ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Housing New Mexico announced its 2025 Top Mortgage Lender Award recipients as part of its annual lender recognition program. For the second year in a row, John Gabaldon with Waterstone Mortgage Corporation in Albuquerque received the Housing New Mexico Achievement Award, which is presented to mortgage originators that produce 100 or more Housing New Mexico loans in a year. Marty Padilla, also with Waterstone Mortgage Corporation in Albuquerque, was named Top Metro Lender, and Lindsay Rollins with Bell Bank Mortgage in Clovis was named Top Rural Lender.
Housing New Mexico, formerly referred to as New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority or MFA, is a self-supporting quasi-governmental entity that provides financing to make quality affordable housing and other related services available to low- and moderate-income New Mexicans. With a vision of all New Mexicans having quality affordable housing, Housing New Mexico offers several mortgage programs, including loans, down payment assistance and closing cost assistance, and works closely with participating lenders who assist New Mexicans through the homebuying process.
In fiscal year 2024, Housing New Mexico reached a milestone with $582.2 million in funding expended for down payment assistance and first mortgages, assisting 2,388 families and providing 2,919 loans. These efforts have directly contributed to increasing homeownership opportunities, helping thousands of individuals and families find a place to call home. In its 50-year history, Housing New Mexico has helped 72,668 families become homeowners through first mortgage and down payment assistance programs.
Metro Lender Awards are granted to those operating within the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), while Rural Lender Awards recognize lenders outside of the Albuquerque MSA. Awards are based on the number of loans originated throughout the year, with top lenders recognized in platinum, gold and silver tiers.
“We are grateful for the participating lenders who offer our programs to New Mexico households,” said Housing New Mexico Chief Lending Officer Jeff Payne. “These programs assist New Mexicans with attaining the goal of homeownership and the opportunity to build wealth.”
Below is a complete list of the 2025 Housing New Mexico Lender Award recipients. All the awards are based on 2024 numbers, and the companies listed are the companies the lenders worked for in 2024.
Housing New Mexico Achievement Award (lenders who originate 100 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- John Gabaldon (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
Top Rural Lender (rural lender who originates the most Housing New Mexico loans)
- Lindsay Rollins (Bell Bank Mortgage)
Rural Platinum (lenders who originate 20 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Dani Alpers (Gateway First Bank)
- Ted Bishop (CMG Mortgage, Inc.)
- Nancy Black (PrimeLending, A Plains Capital Company)
- Priscilla Gonzalez (PrimeLending, A Plains Capital Company)
- Dustin Caroland (Bell Bank Mortgage)
- Patricia Lewis (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Eliot Rodriguez (loanDepot.com)
- Nikki Sandoval-Belt (Cornerstone Home Lending)
- Brent Schreurs (CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC)
Rural Gold (lenders who originate 15 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Brynn Atencio (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
- Donice Barnes (PrimeLending, A Plains Capital Company)
- Phil Chavez (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Rafael Figueroa (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Luis Gonzales (loanDepot.com)
- Davin Jacquez (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Chris Wood (Primary Residential Mortgage)
Rural Silver (lenders who originate 10 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Juergen Angermaier (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
- Claudia Jeffers (loanDepot.com)
- Priscilla Lara (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Terri Martinez (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Latson Munn (Citizens Bank)
- Susie Nelson (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Gabe Romo (CMG)
Top Metro Lender (metro lender who originates the most Housing New Mexico loans)
- Marty Padilla (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
Metro Platinum (lenders who originate 25 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Tabitha Gallegos-Kahn (Directors Mortgage, Inc.)
- Iris Guzman (PrimeLending, A Plains Capital Company)
- Oscar Medrano (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
- Paul Parsons (CMG Mortgage Inc.)
- Jason Pike (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
- Chris Russo (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
- Steven Sheldon (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Christine Turpen-Patton (Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.)
- Lynette Turpen (Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.)
Metro Gold (lenders who originate 20 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Matthew Berg (Movement Mortgage)
- Sarah Gmyr-Maez (Calcon Mutual Mortgage, LLC dba One Trust Home Loans)
- Eleanor Hutt (Bell Bank Mortgage)
Metro Silver (lenders who originate 15 or more Housing New Mexico loans)
- Jeremy Leister (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Ross Murray (Neighborhood Loans, Inc.)
- Ammar Nesheiwat (Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc.)
- Elizabeth O’Daly (Guild Mortgage Company)
- Annabelle Romero (Directors Mortgage, Inc.)
- BernaDette Sanchez-Wiegel (Waterstone Mortgage Corporation)
As part of the recognition, lenders receive a commemorative certificate and year-long recognition by having a digital badge on their listing on the Housing New Mexico website.
To explore a comprehensive list of Housing New Mexico-approved lenders, visit https://housingnm.org/programs/homebuyers/mfa-participating-lenders. For more information about any of Housing New Mexico’s Homeownership Programs, please visit https://housingnm.org/programs/homebuyers.