Your rate, straight off the wholesale rate sheet. Not one penny of markup.
First Meridian Mortgage is a mortgage broker, not a bank. Bundle clients get the wholesale lender's rate exactly as the lender prices it, and First Meridian receives no compensation on the loan. No loan officer fee. No origination fee. No markup.
- Company NMLS #180004
- Kevin Retcher, Loan Officer, NMLS #116922
- Licensed in Virginia
- Veteran-owned since October 1996
- 5.0 on Google, 71 reviews
- 5.0 on Zillow, 27 reviews
- Equal Housing Lender
Three ways to price the same loan
Every mortgage starts at the same place: the wholesale rate sheet a lender publishes to brokers each morning. What gets added on top is the only difference between a retail quote, a typical broker quote, and a Bundle quote.
Retail bank or lender
One company, one rate sheet, and every layer of cost priced into your rate and fees.
Typical mortgage broker
Better than retail, because lenders compete. But the broker's pay is still in the price.
HomeBuyers Bundle
First Meridian receives $0 on a Bundle loan. You pick your rate from the wholesale sheet as if you owned the company.
Broker compensation ranges are industry figures, not a quote from any specific lender. Your own Loan Estimate, page 2, Section A, shows exactly what the originator is charging you. On a Bundle loan that line is $0 for First Meridian.
What is no markup worth to you?
Enter the rate another lender quoted you and the wholesale rate you would take through the Bundle. The calculator shows principal and interest only, on a 30-year fixed loan, using your numbers.
At the closing table
Over the 7 years you keep the loan
If you keep it all 30 years
Illustration only, not a loan offer, rate quote or commitment to lend. Principal and interest on a 30-year fixed loan; taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues are not included. Lower payments and lower balance are two parts of the same interest savings and are shown separately so they are not counted twice. Your rate, APR, payment and costs are disclosed on your Loan Estimate.
What you pay, and what you do not
A Bundle loan is not a free loan. It is a loan with nothing added by the broker. Here is the honest breakdown of a Virginia closing.
- Rate markup
- Loan officer fee
- Origination fee
- Processing or application fee
- Broker compensation of any kind
- Underwriting fee
- Flood certification
- Tax service
- Credit report
- Often placed in pricing when it makes sense
- Appraisal
- Title, settlement and lender's title insurance
- Recording fees and Virginia transfer taxes
- Prepaid interest and escrow deposits
- Homeowners insurance (KSA shops it for you)
Discount points are always optional and always your decision. We will show you the break-even in months before you buy down a rate.
The right loan, shopped across wholesale lenders
Kevin has originated in Northern Virginia since October 1996. Bundle pricing applies to conventional and VA; ask about FHA loan adjustments.
Conventional
Fixed and adjustable, 3% to 20% down, first-time buyer programs, second homes and investment properties.
VA purchase and IRRRL
Zero-down purchases for eligible veterans and service members, plus IRRRL streamline refinances, handled by a Marine veteran who knows the guidelines.
FHA
Lower credit thresholds and 3.5% down, with a clear explanation of mortgage insurance and when to refinance out of it.
Jumbo
Loan amounts above conforming limits for Northern Virginia's higher-priced markets, with wholesale pricing.
No-cost refinance
Lender credit covers your closing costs. First Meridian's savings analyzer shows the break-even before you decide.
Buy before you sell
Bridge and recast strategies coordinated with your Realtor so you can win the next house before your current one closes.
Bring us any lender's Loan Estimate.
A Loan Estimate is the only apples-to-apples document in mortgage lending. Send us the one you have and Kevin will line it up against the Bundle, line by line, on the same lock day. If theirs is better, he will tell you so.
Compare my Loan EstimatePage 1: the rate and the payment
Is the rate locked, and for how long? Is the payment principal and interest only, or does it include escrow? Compare like with like.
Page 2, Section A: origination charges
This is where markup lives. Points, origination fees, processing, underwriting, application fees. On a Bundle loan the First Meridian lines are $0.
Section J and lender credits
Total closing costs, and whether a lender credit is quietly paid for by a higher rate. We show you the trade both ways.
Page 3: comparisons box
Dollars paid in five years, the APR, and the total interest percentage. The numbers the law requires every lender to print.
Bundle pricing must be qualified for and is available on conventional and VA financing originated by First Meridian Mortgage Corporation. Rates change daily; compare Loan Estimates priced on the same day.
Pre-approval to keys, owner-handled
Tell us about your move
Sixty seconds on the form below. No credit pull and no Social Security number online. Kevin calls to finish.
Full pre-approval
Pay stubs, W-2s and bank statements uploaded securely. Usually the same or next business day, with a letter listing agents can verify by phone.
Shop with your Bundle Realtor
Kevin or Bridget represents you as your expert buyer's agent. Every showing comes with the real payment, KSA quotes your insurance and checks the home's claims history, and credits are planned before you write the offer.
