Duane Buziak states plainly that Up Lending by Duane Buziak is his own independent mortgage brokerage (NMLS #1110647). It is not a third-party rate-comparison aggregator, and nobody else’s leads or rate sheets run through it. If you searched “UpLending Scotsman Guide top originator,” here is the direct answer: Duane reports a Scotsman Guide Top Originator ranking of #114 with $51.2 million in ranked volume. Those lists are published annually, so the claim only means something once you match it to a list year and category on the Scotsman Guide website. Do not take his word for it, or anyone else’s.
Below are seven ways to verify any broker’s credentials, using Duane’s as the working example, as of October 2026. The checks work on any originator you are considering.
By Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647
1. Check the Scotsman Guide ranking directly at the source
The Scotsman Guide is an industry publication that ranks originators by closed loan production. A badge on a website is a marketing asset. The published list is the primary record, which is why you check the list and not the badge.
Illustration: a buyer sees “Top Originator” on a broker’s site, goes to the publication, searches the broker’s name, and finds the entry. Then the buyer checks which year’s list it came from and which category it sits in, such as individual originators by volume. The claim holds only if the name, year, and category all line up.
- Open the Scotsman Guide’s published Top Originators list for the year being claimed.
- Search the broker’s full name, not just the company name.
- Note the rank, the volume figure, the year, and the category.
- Screenshot the entry for your records.
- Ask the broker directly which list year they are citing. A good answer is immediate and specific.
The common mistake is accepting an undated “top originator” badge. A ranking from several years ago is still a real ranking, but it is not a statement about today. Duane’s reported placement is #114; confirm it against the published list and read the methodology notes on scotsmanguide.com, since category definitions can change between editions.
What to measure: the name appears on the published list with a matching year and category. If it does not, treat the claim as unverified until the broker explains why.
2. Confirm the originator’s NMLS number on NMLS Consumer Access
A ranking tells you about volume. A license tells you whether the person is legally allowed to originate your loan. The Nationwide Multistate Licensing System keeps a public record of every licensed loan originator, including employer, licensed states, and any regulatory actions. It is free and takes about two minutes on NMLS Consumer Access.
Illustration: searching individual ID 1110647 should show Duane Buziak, the sponsoring company, and the states where his license is active. Searching the company ID should show the brokerage’s own record and its authorities to operate.
- Go to nmlsconsumeraccess.org and choose the individual search.
- Enter the originator’s NMLS ID, then check the name matches the person you have been talking to.
- Read the employment history and the states with active licenses.
- Run the company ID search and repeat.
- Scroll to regulatory actions and read anything listed.
The most common mistake is checking only the company and skipping the individual. A company can hold a license while the specific originator you are dealing with does not. Duane is a licensed mortgage broker in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia; confirm the current state list on NMLS, and do not rely on any website, including this one, for your property’s state.
What to measure: an active license in the state where the property sits, and a regulatory-actions section you have actually read.
3. Separate a brokerage from a comparison aggregator
Search results blur two different businesses. An aggregator collects your details and sells them as leads to other companies. A brokerage employs a licensed originator who takes your application, shops it, and is accountable for the file. Up Lending by Duane Buziak is the second kind: Duane’s own independent brokerage, with access to hundreds of wholesale lenders. A direct lender such as Rocket Mortgage or Movement Mortgage is a third model, offering its own products from a single shelf.
Broker independence is leverage. When one wholesale lender reprices or tightens guidelines, a broker can move your file to another lender without restarting. NoTouch Credit Pull, Duane’s soft-pull option covered in Strategy 6, narrows the digital gap that people sometimes assume exists with larger brands. The Scotsman Guide ranking speaks to scale. The comparison below is factual and based on public information as of October 2026; confirm current practices with each company.
