How to Choose an Austin Mortgage Broker
A straight read on what separates a real Austin mortgage broker from a call center: broker vs lender, fees to verify, questions to ask, and how to tell whether the LO whose name is on your file is actually the one running it.
An Austin mortgage broker is a licensed Texas Mortgage Loan Originator who shops your loan across a network of wholesale lenders and presents the competitive options with trade-offs explained. The broker is paid (lender-paid or borrower-paid), the wholesale lender funds the loan. Choose by looking at four things: NMLS license verification, fee transparency (Loan Estimate line items), file-staffing model (one broker app-to-close vs handoffs to processors), and reviews verified across more than one platform. Texas requires both the company and the individual originator to be licensed by Texas SML. Look both up at nmlsconsumeraccess.org before you sign anything.
What to verify before you sign
- Company NMLS license: look up the company number at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Confirm it is Texas-licensed and in good standing. No disclosures, no enforcement actions.
- Individual loan originator NMLS license: the LO whose name is on your file is the one whose license you check. Not the team lead, not the manager, not the brand. The individual.
- Texas SML licensure: separate from federal NMLS. Texas requires state-level licensing through Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending.
- Fee disclosure: the Loan Estimate (Form H-24 under TRID) must list every broker-side fee line item. Processing, admin, application, origination, discount points. If any of those are blank or "TBD," push back.
- Compensation model: lender-paid (paid by the wholesale lender out of margin) or borrower-paid (paid directly by you, usually for a lower rate). Both are legal. Both must be disclosed in the Loan Estimate.
- File-staffing model: ask who personally touches the file from pre-approval to clear-to-close. If the answer is "a team" or "our processors," ask which individuals and how many handoffs.
- Reviews on three or more platforms: Google Business Profile, Zillow, Bankrate, BBB, Yelp. Avoid brokers with reviews on only one platform; consistency across platforms is the signal.
Mortgage broker vs lender vs bank
The differences matter for pricing flexibility, program access, and underwriting speed.
| Type | Where loans are funded | Program access | Typical pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage broker | Funded by wholesale lender partners | Wide; broker shops across multiple lenders per file | Often most competitive (lenders price-compete for the file) |
| Retail lender / banker | Funded on the lender's own balance sheet | Limited to that lender's own programs | Set by that lender; no cross-shopping |
| Bank loan officer | Funded by the bank | Most restrictive; bank's own programs only | Set by the bank; often least competitive on niche files |
| Credit union | Funded by the credit union | Member-only; limited program range | Competitive on standard files; weaker on complex ones |
Six questions to ask any Austin mortgage broker
Who personally runs my file?
- One LO from app to clear-to-close, or handoffs?
- If handoffs, to whom and how many?
- Who picks up the phone at 5pm on a Friday when underwriting comes back with a condition?
What broker fees are on this file?
- Processing fee? Admin fee? Application fee?
- Origination fee separate from compensation?
- Any of those negotiable, and which?
Which wholesale lenders did you shop?
- How many lenders quoted my file?
- What were the spreads between them?
- Why this one specifically?
What is your average close time?
- On your last 10 files of this program type
- Not the fastest you ever did
- What is the most common cause of delays on your files?
Show me the wholesale rate sheet
- Refusing this is a flag
- Lets you see the markup between wholesale rate and the rate you are quoted
- Reasonable broker margins are 1-2 points; aggressive markups can be 3-4+
Can I see your NMLS record?
- Look up at nmlsconsumeraccess.org
- Any past enforcement actions or disclosures?
- How long has the individual LO been licensed in Texas?
How Kellibrooke is set up to answer those questions
I am Case Laviolette, the owner, President, and the only loan originator at Kellibrooke. I handle every file from pre-approval to clear-to-close. There is no call center, no junior LO doing the work behind my name, no rotating processor on your file. If you call my number you get me. If a condition comes back from underwriting on Friday at 5pm, I see it that night.
I do not charge broker processing fees, admin fees, or application fees. Compensation is primarily lender-paid (built into the rate) and disclosed in the Loan Estimate at issuance. Occasionally I structure compensation as borrower-paid when the math comes out ahead for the borrower over the expected holding period. Third-party costs (appraisal, title, escrow, recording, prepaid taxes and insurance) apply on every loan; those are non-negotiable and disclosed up front.
