Bethany Sanchez is a mortgage loan officer (NMLS #2425491) with Sunset Home Lending, powered by Federal First Lending LLC (NMLS #2381991), a wholesale mortgage broker based in Scottsdale, Arizona. She helps people buy their first home, move up, refinance, tap the equity they have built, plan for retirement with a reverse mortgage and finance investment properties across Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Paradise Valley, and Maricopa County, plus anywhere in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. This page explains how a broker works, what working with Bethany looks like and where to go next.
The short version: Start with a conversation. You will learn what you may qualify for, which programs fit, and what a strong offer looks like for your situation. Nothing on this site is a commitment to lend or a guarantee of approval.
Why a wholesale mortgage broker
When you walk into a bank or call a retail lender, you see that lender’s programs and that lender’s prices. Nothing wrong with that, but it is one menu. A wholesale mortgage broker works differently: Sunset Home Lending has access to more than 200 wholesale lenders, each with its own pricing, its own guidelines and its own specialties.
That matters in three ways:
- More ways to say yes. Self-employed income, a recent job change, a condo with an unusual HOA, an investment property, a jumbo loan amount: one lender may decline a scenario that another handles every day. A broker can match the file to the lender built for it.
- Pricing that is compared, not assumed. Wholesale lenders compete for brokers’ business, and pricing changes daily. Bethany compares options for your exact scenario so you are not limited to a single rate sheet.
- Someone on your side of the table. Bethany‘s job is to find the option that fits your goals, not to sell one lender’s products. If the best path for you is to wait, pay down a debt first or keep the loan you already have, she will tell you.
How Bethany works with you
Bethany has helped clients navigate their mortgage needs since 2022. She believes every borrower deserves a personalized approach rather than a one-size-fits-all answer, and she takes pride in helping clients make informed decisions that serve both their immediate needs and their long-term financial goals. In practice that means:
- Listening first. Before recommending anything, she asks about your goals, your timeline, your income and savings, and what worries you about the process.
- A real strategy, not just a rate. The right loan depends on how long you plan to stay, what you want your payment to be, whether you expect to refinance later and how much cash you want to keep on hand.
- Clear communication. You will know what is needed, why it is needed and what happens next. She aims to reply the same business day, and she keeps your real estate agent updated too.
- Every step, start to finish. She coordinates with your agent, the appraiser, title and escrow, and the lender’s underwriter until the loan funds.
Loan options at a glance
Every borrower is different, but most people land in one of the situations below. Each row links to a page that goes deeper.
| If you want to… | Options to discuss | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Buy your first home | FHA, conventional low down payment, VA, USDA, down payment assistance | First-time homebuyers |
| Buy as a first responder, teacher or healthcare worker | Hero and essential-worker programs where available | First responder home loans |
| Buy your next home before you sell | Bridge loans and other buy-before-you-sell options | Bridge loans |
| Use military benefits | VA home loans | VA loans |
| Buy a higher-priced home | Jumbo loans | Jumbo loans |
| Use the equity in your home | HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refinance | Home equity or the quick quote |
| Turn home equity into retirement income | Reverse mortgages (HECM) for homeowners 62 and older | Reverse mortgages |
| Buy or refinance a rental | DSCR loans, conventional investor loans | Investor loans |
| Check an offer you already have | A free second look at your Loan Estimate | Compare my offer |
You can also browse every option on the loan programs page.
How the process works
Buying or refinancing follows the same basic path. Knowing the steps ahead of time makes the whole thing far less stressful.
- Introductory conversation. You and Bethany talk through your goals, budget, timeline and questions. It is free, and there is no obligation.
- Secure application. You complete a short online application. The initial review uses a soft credit check, so it does not affect your credit scores.
- Pre-approval. You upload income, asset and identification documents. Bethany reviews them and compares lenders for your scenario. With a complete file, pre-approvals are typically ready within 24 hours, and often the same day.
