Willow Bend Mortgage Company

What Willow Bend Mortgage Company does

Willow Bend Mortgage Company, LLC, operating under the DBA 'Way Better Mortgage,' is a privately held Texas-based full-service mortgage bank founded in 1993 and headquartered at 5800 W. Plano Parkway in Plano, Texas. The company originates residential mortgage loans across 12 states (Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana). Unlike a pure broker, WBM maintains in-house underwriters, processors, closers, and funders, enabling it to underwrite jumbo and renovation loans internally, hold portfolio loans, and sell into the secondary market. CEO Craig Schrank leads the company, with Natalie Alexander as President & CFO, David White as SVP of Operations, and Bill Shaddock as Owner/Chairman of the Board.

WBM offers a comprehensive product portfolio spanning Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Renovation (FHA 203K Standard and Limited, Homestyle, HUD REO with Repair Escrow, Jumbo Renovation, and the proprietary Willow Bend Purchase+), Reverse Mortgages (HECM), Construction, and Condo loans. It also operates specialized niche products — Physician Home Loans (0–10% down, no PMI, flexible DTI for medical professionals) and DSCR investment property loans (qualified by property cash flow, no cap on owned properties). Its proprietary 'Way Better Application' is a digital platform supporting online submission, status tracking, and automated text/email milestone notifications, layered over a four-step process (Submit Documents → Appraisal & Approval → Underwriting → Closing). The company is NMLS-licensed (#117371) and an Equal Housing Lender.

Revenue is generated primarily through transaction fees on loan origination — origination fees plus gain-on-sale income on loans sold to investors, supplemented by interest income on portfolio loans retained. Distribution combines a direct-to-consumer digital channel, a 12-state loan officer network, and a referral channel anchored by real estate agents and builders. An affiliate ecosystem (Capital Title of Texas for title, Premier Surveying for surveys, Cambridge Insurance Agency for homeowners insurance, United Tax Service for tax services) supports loan fulfillment. Customer segments include individual homebuyers (first-time, move-up, refinance), real estate investors, medical professionals, and referral partners. The company has operated independently since 1993 with no disclosed external private equity or venture capital backing.

Name

Willow Bend Mortgage Company

Legal name

Willow Bend Mortgage Company, LLC

Website

https://wbm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Willow Bend Mortgage Company is a privately held, Plano, Texas-based full-service mortgage bank originating residential loans across 12 states, with in-house underwriting and specialized products for physicians, real estate investors, and renovation borrowers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Mortgage Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Real Estate Credit (522292)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Loan Brokers (6163)

akta.pro primary industry

Bank Branch / Retail Purchase Mortgages (FSALAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renovation Mortgage Origination (FHA 203(k), HomeStyle, CHOICERenovation) (FSALAAAL), Residential Mortgage Brokerage (Purchase & Refinance) (FSAEAEAA), Reverse Mortgage Origination (HECM & Proprietary) (FSALAIAA), Credit Data, Trimerge & Credit Analytics (FSALALAG)

Keywords

• Residential mortgage lending
• Home purchase loans
• Mortgage refinancing
• Jumbo loan financing
• Home renovation loans

Headquarters

HQ city

Plano

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Mortgage Origination: Willow Bend Mortgage generates revenue through mortgage loan origination. As a full-service mortgage bank with their own underwriters, processors, closers and funders, they earn origination fees and interest income on loans they hold or sell to investors. The company is both a lender and mortgage broker, originating loans for resale in the secondary market while also maintaining some in their portfolio.
2. Investment Property Loans (DSCR): Debt Service Coverage Ratio loans for experienced investors allowing qualification based solely on property cash flow. Provides financing for 1-4 unit properties with positive cash flow.
3. Physician Home Loans: Specialized mortgage programs for medical professionals with flexible financing including 0-10% down payment options, no PMI, and higher debt-to-income ratio allowances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Willow Bend Mortgage Company is a full-service mortgage bank that originates, underwrites, processes, closes, and funds residential home loans. It offers a comprehensive portfolio including Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Renovation (FHA 203K, Homestyle, Willow Bend Purchase+), Reverse Mortgage, Physician, DSCR investment property, Construction, and Condo loans across 12 U.S. states, supported by in-house underwriting and the proprietary Way Better Application digital platform.

