Insignia Mortgage founder Damon Germanides was recently featured in MPA Magazine’s July 2024 issue, in the article “California mortgage market: How are buyers coping with rapid price hikes?” by Fergal McAlinden. Germanides commented on the resilience of buyers in the mortgage industry and discussed the rise of non-QM lending.
“It’s amazing how the consumer can adjust. The rate quotes you were giving a year ago, people were shocked, and now they’re like, ‘Oh, that sounds OK. It’s better than it was a month ago.’ So that’s interesting, how human nature works.”
Damon Germanides
Read the full article and Damon’s insights at the link below.
Insignia Mortgage is thrilled to announce the newest loan officer to our team, Jonathan Bulaon. With an impressive background in luxury mortgage lending and a passion for delivering exceptional client experiences, Jonathan brings expertise and a commitment to excellence that aligns perfectly with our values. Join us in welcoming Jonathon Bulaon to Insignia Mortgage. Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we expand our team of experts dedicated to closing the most complex loans.
About Jonathan Bulaon, Loan Originator:
Growing up in Los Angeles, Jonathan began his career in Private Money, honing his skills in a fast-paced environment. He later moved to a boutique brokerage in Beverly Hills and excelled in serving high-end clients. Jonathon has a proven track record of navigating tough deals and finding innovative solutions for his clients.
Now, at Insignia Mortgage, Jonathan is excited to bring his passion, dedication, and dynamic industry knowledge to help clients achieve their financial goals. Jonathan is poised to make a significant impact in the mortgage landscape.
Meet Insignia Mortgage founders, Damon Germanides and Chris Furie, at the 5th Annual Non-QM Forum 2024 at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, in Dana Point, CA, from June 12th to 14th. We’re excited to announce that Damon Germanides will be a featured speaker for the session on “Harnessing Automation & Optimizing Your Technology Stack to Improve the Lender, Broker & Borrower Experience” along with John Lowenthal, Paul Gigliotti, and Peter Fastovsky, scheduled to take place at 11:45 am on June 13th, make sure to save your seat!
Damon Germanides, known for his insightful perspectives and expertise in mortgage lending, will share his valuable experiences and knowledge during the conference. His panel will focus on the latest innovations in underwriting processes, standards, and automation technology. His participation is eagerly anticipated, as attendees look forward to learning from his extensive background in the mortgage industry. He also writes a weekly “Market Commentary” with insights on current rates, trends, and where the industry is headed.
About The 5th Annual Non-QM Forum 2024
The 5th Annual Non-QM Forum will be constructed from both the loan origination and investor perspectives, delving into the critical issues through panel discussions with multiple points of view, and smaller group meetings and roundtables for a more holistic forum experience.
As lenders begin to re-enter the space, Longevity is still relevant. Can lenders take the long road? Mortgage rates and subsequent housing prices continue to surge, Non-QM could be viewed as unstable. The market is certainly seeing some level of resilience and housing prices are beginning to lighten up a bit. Join the biggest conversations surrounding the industry’s top trends, opportunities and challenges this June.
The 5th Annual Non-QM Forum 2024 promises to deliver meaningful content and excellent networking opportunities for those interested in the evolving landscape of private lending. For more information on the conference and to register, visit the IMN event page.
Don’t miss the chance to gain insights from leading experts like Damon Germanides and explore the latest strategies in the private credit marketplace. We hope to see you there!
Romy Nourfchan was recently profiled in Scotsman Guide as a “Featured Top Originator” in the nation, for his debut as No. 1 on Scotsman Guide’s newest ranking ‘Top Jumbo Originators.’ The article, written by Hannah Darden, details Nourfchan’s journey to success in this niche lending space and Insignia Mortgage.
“My career started in 1990. For seven or eight years, I worked as a broker, then went into banking and worked for big banks and a few smaller banks,” Nourafchan said. “Over this time, my strategy has always been to go after jumbo loans … and continually build my business on higher dollar amounts.”
– Romy Nourfchan, Scotsman Guide “Featured Top Originator” October 2023
Watch the interview below, or read the full article here.
