Meet Neal Smith
Neal has been serving the Sacramento area for 29 years as a Certified Mortgage Planner. He has a degree in Real Estate Finance and has worked as a loan officer since 1992. A proud graduate of Jesuit High School, Neal believes wholeheartedly in growing others, as well as sharing gratitude with his community. Through his speaking and coaching work with Michael Maher, Neal has helped others to thrive personally and professionally. NKS Financial also offers and supports numerous events and fundraisers each year in an effort to spread generosity within the community.
Clients rely on Neal because he cares.
He cares about the client’s situation, goals and life situations. Neal understands that this is one of the biggest purchases that most people make and it can become overwhelming with all the documentation, different options, terms and language that most people are not familiar with. Every home is different, every loan is different and with a client-focused approach he is able to offer a custom-tailored service to specifically meet the needs while also demystifying the mortgage process.
Why NKS Financial
Your Lender for Life.
Founded in Sacramento, California in 2002, NKS Financial offers mortgage loan services to individuals and families for residential purchase and refinance. Our client-focused approach allows us to custom-tailor our service to specifically meet your needs while also demystifying the mortgage process. We treat each client like family, while concurrently ensuring that we deliver service that goes above and beyond expectations.
NKS Financial strives to put the customer “First, Last and Always.” We can offer a breadth of loan products to meet your specific needs. We exist to help clients achieve their financial goals.
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Neal K. Smith Certified Mortgage Planner -
Gina Ketcher Director of Operations -
Karen Goerlitz Lead Loan Processor
Owner & Founder
With 29 years’ experience as a successful Certified Mortgage Planner, NKS Financial and Neal Smith are uniquely poised to assist clients with all of their mortgage needs. Neal’s emphasis on relationship development, and NKS Financial’s high level of client service, are second to none in the Sacramento region.
Neal possesses a BA in Real Estate Finance from Long Beach State University, is a Certified Mortgage Advisor, and was recognized in 2021 amongst the Top 1% of Mortgage Originators in the United States by Mortgage Executive Magazine and Scotsman’s Guide.
Neal, his wife Angie, and their two high school sons, Jackson and Max, live in East Sacramento. He is a proud graduate and active supporter of Jesuit High School, as well as The Sutter Club.
Neal believes wholeheartedly in growing others, as well as sharing gratitude with his community. Through his work as a Certified Referral Trainer with Michael Maher, Neal has helped others to thrive personally and professionally.
Karen Goerlitz possesses over 30 years’ service and experience in the mortgage industry. Since entering the industry in 1987, Karen has worked as a Loan Assistant, Doc Drawer, Funder, Funding Manager, Processor and DE Underwriter. Karen has worked with Neal and NKS Financial for over seven years. She is also a Certified Travel Agent.
Karen is originally from the gorgeous, scenic California town of Sutter Creek, and has called Sacramento home for 40 years. She has two grown children. Karen loves to spend time on the coast, cook, and makes a delicious white clam linguini!
Leah Brown is the newest member of the NKS Financial team, and has been working with the organization since 2020. As our Assistant Mortgage Loan Processor, Leah is responsible for requesting and verifying client documents, working closely with Karen on all facets of loan processing and assisting Neal with daily organization tasks. Leah brings two years of experience and expertise in indirect lending, funding and auditing to Team NKS.
Born in Seattle, Washington, Leah moved with her family to Fair Oaks, California in early childhood and now calls Sacramento home. In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding, fishing, backpacking and camping, and is also a gifted horticulturist of rare houseplants.
Gina Ketcher joined NKS Financial as our Operations lead in early 2020. Her expertise includes over 10 years of experience in computer consulting, and 20 years leading, guiding and managing Northern California non-profit organizations. Gina possesses a BBA in Information Systems from The University of Oklahoma and holds an MBA from The University of Wyoming.
Gina and her husband Keith live in East Sacramento with their two teenage boys. She is an avid college football fan(Go Sooners!) as well as Formula 1, while also vigorously supporting her sons’ sporting ambitions in lacrosse (younger son) and car racing (older son). She and Keith love to travel, following horse racing and sporting events across the country. When not working, Gina can often be seen walking her dog, Smokey, through East Sacramento.
NKS Financial Proudly Supports these Community Organizations & Partners
What Industry Professionals say about Neal Smith and NKS Financial
"Neal Smith and his team were able to fund the loan on time when many other lenders were falling behind. The best lenders know how to solve problems under any circumstance and not blame outside forces."
"When working with lenders, I often look for consistency and clear communication. Neal Smith offers these qualities throughout a transaction. He sets the appropriate expectations right out of the gate and frequently picks up the phone to have conversations with agents and clients involved in a transaction. Furthermore, he is able to get the deal across the finish line without any issues and in a seamless manner."
“Neal is a class-act! He is organized, creative, helpful and a great communicator...all the pieces required for a seamless transaction. It’s nice to trust that Neal always has his client's best interests at heart. I look forward to working with him again!”
“Neal Smith has extensive experience in lending, exhibits genuine interest in helping others and most importantly, truly and honestly cares about his clients. His experience and ability to find the best scenario for clients based on their overall financial situation makes him one of the best choices when selecting a lender.”
Why choose NKS Financial
All Loan Programs
NKS Financial offers a breadth of loan products to meet your specific We exist to help clients achieve their financial goals.
Strategic Borrowing
Our team will help you to choose the right program for your loan. We’ll analyze your finances, assets, goals and plans for the future and with that information will craft the perfect loan for you.
Competitive Interest Rates
Interest Rates can be a huge source of stress during the mortgage process, we remove all the uncertainty and bring you competitive interest rates.