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Real estate is rooted in local markets — and so is GSF’s approach. Senior Vice President of Sales Neema La Mer shares how the company’s focus on the broker channel is fueling smarter growth and delivering stronger service.
Published June 26, 2025
Real estate is rooted in local markets — and so is GSF’s approach. Senior Vice President of Sales Neema La Mer shares how the company’s focus on the broker channel is fueling smarter growth and delivering stronger service.
Published June 26, 2025
GS Financial has built a strong legacy as a front-runner in business-purpose lending, and its newest strategic shift — moving entirely to a broker-focused model — marks a significant step forward. While others aim to cover every base, GSF is honing in on its proven strength: empowering brokers as the core of its operations. According to Neema La Mer, senior vice president of sales, this isn’t a change in direction — it’s the next logical step in the company’s evolution.
Consistent growth on a focused path
Since its founding in 1992, GS Financial has made a name for itself in the real estate investment lending sector, specializing in fix-and-flip projects, bridge loans, and rental property financing for investors nationwide. When Neema La Mer came on board in 2005, the company’s growth accelerated—today, GSF funds around $2 billion in deals each year.
“What drew me in was how distinctive the commercial lending space was, along with the variety of deals we encountered,” says La Mer. “I found real satisfaction in collaborating with brokers and entrepreneurial investors—we were helping them turn their ambitions into reality.”
That enthusiasm remains as strong as ever and now drives the company’s long-term vision. GSF’s broker relationships have not only expanded significantly but also become more impactful over time.
“For quite a while, most of our volume has come through the wholesale and broker channels. That share has grown to an overwhelming majority,” La Mer notes.
“This segment of the market is remarkably resilient. Unlike the traditional lending world, which can be highly cyclical, there’s consistent demand here. In fact, when the conventional side tightens up, we often see more brokers turning to GSF to increase their income opportunities.”
“Our brokers bring real value by knowing their clients and building face-to-face relationships. They’re the key differentiator—and really, the unsung heroes of the real estate industry.”
Neema La Mer,
GS Financial
Putting brokers at the center of what’s next for GSF
Neema La Mer says GS Financial’s move away from direct lending to a fully broker-driven model was about following the real momentum and value within the business.
It also reflected a key insight that often gets overlooked in the pursuit of automation and scale: real estate is inherently local.
Investors want to work with someone who understands their specific market—right down to the neighborhood level. That kind of insight can’t be replicated by a national lender operating from a distance. Brokers offer that local expertise, and GSF has leaned into it.
“Our growth has gone hand in hand with the success of our broker partners,” La Mer explains.
“That local presence, that boots-on-the-ground knowledge—it’s essential in every state where we operate. Brokers know their clients personally, they meet with them face to face. That kind of connection is what makes brokers the real engine of this industry.”
Even when a deal doesn’t align with GSF’s criteria, brokers remain a vital part of the process.
“We strive to provide a fast yes—or a fast no,” says La Mer. “And when it’s a no, we don’t just walk away. We’ll point you toward someone else—a lender or broker—who might be a better fit. The goal is always to make sure the borrower’s needs are met, even if it’s not through us.”
Empowering market-specific expertise
In the past year, GS Financial has placed a strong emphasis on equipping brokers with the tools they need to succeed at every step of the lending process.
That commitment spans a wide range of support—from training programs to marketing resources—all aimed at helping brokers accelerate their workflow, improve efficiency, and enhance the service they offer to clients.
A standout initiative is Amplify, GSF’s proprietary education platform. Tailored specifically for brokers, it demystifies the world of business-purpose lending and is especially valuable for those transitioning from traditional residential mortgages into the investment lending space. With video modules, quizzes, and hands-on materials, Amplify also serves as a turnkey training solution for brokers’ internal teams.
“It’s about helping brokers get up to speed with the nuances of our lending products and the broader market,” explains Neema La Mer. “We offer it free of charge because we believe that when we add value for our brokers, it naturally comes back to us in the form of strong relationships and deal volume. That’s the spirit GSF was built on—doing good without expecting anything in return.”
On the technology front, GSF has also made strategic upgrades to better serve its broker network. The acquisition of NBL Software, GSF’s custom-built loan origination system, has centralized a wide range of digital resources. Brokers now benefit from integrated tools like loan calculators, customizable marketing assets, branded email templates, and more—all housed within one cohesive platform.
“There’s tremendous potential in our tech ecosystem to fast-track our brokers’ learning curve and sharpen their capabilities,” La Mer adds.
“In the months ahead, we’ll continue identifying deal-stage bottlenecks—like the appraisal process—and explore smarter, faster alternatives. Expanding this broker toolkit will be one of our top priorities.”
“It’s a steady space with consistent demand — not subject to the boom-and-bust cycles of traditional lending.”
Neema La Mer, GS Financial
A model built to last
GS Financial has seen firsthand how powerful local expertise can be when paired with national scale. Brokers are not only delivering volume; they’re delivering better outcomes for clients, faster transactions, and stronger relationships – exactly the kind of impact a lender like GSF needs to thrive long term.
La Mer notes that, ultimately, a large lender like GS Financial can’t be “everywhere all the time” – but local brokers can be, and are. And when first-time investors are facing apprehension or anxiety about jumping in and doing a deal, the local broker is who they’ll turn to first.
“It’s a natural progression for us too,” La Mer adds.
“When you have someone who is already an expert in the field managing client expectations, asking the right questions, and gathering the information, that naturally speeds things up.”
“We’ve seen rewards of our investments into the broker channel,” she concludes.
“Assessing the benefits of using the local knowhow, it became very obvious that these are the people who were driving the growth of GSF. It was a light bulb moment, and we knew it was the right direction to go. If we can help brokers win, we’re going to win too.”
GSF is a leading nationwide wholesale lender offering residential investment loans for the purchase or refinance of non-owner-occupied single-family and multi-family properties. The company specializes in financing solutions for ground-up construction, fix-and-flip projects, and rental properties—designed specifically for real estate investors. GSF works with wholesale partners to support both new and seasoned real estate professionals across the country.
