Residential Magazine

Featured Top Originator: David Medrano, First United Bank

By Arnie Aurellano

For David Medrano, there’s something about being on the water that puts everything into perspective. Growing up in Brownsville, Texas, near the Gulf of Mexico, boating, swimming and fishing weren’t just hobbies; they were a way of life.

Whether he’s on Lake Austin, navigating the open waters or deep-sea fishing, the rhythm of the water has always been a place where he finds clarity, peace and, in many ways, the answers to life’s toughest questions.

“When you’re in the ocean, but even in any body of water big enough, you realize how not in control you are when you’re in the water,” says Medrano, mortgage sales manager and senior loan officer with First United Bank. “You are a speck, and higher forces are in true control. I’ve always related that back to life in the sense of we can only control so much. The tide will take us where we’re meant to be, and we can’t put everything on our shoulders.”

This philosophy, he believes, is as true in his career as a mortgage originator as it is on the water. The mortgage industry, much like the open sea, is unpredictable. Market conditions fluctuate, interest rates rise and fall, and clients’ needs evolve rapidly. Despite all the preparation and hard work that goes into each deal, there are always variables beyond anyone’s control.

Just as he’s learned to read the tides and adjust course, Medrano’s career has been shaped by his ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the mortgage business.

“You don’t fight what you can’t fight, realize you don’t control all things and do the best you can with what you’ve got,” he says. “We can’t control the markets. We can’t control outside factors, but we can control what’s right in front of us. … What we can control is the time and energy we’re putting into something. The focus we put into something. The right work ethic. The right attitude.”

That mindset has been a driving force behind his success, and he’s had a lot to celebrate, even in this difficult market. In 2023, Medrano closed 231 loans worth $191.3 million — good for 33rd overall in Top Dollar Volume in Scotsman Guide’s Top Originators Rankings.

With a degree in finance and a minor in management, much of the lending sphere comes naturally to Medrano. His journey in the industry began in 2007, though he says it took him some time to truly find his niche.

“I wore a few different hats throughout that time,” he says. “Of course, the Great Recession hit shortly thereafter, and I just didn’t know exactly what the right path was going to be, given that kind of volatile time period that we were going through. In addition to being well-versed in lending, I also got my financial advising license.”

Once the storm cleared, in 2011 or 2012, he focused 100% on lending mode. Medrano leaned into the challenge, diving in and hitting the ground running. Within just 90 days of making the shift back into the mortgage industry, he was already topping the sales leaderboard at his company.

Today, he’s built a reputation for working through complex deals and delivering results, with a focus on relationships rather than transactions. Not just closing deals, he says, but also creating solutions that work for his clients, no matter how challenging the circumstances might be, and doing it the right way.

“Integrity is everything,” he says. “You build long-term relationships by being honest, transparent, and consistent. In the end, that’s what keeps clients coming back and referring their friends and family.”

One particular deal that stands out involved a couple who had just relocated from Puerto Rico. They faced significant barriers in securing financing due to language and cultural differences, but Medrano took the time to walk them through every step, explaining their options in a way that made them feel confident and informed.

“It was a heck of a challenge,” Medrano says. “It was a tough loan and had a bunch of moving parts. But it was one of those where they were so grateful to be able to get financing and put roots down that they invited me, my family [and] the Realtor that helped them to their Christmas celebration. We were like the guests of honor. And I felt so overwhelmed walking in there … It’s just special in the sense that they felt that much gratitude. That makes it all worth it.”

It’s those moments that make the job so rewarding, just like being out on the water. “It’s not always smooth sailing,” says Medrano, “but when you find your rhythm, it makes it so worthwhile.”

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