Romy Nourafchan of Insignia Mortgage shares his experience as a luxury broker with high-end clients in this installment of the new Featured Top Originator video series. Nourafchan, who placed first in Scotsman Guide’s 2023 Top Jumbo Originators rankings and 20th in the Top Mortgage Brokers rankings, was chosen as October’s Featured Top Originator. To learn more about Nourafchan, read the full FTO article here: https://www.scotsmanguide.com/?p=64135 To see the Top Jumbo Originators or Top Mortgage Brokers rankings, visit the Top Originators homepage at https://www.scotsmanguide.com/ranking…
Congratulations to Neil Patel for his recent feature in MPA Magazine as a Top Originator! Neil has been a rockstar on Insignia Mortgage’s team for several years as a mortgage broker and CPA.
“In the heart of Beverly Hills, where the real estate market is as dynamic as the city’s famed boulevards, Neil Patel stands out as a mortgage strategist who’s not merely crunching numbers but turning complex transactions into success stories.
Patel (pictured) is a licensed mortgage broker and CPA at Insignia Mortgage, specializing in underwriting loans for borrowers with complex financials and tax returns.
A specialist in complexity
While many mortgage brokers might shy away from complicated cases, Patel and his team at Insignia Mortgage lean into them.
Focusing on boutique mortgages, they cater to a unique clientele: the self-employed, high net-worth individuals, and those whose financial situations might seem like a puzzle to most.
“A lot of Los Angeles people are self-employed,” Patel said. “They tend to have self-employed tax returns, LLCs, and corporations.”
This often leads to a disconnect between what’s on paper and the client’s actual financial standing. But where others see complications, Patel sees an opportunity to bridge the gap, simplifying these complexities for underwriters and banks.”
The Loan Officer Wealth Podcast with Chris Johnstone interviewed Insignia Mortgage co-founders, Damon Germanides and Chris Furie, in episode 113 released this week. The Loan Officer Wealth podcast is designed to share the systems, habits, and secrets that top-performing professionals use to build a life of wealth and freedom. This is the first double episode of the podcast that has ever been produced. The formatting was adjusted to honor the fact that Insignia Mortgage’s co-founders, Damon & Chris, are ranked #4 and #7, respectively, on the Scotsman’s Guide for 2023’s Top Mortgage Brokers. When combined, they make Insignia Mortgage the largest volume lender in the nation. In this episode, Johnstone discusses the dynamic partnership that has helped Damon and Chris grow their incredible business, Insignia Mortgage. They also share their journey to becoming Top 10 Mortgage Brokers on the Scotsman Guide, the process of working their leads, database, and referral partners, as well as tips on refining your niche.
Listen now via Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, or click the image below.
MPA Talk, the podcast for U.S. mortgage professionals by MPA Magazine, featured Insignia co-founder, Damon Germanides, in their latest episode entitled “Serving Up Solutions.” In this episode, host Simon Meadows interviewed Germanides for his perspective as a broker who specializes in complex loans, particularly for those who are self-employed. They discuss how he cut his teeth in the last big financial crisis of 2008, before co-founding Insignia Mortgage in Beverly Hills, California, in 2010. Beginning slowly, the company established relationships with smaller banks and credit unions, to build the business to where it is today. The son of a restaurant owner, Germanides likens the mortgage industry to the restaurant industry in terms of the tough challenges it presents – it’s been his driving force to succeed.
“My dad owned a restaurant for 43 years, an, that business is such an tough business that I used to look at the mortgage business and say, ‘as tough as it is today, man, the restaurant business is, is even tougher’. I’ve picked tough businesses because both of them have their challenges. That was a driving force early in my career, knowing how hard another business was, made me pretty tenacious.
When 2008, 2009 hit, my good analytical skills really started to shine because the business had moved away from the limited information type loans or the no doc loans or whatever. You had to have a complete understanding of the borrower’s financials, which required mortgage professionals to start to learn to read tax returns, understand cash flow, you know, do a sensitivity analysis on revenue and income, understand everything on the borrower’s financials and that, that really fit well with my skillsets.”
Damon Germanides, on why his key skills made him a good fit for the mortgage industry.
Listen to the full episode below, or via your podcast streaming platform of choice.
MPA Talk, July 21, 2023, featuring Damon Germanides, a broker who specializes in complex loans, particularly for those who are self-employed.
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As of June 22, 2023, Insignia Mortgage is thrilled to welcome Jay Robertson to our team of brokers. Jay has over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry. As the former president of First Capital and Luther Burbank Mortgage in Los Angeles, he has overseen or personally originated over $20 billion in loans in Southern California.
Jay’s deep knowledge of the industry, combined with his commitment to exceptional customer service, makes him a perfect fit for Insignia Mortgage. We know that his expertise will help us to continue providing our clients with the best possible service and advice.
