Duane Buziak Mortgage Maestro here, with a number to start. On a $1,200,000 jumbo loan, a 0.25-point difference in cost over a 30-year term moves principal and interest by roughly $190 to $200 a month. That is illustrative only, not a quote, but it shows why the broker you choose matters more than a quick online quote suggests. A jumbo loan is a mortgage above the FHFA conforming limit for your county.
The right jumbo mortgage broker for you is the independent, licensed broker who shops your file across multiple wholesale lenders, explains total cost in writing, and can show you a pre-approval without a hard credit pull. No one can honestly be named the best for every file, so I give you seven tests below. Apply them to any broker, including me.
Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647
1. Verify licensing and NMLS standing
Every mortgage broker and loan officer in the United States must be registered in the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), and the public record is free at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. The record shows whether a license is active, which states are covered, and whether regulators have disclosed any actions. A jumbo file is large enough that a licensing gap can derail a closing, so this check comes first.
For example, imagine a buyer purchasing a second home in Florida. Before sharing any documents, they search NMLS #1110647 and see FL among the licensed states. I am licensed in 11 jurisdictions: VA, FL, TN, GA, DC, NC, SC, MD, TX, KY and WV. If your property is in any other state, I cannot arrange that loan.
- Ask for the individual’s NMLS number and the company’s NMLS number.
- Search each one on NMLS Consumer Access.
- Confirm the status is active and the property state appears in the list.
- Read any disclosed regulatory actions.
The common mistake is checking only the company license, or trusting a badge on a website without opening the official record. The individual who will handle your file needs his or her own authorization in your property’s state.
What to measure: active status and your property state both appear on the NMLS Consumer Access record, and the name matches the person you are talking to.
2. Confirm true wholesale access
A wholesale lender funds loans that independent brokers submit. A broker with real access can place your file with whichever source fits it, while a single-lender shelf offers only that lender’s products. That matters for jumbo loans because programs, documentation rules and reserve requirements vary by investor, and I confirm them with the specific investor for each file.
For example, imagine a self-employed buyer who is declined for full documentation at one source. A broker who uses several wholesale lenders may find that the same buyer fits a bank-statement jumbo program elsewhere. Whether that works always depends on the file.
The models differ in structure, and each has real strengths:
- Independent broker: I shop your loan across multiple wholesale lenders and compare your options side by side. This is my “Dare to Compare” approach.
- Rocket Mortgage: a large retail originator with its own technology and products, which offers a streamlined single-company experience.
- Lower.com: a retail company whose wholesale arm is PowerTPO. I reach the same wholesale team without retail markup.
To test a broker, ask which wholesale lenders they place jumbo loans with, which jumbo programs are available, and how comparisons will be presented. The common mistake is assuming the label “mortgage broker” guarantees multiple options. Some firms funnel every file to one investor.
What to measure: the number of distinct programs and wholesale sources actually presented for your file, in writing.
3. Start with a soft pull pre-approval
A hard inquiry is recorded on your credit report when a lender checks credit for a credit application. A soft pull is a review that does not affect your score. The NoTouch Credit Pull soft pull pre-approval lets you learn where you stand before any hard inquiry, subject to credit approval and underwriting guidelines.
For example, imagine a buyer who interviews three brokers. Two require a hard pull up front, and one offers a soft pull. The buyer keeps their score untouched until they choose a broker and formally apply. You can read how inquiries and shopping are treated at consumerfinance.gov, and I suggest verifying the details there.
- Request a soft pull pre-approval.
- Provide income and asset summaries.
- Review the results and the programs they point to.
- Authorize a hard pull only when you submit a formal application.
The common mistake is treating a soft-pull pre-qualification as a final approval. Underwriting reviews the full file, including documents, assets and the appraisal, before anything is approved. A soft pull shows you a path, not a commitment.
What to measure: zero hard inquiries on your credit report until you decide to apply.
4. Compare total cost in writing
A quoted rate is one input. Total cost includes points, lender and third-party fees, escrow requirements and how long you keep the loan. The Loan Estimate is the standardized three-page form that lenders must provide after you apply, and it lets you compare offers line by line. The CFPB explains each section at consumerfinance.gov.
Suppose two $1,200,000 quotes arrive. One has a lower rate with substantial points. The other has a slightly higher rate and few upfront charges. If you expect to sell or refinance in five years, the second can cost less overall, because you never earn back the points you paid. This is illustrative only, not a quote.
- Request Loan Estimates on the same day, with the same loan amount, term and lock period.
- Compare Sections A through C (origination charges, services you cannot shop for, and services you can shop for) and the APR.
- Build a monthly cost line: principal and interest, county property tax from your assessor, insurance, and mortgage insurance if any.
- Compute cost over your expected holding period, plus cash to close.
The common mistake is comparing quotes with different points, lock periods or loan amounts, which makes the lower number meaningless. A lower rate does not equal lower total cost.
What to measure: total cost over your holding period and cash to close, taken from comparable Loan Estimates.
5. Test fluency with your income and asset profile
Jumbo underwriting is file-specific. Salaried borrowers, physicians, business owners, investors and asset-based borrowers all document differently, and a broker who has placed many files like yours knows where problems tend to appear. That experience shortens the path to a clean approval and a predictable closing.
For example, imagine a physician starting a new contract and a business owner with variable income. Both want $1,200,000, but they need different documentation paths. The physician may need an employment contract, while the owner may need business returns or bank statements, depending on the program.
