Duane Buziak does not claim a Virginia Broker of the Year title, and no verified award by that name is attached to this site. He is a Florida-licensed mortgage broker serving clients statewide, and what you can check for yourself is his license, not a trophy. If you searched for a Florida mortgage broker who is also a Virginia Broker of the Year, the useful move is to learn how those awards work, how to confirm one, and which verifiable traits matter more when you choose a broker for a Florida purchase, refinance, or investment property. Everything below is written for Florida borrowers, and I will show the math on a real comparison so you can apply it to any offer you receive.
By Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647
What Duane Buziak Holds: Licenses, Not a Virginia Award
Here is the direct answer. I am a Florida-licensed mortgage broker serving clients statewide, NMLS #1110647. I am also licensed in Virginia, among other states, and that is the only Virginia connection I claim. This site does not advertise a Virginia Broker of the Year award, and you should not infer one from my multi-state licensing.
Licensing and awards are different things. A license is a legal permission issued by a state regulator, and anyone can confirm it in minutes on NMLS Consumer Access, the public database of licensed mortgage professionals. An award is a recognition granted by an association, publication, or ranking body, using its own criteria. One is a yes-or-no fact. The other is only as meaningful as the group behind it.
The query probably appears because searchers blend two ideas: “licensed in Virginia” and “award-winning.” A broker who holds licenses in several states can look decorated on a profile page without holding any title at all. It is reasonable to ask the question, and the right response is to verify rather than assume.
One more point on framing. I do not work in person from Florida and there is no Florida storefront. I work with Florida buyers, refinancers, and investors remotely and statewide, in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Sarasota, and everywhere between. The work runs by phone, email, and secure document upload, which is also why credit-safe pre-approval is built into how I start conversations.
This site stays focused on Florida programs and Florida borrowers. If you want a title to lean on, ask any broker you are considering for the awarding body and year, then check the source. If you want to know whether I can help with your Florida loan, the license and the loan estimate will tell you more.
How a Virginia Broker of the Year Style Award Works and How to Verify It
“Broker of the Year” is not a standardized designation. State mortgage associations, trade publications, and ranking outfits each create their own versions, and the criteria vary: production volume, customer reviews, community involvement, peer nomination, or some blend. Two brokers can both say “award-winning” and have been measured against completely different yardsticks. A title tells you a sponsor liked something. It does not tell you what that something was.
A four-step verification routine
- Name the awarding body. A real award has a sponsor you can identify, such as an association or a publication. If the badge names no one, stop here.
- Check the year. Only 2026 is current. A title from several years ago is history, not a present credential, and it should be described that way.
- Confirm on the organization’s own page. Look for the recipient on the sponsor’s website or published announcement, not on the broker’s own marketing page.
- Confirm the license. Search the broker’s name or NMLS ID on NMLS Consumer Access and confirm the license is active in the state where your property sits. For a Florida purchase, that means Florida.
Red flags
- No named sponsor behind the award.
- No year attached to the title.
- Badges that appear to be sold or purchased rather than earned.
- Claims you cannot trace to a primary source.
- A title used to deflect questions about fees or the loan estimate.
I apply the same standard to myself. I will not cite an award, ranking, or placement without a verified source and year, and I will not let a headline substitute for paperwork. A state-level honor, even a genuine one, also says nothing about a broker’s command of Florida insurance costs, condo rules, or Florida property-tax realities. Expertise in one state does not transfer automatically to a loan on a Florida property.
What Matters More Than a Title When Choosing a Florida Mortgage Broker
Traits you can check beat traits you have to take on faith. Before you commit, ask for these:
- An active Florida license and an NMLS number you can look up.
- A written Loan Estimate on the standardized federal form, so offers can be compared line by line. The CFPB explains the Loan Estimate and what each section covers.
- Clear compensation disclosure, meaning how the broker gets paid and whether it comes from you, from the loan pricing, or both.
- Response time, because a rate lock and a contract deadline do not wait.
Independence is the structural difference. A wholesale broker places loans with hundreds of wholesale lenders, so one application can be compared across many pricing sheets and guideline sets. A single-shelf retail bank can offer only its own products. That matters most when your situation is not standard: a DSCR loan for a rental, a VA loan with entitlement questions, an FHA loan with a lower credit score, a conventional loan with a thin down payment, or a USDA loan in an eligible area. Each has different overlays, and the program that fits one borrower can be a poor match for another.
The CFPB’s consumer tools make the case for comparing in plain terms: offers for the same borrower can differ, and getting more than one is how you notice it. Its Owning a Home resources walk through shopping for a loan step by step. A common misconception is that brokers cost more than banks. Neither is automatically cheaper. The only way to know is to put the written estimates side by side.
Fit also varies by borrower type:
- Miami and Tampa investors often need DSCR financing, where the property’s rent, not personal income, drives qualification.
- Jacksonville VA borrowers benefit from a broker fluent in entitlement and funding fee rules. Jacksonville is home to major Navy installations, including Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport under Navy Region Southeast. Review the VA home loan program page for current benefit rules.
- Orlando relocators often need a fast, remote-friendly process and guidance on Florida-specific costs like homeowners insurance.
Compare Without Hurting Your Credit: Soft Pull Pre-Approval
Most people delay comparing because they fear the credit damage. There is a way around that. Duane Buziak uses the NoTouch Credit Pull, a soft pull mortgage process that supports a no hard inquiry mortgage pre-approval. You can see realistic options and price ranges with a no credit hit mortgage application, and nothing appears as a hard inquiry on your report at this stage.