In his new role at Insignia Mortgage, Jay will work closely with clients to help them secure the right mortgage for their needs. He will use his extensive network of industry contacts and his in-depth knowledge of the mortgage market to help our clients navigate the complex process of securing a mortgage.
Damon Germanides, co-founder of Insignia Mortgage commented that “Jay brings such a unique perspective to Insignia Mortgage as he has been both a CEO of a large mortgage company as well as a loan originator. He knows better than most what it takes to win over clients and how to create long-term partnerships with referral partners. His knowledge will be great to our boutique firm.”
When asked to describe his customer relationship style, Jay stated that “I believe in taking care of my clients.” He is known for being a trusted advisor who always puts his clients’ needs first. “It’s not about the volume of business I do. It’s about arming my clients with the most current information so they can make educated decisions about their future,” he explains. Jay’s honest and expert guidance, backed by decades of experience in real estate finance and luxury residential real estate sales, continues to define his personalized white-glove approach to service.
About Insignia Mortgage
At Insignia Mortgage, we understand that what works for one client does not always work for everyone. Especially when your financial picture doesn’t adhere to the strict model that many conforming lenders demand. Even under the most complex circumstances, our team of loan experts can quickly navigate through the process to deliver the most highly competitive loan solutions. We’ve successfully closed some of the largest and most complex transactions in the country for high net-worth clients, many of whom are self-employed and have significant assets but fluctuating incomes; and, for foreign nationals who receive income outside of the United States or are buying in the United States for the first time.
Scott Sealey is joining the Insignia Mortgage team! With several decades of experience in the mortgage business and hundreds of positive client reviews, we are confident that Scott will be an asset to our team and provide exceptional service to our clients. His dedication to providing personalized and professional service aligns with Insignia’s company values, and we are so excited to have them join our team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Scott Sealey to the Insignia Mortgage team. With his extensive experience in the mortgage industry and commitment to putting clients first, Scott will be an asset to our company and help us further grow our conventional loan production. We look forward to working together to continue providing exceptional service and solutions to our clients.”
Damon Germanides, Co-Founder, Insignia Mortgage
More about Scott Sealey:
With over 30 years of experience in the Southern California mortgage industry, Scott Sealey is known for his out-of-the-box thinking. Scott has secured over 750 million in home loans for his clients, ensuring that each one is closed with the utmost consideration and efficiency. Scott is extremely well-versed in FHA, VA, Jumbo, and Conventional loan programs, as well as alternative income products and Reverse Mortgage loan programs. Check out what Scott’s clients have to say about his lending approach, with over 240 all 5-Star reviews on Zillow, he has one of the highest rankings in California.
Please join us in welcoming Scott to the Insignia mortgage team. Check out his client testimonials, successful transactions, and special dinner recipes here.
Insignia Mortgage co-founder, Damon Germanides, was featured in the editorial article “From slinging hash to serving up the dream of homeownership” in Mortgage Professional America (MPA) Magazine. The article, written by Tony Cantu, shares how Germanides moved from the family restaurant business to be a successful mortgage broker in a niche space. In particular, the article highlights Insignia Mortgage’s unique business model as ”lean and mean” and how the team consistently ranks on the Scotsman Guide’s list of Top Originators.
Despite the lean-and-mean model, his volume is far from shabby – $311 million across 140 units in 2021 and $285 million over 104 units last year. That performance has helped him secure the 27th ranking nationally among brokers. And he’s not alone in being nationally ranked, either: “I’m very proud of our little company,” he said. “We have four of the top 25 brokers in the country who work for this office.”
Read the full article here. Learn more about Insignia Mortgage’s successful transactions, unique loan scenarios, and mortgage industry innovations by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.
