questions, answered
Everything you'd want to ask. answered before you ask it.
Do your homework privately, on your time. The model, the comp, the tech, the support, and the move, all in one place. When you've seen enough, book a call.
The model
Built different on purpose.
What kind of brokerage is Dwell?
Dwell is an independent mortgage brokerage. That means we work for the borrower, not a bank. As a broker you shop the file across 45-plus investors and place it where it fits, instead of forcing every client into one company's overlays. We built Dwell as a tech company that happens to do loans. Not a marketing company, and not a bargain shop.
How is a broker different from a retail lender?
At retail you sell one company's products at one company's pricing, and when that lender says no, the deal is usually dead. As a broker you have options. Different investors, different guidelines, different pricing on the same file. You keep control of the outcome instead of handing it to one set of rules.
Why Dwell instead of another broker shop?
Most broker shops hand you a 1099, a login, and call it freedom. That is not support. That is being on your own with a logo on the door. Dwell builds the whole platform for you. The tech stack, the creative, the follow-up, the ops, the coaching. You get the independence of a broker with real infrastructure underneath you.
Who actually fits at Dwell?
Growth-minded LOs who want freedom and are willing to match it with ownership. Seasoned producers who want more control and upside, and newer LOs who are hungry and coachable. The common thread is mindset, not tenure. We give a lot and we ask a lot, and both of those are non-negotiable.
Who does not fit?
People who want resources without responsibility. People who resist content, visibility, or modern communication. People who chase the biggest gross check and ignore what it actually nets. If you want to be left alone with a login and a prayer, that is fine. That is just not us.
Compensation
No mystery. No surprises.
How does compensation work?
Your pay runs on the same math on every loan, set by the company. The company is paid first, then you keep 90% of what is left. No tiers to climb, no targets that move on you mid-year. You see the full picture on a monthly pro forma, so you understand the economics of every deal.See the exact numbers
What is the flat fee?
A flat $1,095 per closed file, the same on every loan. $595 on a HELOC. There is also a recoverable Monthly Company Draw of $200 a month, which is a draw against commissions, not a fee. Both are fixed and knowable, and your compensation is the remainder under the same math that does not change from your first file to your hundredth.
Why is Dwell W-2 instead of 1099?
Because we do too much for you to treat the relationship like a loose contractor setup. A 1099 quietly dumps payroll, compliance, and expense management on you. We handle all of it, and your approved business expenses run pre-tax through an accountable plan our team manages. W-2 here is a feature, not a limitation.
Doesn't a 1099 with a higher payout pay more?
Not after the math. A 1099 gross still owes self-employment tax, and you are buying your own support, tools, and admin time on top of it. Because Dwell is W-2, standard payroll withholding applies, the same as any W-2 job. That is payroll, not a Dwell fee. A W-2 net can beat a 1099 gross that still owes tax later. Your pro forma shows the real number.
What is a pro forma and why does it matter?
It is a monthly statement showing the economics of your business with no hidden margin and no surprises. Most LOs have never seen one from their company. You get one every month, so you are treated like an owner who can see the books, not a cog guessing at the math.
How often do I get paid?
Weekly. You get paid every week, not on a delayed draw or a once-a-month cycle. The money you earned shows up while the work is still fresh.
Are there any other fees?
Beyond the per-file amount, your pro forma shows a 10% company retention, which is general company revenue, and for LOs who opt in to our AI LOA, a $99-per-closed-loan fee from our tech partner that applies only on the loans you run through it. Every number lands on your pro forma each month. Nothing is buried in your pay.See every fee
Can I still write off business expenses?
Yes, through the accountable plan our team runs. When an expense qualifies under the plan, the reimbursement is generally excluded from your W-2 wages, which can lower your taxable wage base. It is the W-2 answer to the write-offs most LOs chase a 1099 for. This is general information, not tax advice — your CPA should confirm what qualifies for your situation.
Technology
Three systems. Built to run as one.
What systems will I actually use?
Three. Arive+ for your loans, Fuel for your follow-up and creative, and the Dwell Community for everything you need to find. All of it connected and running before you walk in. The only other thing is Microsoft Teams, where the company talks. That is the whole list.
What is Arive+?
It is our loan origination system with two things most LOs never get. Your AI Loan Assistant, Addy AI, and your Producer Dashboard. Both wired in and connected straight into Fuel.Explore the full tech stack
What does Addy AI actually do?
Real loan work, not reminders. Addy AI reads and verifies the file from pay stubs, bank statements, and tax returns, calculates income and DTI before you open it, runs it against AUS findings and product guidelines, flags the risk and the conditions to clear, and builds the borrower needs list. It turns a raw file into a clean, CTC-ready loan in minutes. You stay the licensed loan officer making the calls.
What is the Producer Dashboard and the Rule of 3?
The Producer Dashboard runs on our Rule of 3. Any file sitting in one stage longer than three days gets flagged, so nothing stalls and you always know where every loan stands.
What is Fuel?
Your private, white-labeled creative and growth platform. Your follow-up, funnels, and campaigns run from day one, wired straight into Arive+ so your data moves without you re-entering it.
What is Auto Pilot?
Two done-for-you systems that run inside Fuel from day one. Dwell Direct works your new leads with automated email and SMS plus an AI conversational layer that answers, qualifies, and books. Dwell 365 keeps you in front of every past client all year. Once it is on, your leads and your database keep hearing from you whether you have time that week or not.See how Auto Pilot works
Do I need to be technical?
No. It is set up and connected before you start. You learn three systems by doing real work, and the rest runs in the background. Arnold builds and connects the tech so you never touch the wiring.
