The Story Behind One Stop Mortgage
How a $1.5 million deal gone wrong led us to build the lending company we always wished we had.
Meet Brandon & Melinda
I'm Brandon — husband to Melinda (my wife, business partner, and co-founder), and father to two incredible kids. I'm not your typical lender. I came into lending through real estate.
My wife and I ran a multi-million dollar real estate team, flipped over 100 homes, did hard money deals, ran property management, and are currently building three luxury spec homes. I was a buyer's agent closing 40–50 buyer sides a year.
I loved the work. But I hated the lenders.
The Deal That Changed Everything
We went through five, six, seven lenders — bad pre-approvals, broken promises, deals falling apart at the last minute. Each one promised the world and delivered disappointment.
And then one deal broke me.
My client had a $1.5 million dream house under contract. It was perfect for them — the kind of home you search for years to find. But there was a catch: the seller made them waive the contingency on selling their current home.
I thought I had done my due diligence. I vetted the lender. I asked all the right questions. He assured me everything was solid — credit approved, income verified, timeline locked in.
He lied about everything.
Credit? Not approved. Income? Never verified. Timeline? Completely fabricated.
Two days before closing, he started ghosting me. Calls went to voicemail. Texts went unanswered. I finally cornered him and forced the truth out: there was no loan.
I scrambled. I called every hard money lender I knew. I begged the seller for a one-day extension — just 24 hours to save the deal.
The seller refused.
The contract expired. My clients lost their $25,000 earnest money. The seller sold to a backup buyer for more money. And I lost two commission checks right before Christmas.
That's the moment One Stop Mortgage was born.
We started this company because we didn't want any agent — or any homebuyer — to experience what we experienced.
We know what it feels like to count on a lender and get burned. We built One Stop Mortgage to be the lender we always wished we had.
What We Stand For
These aren't just words on a website. They're the principles we live by every single day.
Honesty
No lies. No ghosting. No surprises. We tell you the truth even when it's uncomfortable.
Partnership
We treat agents like partners, not marketing channels. Your success is our success.
Excellence
Pre-approvals that hold. Clear-to-close issued early. On-time closings. Every time.
Empathy
We've been on the other side. We know what it's like. We'll never forget.
Real Estate Experience That Makes a Difference
We're not just lenders who dabbled in real estate. We're real estate professionals who became lenders.
Real Estate Team
Ran a multi-million dollar real estate team closing 40-50 buyer transactions per year
Fix & Flip
Personally flipped over 100 homes and understand renovation financing inside and out
Property Management
Managed rental properties and understand investor financing needs
New Construction
Currently building three spec homes and understand construction financing
Brandon M. Niemela
Owner/CEO & Lead Loan Officer
NMLS #2240466
Licensed in FL, GA, NC, SC, CO, PA, TX