Why more retail brokers could join the wholesale channel
Executives have touted the growth of the wholesale mortgage broker channel at trade shows throughout the year.
Many, like Mat Ishbia at UWM, have stated that the goal is to get wholesale brokers to more than 50% of the overall market. Two other mortgage executives believe that trend will continue in 2026.
David Temko (pictured top left), CEO, and Perri Garner (pictured top right), CMO of C2 Financial, believe that the shift from the retail to the wholesale channel for mortgage brokers will continue in the new year.
"I think that we're going to see a big influx into the wholesale channel from retail,” Garner told Mortgage Professional America. “I really do think that people are going to realize that finding better options for borrowers exists in the wholesale channel versus on the retail side.”
“I feel there's so much more opportunity for the broker space to grow,” Temko told Mortgage Professional America. “We're certainly going to see that in the coming year, especially when you know more borrowers are acclimated with what's going on in the market. They're educated, and they know that working with a broker is going to give them the best option.”
A changing landscape
Temko said the broker community has been able to erase some of the stereotypes surrounding loan officers at large banks by building relationships with customers that go beyond a single loan transaction.
“We've always believed in a core philosophy that the power of choice is through the broker community,” Temko said. “There is a freedom to have access to so many different capital sources. The days of walking into a bank branch where you have a banker with his thumbs in his armpits trying to figure out how he can say no two months from now, are just here and gone.”
Part of encouraging more retail brokers to find a new home in the wholesale space involves giving them the tools to close more loans while building the career path they’re looking for, according to Temko.
“We want to make sure that our loan officers are empowered, and they're empowering their clients and the people that either know them or should know them,” he said. “There are a lot of options out there, and we have access to all of them. I think it's a powerful space to be in, and I'm excited to see it continue to grow.”
Industry growth in 2026
Temko and Garner are both optimistic about the mortgage industry heading into 2026, based on both national sales forecasts and a continued decline in mortgage rates.
“I think there's a tremendous amount of wind in our sails,” Temko said. “The National Association of Realtors is expecting an increase in sales volume by 14%. We have great momentum coming out of a strong year, which I think may have been slightly unexpected, into a better year, where we're going to see some easing in interest rates.”
Another factor that is getting people to talk is potential new loan products. The 50-year mortgage suggested by the Trump administration has the entire industry debating its merits. Temko believes one thing it will do is bring people in the door.
“Whether or not we see a 50-year mortgage, it just creates more activity, more awareness,” he said. “I think if you add on another 20 years, it's surprising to me that you only see about another 6% increase in affordability. But it is something. It does create more awareness. And I think that those ideas and those concepts and those products, they're doing something, and they allow for another conversation.
“If we have access to that, it could be a great fit, but there could be a better one. So it just creates a deeper dialog, more conversations, and that's what it's all about. It's all about communicating. I think every relationship and a lot of businesses grow just purely based on communication, and that's what we're here to promote.”
Roby Robertson of LoanLogics shares insights on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as 2026 approaches, weighing privatization, government backing, and the potential introduction of 50-year mortgages.https://t.co/f5th3Iz7F2
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) December 15, 2025
Garner adds that conversations between brokers and customers are part of the education process, which is an added value brokers can provide. She believes it’s important for brokers to really understand their customers so they can know which products will best serve them.
“I think that the main opportunity is that people can really start to focus on that education piece and work really closely with consumers to help them understand the different options,” Garner said. “I think we're going to see a lot more product variety because of the rate stress. People need different types of products, and they qualify in different ways. We're certainly starting to see our product mix change significantly.”
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