Support
A bench, not a help desk.
What support do I actually get?
Real people, not a ticket queue. Shane for coaching, Betsi and Paula for operations, Rammie for creative, Sarah for payroll, licensing and compliance, and Arnold for tech.Meet your bench
How much coaching do I get from Shane?
One-on-ones with Shane through your first six months. For a newer LO that is daily for your first month, then weekly. Not a manager checking call counts. He is a former Top 1% originator, still active in the industry and driving its AI and tech, building your business with you.
What is expected of me?
Show up, use the systems, take coaching, and build visibility. We treat you like an owner with the freedom to run your business, and we pair that freedom with real accountability. That is not pressure. That is how you get good, fast.
Is the content and visibility part a requirement?
It is how the business gets built now. Trust is built across channels before someone ever calls you. You do not have to be polished on day one, but you do have to be willing to be visible. If you see content as homework instead of an advantage, this is not the right room.
Does anyone check my files?
Yes, twice. Betsi runs a full file review at disclosure to catch what you missed, and we run a post-closing compliance review on every file with a third-party processor and a compliance team. Most LOs never get a second set of eyes. You get it on every loan.
What is The Collective, and is it included?
The Collective is our AI and systems training built for loan officers. Every Dwell LO gets it at no cost. It is the same playbook we use to keep the whole team ahead on the tools reshaping the business.
Getting started
From before day one.
What happens before my first day?
Your bench goes to work before you ever sign. Tech stack wired, a full creative package built, your technology launched, and licensing and onboarding handled. You walk in to a business that is already running, not a login and a list of to-dos.
What do my first 30 days look like?
Hands-on systems training, daily one-on-one coaching with Shane in the first stretch, your first files with ops beside you, and your core investors established. You start producing, supported, instead of figuring it out alone.
What does my first year look like?
Growth systems running for you, content and visibility built, two in-person Dwell Summit gatherings, and The Collective included free. The runway is specific and supported from before day one through your first full year.See how you grow here
What about my current pipeline and referral partners?
Your referral partners follow you, not your logo. We map your partners, support the transition communication, and give you a specific plan for your active deals. The move is the hardest part, and we do not pretend otherwise. We make it specific and survivable instead of leaving you to imagine the worst case.
How long does licensing and onboarding take?
Sarah runs payroll, licensing, and compliance, so you spend close to zero time on it. We handle the admin that usually eats your first weeks.
Products
When a lender says no, you've got 45 more.
How many investors does Dwell have?
More than 45. When one lender says no, you have dozens more. You shop the file, place it where it fits, and keep control instead of handing the outcome to one company's guidelines.
What kinds of loans can I do?
Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo, DSCR, bank statement, ADU and renovation, manual-underwrite VA, construction, HELOCs, and the agency first-time-buyer and down payment programs. Plus tools like Lock n Shop and float down. Thousands of products across the full investor roster, so you can say yes to almost any client who walks in.See every product and investor
What if a loan gets declined somewhere else?
That is exactly where being a broker pays off. As Mike Sapida, a Dwell LO, put it: my VA loan got declined and I figured the deal was dead, then Betsi found five other investors who would take it. Our ops team shops a tough file across the roster to find a home for it instead of calling the deal dead.
Will my clients still see me after closing?
On select investor relationships, your contact information rides on the borrower's monthly mortgage statement for the life of the loan. Your client sees you every month, not just a servicer.See every product
New LOs
New to the business?
I'm new. Will I get real support or get left alone?
Real support. Daily one-on-ones with Shane your first month, then weekly through six months, plus five named support lanes. The whole model is built so a newer LO operates with real infrastructure instead of figuring it out solo.
Do I need experience to join?
No. We have two strong fits. The seasoned producer who wants more, and the newer LO who is hungry, humble, and coachable. Newer LOs even have an advantage. No bad habits to unlearn.
Will Dwell hand me leads?
We are not a lead farm. We build you a platform, systems, and coaching so you generate your own business and own it. If you are looking for someone to hand you leads and a script, we are not the fit.
Is this too much for someone just starting?
Only if you want to coast. The expectations, systems, coaching, and visibility, are exactly what build a new LO fast. The right newer LO is energized by that. The wrong one is intimidated by it. The expectations do the filtering.
The company
Who you'd be working for.
Who runs Dwell?
Shane Kidwell, who founded Dwell Mortgage LLC in January 2023. He got into lending in 2009 while working full time as a Seattle-area firefighter, held Top 1% Originator status for over six years, then spent years inside retail mortgage banks as an LO, manager, and executive before building this. He stepped back from personal production to run the company and coach the team, so nobody here competes with you.Read the full story
What states can I originate in?
Nine: Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Idaho, Texas, and Arizona. Licensing follows the property, not your address, so as long as you hold the individual license you can write anywhere on that list. Dwell LOs live and work in Washington, Utah, California, and Oregon today.See every state
What if I'm licensed in a state Dwell isn't?
Bring it up on the call. We add states when we can staff and support them properly, not to plant flags, but a producing LO with real volume in a state genuinely moves that list. If your book is concentrated somewhere we're not licensed yet, that's a conversation, not a no.
Who handles my licensing and renewals?
Sarah, on the Dwell Life lane. Licensing, renewals, continuing education, and compliance are managed for you, and your CE runs pre-tax through the accountable expense plan. You spend close to zero time on it.
still curious?
Ask us the one we didn't answer.
Book a call. We'll talk through where you are, what you're trying to build, and whether Dwell is the right place to build it.