Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Peterson.
Hi Eric, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into mortgage lending started in the most humble way possible—working in the mailroom of a local mortgage company in Southern California alongside my father. While I was pursuing my business degree with an emphasis in information technology at Cal State Fullerton, that mailroom became my first classroom. I learned the mortgage business from the ground up, and my father was the single driving force that motivated me and pushed me to succeed in this industry. Watching him work, learning the fundamentals while sorting through loan files and documents—those early lessons shaped everything that came after.
After graduating, I launched my career as a mortgage loan officer with a local broker. In 2006, I made the move to Texas to continue growing in the industry. A year later, I was offered a position at Countrywide Mortgage, which eventually became Bank of America. There, I specialized in corporate relocation mortgage loans—helping C-level executives and employees navigate what’s often one of the most stressful parts of a major career transition.
Then in 2009, I became a father, and it fundamentally altered my goals and purpose in life. When I was blessed with another child in 2011, those priorities crystallized even further. Being a father and a positive influence on my children’s lives became the most important thing—period.
For about a decade, I focused on balancing the demands of mortgage lending with being present for my kids. Eventually, I returned to relationship-based mortgage lending, which truly fits my personality and values. I surrounded myself with other loan officers, realtors, and mortgage partners who were also goal-oriented parents. Together, we built a network of mortgage and real estate professionals dedicated to providing exceptional service while honoring our commitments to family.
But life and work haven’t come without challenges. I found myself as a single father, working to balance family, business, and happiness—which isn’t easy. But I believe everything happens for a reason.
For me, that reason turned out to be finding my wife, Erin, and her son. Erin helped me in so many ways, but perhaps most importantly, she helped me find my faith in God again. Together, our blended family didn’t just survive the tough times like COVID—we thrived.
Today, our oldest is in college and doing great. Our middle child is playing varsity for her second year after making the team as a freshman—she’s also a new driver, learning all about her freedom and friendships. And our youngest is stepping into the athletic scene in a big way: playing ECNL soccer, winning track awards, and bringing home the city championship in middle school football. I couldn’t be prouder of all three of them.
Raising my kids and being a good father and husband is what defines me. It’s the reason I chose to create my DBA as The Lending Dad. Balancing time with my family while being dedicated to providing the highest level of service and information to my customers—that’s my passion and my why. My business is 100% referral-based because I believe the best business comes from genuine relationships built on trust.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to watch our kids grow, take on their own challenges, and strive for their own success. I’m also looking forward to that next chapter with Erin as empty nesters—traveling together and enjoying God’s creation.
After 25 years in this industry, I’ve learned that the mortgage business isn’t really about mortgages at all. It’s about people. It’s about being there during one of the biggest financial decisions of someone’s life and guiding them with honesty, expertise, and care.
That’s what The Lending Dad is all about.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think anyone who’s been in the mortgage industry for 25 years would tell you the same thing—this business will test you.
For a few years, I was a single father trying to balance raising my kids, running a business, and finding some sense of happiness in the middle of it all. There’s no playbook for that. You just figure it out one day at a time and do the best you can for your kids.
The market fluctuations in this industry are relentless. You ride the highs when rates are low and refinances are booming, and you grind through the lows when the market tightens up and every deal feels like a battle. You learn to adapt or you don’t survive.
Then COVID hit. The lockdowns, the uncertainty, the scramble to keep business moving while the world shut down—it challenged everyone. But honestly, our blended family came out of that season stronger. We leaned on each other and found a way to thrive when everything around us felt chaotic.
The hardest struggles, though, have been the personal losses. I lost my father—the man who first put me in that mailroom, who pushed me to succeed in this industry, who was my driving force from the very beginning. And I lost my dog Hunter. Anyone who’s loved a dog like that understands what I mean when I say he was family.
Those losses don’t go away. You carry them with you. But I believe everything happens for a reason, and those hard seasons have shaped who I am today—as a father, as a husband, and as someone who understands that life is about more than just closing loans. It’s about the people and the relationships along the way.
We’ve been impressed with NEXA Mortgage LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business operates under the DBA “The Lending Dad” with NEXA Mortgage LLC. The tagline—”Building Relationships. Building Dreams.”—isn’t just marketing. It’s how I run my business every single day.
I’m a 100% referral-based mortgage loan originator. That means I don’t buy leads or chase cold calls. Every client I work with comes from a relationship—whether that’s a realtor I’ve partnered with for years, a past client who sends me their friends and family, or a referral from a title company, insurance agent, divorce attorney, or financial advisor I’ve built trust with over time.
That’s what sets me apart. I’m not trying to be the biggest. I’m trying to be the best for the people I serve. When someone refers a client to me, they’re putting their own reputation on the line, and I take that seriously. I treat every transaction like it’s my own family buying or refinancing a home.
What I specialize in is guiding people through one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives with honesty, clarity, and care. Whether it’s a first-time homebuyer who’s nervous about the process, a family looking to renovate their forever home, or someone navigating a complex situation like a divorce or relocation, I meet people where they are and walk them through it step by step.
What am I most proud of? The relationships. I’ve built a network of realtors, title professionals, and financial partners who share my values—people who are goal-oriented, family-focused, and committed to doing right by their clients. We work together as a team to make sure every customer gets the highest level of service from start to finish.
After 25 years in this industry, I’ve learned that people don’t remember the interest rate on their loan five years later. They remember how you made them feel during the process. They remember if you answered their calls, if you explained things clearly, if you fought for them when something went sideways. That’s the reputation I’ve built, and that’s the standard I hold myself to with every single client.
That’s The Lending Dad.
How do you think about happiness?
My family. That’s the easy answer, and it’s the true one.
Pricing:
- Conventional
- FHA
- VA
- One Time Close
- Unconventional, DSCR
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lendingdad.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lending_dad/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LendingDad
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-peterson-46743526/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LendingDad/videos
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lending_dad
