August brought several operational changes, including staffing transitions, shifting responsibilities, and changes in roles throughout the team. There has been a lot of movement behind the scenes, and our focus right now is on creating more consistency and making sure our Loan Partners have the support and resources they need to be successful.

We are continuing to work closely with Underwriting and other departments to identify areas where we can improve communication, file quality, and overall workflow. We are actively working on process changes, additional training, and better resources for the Loan Partners to help eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth and make things easier and more efficient for everyone.

There is still work to do, but I really appreciate how adaptable everyone has been through all of the changes. Our goal moving forward is to continue tightening our processes, supporting our teams, and finding solutions that make the day-to-day workflow better across departments.

Shoutout: Tommy Fowler

A big shoutout to Tommy Fowler in Closing/Funding! Tommy does such a great job catching the little things before closing that could turn into big things after closing. He is always quick to respond, incredibly helpful, and willing to jump in when something needs attention.

Thank you, Tommy, for everything you do and for always being such a great resource to our team!

The Builder Division is positioned for continued expansion into Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Our focus is geographic growth across the Southeast for Adams Homes, with an emphasis on Florida.

2026 Targets

Builder Status & Focus

• Meritage Homes: Final selection as a backup lender. Maintaining the relationship at the President level.
• Sunlife Homes: Met with the CEO in Florida, and David and Michael met with them as well. Working on FC and PL status.
• Mattamy Homes: Met with several Florida VPs to discuss opportunities. We need an LO in Florida to fully support the builder.
• Holland Homes: Focused on getting set up as a lender. Delays with Colby, so working with the CEO again to get positioned.
• A&R Homes: Working to establish as a lender. Met with the CEO again about FC and PL.
• Cook Residential: Exploring roughly 10 DSCR loans to start as a lender. Meeting the CEO this Thursday.
• Pratt Living (TN): Additional conversations and options as a backup lender. Meeting this Thursday.
• Loudermilk Homes: In conversations about adding us as a lender. Sent us a $3M deal, though we could not compete with the bank.
• Two Resi Homes: Adding a new 150-home community with us as the lender. The president wants us on board.
• Kerley Family Homes: Adding us as a lender once the new VP and sales-agent transition settles. The CEO noted a lot of changes underway.
• Windsong Homes: Added as a lender and onboarded this week. Kickoff sales meeting with all agents on September 2.
• Tyler Chandler Homes: Will add us as a lender once the model homes finish construction (three models in framing). Working with the CEO on a timeframe to introduce us.
• Adams Homes, Central Florida: Elizabeth Porter is open to an opportunity in two communities. Meeting with their team on September 4.
• Adams Homes, South Florida: Working with Kyle Chudesz around SEBC timing. Followed up with Grant in Tampa and scheduling a visit.
• Adams Homes (Huntsville, Birmingham, Charlotte, Greenville): Continuing to focus and engage across all four markets.
• Adams Playbook: Sharing for continued leverage and sales-agent training, positioning us as a true resource, not just a lender.
• Americas Home Place: Visiting all sales offices by the end of summer with a focus on the one-time close for C2P. Met Friday, August 28, with the Division President. Events at americashomeplace.com.
• GROWTH Homes: Continuing to navigate opportunities with more visibility in Birmingham and Texas.

Ongoing Initiatives

• Continue sharing and creating content for the Builder Newsletter.
• Launch CE Classes for Builders online at northstarlending.com for NC, AL, and FL.
• Continue driving engagement for "Sit and Sell" with loan officers.
• Generate a Construction Perm Loan page online at northstarlending.com with a process matrix.

Please welcome Michelle Margulies to the Underwriting Department. She comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Currently she is in training so she can become proficient with Nano and Task, so please allow extra time for loans to be cleared to close while she is still in training.

Take Note of the Following

Self-Employment / Business Income Documentation

We are seeing missing business-existence documentation, CPA letters, business licenses and Secretary of State verification, business tax returns and transcripts, 4506-C forms, balance sheets and P&Ls, and other documentation needed to properly calculate and support self-employed income.

Income Documentation & Income Calculation

Remember to use the Ocrolus tool, which gives us reps and warrants. We are seeing missing or incomplete income documentation and issues with the calculation or analysis of qualifying income. This includes paystubs, W-2s, variable or declining income, rental income, employment history, and other documentation needed to support the income used for qualification.

Asset Documentation, Large Deposits & Funds to Close

We are seeing incomplete or missing asset documentation, large deposits that were not adequately sourced, gift-fund documentation, insufficient funds to close or meet reserve requirements, and discrepancies between documented assets and the AUS.

A huge shout-out to the Closing Team for another successful month-end. Thank you all for always going above and beyond and keeping such a great attitude, even when things get frustrating. Your dedication is appreciated.

As we head into the next month, we will be doing some training and updating processes to help us work more efficiently. I ask that everyone keeps an open mind as we walk through these changes together, focusing on where we're going rather than how we've always done it. Please don't be afraid to ask questions along the way. Getting clarity early ensures we keep our workflows tight and smooth.

Thank you all for your hard work, and let's carry this positive momentum into the new month!

🌟 Content Creator Spotlight: Rachel Benton & Taylor Whritenour

This month's shoutout goes to Rachel Benton and Taylor Whritenour, who have been teaming up on a run of collab videos, and it is working. Playing off each other on camera makes the content more fun to watch, and it puts both of them in front of each other's audiences at the same time. That is one of the smartest moves you can make on social right now: borrow reach instead of building it all yourself.

If you have been thinking about getting on video but the blank screen feels intimidating, grab a coworker and do what Rachel and Taylor are doing. It is easier, it is more fun, and it works. Keep them coming, you two!

This Month's Tip: Make Content People Want to Send, Not Just Like

Here is a real shift worth knowing about. Instagram and TikTok have quietly changed what they reward, and the like button is no longer the thing that matters most. What moves your reach now is shares and saves. When someone sends your post to a friend in a DM, the platforms count that far more heavily than a like. On top of that, new videos are now shown to your existing followers first, and if those people do not watch and engage, the post never travels any further.

What that means for you: stop making content to be liked, and start making content worth forwarding. A few ways to do it:

• Make it "send-worthy." Picture the post someone taps and sends straight to their friend who is house-hunting. Rate updates, "three things first-time buyers get wrong," or a quick neighborhood breakdown all get forwarded. A pretty selfie does not.
• Say your keywords out loud. The platforms now read the words you speak in a video and use them for search, so people find you by what you say, not just what you type. Actually say "first-time homebuyer," "down payment assistance in Georgia," or "FHA loan" on camera.
• Hold their attention. A 90-second video people finish now beats a 15-second clip they scroll past. Give them a reason to stay to the end.
• End with a send cue. Close with a line like "Know someone buying this year? Send them this." You would be surprised how often people actually do it.

Likes feel good, but shares are what put you in front of the next client. Build for the send. And if you want help turning one of these into a post, or setting up a collab like Rachel and Taylor's, you know where to find me!

Wishing all of our September birthday celebrants a wonderful month! 🎈

Please join us in welcoming our newest team members. We're glad to have each of them on board and look forward to everything they'll bring to NorthStar.