Leaving retail feels risky.
Staying is costing you more.We spent 13 years combined in retail before we made the jump. Now we help self-sourced Texas LOs keep a bigger share of every loan, shop multiple wholesale lenders, and build toward a shop of their own, with support the entire way.
13 years of retail between the founders • Wholesale lender access •
Texas only • Direct line to the founders
Illustrative. Before taxes and business costs. Tier set in writing before day 1.
Access to Wholesale Lenders without the Retail Overlays
Three deals that would have died in retail
These are real loans from our own pipelines this year. In retail, every one of them was dead.
The third extension
Investment purchase · ITIN borrower · DSCRInvestor buyer was on their third extension because another lender couldn't get it across the finish line. We moved the file to a DSCR wholesale partner, got conditional pre-approval in 4 hours, and closed in 15 days.
extension 4 hrs
to pre-approval 15 days
to close
Four credit pulls and ready to quit
Self-employed · non-QMA buyer had four credit pulls from four lenders who kept telling him he didn't qualify because his tax returns didn't show enough income. We placed him in a no-DTI non-QM program. Approved. He's shopping for his home now.
elsewhere No DTI
non-QM Approved
now shopping
The FHA denial
FHA purchaseDenied by another lender because of a gap in employment history. We found a wholesale lender whose guidelines fit the situation, transferred the file, had a conditional approval in 24 hours, and closed in 12 days.
by lender 24 hrs
approval 12 days
to close
There is a better way.
See if you qualifyWhy your paycheck shrinks even when you don't
The retail math
Retail is built for the company, not for you.
When you close a loan at a retail mortgage company, that deal pays for a lot of things before it pays you: the branch manager's override, the area manager's split, corporate marketing, compliance departments, and office leases you might never set foot in.
The company takes the first cut. You take what's left. Most retail LOs take home 100 to 125 bps on loans they sourced themselves, from relationships they built.
On $15M a year, 100 bps in retail pays $150,000. At our tiers, the same production pays $262,500 to $337,500.
Illustrative. Gross comp before taxes and business costs. Not a guarantee of earnings.
There's a tier built for where you are
Whether you're new to wholesale or already run your own files, we have a clear, simple structure.
Launch Tier
For LOs making the jump from retail who want hands-on support while they learn wholesale.
✓ 90-day 1-on-1 coaching
✓ Hands-on pricing and system walkthroughs
✓ We help you structure your first 10 files
✓ Move up to Growth after 25 closed files
Growth Tier
For established LOs who know how to originate and want higher comp with scenario support.
✓ Direct phone access to support on tricky files
✓ Wholesale lender access across multiple investors
✓ Move up to Independent when volume hits target
Independent Tier
For high-producing LOs who run their own files and want maximum compensation.
✓ Highest compensation tier we offer
✓ Full autonomy over your pipeline and process
✓ Founders available when you need a sounding board
You want your own mortgage company in the next few years
Start on any tier, learn the business from the inside, and leave with everything we learned building ours when you're ready. That's the point.
Not sure which tier fits? See if you qualify, and we'll figure it out together on the call. Figures are illustrative gross comp before taxes and business costs, not typical, and not a guarantee of earnings.
The 4-Step Blackwood Freedom Model
A simpler path from retail to running your own book.
1. A bigger share of every loan
Our tiers start at 175 bps and go up to 225 bps. No guessing, no year-end reconciliation surprises, and no tiers that require an act of congress to reach. You know what you earn before you close.
2. More than one lender behind every file
In retail, if your underwriting department says no, the deal dies. In wholesale, when one investor doesn't like a file, you take it to another. We work with multiple wholesale lenders so you have options before you have to tell a buyer no.
3. Founders on the phone, not a help desk
When you have a question about a tricky file, you don't submit a ticket. You call Elmer or Jesus. We've been in the trenches and we'll look at the file with you.
4. A real path to your own shop
Most companies want to keep you dependent. We don't. If your goal is to eventually open your own mortgage brokerage, we will literally help you do it. Learn how a wholesale shop runs, build your production, and when you're ready, we'll help you launch.
Elmer Salazar (left) and Jesus Narvaez, co-founders of Blackwood Mortgage
Why we started Blackwood
Between the two of us, we spent 13 years in retail. We sourced our own business, built our own Realtor relationships, and watched our branch managers and regional vice presidents collect overrides on every single file we closed.
Every time an underwriter killed a loan because of an internal overlay that made zero sense for the borrower, we took the hit with the agent.
We started Blackwood Mortgage because we wanted to keep the comp we earned, shop multiple lenders when a borrower needed options, and run our business without layers of management between us and the deal. Now we're offering the same thing to other Texas LOs who are tired of funding someone else's overhead.
— Elmer Salazar & Jesus Narvaez
Book a confidential comp review →The questions retail LOs ask us most
Everything you need to know about transitioning your Texas book to wholesale.
Is the call really free?
Yes. It's a 20-minute conversation with Elmer or Jesus. We look at your production numbers, show you what the same volume would earn on our tiers, and answer whatever questions you have. If it's not a fit, we'll tell you that too.
I've heard broker processing is a nightmare. Is it?
It can be if you're with the wrong shop. At Blackwood, you can process your own files or work directly with a contract processing team, and the two founders are available on every file. We don't hand you logins and walk away.
Do you provide leads?
No. Blackwood is built for self-sourced loan officers who generate their own business through Realtor relationships, past clients, and personal networks. If you need company-provided leads, this isn't the right fit.
What happens to my current pipeline?
You close it where you are. We help you with the transition to minimize business interruption, and we make sure your license transfer and onboarding happen before you write your first loan with us.
What changes going from W-2 to 1099?
As a 1099 contractor, you receive gross compensation without tax withholding, and you're responsible for your own taxes, healthcare, and business expenses. Many LOs find that writing off legitimate business expenses—mileage, client meals, marketing, cell phone—offsets a significant portion of the tax difference, but you should speak with a CPA about your specific situation.
I'm not ready to leave yet. Is it too early to call?
Not at all. Most LOs who reach out aren't ready to leave tomorrow. They want to know what their options look like before they make a decision. The conversation is strictly confidential.
Let's find out if this makes sense for you
Answer a few questions, then pick a time with Elmer or Jesus.
Personalized comp breakdown: Exactly what your last 12 months volume would pay at 175, 200, and 225 BPS.
Specific next steps: Clear roadmap for transferring files and licensing without downtime.
A pricing check: Compare your actual current rate sheets against live wholesale lender pricing.
Strictly confidential. No corporate notifications. You talk directly with Elmer or Jesus.