In 2020, I left the University of Arizona after two years to chase a bigger dream — building a life on my own terms.
I broke into the mortgage industry at LoanDepot and got a front-row seat to what high-pressure, high-volume retail lending looks like from the inside. I learned fast, performed well, and picked up something more valuable than any commission check: an understanding of how the retail model actually works — and who it really serves.
The problem with a one-lender menu
When you walk into a bank or a direct lender, the loan officer can only sell you that company’s products, at that company’s pricing. If your situation doesn’t fit their box — self-employed income, an investment property, a jumbo scenario, a credit story — the answer is often “no,” or worse, a yes with pricing that punishes you for their limited menu.
That never sat right with me. So after a couple of years sharpening my skills in debt resolution, I came back to lending on my own terms — as an independent broker in the wholesale channel.
What “wholesale broker” means for you
- We work for you, not a lender. As brokers, our job is to shop your scenario — not to move one company’s inventory.
- 150+ lenders compete for your loan. Banks, credit unions, wholesale lenders, and specialty finance companies. More competition means more options and sharper pricing.
- Odd scenarios are our specialty. DSCR investor loans, bank-statement programs for the self-employed, VA, FHA, jumbo — when you have the whole market, “outside the box” is just another box.
Building it with family
Today I run our branch at West Capital Lending in Irvine alongside my brother Noah — and the team keeps growing. We finished last quarter in the top 10% of the company, and none of that happens without people who treat every file like it’s their own family’s mortgage.
One thing I’ve learned since leaving school: once you bet on yourself, it doesn’t matter where you started. The same is true for borrowers — the right financing partner can change your whole trajectory.
Want to see what the wholesale market can do for your purchase or refinance? Let’s talk.
Devon Linkon, Branch Manager, West Capital Lending | NMLS 1987809 | DRE 02254965. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend.