| Factor | Up Lending by Duane Buziak | Rocket Mortgage | Movement Mortgage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business model | Independent mortgage brokerage | Direct retail lender | Direct retail lender |
| Source of loan products | Hundreds of wholesale lenders | Its own product shelf | Its own product shelf |
| Who originates | Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647 | In-house loan officers | In-house loan officers |
| If one source reprices | File can move to another wholesale lender | Same company rate sheet applies | Same company rate sheet applies |
| Credit check before quote | Soft pull option through NoTouch Credit Pull | Confirm current practice; a full application is typical | Confirm current practice; a full application is typical |
| Program range | FHA, VA, conventional, USDA, jumbo, DSCR, HELOC, and more | Broad, within its own shelf | Broad, within its own shelf |
| Published ranking to verify | Scotsman Guide #114 reported; check the list | Check their own cited sources | Check their own cited sources |
| Best question to ask | Which wholesale lender funds my loan and why? | What is my rate on the company’s only sheet? | What is my rate on the company’s only sheet? |
Ask three questions in any case: who originates my loan, who funds it, and how are you paid? Read the site’s About page to see who operates it. The mistake is assuming every site with rate comparisons is neutral, or that every broker has the same lender access. What to measure: written answers on who originates, who funds, and how compensation works.
4. Understand what a top originator ranking does not tell you
Start with the misconception: a high ranking does not mean the lowest rate. The list measures production volume. A broker can rank well by serving many clients at ordinary pricing, and a lower-volume broker can occasionally beat that pricing for your file.
Illustration: two ranked originators quote the same borrower on the same morning. One shows a lower rate with a point of upfront cost. The other shows a slightly higher rate with a lender credit toward closing costs. Both are legitimate; the difference comes from lender choice, how points and credits are structured, and each broker’s compensation. Neither ranking would tell you which suits your timeline.
So treat the ranking as one trust signal alongside licensing and reviews. Use it to decide whom to ask for a quote, not whether to skip asking others.
- Request a written Loan Estimate, not a verbal rate.
- Compare it with at least one other written quote from the same day.
- Check the APR and the total cost of the loan, not just the headline rate.
- Ask what is assumed: credit score, down payment, lock period, and property type.
The common mistake is skipping the comparison because the broker is ranked. What to measure: your Loan Estimate APR and total costs against at least one other quote. Duane Buziak welcomes that comparison, and Strategy 5 shows how to run it.
5. Compare Loan Estimates side by side with Dare to Compare
Dare to Compare is Duane’s process of taking any competing Loan Estimate you bring and reviewing it line by line next to his own. The reason it works is that federal rules require a standardized three-page Loan Estimate, so two quotes can be read against each other directly.
A worked illustration
Suppose you borrow $400,000 on a 30-year fixed loan and receive three quotes. These figures are illustrative only and are not current rates or an offer.
- Quote A: 6.25%, no points, no credit. Principal and interest is $2,462.87 a month. Over 60 months that is $147,772.
- Quote B: 6.00%, one point ($4,000). Principal and interest is $2,398.20 a month. Over 60 months that is $143,892 plus $4,000, or $147,892.
- Quote C: 6.50% with a $3,000 lender credit. Principal and interest is $2,528.27 a month. Over 60 months that is $151,696 minus $3,000, or $148,696.
Quote B has the lowest payment but saves $64.67 a month against Quote A, so its $4,000 point takes about 62 months to recover. If you sell or refinance within five years, Quote A costs $120 less. Quote C trades a higher payment for cash at closing and costs the most over five years. This ignores principal paydown, which is similar across the three, and assumes other fees are identical.
- Collect quotes on the same day, for the same loan amount, program, and lock period.
- Compare Section A (origination charges) and Section B (services you cannot shop for).
- Compare the rate, points, and credits on page one.
- Multiply the payment difference by your expected months in the home and set it against the upfront cost.
The mistake is comparing rates alone. What to measure: total cost over your expected hold period, not just the monthly payment.
6. Shop without hurting your credit using a soft pull
A hard inquiry happens when a company pulls your full credit report for a lending decision, and it can lower your score slightly. A soft inquiry lets someone review your credit profile without that effect. NoTouch Credit Pull is Duane’s soft credit pull mortgage option: a way to review your credit profile and discuss options before any hard pull. It works as a soft pull mortgage broker path for a no hard inquiry mortgage pre-approval.
