Branch Manager & Mortgage Broker · NMLS #190235 · West Capital Lending · NMLS #1566096
What I do
I'm a Branch Manager and licensed Mortgage Broker at West Capital Lending, licensed to originate mortgages in 22 states. I have a somewhat unusual capacity for a solo mortgage professional: I can act as a direct lender on most loan types — funding with our own money and controlling the entire process end-to-end — or as a mortgage broker — shopping across dozens of wholesale lenders to find the best rate for your specific situation. Which hat I wear depends on which produces the better outcome for you.
Products I originate directly
As a direct lender, I fund these loan types with West Capital's own capital — no broker referral, no middle layer, no lead-sale delay:
- Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) — my primary product. This is why HELOCpedia exists.
- Home Equity Loan (fixed-rate second lien)
- Cash-Out Refinance
- Conventional 1st Mortgage (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac)
- FHA Loan (low down payment, gov-backed)
- VA Loan (for eligible veterans and active-duty military)
- Jumbo Loan (above conforming loan limits — up to $3M+)
- Non-QM Loan (self-employed, bank-statement, DSCR, asset-depletion, and other non-standard income scenarios)
- Reverse Mortgage / HECM (for homeowners 62+) — see reverse.audigarner.com for the reverse mortgage-focused site
Products I broker — access to 100+ wholesale lenders
Every product listed above I can also broker to over 100 wholesale lenders I work with. So the direct-lender option isn't a ceiling on what you can get — it's a floor. If our own pricing is best, we fund it directly and close fast. If a wholesale lender in our network beats it (which happens on specialty programs, aggressive credit-tier pricing, or niche investor overlays), I broker the loan through them instead of forcing you into a suboptimal fit.
This is the biggest structural advantage of working with a Branch Manager who has both capabilities over a captive lender who has only one: I'm not required to sell you my company's product if a better one exists elsewhere. Typical brokered scenarios: niche non-QM programs, aggressive jumbo pricing tiers, ITIN and foreign national loans, DSCR investor loans, construction loans, and any specialty overlay a single lender doesn't offer.
Why HELOCpedia exists
The HELOC information available online is either aggregator-thin (lead sites that don't actually lend), bank-lawyered (technically accurate but strategically useless), or content-marketed by writers who have never closed a loan. I built HELOCpedia to be the fourth option: honest, current, opinion-forward writing by a licensed Branch Manager who has to live with the outcomes of the advice.
Everything on the site is written or reviewed by me. When I say a rate range for a state, it's based on real quotes I've written and pricing sheets I read weekly. When I say a lender is competitive, it's because I've compared against them in the last 30 days. When I say a HELOC is a bad idea for a situation, it's because I've talked a borrower out of one that week.
Licensing
I hold an active Mortgage Loan Originator license through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS ID 190235), sponsored by West Capital Lending (NMLS ID 1566096). Currently licensed to originate in the following 22 states:
All state licenses verifiable at NMLS Consumer Access under NMLS #190235.
Specialty situations I handle regularly
- High-equity homeowners using a HELOC as a strategic wealth-management tool rather than an emergency backstop
- Self-employed borrowers who need bank-statement, P&L, or Non-QM programs because traditional W-2 income docs don't fit
- Investment property HELOCs — specialty programs, 1-2% higher pricing than primary-residence but attainable for the right borrower profile
- Second-home HELOCs — case-by-case depending on state and property profile
- Jumbo borrowers in high-cost markets (NoVA, Bay Area, LA, Bellevue, Miami) where conforming limits don't apply
- VA-eligible borrowers using their entitlement for zero-down purchases or IRRRL refinances
- Retirement-age homeowners (62+) weighing a HELOC vs. reverse mortgage — I can quote both
- Borrowers with credit challenges — Non-QM and specialty programs down to 620 FICO in some cases
- Multi-property investors using a primary-residence HELOC to fund rental down payments (the classic BRRRR play)
How I run a quote
Every rate quote from me starts with a 60-second soft-pull qualification via helocwithaudi.com. That gives me your home value estimate, existing mortgage balance, and a soft-pull credit score. Within 1 business day I come back with a written rate quote showing APR, monthly payment, all closing costs, and any pricing-tier caveats.
If the math works and you want to proceed, we run a hard credit pull, order an appraisal (or waive it if the automated valuation supports it), and typically close in 3-4 weeks. If the math doesn't work — for any reason — I'll say so on the first call. Not every HELOC application should be a HELOC.
Editorial standards
Every article on HELOCpedia is written or reviewed by me personally. Rate ranges reflect real pricing I've quoted in the applicable state within the trailing 90 days. Statutes, tax rules, and program guidelines are cited with source references or are explicitly flagged as opinion. When I refer to a specific competitor lender by name, it's because I've compared pricing against them in the recent past.
I do not accept paid placements, sponsored content, or referral commissions from the lenders or credit unions I mention. If you find an error, please email me directly — corrections are made within one business day.
Contact
For a rate quote: helocwithaudi.com (60 seconds, soft pull only).
For editorial questions, corrections, or media requests: reach me through the West Capital Lending contact directory (NMLS Consumer Access has the current contact information).
What clients say
Verified reviews from clients I've personally helped, published on my independent Experience.com profile (5.0★ overall):
“Audi Garner at West Capital Lending was fantastic! He facilitated my HELOC very quickly and provided excellent customer service throughout the entire process.”
“I can't say enough great things about our experience using Audi. I retired from a large national homebuilder and dealt with loan officers daily — he's among the best I've worked with.”
Read more verified reviews on Experience.com →
Get a real quote from a licensed lender
Not a lead-sale form. Direct rate quote from a Branch Manager licensed in 22 states — direct-lender pricing on HELOCs, home equity loans, and 1st mortgages, plus wholesale-broker pricing on specialty programs. Whichever route gets you the better rate wins.
Check My RateTalk to a licensed HELOC lender
Get a rate estimate or ask a question — direct answer from Audi Garner, Branch Manager & Broker (NMLS #190235). No sales pitch. No hard credit pull.
Get a 60-second rate estimate
Soft pull only. Written quote emailed within 1 business day.
Ask Audi a HELOC question
Direct answer from a licensed originator. Usually within 1 business day.