Lock and Loan Estimate
Kevin compares wholesale lenders, locks when the numbers are right, and walks you through the Loan Estimate line by line.
Underwriting to closing
Appraisal, conditions and closing coordinated with your Realtor and KSA so the insurance binder is ready before the closing table.
Bundle pricing, plainly stated
The Bundle works because one team handles the loan and the real estate. These are the conditions, in writing, before you commit.
- Get pre-approved by First Meridian Mortgage Corporation first, before you are under contract.
- Use Kevin Retcher, Bridget Retcher, or a designated Referral Agent Partner of Jobin Realty as your real estate agent. The referral fee is paid to Jobin Realty.
- Conventional and VA financing. Ask about FHA loan adjustments.
- Already under contract with another lender or agent? Not eligible, but Kevin will still review your Loan Estimate.
- Building new? Bring Kevin in before your first builder visit so the Builder's Bundle credits can be structured into the contract.
- Selling and buying? The List-and-Buy Bundle covers both sides with one timeline.
- Relocating or on PCS orders? The team works remotely and has closed Bundle purchases in under 30 days.
Rated 5.0 on Google and Zillow
I shopped around and First Meridian gave me the best rate. Kevin was professional and extremely easy to work with. 10/10Michael B. · Purchase client · Google review, 2026
I shopped mortgage rates from various lender/brokers for a recent home purchase. Kevin beat the competition by a full 25bps. When it comes time to refinance or purchase my next home, there will be no shopping around.Benjamin B. · Purchase client · Google review
Kevin and Team were great at helping with a refinance. Outstanding service, on-time closing, and willing to help and answer questions all along the way. Rates were very competitive with transparency all along the way.Cory B. · Alexandria, VA · Zillow review, 2025
Get pre-approved at straight wholesale cost.
Kevin reviews every request personally and calls back within one business day. Prefer to pick a time? Book a consultation, or go straight to the secure application.
- Kevin Retcher, Loan Officer
- NMLS #116922 · Owner, First Meridian Mortgage Corporation · Marine veteran
- Call or text
- (703) 799-5626 office, ext. 16 · (703) 201-6138 cell
- Office
- 8305 Richmond Hwy, Suite 12A, Alexandria, VA 22309
Get your pre-approval started
No credit pull and no Social Security number on this form. Kevin will call to finish.
Got it. Kevin will call to complete your pre-approval.
Expect a call or text from (703) 799-5626 within one business day. Want to skip ahead? Call now.
Call (703) 799-5626Mortgage questions, answered plainly
What is a mortgage broker and why does it cost less?
A broker shops your loan to multiple wholesale lenders instead of selling you one bank's product. Wholesale pricing is typically lower than retail because the lender is not paying for branches, advertising and sales commissions. Normally a broker adds its own compensation on top. On a Bundle loan First Meridian adds nothing: no markup, no loan officer fee, no origination fee. You pay straight wholesale cost.
How can First Meridian originate my loan for nothing?
The HomeBuyers Bundle is funded by the real estate side. When Kevin or Bridget represents you as your Realtor, the normal commission on the home sale is paid through Jobin Realty at closing. That is what pays the team, so First Meridian can originate the loan with no compensation of any kind. Your Loan Estimate shows $0 in First Meridian charges.
Which loan programs do you offer?
Conventional, VA purchase and VA IRRRL refinance, FHA, jumbo, and no-cost refinance options. Bundle pricing is available on conventional and VA loans; ask about FHA loan adjustments. First Meridian is licensed in Virginia.
What fees are still charged on a Bundle loan?
Third-party costs such as the appraisal, title and settlement, recording taxes and the credit report are set by outside providers and still apply. Wholesale lender charges such as underwriting, flood certification and tax service are the lender's, not First Meridian's, and can often be placed in pricing. First Meridian itself charges nothing: no loan officer fee, no origination fee, no markup.
Can Realtor credits lower my rate?
Yes, when Kevin or Bridget is your buyer's agent. Because the team controls both the loan and the representation, Realtor credits can be directed to buy down the rate or cover closing costs, within the lender's interested-party contribution limits. On new construction, bring us in before your first builder visit so the contract, the loan and the credits are planned together.
How fast can I get pre-approved?
Usually the same or next business day once we have your documents. Kevin reviews every file personally, and the pre-approval letter is one a listing agent can verify with a phone call.
I am a veteran. Do you do VA loans?
Yes. Kevin is a Marine veteran and VA lending has been a core of First Meridian's business for decades, including zero-down purchases and IRRRL streamline refinances.
What if I am refinancing, not buying?
The HomeBuyers Bundle is built for purchases, but First Meridian offers a no-cost refinance option and a savings analyzer on its main site. Use the form and tell us you are refinancing; we will run the numbers.
Is the calculator on this page a rate quote?
No. It is an illustration of principal and interest using numbers you enter. Your actual rate, APR, payment and closing costs depend on your credit, loan program, property and the day you lock, and they are shown on the Loan Estimate you receive after application.