Product overview

Willow Bend Mortgage Company operates as a full-service mortgage bank offering a comprehensive portfolio of home loan products. The company provides Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, and specialized loan programs including Physician Home Loans and DSCR investment property loans. Their renovation lending division offers multiple programs including FHA 203K Standard and Limited, Homestyle, and their proprietary Willow Bend Purchase+ product. Additional offerings include Reverse Mortgages, Construction Loans, Condo Loans, and various refinance options. The company underwrites its own loans in-house and serves borrowers across 12 states. The product portfolio also includes consumer-facing financial tools such as mortgage calculators, rent vs. buy calculators, and refinance calculators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conventional Loans Standard mortgage loans not backed by government agencies such as FHA or VA, available with fixed or variable rates, conforming and jumbo options, and portfolio loans for unique borrower situations.
• FHA Loans Government-insured mortgages standardized by the Federal Housing Administration, requiring only 3.5% down payment and offering flexible credit requirements for first-time homebuyers.
• VA Loans U.S. government-backed home mortgages for veterans, active duty military, reservists, and qualifying surviving spouses, offering 100% financing with no monthly mortgage insurance requirements.
• Jumbo Loans Larger mortgages for home purchases exceeding conforming loan limits (over $548,250 in most areas), underwritten in-house for faster processing and competitive rates.
• Home Renovation Loans Renovation loan programs including FHA 203K Standard, FHA 203K Limited, Jumbo Renovation, Homestyle, HUD REO with Repair Escrow, and Willow Bend Purchase+ covering structural, cosmetic, and customized repair financing for primary residences.
• Reverse Mortgages Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) for homeowners 62+, allowing conversion of home equity into tax-free cash without monthly payment requirements.
• Physician Home Loans Specialized mortgage programs for medical professionals including residents, doctors, dentists, and veterinarians, offering 0-10% down payment with no PMI, 100% financing options, and higher debt-to-income ratio allowances.
• DSCR Loans Debt Service Coverage Ratio investment property loans allowing qualification based solely on property cash flow, with no restrictions on number of properties owned and multifamily financing up to 9 units.
• Refinance Loans Refinance options including fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, and cash-out refinance loans for homeowners seeking lower payments, rate changes, or equity extraction for any purpose.
• Condo Loans Specialized financing for condominium purchases with approved condo project processes and programs that streamline the typically complex condo loan origination.
• Construction Home Loans Streamlined construction loan programs designed to finance home building projects from ground-up to completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record production achieved in recent years, doing more business in 2 weeks than in first year of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Capital Title of Texas, LLCminorOthersAffiliated title company providing title insurance and closing services for mortgage transactions. Listed as an affiliate under WBM's privacy policy for loan fulfillment purposes.
• Premier Surveying, LLCminorOthersSurveying service provider listed as an affiliate for property survey services related to mortgage transactions.
• Cambridge Insurance Agency, LLCminorOthersInsurance agency affiliate providing homeowners insurance and related products for mortgage closing services.
• United Tax ServiceminorOthersTax service provider listed as an affiliate for tax-related services in mortgage transactions.
• Real Estate Agents and BuilderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReal estate agents and builders who refer home buyers to WBM. Per privacy policy, WBM shares information with 'joint marketing partners which include affiliates, financial services providers, realtors, builders and other residential real estate companies.' These partners represent a key referral channel for customer acquisition.
• Capital OneminorOthersCapital One logo displayed on homepage along with other financial institution logos, indicating some form of partnership or integration relationship.
• Comerica BankminorOthersComerica Bank logo displayed on homepage, indicating a partnership or banking relationship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• loanDepot: National direct-to-consumer and retail mortgage lender with integrated in-house underwriting and broad product menu — overlaps with Willow Bend on product breadth even though it is far larger and more nationally distributed.
• Rocket Mortgage (Rocket Companies): Dominant digital-first mortgage lender that competes with Willow Bend for online applicants in every market Willow Bend operates in, and sets the bar on application UX, brand spend, and technology.
• UWM (United Wholesale Mortgage): Largest U.S. wholesale mortgage lender competing with Willow Bend via broker channel relationships and as a benchmark for technology, capacity, and pricing.
• Guild Mortgage Company: Large privately held mortgage banker with national reach and extensive specialty products (physician, renovation, professional). Larger scale and broader footprint than Willow Bend, but overlaps on niche product positioning.

Direct peers

• PrimeLending: Dallas-based multi-state retail mortgage banker with a comparable in-house underwriting model and broad product menu including conventional, government, renovation, and jumbo — overlaps directly with Willow Bend on geography, products, and distribution.
• PlainsCapital Bank Mortgage Division: Texas-rooted bank-affiliated mortgage lender; competes head-to-head with Willow Bend for Texas and South-Central purchase and refinance volume.
• Academy Mortgage Corporation: Privately held, multi-state retail mortgage lender with strong physician/teacher specialty programs and in-house renovation lending — closely mirrors Willow Bend's product specialization strategy.
• Cardinal Financial Company, LP: Privately held multi-state mortgage banker with a similar retail-led model, broad product set, and in-house operations — competes with Willow Bend in many of the same states.
• Sente Mortgage: Mid-sized independent mortgage bank operating across multiple Sun Belt states with in-house underwriting on niche products — directly comparable on size, product breadth, and GTM.

Emerging players

• Better.com: Digital-first mortgage startup whose fully online application and aggressive direct-to-consumer motion pressure regional players like Willow Bend for online lead conversion and brand awareness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wbmtx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=zsp27QW90F0
• Facebookfacebook.com/willow-bend-mortgage-107900622622860
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willow-bend-mortgage

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Willow Bend Mortgage Company