Businesses Practice ‘Shared Services’ right in Collinsville

While “shared services” has been a several-year trend in government,  Owner/Broker Julius Fialkiewicz and Village Mortgage officers said it can be beneficial to local businesses as well. 

Late last summer, Lynn M. LaPierre, a loan originator from the Torrington-based Village Mortgage, began working from the Realty Works office in Collinsville.

“We looked to expand our services in the area,” Village Mortgage President Laurel Caliendo said. “A relationship with Julius made sense to us.”

Sharing some of its space just makes sense in so many ways, Fialkiewicz said. As a non-depository financial institution, Village offers a large portfolio of services, Fialkiewicz said. While it would not be preferable — or legal — to use Village in all cases, realtors can sometimes keep the entire process "in house."

“It also serves the client very well,” said Michelle Lucia, Vice President of Sales for Village.

The arrangement also allows them businesses to share costs and resources such as phones, Internet service and supplies.

And while you will find LaPierre in the Collinsville office most weekdays, she said her work is much like a realtor’s in that she’s available to work with people’s schedules.

“I’m available weekends, at 7 p.m., whenever,” she said.

And the relationship also allows realtors and LaPierre to share their respective expertise with each other. 

“We can bounce things off of each other,” LaPierre said.

“It does end of being a two-way street,” Failkiewicz added.  

LaPierre can be reached at llapierre@villagemtg.com or 860-693-0088.