Better Adds $43.7 Million in Volume Across Two Purchase-Focused Teams in California and the Mid-Atlantic Through NEO Home Loans Channel

The Daniel Estrada Team and Team Neilsen have more than 45 years of combined experience. Their businesses are 77% and 90% purchase, and they join Better's network of local mortgage advisors.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ: BETR) today announced that two established mortgage teams have joined NEO Home Loans, powered by Better. The Daniel Estrada Team is based in Bakersfield, California, and Team Neilsen serves Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Both teams bring new purchase volume to Better and widen its reach in California's southern Central Valley and the Mid-Atlantic.

The Daniel Estrada Team funded $23.7 million of mortgage volume in the past 12 months, and 77% of that volume came from purchase loans. Estrada has spent 22 years in Bakersfield building a referral business with local real estate agents and families. Jeffrey Neilsen has 23 years of mortgage experience and joins as an originating branch manager. About 90% of his team's business is purchase, and he focuses on first-time buyers, funding $20 million in loan volume during 2025. Both teams' referral relationships complement Better's direct-to-consumer business.

“Families in Bakersfield and Northern Virginia are already starting their home search on Better. What gets them to the closing table is a local advisor who knows the agents, the builders and the neighborhood,” said Vishal Garg, Founder and Head of Product and Innovation at Better. “Daniel and Jeff have spent more than two decades earning that trust. NEO pairs them with Tinman and the demand we generate online, so they spend less time on paperwork and more time with clients.”

“Joining NEO Home Loans was about taking the next step in how I serve my clients and community,” said Estrada. “Their technology and support give me the opportunity to grow as a true mortgage advisor, helping families make informed decisions about homeownership and staying connected long after closing.”

“After 23 years in the mortgage industry, I've worked to build a business focused not just on helping clients secure a mortgage, but on helping them build long-term wealth through homeownership,” said Neilsen. “The challenge was finding the technology, systems, and support to deliver that at scale. NEO gives us the opportunity to deepen relationships, create lasting value for our clients, and be part of a company that's redefining what mortgage advice should look like.”

“Thousands of consumers come to Better online to explore their mortgage options. Connecting them with exceptional local Mortgage Advisors takes the right people in the right markets, and a real investment in their success,” said Ryan Grant, President of NEO Home Loans. “The Estrada Team and Team Neilsen bring the expertise, community relationships, and commitment to clients we look for in a partner. They're exactly the teams we want to help grow in California and the Mid-Atlantic.”

Mortgage Advisors interested in exploring partnership opportunities can learn more at https://neohomeloans.com/join-us/.

About Better

Better Home & Finance Holding Company (NASDAQ: BETR) is the first AI-native mortgage and home equity finance platform, and first fintech to fund more than $110 billion in loan volume. Since 2016, Better has leveraged its industry-leading AI platform, Tinman®, to achieve a singular mission of making homeownership cheaper, faster, and easier for all Americans. Tinman® allows customers to see their rate options in seconds, get pre-approved in minutes, lock in rates, and close their loan in as little as three weeks. In addition, Betsy®, leveraging Tinman® MCP, the first AI loan agent built exclusively for the mortgage industry, is revolutionizing the homebuying journey by delivering timely application status updates to consumers, answering questions, and moving their loan application along 24/7/365. Better’s mortgage offerings include GSE-conforming, FHA, VA loans, jumbo, and Non-QM mortgage loans as well as home equity loans. Better serves customers in all 50 US states.

For more information, follow @tinmanAI on X and @betterdotcom on Instagram and TikTok.

About NEO Home Loans, powered by Better

NEO Home Loans, powered by Better, combines local mortgage advice with Better’s technology and client acquisition capabilities. NEO helps Mortgage Advisors and teams grow through financial education, operational support and a collaborative partnership model. Its mission is to raise expectations for what a Mortgage Advisor brings to a client’s life, providing guidance before, during and long after the home purchase.