Borrower situations · Minnesota
Loan officers for first-time buyers in Minnesota
As of 2026-10-09, LenDb lists 156 loan officers licensed in or based in Minnesota whose lender pages show First-time buyer work. The top-ranked are Melanie Benjamin (Homeowners Financial Group, Waite Park), Adam Workman (CrossCountry Mortgage, Charlotte) and Chad Rankin (Guild Mortgage, Worcester). Ranking is lender-neutral: specialty evidence first, then a license in MN, branch location, experience and profile completeness. Nobody pays for placement.
Last verified . Sources: lender loan officer pages and state license records. Licenses: check NMLS Consumer Access.
Ranked, with reasons · top 25
- 1
Melanie BenjaminNMLS 533157
Homeowners Financial Group · Waite Park, MN
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Waite Park, MN
- States 26 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 2
Adam WorkmanNMLS 128183
CrossCountry Mortgage · Charlotte, NC · licensed in 42 states
- First-time buyer
- Real estate investor
- VA loan
- FHA loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2020 (per Florida records)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 3
Chad RankinNMLS 490282
Guild Mortgage · Worcester, MA · licensed in 38 states
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2017 (per Florida records)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 4
Alissa PenkavaNMLS 720725
Union Home Mortgage · Albert Lea, MN · licensed in 2 states
- First-time buyer
- Down payment assistance
- Real estate investor
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Albert Lea, MN
- States 12 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 5
Dan LarkinNMLS 258898
LeaderOne Financial · Oak Brook, IL · licensed in 18 states
- First-time buyer
- Real estate investor
- Construction loan
- Down payment assistance
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2017 (per Florida records)
- States 25 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 6
Jenn GawendaNMLS 755952
Guild Mortgage · Aurora, IL · licensed in 7 states
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2020 (per Florida records)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 7
John AstrologoNMLS 441861
CrossCountry Mortgage · White Plains, NY · licensed in 10 states
- First-time buyer
- Co-op
- FHA loan
- Jumbo loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2022 (per Florida records)
- States 16 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 8
Shawn GarnerNMLS 1035302
Guild Mortgage · Centennial, CO · licensed in 6 states
- First-time buyer
- Down payment assistance
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2013 (per Colorado records)
- 9
Candace CagleNMLS 878436
CrossCountry Mortgage · Houston, TX · licensed in 4 states
- First-time buyer
- Construction loan
- Non-QM loan
- Renovation loan (203k / HomeStyle)
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 10
Kristi PiatzNMLS 452537
Guild Mortgage · Edina, MN · licensed in 4 states
- First-time buyer
- Down payment assistance
- Real estate investor
- Jumbo loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Edina, MN
- Licensed since 2021 (per Florida records)
- 11
Dave AmelsbergNMLS 373394
CrossCountry Mortgage · Stillwater, MN · licensed in 2 states
- First-time buyer
- Construction loan
- Down payment assistance
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Stillwater, MN
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 12
Kristina MelnikNMLS 2316172
Churchill Mortgage · Roseville, CA · licensed in 6 states
- First-time buyer
- FHA loan
- Real estate investor
- VA loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2025 (per Florida records)
- States 8 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 13
Bridget IscheNMLS 480187
Guild Mortgage · Prior Lake, MN · licensed in 7 states
- First-time buyer
- Real estate investor
- Jumbo loan
- Down payment assistance
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Prior Lake, MN
- Licensed since 2024 (per Florida records)
- 14
Angie TurleyNMLS 363066
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation · Mooresville, IN · licensed in 26 states
- First-time buyer
- Self-employed
- VA loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2019 (per Florida records)
- 15
Dawson RosenowNMLS 2248516
CrossCountry Mortgage · White Bear Lake, MN · licensed in 3 states
- First-time buyer
- Down payment assistance
- Non-QM loan
- Renovation loan (203k / HomeStyle)
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in White Bear Lake, MN
- Licensed since 2025 (per Florida records)
- 16
Allison LarsonNMLS 1059283
Guild Mortgage · Prior Lake, MN · licensed in 2 states
- First-time buyer
- New construction
- Self-employed
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Prior Lake, MN
- 17
Patrick BlackNMLS 1514350
CrossCountry Mortgage · Maplewood, MN · licensed in 3 states
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Maplewood, MN
- 18
Erin HendricksNMLS 90634
Intercap Lending · Pleasant Grove, UT · licensed in 22 states
- First-time buyer
- Construction loan
- Down payment assistance
- New construction
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2021 (per Florida records)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 19
Olivia Cox PaulsonNMLS 209281
Guild Mortgage · Portland, OR · licensed in 5 states
- First-time buyer
- Asset-based qualifying
- Down payment assistance
- Jumbo loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- States 20 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 20
Heath BarnesNMLS 210164
Guild Mortgage · Houston, TX · licensed in 10 states
- First-time buyer
- Jumbo loan
- Real estate investor
- Self-employed
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2022 (per Colorado records)
- 21
Huy Huynh LeNMLS 1917502
Loan Factory · Mortgage broker · licensed in 2 states
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2020 (per Florida records)
- 22
Sonia HashimiNMLS 965240
Loan Factory · Mortgage broker · licensed in 17 states
- First-time buyer
- Real estate investor
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2020 (per Florida records)
- 23
Denise Cuddeback MontgomeryNMLS 57734
American Pacific Mortgage · Eugene, OR · licensed in 11 states
- First-time buyer
- Bank statement loan
- Down payment assistance
- DSCR loan
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Licensed since 2023 (per Florida records)
- States 30 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-09)
- 24
Seth FriedrichNMLS 1604562
JPMorgan Chase Bank (Chase Home Lending) · Bank · Eden Prairie, MN
- First-time buyer
- Jumbo loan
- FHA loan
- VA loan
- Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
- Office in Eden Prairie, MN
- 25
Cliff AmundsonNMLS 2443959
Union Home Mortgage · Onalaska, WI · licensed in 4 states
- First-time buyer
- MN listed on their lender page (not yet checked with the state regulator; verify at NMLS)
- Lists First-time buyer on lender page (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)
Before you choose
The best options combine programs (FHA, conventional low down, local assistance) and need patient guidance through the process.
- Which low down payment programs fit my situation?
- Am I eligible for any first-time buyer assistance here?
- What will my total cash to close be?
How this list is ranked
Specialty evidence carries the most weight (production data, then lender page, then self-reported). Loan officers are listed when a MN license is confirmed with the state regulator (check mark), MN is listed on their lender page, or they work at a bank or credit union (likely federally registered; verify at NMLS). Then branch location, experience (licensed since, per the regulator records we hold) and profile completeness. Disciplinary history is not yet checked by LenDb; verify at NMLS Consumer Access. No paid placement. Methodology.
Same list as JSON: /api/v1/loan-officers?specialty=first-time-buyer&state=MN. Not a lender. Not a referral service. Verify licenses at NMLS Consumer Access.