was deteriorating daily, and his doctors predicted he’d be in a wheelchair within 18 months (he was actually selling to buy a more handicap-friendly home).

That morning, Kathryn’s boss informed her that the company had declined her client’s loan application because the well and the septic tank were 7 inches too close. So Kathryn had to inform the buyer and seller, who’d both given so much to our country, that the buyer could not get a VA loan.

LaMar represented a local family-owned contractor supply company that had been in business for 35 years. A tragic event befell a family member and triggered a downward spiral that lasted nearly a year. They were now 4 months behind on their $23,100 monthly mortgage payment.  

As providence would have it, one of their customers placed an order for $1,800,000 that would solve all their problems. Unfortunately, their credit lines we suspended and they didn’t have the capital to purchase the inventory necessary to complete the order.

LeMar came up with several financially sound creative solutions. For some reason—and that remains a mystery to this day—the bank declined them all.

So, that morning LeMar had to inform his clients: “Sorry, there’s nothing we can do. Foreclosure proceedings have begun.”  

They put on their thinking caps and each proposed solutions to the other’s dilemma.  By the time they finished their ice cream, working together, they’d found a path forward for all of their clients. worked out solutions Ultimately, things worked out for all of the clients, but something else—something unexpected—also took shape that fateful day in the ice cream parlor.

They put on their thinking caps, combined their skill sets, and analyzed each other’s dilemma.  By the time they finished their ice cream, they’d found solutions for each of their clients. But something else—something unexpected—also took shape that fateful day in the ice cream parlor.  There was an undeniable synergy that spawned an uncanny solutions-focused creativity.

The two strangers recognized they were kindred spirits and unrelenting problem solvers, both obsessed with serving their clients. A few months (and about eight pounds later), they were sitting on a bench outside the creamery, thinking out loud, when Kathryn exclaimed: “We should start our own mortgage company!”

After some quick deliberation, they walked over to the food court, sat at a table, and crafted the mission, vision, and values of their new mortgage company, all of which still hold true to this day.

A year and a half later, in January 1994, the vision of Kathryn and LeMar came to life in the form of First Residential Real Estate Services, which encompassed First Residential Mortgage and First Residential Realty. FR officially opened its doors on Monday, January 3, 1994. The first office was just 400 square feet and was centrally located in Mission Valley, just off Mission Center Road. The office soon grew to 2,000 square feet and remained in that location for 15 years.

OUR PROGRESSION

In 2014, the partnership incorporated and became Marshall-Ryckes, Inc., doing business as Sidwell Funding Group, Sidwell Mortgage Company, and Specialty Lenders Group.

Sidwell Funding Group caters to borrowers within the Conforming Conventional and Alt-A spaces, Sidwell Mortgage Company specializes in VA loans, and Specialty Lenders Group offers expanded out-of-the-box mortgage products for borrowers with unique lending needs.

In addition to incorporating in 2014, MRI’s main office was moved from San Diego to Carlsbad, where it all began.

OUR VALUES

We prioritize several core values, all of which are interconnected:

We’re Structured as a Mortgage Brokerage: In doing so, we offer our clients access to most of the best products and competitive pricing in the marketplace, rather than products sold by a single lender. As Specialty Lenders Group we offer Special Products. With access to traditional banks, mortgage banks, credit unions, small lenders, insurance companies, trust funds, and private funds, you’re never a hostage to the whims, or product offerings, of a single institution. Options!  

We Put Our Clients First: We do what’s necessary to protect our clients. That includes telling them the downside of a selected loan product, making a concerted effort to identify unintended consequences, and doing all we can to lessen any potential negatives.

We Keep Our Clients Informed: Every Step of the Way.

We Seek Additional Expertise When Needed: We are superb mortgage professionals, but we don’t know everything. Occasionally, situations arise where we need the input of other professionals to provide our clients with the best service. Whether an attorney, certified public accountant, outside contract underwriter, or other professional, we engage other experts when we need to — at no additional cost to our clients. 

We Have Empathy: We care for our clients who have faced a struggle and will fight for borrowers who need a second chance.

We Prioritize Military & Law Enforcement Applicants: We do everything in our power to secure financing for our service members. We see this as our duty and for nearly 30 years, it’s been our pledge.

We Have an Unmatched Work Ethic: We care about our reputation and won’t be outworked. It’s unlikely you’ll find a more creative, relentless mortgage team.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

Since conception, our mantra has been “We can help you…because we solve problems.” From problem solving over ice cream to solving problems for thousands of clients since 1994, we continue to serve Californians in need of mortgage financing.  

We have been operating for 28 years (and counting), have been registered with the Better Business Bureau for 22 years, and we’re also an Accredited member of the Better Business Bureau. In addition, we’re governed by the NMLS (Nationwide Multistate Licensing System), CA DRE (California Department of Real Estate), and the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), along with some other acronyms. We’ve never had a single complaint and work diligently each and every day to keep it that way.