get ready for

A lending team that’s focused on you.

Carol Swartz Fritz has spent more than three decades helping people navigate the mortgage process, with a career built around relationships, experience and a genuine passion for helping families achieve homeownership. 

She began her career in 1993 as a first-time homebuyer specialist with the City of Decatur's Community Development Department. That early experience gave Carol a strong foundation in helping buyers understand the programs and resources available to make homeownership possible. 

In 1996, she moved into banking with Hickory Point Bank, then joined National City Bank in 1999, which later became PNC Bank. In 2012, Carol joined MSI Mortgage, now First State Mortgage, before joining the Luminate Bank team in 2026, where she continues to serve homebuyers and homeowners today. 

First-Time Homebuyer Expertise 

First-time homebuyers have remained a particular focus throughout Carol's career. She has received numerous awards for originating first-time homebuyer mortgages and continues to specialize in this area. 

Carol works with a broad range of mortgage programs and particularly enjoys helping buyers understand their options and identify financing that fits their individual circumstances. She has extensive experience with FHA and VA loans and especially enjoys working with veterans and military families, a connection that is particularly meaningful because of her own family's military ties. 

Carol also specializes in second-home financing in Florida and works with borrowers purchasing properties in Florida and other markets. 

Serving Central Illinois and Beyond 

Carol was born and raised in Decatur, Illinois, and moved to Bloomington in 2014. She serves borrowers throughout Central Illinois, including Decatur, Macon County, Clinton, DeWitt County, Bloomington-Normal, McLean County, Piatt County, Champaign County, Tazewell County, Logan County and Coles County. 

Licensed nationwide, her lending reach also extends to the Chicago and St. Louis areas, as well as Clearwater and Cape Coral, Florida. 

A Career Recognized for Excellence 

Carol's decades of experience have earned recognition from both employers and the mortgage industry. 

At PNC, she was one of just 11 loan officers selected for the company's President's Council, earning the honor twice. She also received the Mark Young President's Club award and Chairman's Circle recognition multiple times. In 1999, she was named PNC's New Loan Officer of the Year across the entire company. 

In the early 2000s, Mortgage Originator magazine recognized Carol among the Top 200 FHA/VA Loan Officers in the country for several consecutive years. 

For Carol, those accomplishments are meaningful because they reflect a career centered on helping borrowers reach their goals. 

Community and Education 

Carol graduated from Eastern Illinois University, where she was also a member of Alpha Gamma Delta. She is a graduate of the Decatur Leadership Institute through the Decatur Chamber of Commerce; an experience she considers a significant honor. 

Her commitment to community service began well before her mortgage career. In 1992, Carol was selected as a project manager for AmeriCorps, overseeing 24 employees working across 20 nonprofit agencies. She also served on several nonprofit councils before moving into her role managing the City of Decatur's first-time homebuyer program. 

That early work reinforced something that has remained central to Carol's career: she enjoys working with people and helping them find a path forward. 

Family Comes First 

Family is an important part of Carol's life outside of work. Her four grandchildren all live within a block of her Bloomington home, giving her plenty of opportunities to be involved in their lives. She enjoys attending their activities, which range from travel volleyball, baseball and football to basketball, golf, musical theater and softball. 

Carol is also very close with her siblings and extended family. She enjoys staying connected through regular family gatherings and sister Zoom calls, a tradition that began during the pandemic and continues today. 

A self-described family historian, Carol loves photography and preserving family memories. She has spent time converting old VHS tapes and videos into digital formats, preserving decades of family moments for future generations. 



When she's not working or spending time with family, Carol enjoys all sports and relaxing with Hallmark movies. 

After more than 30 years in lending, Carol's enthusiasm for helping people has never changed. Whether she's working with a first-time homebuyer, a veteran, a repeat buyer or someone purchasing a second home in Florida, she brings decades of experience and a personal commitment to helping each client find the mortgage solution that fits their goals.