For Jayson Hardie, Greg Aftayev, and Andros Ioakimides, the decision to start a mortgage company wasn’t driven by a single “aha” moment or individual idea. Instead, it emerged naturally from shared ambition. The opportunity to build something of their own felt like the logical next step, even if the exact origin of the idea has faded over time.

When it came to choosing partners, the fit was intuitive. Jayson and Greg had been close friends since college and brought complementary strengths to the table. Andros, Jayson’s brother-in-law, added a layer of trust and shared values that come with family. Together, the trio formed a partnership rooted in balance, familiarity, and mutual respect.

Mortgage lending stood out as the right industry largely because of timing. In 1998, the barriers to entry were relatively low, making entrepreneurship more accessible. Like many new business owners, they learned quickly that opportunity alone wasn’t enough. In the early years, the team jumped in before fully understanding the complexities of running and managing a company. A lack of formal management experience meant learning many lessons the hard way, often discovering challenges only after encountering them.

As the company grew, Homestead Financial Mortgage’s brand evolved alongside the way customers came to know us. Founded in 1998 under the Homestead Financial Mortgage name, the company built its early reputation on approachable, relationship-driven lending. In 2005, the “Great Rate Granny” character became a standout in our marketing, and before long, many people simply referred to us as “Granny 8.” To align with that public recognition, we officially rebranded as Granny 8 Mortgage in 2012. While the character helped strengthen familiarity in the marketplace, by 2014, we returned to our original name—Homestead Financial Mortgage—to better reflect the full breadth of our team, services, and long-term vision. Today, we proudly operate under the Homestead Financial Mortgage name, honoring our roots while continuing to grow and serve homeowners.

For Jayson, Greg, and Andros, the true measure of success didn’t come overnight. It arrived much later, as Homestead began intentionally developing and supporting referral-based Loan Officers and investing in operational advantages, including building a more sophisticated call center supported by Salesforce. That evolution marked a turning point—when the company moved beyond survival and growth to making a meaningful, lasting impact on both customers and employees.