A True Success Story

At age 10, Guerin was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia that could not be treated with chemo or radiation. From fifth grade until his senior year of high school, Guerin commuted monthly to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Mem-phis. The only recourse the doctors had was to try experimental drugs to keep his leukemia at bay. The only known cure for his disease was a bone marrow transplant, but Guerin had a rare form of bone marrow that did not match that of any of his family members. Weeks into his senior year, Guerin learned that his cancer had taken a turn for the worse. The next day he took a medical leave from school and headed to Memphis with his father to pursue treatment. With a predicted time line of four to six weeks to live, his doctor told him they had to attempt the bone marrow transplant immediately.

Despite the odds, the transplant was an amazing success and four months later he was able to return to Baton Rouge and graduate with his high school class. Guerin went on to college and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southeastern Louisiana University. Because of his keen understanding of economics and finance, Guerin’s mother, who was a real estate professional in Baton Rouge, sug-gested he become a loan officer. Guerin has been doing mortgages ever since. In 2004, he opened his own franchise, and then he went truly inde-pendent, opening Area Home Lending in 2007. If there’s one thing Guerin knows, it’s how tough life can be and how to roll with the trou-bles. He hopes his attitude filters down to his cli-ents, many of whom come to him needing advice and guidance on bad loans and difficult situations. He attributes much of his success to going the extra mile in addressing the problem and deliver-ing a solution that best fits his client. Just as he does not take life for granted, Guerin does not take his successes for granted. He donates to the Dreams Come True Foundation, which grants gifts to children with terminal illnesses in the Baton Rouge area. He also supports the JL Foundation, which provides financial assistance to the families of leukemia patients in the state of Louisiana.

“God has blessed me and helped me through some troubling times.Today, he has blessed me with the ability to return the favor.”

On a daily basis, Guerin and his 12-person staff at Area Home Lending help individuals in need of mortgages, whether it be purchases, refi-nance, investment or construction loans. “I enjoy helping people for the long term,” he says. “I always give my clients honest advice that best suits them. Even if it is not the most profitable for me, I know I did what is best for my client.”Despite the tumultuous environment of the mortgage industry, Guerin’s outlook remains positive. He points out that people are always going to buy houses. Through the years, he has seen rates high and low, but he believes great customer service always keeps people coming back. Says Guerin,

“I don’t listen to the doom and gloom on the news. You’ve got to stay positive.”