up to the financial statement. I got really involved in mortgages. The credit union didn't have mortgage loans but I was able to help my members. I took a mortgage loan course with William Yee Associates. I learned to do prequalification for clients ... and I used the skills to help out some members find mortgage financing. I had a broker I would send clients to.

After that, MidPac closed down in 2000 and they had to cut down the credit union and I worked for Roberts Hawaii. I was an accounts receivable clerk. I didn't mind, but I'm more of a people person. I wanted to do more customer contact.

At Word of Life Christian Center we set up a credit union for the church. The manager hired me to set up the operation. I worked with him to run the Word of Life Federal Credit Union for two years. I worked there in 2002 to 2004. Then I joined Trust Mortgage.

Q: Why do you like working with customers?

A: I like people. I have that passion and I like talking to people. I like socializing. I like to be family with people. It's my desire to be out there and able to get out there and be with people. I cannot just be at my desk. That's not me. I had that with Roberts. I just couldn't stand it and I was, "I got to get out of here."

Q: What got you into home mortgages?

A: The creativity of financing. There are a lot of ways to help people to acquire a home and get the most out of the equity of their house to help them out. It's very informative and educational and it's really a rewarding career. You close the loan and help them save money. You help them realize they can afford the home they have always wanted.

Working with numbers has always been my passion as well as working with people.

Q: Since home prices and mortgage rates are rising lately, are more people going with nonconventional loans?

A: Right now, we have a lot of flexibility. We can go to 103 percent if the guidelines have been met. That will cover closing costs. Instead of a 30-year term, they extend it to 40.

Q: Is there more demand for these loans?

A: I believe so. That really helped the buyer to have flexibility of their payment. It attracts first-time home buyers especially.

Q: What's next for home prices on Oahu?

A: I have a feeling it's going to be steady for a while. Because right now we don't have a lot of inventory and housing. If the interest rates keep going up, there will be a tendency that housing will remain steady.

Q: Prices won't fall?

A: No. I don't think so. It's going to be steady for a while.

Q: I understand you like ballroom dancing.

A: I have danced for two years. I did perform routine dancing. We do have performances and it's really good for the youth or for the older of us to take classes. It's always been my desire. A friend of mine said "why don't you learn?" I really had that desire to dance. I had my dream come true. I danced cha-cha, waltz and rumba. I did a solo with my partner and the rumba. It's good. Finally I get to perform in public. Finally you get to show something you accomplished yourself. Before I was so shy. You develop confidence.