About Us

The Counsel Mortgage Group®, LLC., is founded on the principle that borrowers need straight-forward and competent counsel so they can make well-informed decisions regarding their mortgage needs. Counsel Mortgage is founded by John Rapasky. In addition to being a licensed mortgage broker, Mr. Rapasky became a CPA in 1986 and an attorney in 1991. As more mortgage products and options came into the market, he saw a need to counsel consumers to help them find the right mortgage. He started Counsel Mortgage for this purpose.

Mr. Rapasky currently serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Association of Mortgage Professionals and is a Past-President of the Central Chapter, serves on the Board of Directors of the Luxury Home Tour, Inc. and is their Treasurer, and served on the Board of Directors for the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors from 2016 – 2017, and is a member of their Member Relief Committee.  He is licensed to broker loans in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Illinois, as well as a licensed attorney in Arizona and Illinois.


John Nicholls is licensed in Arizona as a Mortgage Loan Originator. He has been with Counsel Mortgage since 2012, first as a loan processor. He is a licensed attorney in Vermont having been in practice with his firm Abare, Nicholls and Associates since 1976 where his areas of practice were Real Estate Law, Corporate Law, Wills and Trusts and Elder Law. He also was on the Board of Northfield Savings Bank in Vermont and served as the Board Chair for three years.

 

 


Mike Green has been a commercial loan officer in Arizona for over 20 years, and began with Counsel Mortgage in October 2013. While capable of brokering loans in all segments of commercial real estate, he specializes in gas station and convenience store financing. Prior to coming to Arizona he was a  stockbroker, a managing partner of his own investment banking company, and a business consultant in the San Francisco area for 15 years.  Mr. Green was the founding Managing Member and Designated Broker of MJG Gas Station Specialists LLC, a real estate and business brokerage firm in Glendale specializing in gas stations Arizona-statewide.  He received his BS from Purdue University and his MBA from JFK University in Orinda, CA. Mr. Green was a member of the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Assn. and the West Valley Commercial Real Estate Group.


Jim Moore is licensed in Arizona as a Mortgage Loan Originator.  He was an Army Ranger in Viet Nam and is a proud veteran.  He has been with Counsel Mortgage since 2008 and a Loan Originator since 2001.  Jim is a government specialist working in FHA, USDA, and VA Home Loans, and programs involving Down Payment Assistance, First Time Homebuyers, HUD Homes, Rural Area Homes, Veterans Administration Home Loan Benefits for Refinance or Purchase, and Manufactured homes, to mention a few.  Ask Jim to find your piece of the American Dream.  Credit challenged?  Step into the world of credit improvement, household budgeting and money management as it pertains to owning a home.

 


Nicole Cameron started originating loans as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley in 2001. Nicole went into brokering loans exclusively in 2003.  Nicole has special interests in helping commercial real estate investors find better options, serving veterans in obtaining VA loans and helping seniors understand if a reverse mortgage is right for them.  602-370-0001

Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science at Arizona State University in 1992.


Sherry Harrison is a licensed Loan Originator in the State of Arizona.  As a paralegal, Sherry did her internship in probate law and worked for over a decade in this arena.  Learning that a majority of issues that end up in probate court, actually start with improperly executed real estate documents, she decided to take the real estate agent classes at Hogan School of Real Estate. Ultimately, she became a Loan Officer and Certified Closing Agent. In her spare time, Sherry supports law enforcement. The only time she is not available to assist you is on Saturdays from 8 to 9am while she is hosting the Law Matters live radio show in Tucson on AM1030 KVOI.com radio or stream live on the www.LawMatters1030.org website. Podcasts can be found on ITunes, Google play, and our website. In fact, John, the founder of Counsel Mortgage was a guest on 5.13.23 check it out!


Counsel Mortgage has a Mortgage Broker License in Arizona, a Financing Law License in California, a Mortgage Loan Originator Company License in Hawaii, and a Residential Mortgage License in Illinois.  We have relationships with many banks, insurance companies, and private investors and have access to wholesale rates and products that are not directly available to the public. We canvass our resources daily to find the lowest rates and costs for you. Even if you have a long-term banking relationship, we have been successful in finding lower rates and costs in the wholesale market.

We believe borrowers deserve honest, ethical and competent service, enabling them to make informed decisions regarding their mortgage needs. In today’s dynamic environment, this service and counseling is invaluable.

We have access to the same mortgage products advertised on radio and TV which promise low interest rates and no closing costs. HOWEVER, be careful, these products may not be as they appear. We will inform you about these and other types of loans with hidden costs and terms so you can make an informed decision.

Contact us today for a complimentary mortgage review. No strings attached!