I’m John Madden, owner of Capital Funding Mortgage, an independent mortgage brokerage based in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
I have been helping homebuyers and homeowners with mortgage financing since 1999, but my path into the mortgage business was not a traditional one. My earlier careers in insurance and law enforcement shaped the way I work today — listen carefully, understand the situation, explain the options clearly, and give people straightforward advice they can rely on.
Today, I work directly with borrowers throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, helping them compare mortgage rates, closing costs, loan programs and lenders so they can make informed financial decisions.
I was raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and after graduating from Temple University, I began my professional career with John Hancock Insurance Company.
That experience led me into the insurance brokerage business, where I spent approximately seven years working with clients and learning the importance of understanding a person's financial situation before recommending a product.
I eventually made the decision to relocate to Texas and pursue a very different career.
I joined the Houston Police Department, where I served for approximately ten years and ultimately became a Police Sergeant.
My years in law enforcement taught me lessons that have stayed with me throughout my professional life: pay attention to details, ask the right questions, remain calm when problems arise, communicate clearly and take responsibility for the people who are depending on you.
Interestingly, my mortgage career began because I needed a mortgage myself.
While living in Texas, I decided to refinance my home and worked with a local mortgage broker.
During the process, the broker told me that he thought my background, and experience working with people would make me a good fit for the mortgage industry.
I took his advice seriously.
I went to work for his mortgage company and spent about a year learning the business from the inside. I then obtained my mortgage broker's license and started my own company.
About a year later, my family and I made the decision to return home to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where I had grown up.
More than 25 years later, I still believe becoming an independent mortgage broker was one of the best professional decisions I ever made.
Over the years, I have originated mortgages through dramatically different housing and interest-rate environments.
I have worked with borrowers during strong housing markets, recessions, the financial crisis, historically low mortgage-rate periods, rapidly rising interest-rate environments and major changes in mortgage underwriting and regulation.
Mortgage lending has changed considerably since I entered the business, but one thing has not changed:
Borrowers deserve to understand what they are getting, what they are paying and why a particular mortgage makes sense for them.
That has always been the philosophy behind Capital Funding Mortgage.
I could have spent my career working for a large bank or national mortgage lender.
Instead, I chose to remain an independent mortgage broker.
The reason is simple: I believe borrowers benefit when their mortgage professional has the ability to compare different lenders rather than being limited to the products and pricing offered by a single institution.
Capital Funding Mortgage works with multiple wholesale mortgage lenders.
That allows me to compare factors such as:
The lender offering the best option for one borrower may not be the best lender for another.
My job is to understand your circumstances and then determine which available options deserve serious consideration.
One of the biggest differences between Capital Funding Mortgage and many larger mortgage companies is that when you work with my company, you work directly with me.
I am personally involved from the initial conversation through loan selection, application, underwriting and closing. I am personally available during each and every loan settlement, no exceptions! You should not have to repeatedly explain your financial situation to different people as your mortgage moves from one department to another.
If a question comes up, I want you to be able to call me if you need me. If an underwriting issue develops, I want to be involved in resolving it. And if there are several mortgage options available, I want to make sure you understand the differences before you make a decision.
One of the most common mistakes borrowers make is concentrating exclusively on the advertised interest rate.
The lowest rate is not necessarily the best mortgage.
I believe a mortgage should be evaluated by looking at the complete financial picture, including:
Interest Rate • Closing Costs • Monthly Payment • Loan Term • Lender Credits • Amortization
For example, paying thousands of dollars in discount points to obtain a slightly lower interest rate may or may not make financial sense depending on how long you expect to own the property or keep the mortgage.
In other situations, accepting a slightly higher rate in exchange for a substantial lender credit and very low or zero closing costs can be the better choice.There is rarely one answer that is right for everyone.
I prefer to show clients the alternatives, explain the advantages and disadvantages, and let the numbers help drive the decision.
I take the same approach when helping homeowners decide whether to refinance.
A lower interest rate by itself does not automatically mean refinancing is a good financial decision.
I look at factors including:
I am particularly careful when someone who has already paid many years into a 30-year mortgage is considering starting another 30-year loan.
Sometimes refinancing makes excellent financial sense.
Sometimes a shorter term such as a 15- or 20-year mortgage produces a much better long-term result.
And sometimes the right advice is simply not to refinance at all.
If I do not believe a refinance or mortgage option makes financial sense for you, I will tell you.
My goal is not simply to close another loan. It is to help you make a decision that makes sense for your situation.
Homebuyers face many of the same decisions.
Should you make a larger down payment or preserve more cash?
Should you pay points?
Should you choose a 15-, 20- or 30-year mortgage?
Does an adjustable-rate mortgage make sense?
Should you structure the transaction to avoid mortgage insurance?
How much should you comfortably borrow rather than simply how much can you qualify for?
These decisions can have meaningful long-term financial consequences.
My role is to explain the alternatives clearly so you can decide what works best for you and your family.
Returning to Bucks County was important to me because this is where I was raised and where my family has deep roots.
Today, I live and work in Newtown, Pennsylvania, and my family and I have made our home here.
Capital Funding Mortgage works with borrowers throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but Bucks County remains an important part of who we are.
I regularly work with buyers and homeowners in communities including:
Newtown, Yardley, Richboro, Langhorne, Doylestown, New Hope, Washington Crossing, Southampton and surrounding communities.
Being local does not simply mean having an address here.
It means understanding the communities, the housing market and the people who live here.
Many mortgage transactions are straightforward.
Experience becomes particularly valuable when they are not.
Self-employed income, unusual property types, appraisal issues, credit questions, complex tax returns, condominium requirements and underwriting conditions can turn what appeared to be a simple mortgage into a much more complicated transaction.
After more than 25 years in this business, I have seen a great deal.
My background has taught me not to panic when a problem develops. Instead, understand the issue, determine what the lender requires and work toward a solution.
That approach served me well in insurance, in law enforcement and throughout my mortgage career.
I built Capital Funding Mortgage around a relatively simple philosophy:
Provide competitive mortgage options, explain them clearly, remain personally involved and treat every client's transaction as if it matters — because it does.
Whether you are buying your first home, purchasing your next home, refinancing an existing mortgage, buying an investment property or simply trying to determine whether today's mortgage market presents an opportunity, I am happy to discuss your options.
There is no substitute for experience, but experience is only valuable when it is combined with personal attention and straightforward advice.
That is what I try to provide every day.
If you would like to discuss purchasing a home, refinancing an existing mortgage or simply comparing mortgage options, I invite you to contact me directly.
John Madden
Owner, Capital Funding Mortgage
Newtown, Pennsylvania
NMLS #960139
Cell 215 601 6724
Serving homebuyers and homeowners throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 1999.
