For Andrew Abshier, working in Laramie is not just about doing business in a town. It is about coming home.

Andrew grew up in Laramie after his family moved here in the early 1980s. His dad was a big Cowboy Joe Booster, and Andrew spent time as a kid as a ball boy for the Wyoming basketball team. He graduated from Laramie High School in 1991, then, like many young people, was ready to see what else was out there.

He left Wyoming for Louisiana, then Dallas, where he went to art school. That creative background is still part of his story, even though his career eventually moved in a different direction.

After a brief return to Laramie, Andrew followed his dad to Las Vegas. There, he built a career that combined service, finance, and working directly with people. He worked in the golf business, was a bellman at the Bellagio, spent two and a half years as a concierge at the Venetian, and then moved into auto finance, where he worked as a sales representative for 19 years.

A couple of years ago, that chapter came to an end. Andrew and his wife Brooke began talking seriously about what came next.

“Vegas isn’t the same as it was 28 years ago,” Andrew said.

Brooke also has family in Laramie and is from Wyoming, so the idea of returning home began to make sense. Once they arrived, Andrew said the decision felt right almost immediately.

“The moment I got here, I knew it was the right move,” he said.

Andrew had already decided to move into mortgage lending because it brought together much of his background: finance, problem solving, customer service, and helping people through major life decisions. He signed on with NEXA Lending as a loan originator representing the Laramie area.

Since returning, Andrew said one of the joys of being back in town has been reconnecting with people and rediscovering the familiar threads of community. He shared a story about talking with someone at a local bar for an hour and a half before they realized they had both graduated from Laramie High in 1991.

That connection to Laramie is part of what he enjoys about the work.

As a lender, Andrew said he finds meaning in helping people through a process that can feel intimidating, especially for first-time homebuyers.

“I enjoy helping someone get in their first home, helping a veteran find a home,” he said. “It’s a very difficult process to buy a home, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.”

Andrew said his goal is to make that process easier, more personal, and less overwhelming. Rather than treating lending as a transaction, he sees it as a relationship.

“I’m going to be here with you through the entire process,” he said. “Ideally, when someone buys a home, that becomes a customer for life and a friend.”

NEXA Lending offers a range of loan options, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and down payment assistance programs. Andrew said helping someone choose the right path begins with a conversation. Every buyer’s situation is different, and he believes the work starts with listening.

He also said one of NEXA’s strengths is its access to many different lending options.

“NEXA Lending’s superpower is the fact that we work with over 280 different investors,” Andrew said.

For Andrew, that means being able to research possibilities and look for solutions when someone’s situation is not simple or straightforward. He said that kind of problem solving is a big part of the job.

One of the biggest concerns he hears from buyers right now is interest rates. Many people remember the lower rates from 2021 and 2022 and are waiting for those days to return. Andrew said he understands the concern, but he also encourages people to think about the bigger picture and the long-term value of owning a home instead of renting.

Above all, Andrew keeps coming back to the same idea: customer service.

“My backbone is customer service,” he said.

From the Bellagio to the Venetian, from auto finance to mortgage lending, Andrew said he has always worked with people one-on-one. He tries to meet each person where they are, understand what they need, and guide them through the process in a way that fits them.

“You’re not a number to me,” he said. “Customer service is what I’m built on.”

Andrew Abshier can be reached by phone or text at (307) 761-4797. aabshier@nexalending.com