# More Than a Mortgage: Why My Office Doesn't Look Like a Bank

By Mitchell Blyler (@mitchellblyler) · Published 2026-09-13

Canonical: https://voce.com/@mitchellblyler/mortgage-office-doesn-look-like-bank-e3v87l

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If you've ever been in our Presidential Bank branch, you've probably noticed that my space doesn't look much like a traditional mortgage office.

There are Transformers, comic books, sci-fi collectibles, an X-Files print, and more than a few figures on the shelves. Optimus Prime stands guard behind my desk.

None of it has anything to do with mortgages. But it does have a lot to do with me.

## Curiosity Has Always Been Part of How I Think

I've been into science fiction and comics for as long as I can remember. One of the things I've always liked about stories like _The X-Files_ is the idea of asking questions, digging a little deeper, and not automatically accepting the first answer.

That mindset carries over into lending more than you might expect.

Mortgage guidelines can be complicated, and borrowers often come to me with things they've heard from friends, read online, or were told years ago. Sometimes they're right. Sometimes they're confidently wrong.

My job is to figure out what actually applies to their situation.

![A look inside Mitchell's mortgage office at Presidential Bank Mortgage](https://convex.voce.com/api/storage/7e5774a7-7af6-484a-98b3-db1195cb41e3)

## Every File Is Different

Transformers were probably my gateway into science fiction as a kid, and Optimus Prime is still one of my favorites.

Maybe there's a little connection there too. Mortgage lending requires you to adapt.

Guidelines change. Timelines change. Something unexpected shows up in a file. Real life doesn't always cooperate with the plan we started with.

You figure out what changed, adjust where you can, and keep moving.

## The Details Matter

I'm also the person who can spend hours building a model kit or disappear into a comic series with decades of backstory.

That probably says something about my tolerance for details.

Mortgages have plenty of them. A document that doesn't quite match, an overlooked guideline, or something that wasn't addressed early can become a much bigger issue later. I prefer finding those things before they become problems.

![A wooden shelf in Mitchell's office lined with decorative collectibles and curiosities](https://convex.voce.com/api/storage/53eb70c4-4a93-4fc2-8de3-5bf347b03957)

## Mostly, It's Just Me

I could probably have a more traditional office. But I don't think being professional requires removing every trace of your personality from the room.

I take the work seriously. People are trusting me with a major financial decision, and that deserves my full attention.

But I'm also still the guy who likes science fiction, comics, robots, monsters, superheroes, and an unreasonable number of collectibles.

Those things aren't a marketing strategy. They're just part of who I am.

And if a conversation about VA loans happens to turn into whether Batman could actually take Superman, I'm perfectly fine with that too.