- Shop with confidence. With a clear budget and a pre-approval letter, you and your agent can make offers knowing which numbers work.
- Contract and Loan Estimate. Once your offer is accepted, the loan is placed with the lender that fits best, and you receive a Loan Estimate within three business days of applying.
- Underwriting and closing. The appraisal and title work are ordered and the underwriter verifies your file. You receive a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing to compare against your Loan Estimate, then you sign and the loan funds.
Many purchase loans close in roughly 30 to 45 days from a signed contract, but every file is different. You will get a specific schedule once your contract is in hand.
What it costs to get started
The first conversation and the pre-approval review are free. If you choose to move forward, a credit report fee is collected up front and credited back to you at closing. Everything else you would pay, from lender fees to title and appraisal costs, is itemized on your Loan Estimate before you commit, so you can compare it line by line with any other offer.
Serving Scottsdale, Phoenix and beyond
Sunset Home Lending‘s office is in Scottsdale, and Bethany regularly works with clients in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Paradise Valley, and Maricopa County. She is licensed in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, so she can also help if you are buying a second home, relocating or investing in one of those states. If you are moving from out of state, tell her early so she can confirm she can serve your property.
Straight talk about rates
You will not find a mortgage rate on the front of this site. Rates change daily and depend on your credit, down payment, property, occupancy and the lender, so a number on a homepage can be misleading by the time you read it. Two tools help instead:
- The HELOC and home equity quick quote gives estimated second-mortgage options based on the details you enter, with every assumption and disclosure listed.
- Compare my offer lets you upload a Loan Estimate you already have. Bethany will tell you honestly whether you are in a great spot or whether she can find better terms.
Shopping is smart. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s mortgage shopping resources explain how to compare Loan Estimates side by side, and a good loan officer welcomes the comparison.
How we protect your information
Website forms never ask for Social Security numbers or bank account numbers. When it is time to apply, you use a secure, encrypted application portal instead of email. Read the privacy policy and disclosures for details on how information is collected, used and protected, and visit the opt-out page anytime you want calls, texts or emails to stop.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mortgage broker do?
A mortgage broker compares loan programs and pricing from many lenders and helps you choose and complete the loan that fits your goals. Bethany Sanchez (NMLS #2425491) is a loan officer with Sunset Home Lending, a wholesale mortgage broker, so she can shop 200+ wholesale lenders for your scenario instead of offering one bank's menu.
Is it cheaper to use a mortgage broker than a bank?
Often, but not always, which is why comparing matters. Wholesale lenders price loans for brokers separately from their retail branches, and a broker can compare many of them at once. The only reliable test is to compare Loan Estimates for the same loan on the same day; you can send a Loan Estimate you already have for a free second look.
How do I get pre-approved for a mortgage in Scottsdale or Phoenix?
Start with a short call or the pre-approval form, then complete the secure application and upload income, asset and identification documents. Bethany reviews your full picture and, once your file is complete, pre-approvals are typically issued within 24 hours. A pre-approval is not a commitment to lend; final approval depends on the property and underwriting.
Does it cost anything to talk with Bethany?
No. The consultation is free and there is no obligation. If you decide to move forward, a credit report fee is collected up front and credited back to you at closing. Every fee you would pay appears on your Loan Estimate before you commit.
Will applying hurt my credit score?
The initial application uses a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit scores. A full mortgage approval later requires a hard inquiry, and scoring models generally treat several mortgage inquiries within a short shopping window as one, so comparing lenders is usually safe.
Which states is Bethany licensed in?
Bethany Sanchez is licensed in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, and she can only originate loans in those states. You can verify her license and Sunset Home Lending's licenses on NMLS Consumer Access.
How much down payment do I need to buy a home?
It depends on the loan. Some programs allow as little as 3% to 3.5% down, VA and USDA loans may allow no down payment for eligible borrowers and properties, and down payment assistance can help with the rest. See the first-time homebuyer guide for a side-by-side comparison.