I shop every file across a wholesale lender network. I am happy to walk through which lenders I quoted, the spreads between them, and why I am recommending a specific structure for your scenario. Before I came up in mortgage I was a CME Group proprietary futures trader, so I read 10-year Treasury futures (ZN1!) and the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) daily. That market-aware view shows up in the Rate Watch list — when the chart hits a level that benefits a specific borrower scenario, I call.
I am Austin-based and licensed statewide in Texas. NMLS Company #2022197. NMLS Individual #2025459. Verify my license here.
Sources & methodology
Regulatory citations as of May 27, 2026.
- NMLS Consumer Access — federal mortgage broker / loan originator license lookup
- Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (TX SML) — state-level mortgage company and originator licensing
- CFPB: The Loan Estimate (Form H-24) under TRID — required disclosure of all broker-side fees
- CFPB Regulation X (RESPA) — Section 8 anti-kickback rules for referral arrangements
- CFPB Regulation Z §1026.24 — mortgage advertising rules
- Kellibrooke: About Case Laviolette (companion)
Common questions about choosing an Austin mortgage broker
What is the difference between a mortgage broker and a direct lender in Austin?
A mortgage broker shops your file across multiple wholesale lenders and presents the competitive options. A direct lender (also called a retail lender or banker) underwrites and funds the loan on their own balance sheet, so you only see their pricing. A bank loan officer is the most restrictive: they can only offer that bank's own programs. A broker can usually find lower rates and more program flexibility because they price-shop. I am a broker; I run every file against my wholesale lender network before recommending a structure.
How do I evaluate an Austin mortgage broker before applying?
Five checks. First, look up the company NMLS number and the individual loan officer NMLS number at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Second, ask how the file is staffed: one broker from app to clear-to-close, or handoffs to processors and junior LOs. Third, ask for a written fee sheet listing every broker-side charge (processing, admin, application, origination). Fourth, ask which lender network they use and how many wholesale partners they actively run files with. Fifth, look up reviews on Google Business Profile, Zillow, and Bankrate independently.
What broker fees should I expect on an Austin mortgage?
Broker compensation comes in two forms: lender-paid (the wholesale lender pays the broker out of their margin, embedded in the rate) and borrower-paid (you pay the broker directly, usually for a lower rate). Either way, total compensation is disclosed in the Loan Estimate per RESPA/TRID. Avoidable broker-side fees include processing fees, admin fees, application fees, and underwriting markups. Unavoidable third-party costs include appraisal, title insurance, escrow, recording, and prepaid taxes/insurance. Kellibrooke does not charge broker processing fees, admin fees, or application fees.
Should I work with the broker my real estate agent recommends?
Maybe. Real estate agents typically refer brokers they have closed with before, which is signal. But under RESPA Section 8, an agent cannot be paid for the referral, and a broker cannot pay an agent for the referral. The arrangement should be a personal preference based on past closings, not a financial relationship. Always price-check at least two brokers regardless of who refers you. If the referred broker is the best option, the second quote will confirm it. If not, you saved yourself a worse rate.
How long should an Austin mortgage take to close?
Conventional and FHA purchases typically close in 21 to 28 days when documentation is clean. Refinances close in 28 to 35 days. Non-QM (bank statement, DSCR, asset depletion) takes 30 to 45 days because underwriting is more bespoke. A broker who quotes "we can close in 7 days" is probably skipping appraisal or oversimplifying. Ask for the average close time on their last 10 files of the program type you need, not the fastest one they ever did.
How do I know if a mortgage broker is licensed in Texas?
Texas requires both the company and the individual loan originator to be licensed by the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (TX SML). Look up the company NMLS number at nmlsconsumeraccess.org and the individual at the same site. Kellibrooke Mortgage Partners is NMLS Company #2022197 and the loan originator (Case Laviolette) is NMLS Individual #2025459, both Texas SML licensed.
What questions should I ask before signing a Loan Estimate?
Six questions. (1) Is this rate locked, and if so for how long? (2) What does the rate adjustment look like if my credit score, LTV, or property type changes? (3) What are the broker-side fees, line-item, and which are negotiable? (4) Who exactly will be processing my file from this point to clear-to-close? (5) What are the typical contingency triggers for delays (appraisal, conditions, repairs)? (6) Can I see the rate sheet from the wholesale lender so I can see your markup? Brokers who refuse the last question are usually marking up rates aggressively.
Want a second quote?
Send me your current Loan Estimate or your scenario. I will run it across my wholesale lender network and show you what is on the other side of the markup. If I cannot beat your existing offer, I will tell you.