About Justin
Twelve years.Half a billion closed.Still answers his own phone.
Justin McDonald has been originating home loans in Colorado since 2014. In that time he and his team have closed nearly half a billion dollars in mortgages, built a practice that runs entirely on referrals, and been named to Mortgage Executive Magazine's Top 1% of Mortgage Originators in America four years running.
Why independent
Why he went out on his own.
In 2026 he opened McDonald Home Loans as an independent brokerage. The reason is simple: after twelve years inside large retail lenders, he wanted to shop every client's loan across the whole market instead of one company's product line. Independence means better pricing, more programs and one person who owns the file from the first call to the closing table.
Dozens of lenders, one application
Your file is priced across the wholesale market and placed with the lender whose guidelines and rate fit it best. Jumbo, self-employed, investor, first purchase: there is a lender for each.
Wholesale pricing
Lenders price loans for brokers below retail because the broker does the origination work. Compensation is disclosed on the loan estimate. No hidden fees, ever.
One person, first call to keys
No call centers and no hand-offs. Justin takes the application, structures the loan, and stays on the file through closing and for as long as you own the home.
How he works
Integrity. Work ethic. Communication.
Integrity
The rate quoted is the rate delivered. If a loan is not in your interest, Justin will tell you and help you find what is.
Work ethic
Twelve years of closing on time. Evenings and weekends when a contract needs them. The impossible file is the one worth the extra hours.
Communication
Status updates before you ask. Straight answers when something changes. A phone that gets answered by Justin, not a call center.
Recognition
Track record.
Top 1% of Mortgage Originators in America
Mortgage Executive Magazine
Four consecutive years
Top Originator
Scotsman Guide
2026
Top Mortgage Lenders
Scotsman Guide
2025
330 verified reviews
Experience.comTimeline
From teller window to independent broker.
- 2008
Starts in banking at Wells Fargo in Littleton, promoted to Personal Banker and Business Specialist within a year.
- 2014
Begins originating mortgages in Highlands Ranch. Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and down payment assistance programs.
- 2017
Joins Fairway Independent Mortgage in Lakewood as Senior Loan Officer. Builds a referral-only practice over six years.
- 2024
Moves to CrossCountry Mortgage and rebrands the team as The McDonald Group, adding investor, portfolio and commercial options.
- 2026
Opens McDonald Home Loans as an independent brokerage in Denver.
Off the clock
Colorado, through and through.
Justin is a Colorado State University graduate and lives in the Denver area with his wife, Kristy, and their children, Everly and Brady. Off the clock you will find him on a golf course, at a poker table, or adding a bottle to his whiskey collection.
Colorado State University
Licensed to originate in
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Wyoming
Work with Justin
Let's talk about your next home.
Fifteen minutes with Justin will tell you what you can afford, what it will cost, and whether now is the right time. No obligation, no pressure.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Evenings and weekends by text.