Illustration: a buyer wants a mortgage pre-approval without hard pull so they can compare options before choosing who runs a full credit check. They review programs and estimated payments from a soft pull, then decide. Mortgage inquiries made within a short window are generally treated as a single inquiry by common scoring models, but that window varies by model, so avoid relying on it when a soft-pull option exists. A no credit hit mortgage application stage is simply a lower-stakes way to start.
- Request the soft pull option first.
- Review the program options and estimated payments.
- Compare against any other quote you have collected.
- Authorize a hard pull only when you select a broker and move to underwriting.
The common mistake is treating a soft-pull pre-approval as final approval. Underwriting still requires full credit verification, income and asset documentation, and an appraisal where applicable. A soft pull is a preview, not a commitment.
What to measure: the number of hard inquiries on your credit report before you select a broker. Ideally it is zero until then.
7. Check program breadth across FHA, VA, conventional, USDA, and jumbo
A single-shelf company can tell you its best option. A broker with hundreds of wholesale lenders can tell you which program fits, because different programs carry very different fee and insurance structures.
Illustration: a Virginia veteran buying a home compares a VA loan against a conventional loan. The VA loan has a one-time funding fee (which may be waived for some veterans, such as those with service-connected disability compensation) and no monthly mortgage insurance. The conventional loan may need private mortgage insurance if the down payment is under 20%. Which costs less depends on the down payment, the credit score, and how long the veteran stays.
The same logic applies elsewhere. FHA loans, described on HUD.gov, carry upfront and annual mortgage insurance premiums. USDA guaranteed loans apply only in eligible areas and have income limits. Jumbo loans exceed the conforming limits published by the FHFA, and their underwriting differs.
- Ask for two or three program options in writing.
- Request cash to close for each on the same assumptions.
- Verify each program’s rules on the agency’s own page, not a summary.
- Compare monthly payment including mortgage insurance, and the total cost over your hold period.
The mistake is defaulting to one program without comparing insurance and fee structures. What to measure: cash to close and monthly payment across programs, on matching assumptions.
Eight questions people ask about this ranking and how to check it
Is Up Lending by Duane Buziak a Scotsman Guide Top Originator?
Duane Buziak reports a Scotsman Guide Top Originator ranking of #114. Confirm it by searching his name on the publication’s published list and matching the list year and category.
Is UpLending a comparison website?
No. It is Duane Buziak’s own independent mortgage brokerage (NMLS #1110647), with access to hundreds of wholesale lenders. It does not sell your information to other companies as leads.
What does the Scotsman Guide ranking measure?
It is an industry ranking based on production volume. Check the methodology on scotsmanguide.com, because it says nothing about your personal rate or costs.
Does a top originator ranking mean a lower rate?
No. Your rate depends on your credit, down payment, program, and lender choice on a given day. Compare written Loan Estimates.
How do I verify a mortgage broker’s license?
Search the individual’s NMLS ID on NMLS Consumer Access, check the licensed states, and read the regulatory-actions section.
What is a soft credit pull mortgage pre-approval?
It is a review of your credit profile that does not create a hard inquiry. It lets you compare options before authorizing a full credit check.
Does a soft pull replace underwriting?
No. Underwriting still requires a full credit pull, documentation, and verification before final approval.
Which states is Duane Buziak licensed in?
He is a licensed mortgage broker in Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. Confirm the current list on NMLS Consumer Access before relying on it.
Where to start: credential, license, then the offer itself
Do the checks in this order. Verify the ranking and the NMLS license first, because they take minutes and rule out most bad actors. Then request a soft-pull pre-approval so that testing the offer costs your credit score nothing. Finally, bring any competing quote and have Duane run a Dare to Compare Loan Estimate review, so the broker’s actual numbers are tested against someone else’s. If the offer holds up on APR, total cost, and program fit, the ranking is a bonus. If it does not, walk away without a hard inquiry on your report.
Ready to experience a fast, simple, and stress-free path to homeownership or refinancing? Connect with our trusted mortgage experts today and discover the right loan solution tailored to your unique financial situation, whether you’re a first-time buyer, seasoned investor, or anywhere in between.