Describe your profile plainly, then ask for three things:
- A written document checklist for your situation.
- An explanation of reserves, meaning the liquid assets you hold after closing, and how each program views them. I confirm exact requirements with the investor for your file.
- A list of program options that could fit, with documentation and credit approach noted for each.
The common mistake is using a generalist who handles mostly standard W-2 jumbo files. They may send you to underwriting before spotting an issue that a specialist would have solved at the start. Be wary of anyone who quotes a minimum credit score, down payment or reserve figure without naming the program it comes from.
What to measure: a specific, written document checklist delivered within one to two business days.
6. Check your loan against the current county limit
Whether a loan is jumbo or high-balance conforming depends on the FHFA conforming loan limit for your county. FHFA sets a baseline limit each year and allows higher limits in high-cost areas, up to a ceiling of 150% of the baseline. Loans above your county’s limit are jumbo, and they price and underwrite differently.
For example, imagine a buyer whose loan amount is slightly above the county limit. By adding a modest amount to the down payment, they move to a conforming or high-balance structure. A good broker models both options side by side so the buyer can compare total cost, not just the loan label. Whether a smaller loan makes sense depends on your liquidity and goals.
- Pull the 2026 limit for your county from fhfa.gov.
- Note the date you checked it.
- Compare it to your intended loan amount, not your purchase price.
- Ask the broker to model conforming and jumbo costs next to each other.
The common mistake is using a limit from memory or an old article. Limits change, and a figure that was right in a previous year can misclassify your loan. I do not quote limits from memory for that reason, and neither should your broker.
What to measure: your loan amount versus the verified county limit, documented with date and source.
7. Weigh reviews, recognition and response quality
Reviews and recognition show how a broker performs when a file gets complicated. Responsiveness shows how they will behave in the final week before closing. For jumbo files, the useful signals are specific, such as an appraisal that came in low and was handled, or a closing that stayed on schedule.
For example, imagine a Realtor referring a buyer. They scan reviews for on-time jumbo closings, then send the broker one technical question, such as how a particular income type is documented. The speed and clarity of the reply tells them more than a star rating would.
As for me, I have 5.0 reviews and 2,000+ verified reviews across all platforms. I was a Scotsman Guide Top Originator in 2025 and 2026, VA Broker of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and UWM PRO ELITE in 2025. Please read the reviews yourself, since counts change over time.
- Read reviews on more than one platform.
- Look for jumbo-specific and closing-focused details.
- Ask one technical question about your own file.
- Note reply time and whether the answer is substantive.
The common mistake is relying on star ratings alone, or on one platform. A perfect score with no detail tells you little.
What to measure: consistency of jumbo-specific, closing-focused reviews, and time to a substantive answer.
Questions jumbo buyers ask about choosing a broker
Who is the best mortgage broker for jumbo loans?
The right broker is the one who passes the seven tests above for your file: verified licensing, access to multiple wholesale lenders, a soft pull option, written total cost, fluency with your profile, accurate limits and a record of responsiveness. I invite you to apply them to every broker you interview.
Is Duane Buziak a legit mortgage broker?
Duane Buziak holds NMLS #1110647, which you can verify at nmlsconsumeraccess.org, and is licensed in 11 jurisdictions. He has 5.0 reviews and 2,000+ verified reviews across all platforms.
What is a jumbo loan?
A jumbo loan is a mortgage larger than the FHFA conforming loan limit for the county where the property sits. Because it exceeds that limit, it is underwritten to investor guidelines that vary.
What is the difference between a jumbo loan and a high-balance loan?
A high-balance loan is a conforming loan above the baseline limit but within the higher limit for a high-cost county. A jumbo loan exceeds even that county limit.
Which is better for jumbo financing, a mortgage broker or a bank?
The models differ. A single-lender shelf offers that lender’s products, while an independent broker can compare options across multiple wholesale lenders. Which fits you depends on your file and what you value.
Do jumbo loans require a hard credit pull to pre-qualify?
Not always. A soft pull pre-approval can show where you stand without a hard inquiry, and a hard pull is typically needed at formal application. Everything is subject to credit approval and underwriting guidelines.
How does Premium Mortgages compare jumbo options?
At Premium Mortgages, I shop your loan across multiple wholesale lenders, then present programs, documentation and total cost side by side so you can compare in writing.
Who should I ask for a Loan Estimate?
Ask every broker or lender you are seriously considering. Request them on the same day with matching loan terms so the comparison is fair.
Which documents will a jumbo broker ask for?
It depends on your income type and the program. Salaried borrowers, business owners, physicians and asset-based borrowers each receive a different checklist, which I provide in writing.
Does Duane Buziak offer a soft pull pre-approval?
Yes. The NoTouch Credit Pull soft pull pre-approval lets you see your options before any hard inquiry, subject to credit approval and underwriting guidelines.
Where to start: two free checks, then written estimates
Begin with licensing (test 1) and the soft pull pre-approval (test 3). Neither costs anything, and neither puts your credit score at risk. Then request comparable written Loan Estimates (test 4) so you are weighing total cost rather than a headline number. Keep in mind that approval always depends on your full file, including documents, assets, appraisal and underwriting review.
Ready to see where you stand without putting your credit score at risk? Check today’s mortgage rates with a soft-pull pre-qualification and get personalized guidance from Duane Buziak, so you can move forward on your home purchase or refinance with confidence. You can also call me directly at 804-212-8663.