Find out how we can craft your Individualized Lending Solution
(1) No Tax Return loans and foreign national loan products require other forms of income documentation and asset verification in lieu of tax returns. Not all applicants will qualify. Some products we offer may have a higher interest rate, more points or more fees than other products requiring more extensive or different documentation. (2) Minimum FICO, reserve, and other requirements apply. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. Rates, points, APRs and programs are subject to change without notice. Loan to values (LTV) are based on appraised value. Actual closing times will vary based on borrower qualifications and loan terms. All loans are subject to credit approval. (3) With an interest-only mortgage payment, you will not pay down the loan's principal balance during the interest-only period. Once the interest-only period ends, your payments will increase to pay back the principal and interest. Rates are subject to increase over the life of the loan. Contact your Insignia Mortgage, Inc. loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the interest-only period ends. (4) With an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), once the fixed rate period ends, the loan payment will adjust after an initial period and then adjust on a regular basis as set forth in the loan documents. For example, a “3/1” loan will have an interest adjustment 3 years after the loan closes and every 12 months thereafter. Also, the loan will be subject to annual and lifetime adjustment caps. Contact your Insignia Mortgage loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the fixed rate period of the loan ends. (5) Insignia Mortgage, Inc., is a real estate broker licensed by the CA Bureau of Real Estate, DRE #01969620, NMLS #1277691
(2) Disclosures
(1) Minimum FICO, reserve, and other requirements apply. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. Rates, points, APRs and programs are subject to change without notice. Actual closing times will vary based on borrower qualifications and loan terms. All loans are subject to credit approval. (2) “Loan to Cost” (LTC) is defined as the acquisition price of the property plus the cost to build as determined by a bank appraisal. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. (3) With an interest-only mortgage payment, you will not pay down the loan's principal balance during the interest-only period. Once the interest-only period ends, your payments will increase to pay back the principal and interest. Rates are subject to increase over the life of the loan. Contact your Insignia Mortgage, Inc. loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the interest-only period ends. (4) With an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), the loan payment will adjust after an initial period and then adjust on a regular basis as set forth in the loan documents. For example, a “3/1” loan will have an interest adjustment 3 years after the loan closes and every 12 months thereafter. Also, the loan will be subject to annual and lifetime adjustment caps. Contact your Insignia Mortgage loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the fixed rate period of the loan ends. (5) Insignia Mortgage, Inc., is a real estate broker licensed by the CA Bureau of Real Estate, DRE #01969620, NMLS #1277691.
Disclosures
(1) Disclosures
(1) No Tax Return loans and foreign national loan products require other forms of income documentation and asset verification in lieu of tax returns. Not all applicants will qualify. Some products we offer may have a higher interest rate, more points or more fees than other products requiring more extensive or different documentation. (2) Minimum FICO, reserve, and other requirements apply. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. Rates, points, APRs and programs are subject to change without notice. Loan to values (LTV) are based on appraised value. Actual closing times will vary based on borrower qualifications and loan terms. All loans are subject to credit approval. (3) With an interest-only mortgage payment, you will not pay down the loan's principal balance during the interest-only period. Once the interest-only period ends, your payments will increase to pay back the principal and interest. Rates are subject to increase over the life of the loan. Contact your Insignia Mortgage, Inc. loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the interest-only period ends. (4) With an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), once the fixed rate period ends, the loan payment will adjust after an initial period and then adjust on a regular basis as set forth in the loan documents. For example, a “3/1” loan will have an interest adjustment 3 years after the loan closes and every 12 months thereafter. Also, the loan will be subject to annual and lifetime adjustment caps. Contact your Insignia Mortgage loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the fixed rate period of the loan ends. (5) Insignia Mortgage, Inc., is a real estate broker licensed by the CA Bureau of Real Estate, DRE #01969620, NMLS #1277691
(2) Disclosures
(1) Minimum FICO, reserve, and other requirements apply. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. Rates, points, APRs and programs are subject to change without notice. Actual closing times will vary based on borrower qualifications and loan terms. All loans are subject to credit approval. (2) “Loan to Cost” (LTC) is defined as the acquisition price of the property plus the cost to build as determined by a bank appraisal. Contact your loan officer for additional program guidelines, restrictions, and eligibility requirements. (3) With an interest-only mortgage payment, you will not pay down the loan's principal balance during the interest-only period. Once the interest-only period ends, your payments will increase to pay back the principal and interest. Rates are subject to increase over the life of the loan. Contact your Insignia Mortgage, Inc. loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the interest-only period ends. (4) With an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), the loan payment will adjust after an initial period and then adjust on a regular basis as set forth in the loan documents. For example, a “3/1” loan will have an interest adjustment 3 years after the loan closes and every 12 months thereafter. Also, the loan will be subject to annual and lifetime adjustment caps. Contact your Insignia Mortgage loan officer to determine what your payments might be once the fixed rate period of the loan ends. (5) Insignia Mortgage, Inc., is a real estate broker licensed by the CA Bureau of Real Estate, DRE #01969620, NMLS #1277691.
Disclosure
Insignia Mortgage corporate NMLS #1277691 and DRE #01969620
