American Equity Mortgage Expands Into Tampa

(Tampa, Florida - July 27, 2009) American Equity Mortgage (AEM) has announced the opening of its new branch office in the Tampa market. The new branch is a part of AEM's direct lending division which focuses primarily on home purchase transactions.

"Now is an excellent time for homebuyers to act and we are excited to expand our services to homebuyers in the Tampa area," said Deanna Daughhetee, president and chief executive officer of American Equity Mortgage.

American Equity Mortgage, which operates 26 branches in 20 markets, has nearly doubled its operations staff in 2009. Daughhetee said the company has been able to expand because of its access to a variety of loan programs and its commitment to providing individualized customer service.

"We understand the challenges homebuyers face and are dedicated to developing the best solution to meet their needs and get them to a better place," Daughhetee said. "Our mortgage planners are experienced professionals and we are the experts in home loans."

The Tampa office, located at 2202 N. West Shore Blvd., will be led by Brent Duffield and will employ 10 mortgage planners.

About American Equity Mortgage
Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, American Equity Mortgage is one of the nation's leading mortgage lenders. With branches across the country, AEM has over 17 years of integrity, leadership, strength and stability that has led to numerous awards, including multiple Consumers' Choice Awards and the Stevie Award for Best Overall Company. American Equity Mortgage is committed to helping others get to a better place and this belief carries into their social responsibility and community outreach efforts. For more information, visit www.americanequity.com.