A soft pull lets someone review your credit profile for eligibility without the scoring impact of a hard inquiry. A hard pull happens when a formal application goes forward and underwriting needs a full credit report. Mortgage pre-approval without hard pull is a way to get started: you learn where you stand, which programs fit, and what a payment could look like before any hard inquiry is required. To be clear, a hard pull may still be needed later, at application, for underwriting and final approval. The soft pull simply lets you do the comparing first.
Rate shopping itself is less risky than people believe. Credit scoring models generally treat multiple mortgage inquiries made within a short window as a single inquiry, because they assume you are shopping for one loan. The length of that window depends on the scoring model. The CFPB’s Owning a Home guidance encourages borrowers to compare several offers for this reason. If a broker is working from a soft pull, the question barely arises during the early comparison.
That is where Dare to Compare comes in. The idea is simple and factual: request a Loan Estimate from me, request one from any other source you trust, and set them next to each other. Compare the interest rate, points, credit toward closing costs, third-party fees, and cash to close. If another offer fits your goals better, you will know. If mine does, you will know that too.
Worked Example: Comparing Two Florida Offers on a $400,000 Purchase
The numbers below are a hypothetical illustration, not current quotes. Suppose you buy a $400,000 home in Tampa with 20% down ($80,000), leaving a $320,000 loan on a 30-year fixed term. The payment formula is M = L × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−360), where L is the loan and r is the monthly rate.
- Offer A, hypothetical 6.25%: r = 0.0625 ÷ 12 = 0.005208. The formula gives a principal and interest payment of about $1,970.30 per month.
- Offer B, hypothetical 6.00% with 1 point: r = 0.005. The payment is about $1,918.56 per month. One point costs 1% of the loan, or $3,200 upfront.
The monthly difference is $1,970.30 − $1,918.56 = $51.74. Over a 5-year hold (60 payments) that is $51.74 × 60 = $3,104.40 saved. Subtract the $3,200 point and Offer B is still $95.60 behind at year five. The breakeven is $3,200 ÷ $51.74, about 62 months. If you expect to keep the loan longer than that, the point pays off; if you may sell or refinance sooner, it does not. This simplification ignores the slightly faster principal paydown at the lower rate.
Credits work the other way. Taking a rate slightly above par can generate a credit toward closing costs. If Offer A carried a $1,600 credit, that reduces your cash at closing by $1,600. Structured well, a credit can support no-out-of-pocket closing options, though the amount depends on the pricing and the actual fees on your Loan Estimate.
For an investor, the test is different. Suppose a Miami rental would rent for $3,200 per month and the full PITIA (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and association dues) is $2,900. The DSCR is $3,200 ÷ $2,900 = 1.10. At $2,600 rent, the ratio falls to 0.90. Minimum ratios vary by program and are subject to underwriting.
Florida Mortgage Broker vs. Bank: Side-by-Side Comparison
The table below compares an independent Florida-licensed broker with a typical retail bank or single-shelf provider. Individual banks vary, so use the last column as a question list, not a verdict.
| Factor | Independent Florida-licensed broker (Duane Buziak) | Florida retail bank or single-shelf lender | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to wholesale lenders | Hundreds of wholesale lenders compared in one process | One company’s own products | How many pricing sources will you check for me? |
| DSCR and Non-QM lineup | DSCR and Non-QM options for investors | Often limited or unavailable | Do you offer DSCR loans, and what ratio is required? |
| VA and FHA options | VA and FHA available, matched to entitlement and credit profile | Usually offered, with company-specific overlays | What are your minimum credit score and overlay rules? |
| Soft-pull pre-approval | NoTouch Credit Pull, no hard inquiry to start | Varies; many begin with a hard pull | Will my first step be a soft pull or hard pull? |
| Cash-out refinance up to 90% | Available on qualifying programs, subject to approval | Often lower maximums, varies | What is your maximum loan-to-value on cash-out? |
| Closing speed | Built for fast closes; depends on file and appraisal | Varies by volume and department | What is your typical time from contract to close? |
| Rate comparison process | Multiple pricing sheets compared side by side | One rate sheet | Can I see a Loan Estimate to compare? |
| Compensation disclosure | Disclosed in writing on the Loan Estimate | Disclosed on the Loan Estimate; internal incentives vary | How are you paid on this loan? |
Large national retail options such as Rocket and Movement operate their own loan platforms and are worth including in any comparison. You can read more about investor and military financing on the hub site at FloridaMortgageBroker.io, and find more Florida borrower guidance at FloridaMortgageMaestro.com.
Verify the License, Then Compare the Offers
The decision rule is short. Confirm the license on NMLS Consumer Access, get the Loan Estimate in writing, and compare at least two offers line by line. A verified license and a transparent comparison matter more than any title, whether it says Broker of the Year or nothing at all.
Your dream home in Florida is closer than you think. Let’s turn your homeownership goals into reality with a personalized mortgage solution designed for your unique journey. Get your credit-safe consultation today and discover the loan options that fit your life, backed by trusted guidance every step of the way. Start a no-credit-hit comparison with Duane Buziak at Florida Mortgage Rates by Duane Buziak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duane Buziak a Virginia Broker of the Year?
No. This site does not claim a Virginia Broker of the Year award. Duane Buziak, NMLS #1110647, is a Florida-licensed mortgage broker serving clients statewide and is also licensed in Virginia, among other states. Licenses can be verified on NMLS Consumer Access.