About The Broker | Business Financing & Reverse Mortgages

I have worked in finance for more than 25 years.

Over that time, I have worked in several different areas of lending, including business financing, equipment financing, commercial lending, residential mortgages, and reverse mortgages.

One of the biggest things I have learned is that no two financing situations are exactly the same.

Some borrowers have great credit but very little time in business.

Others have been operating for years and have strong revenue, but their credit is not perfect.

Some homeowners have a lot of equity but are still carrying a mortgage payment into retirement.

Others are simply trying to understand whether a reverse mortgage makes sense for their situation.

That is why I have always believed that the first step is understanding the full picture before trying to fit someone into a loan program.

My Background in Finance

I started working in finance in 2000.

Since then, I have worked with many different types of financing, including:

Equipment financing
Business working capital
Commercial loans
Private and hard money
Residential mortgages
Reverse mortgages
Other business-purpose financing

That variety has been helpful because lending is rarely as simple as looking at one number.

Credit matters.

Revenue matters.

Equity matters.

Cash flow matters.

The type of transaction matters.

The lender matters.

Sometimes the difference between an approval and a decline is simply knowing which lender is the right fit for the deal.

Business Financing

A large part of what I do is helping business owners find financing for equipment, working capital, and other business needs.

I work with multiple lenders, and they all have different guidelines.

Some lenders want stronger credit.

Others are more interested in business revenue.

Some are comfortable with startups.

Others want several years in business.

Some lenders will finance older equipment or private-party purchases.

Others will not.

That is why I do not believe in sending every deal to the same place.

The goal is to understand the transaction first and then determine which financing sources are most likely to make sense.

Learn More About Business Financing

Equipment Financing

Equipment financing is one of the areas I spend a lot of time working in.

I have worked with transactions involving:

Construction equipment
Tow trucks
Semi trucks
Dump trucks
Box trucks
Cargo vans
Manufacturing equipment
Restaurant equipment
Medical equipment
Used equipment
Private-party purchases
Challenged credit
Startups

A lower credit score does not always mean a business has no options.

Some lenders may look more closely at monthly revenue, down payment, time in business, equipment value, cash flow, or additional collateral.

That does not mean every deal can get done.

But I would rather look at the full situation before deciding whether financing is realistic.

Learn More About Equipment Financing

Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgages are another area I have a strong interest in.

I like working with reverse mortgages because the conversation is usually very different from a traditional mortgage.

The question is not simply:

What rate can I get?

The bigger questions are usually:

Can I eliminate my current mortgage payment?
How much equity can I access?
Should I take a line of credit?
How will this affect my heirs?
Should I use a HECM or a proprietary reverse mortgage?
Would a HELOC make more sense?
Can I use a reverse mortgage to buy another home?

Those are the kinds of questions I think should be answered before someone makes a decision.

I do not believe every homeowner who qualifies for a reverse mortgage should automatically get one.

For some people, it can be an excellent financial tool.

For others, another option may make more sense.

The important thing is understanding the numbers and the long-term impact.

Learn More About Reverse Mortgages

My Approach

I try to keep financing simple.

I do not believe in making things sound more complicated than they need to be.

If a deal looks strong, I will tell you.

If there are challenges, I will explain them.

If I think a certain financing program makes sense, I will tell you why.

If I think there may be a better option, I will tell you that too.

My goal is not to push every borrower into a loan.

My goal is to understand the situation and help identify the financing option that makes the most sense.

Sometimes that means finding the right lender.

Sometimes that means restructuring the deal.

Sometimes that means waiting.

Sometimes that means deciding that financing is not the best move.

I would rather be realistic than tell someone what they want to hear.

Why I Work With Multiple Lenders

One lender’s decline does not always mean the transaction cannot be financed.

Lenders have different appetites.

One may decline a borrower because of credit.

Another may be comfortable with the same borrower because the business has strong revenue.

One lender may not like a certain type of equipment.

Another may specialize in it.

One reverse mortgage lender may have a better program for one type of property, while another lender may have a stronger proprietary product.

That is why having access to multiple financing sources matters.

The goal is not to submit an application everywhere.

It is to put the transaction in front of lenders that are actually a good fit.

Experience With Difficult Transactions

Some of the most interesting deals are the ones that are not straightforward.

Over the years, I have worked with situations involving:

Lower credit scores
Prior bankruptcies
Repossessions
Startups
Limited time in business
Strong revenue but weak personal credit
Older equipment
Private-party equipment sales
Multiple merchant cash advances
Higher-value homes
Existing mortgage balances
Unusual property situations

Not every difficult deal has a solution.

But a difficult deal usually deserves a closer look before someone simply says no.

Education Matters

One reason I have been building TheBroker.Finance is to provide useful information for people who are trying to understand their options.

There is a lot of financing information online.

Some of it is good.

Some of it is outdated.

Some of it is written mainly to get someone to fill out a form.

I want the information on this site to be practical.

If someone is researching equipment financing, I want them to understand what lenders actually look at.

If someone is researching reverse mortgages, I want them to understand both the advantages and the drawbacks.

The better someone understands the financing before they apply, the better conversation we can have.

Who I Work With

I work with business owners and homeowners in a variety of situations.

That may include:

Business owners purchasing equipment
Companies looking for working capital
Businesses that have been turned down by a bank
Borrowers with challenged credit
Commercial real estate investors
Homeowners considering a reverse mortgage
Retirees trying to improve monthly cash flow
Homeowners looking at reverse mortgage purchase options
Families trying to understand how a reverse mortgage may affect heirs

Every situation starts with the same thing:

Understanding what you are trying to accomplish.

What You Can Expect From Me

If you contact me, I will usually start by asking a few basic questions.

For a business financing transaction, that may include:

What are you trying to finance?
How much do you need?
How long have you been in business?
What does monthly revenue look like?
What does credit look like?
What is the purchase price?
How much money is available for a down payment?

For a reverse mortgage, I may ask:

Age of the youngest borrower
Approximate home value
Current mortgage balance
Property type
State
What you are trying to accomplish

You do not need to know exactly which loan or lender you need before contacting me.

That is part of the process.

About TheBroker.Finance

TheBroker.Finance is focused on two main areas:

Business Financing

and

Reverse Mortgages

The business financing side includes equipment financing, working capital, commercial financing, and other business-purpose loans.

The reverse mortgage side includes HECM reverse mortgages, proprietary reverse mortgages, reverse mortgage lines of credit, reverse mortgage purchase loans, and educational information for homeowners and families.

The goal of the site is simple:

Explain the options clearly and help people make better financing decisions.

Contact Shawn

If you are trying to finance equipment, need working capital, are looking at a commercial transaction, or are considering a reverse mortgage, feel free to reach out.

Tell me what you are trying to accomplish and we can take a look at the situation.

Call or text Shawn at (714) 271-8524 or email Info@TheBroker.Finance.