Lower
Lower is a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender that has originated billions in home loans since its 2018 founding. The Columbia, Maryland-based company has 1,083 employees and raised $100 million in Series A funding in 2021.
The growth story
Lower grew from 963 to 1,083 employees between 2021 and 2026, raising $100M along the way, most recently a Series A in June 2021.
About
Lower provides home loans directly to consumers, handling origination, underwriting and funding. The company targets buyers seeking accessible mortgage options and has earned high customer satisfaction ratings across multiple platforms.
The lender has scaled rapidly since its 2018 launch, reaching over 1,000 employees. Its $100 million Series A in 2021 was led by Accel, signaling investor confidence in its direct lending model.
Founders and leadership
Sales is Lower's largest function, accounting for 46% of its workforce. The company has maintained steady leadership since its 2018 founding, with its Columbia, Maryland headquarters serving as its operational center.
The Lower org chart
Dan Snyder (Chief Executive Officer) leads 60 mapped leaders with 9 direct reports. Click +N to expand a team; names link to the person’s public profile.
Departments, and which ones grew
Headcount by function: Finance 341 (+24% YoY), Sales 94 (+29% YoY), Operations 48 (+20% YoY), Business Development 39 (+30% YoY), Information Technology 34 (-6% YoY), Legal 33 (+32% YoY).
Talent flow
Lower draws heavily from mortgage industry veterans, with top talent sources including Homeside Financial, CrossCountry Mortgage and Wells Fargo. Many employees move on to roles at major banks like JPMorgan Chase and mortgage lenders such as NFM Lending.
Most common previous employers of Lower staff: Homeside Financial (33), CrossCountry Mortgage (30), OJO (25), Wells Fargo (24), Thrive Mortgage (19), Bank of America (19). Former Lower employees most often moved to JPMorganChase (25), NFM Lending (16), CrossCountry Mortgage (15), NetJets (10), BBI Logistics (8), Atlantic Coast Mortgage (7).
Alumni worth knowing
The Lower mafia
Lower alumni have founded eight companies, primarily in financial services. Notable ventures include HubiFi, Tithe Lending and First Access Lending, all founded by former employees and employing between 2 and 23 staff.
9Jason Berwanger, was SVP, Data and Systems until 2022William Kaper, was Strategic Advisor until 2023Mark Greaves, was President until 2022Yasmin Cuesta, was Strategic Sales/ Corporate Recruiter until 2022Zach Bosson, was SVP, Net Branch until 2024Julia Vangheluwe Brown, was Senior Vice President M&A and Integration until 2024
Edward McClendon Sr, was Mortgage Loan Closer until 2022
James Duncan, was Senior Vice President Marketing & Engagement until 2025
Marcus Smith, was Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS # 2051384 until 2021Web traffic
Traffic mix: 41% direct, 28% search, 1% social, 8% paid.
What this company is made of
Most common skills at Lower: Customer Service (281), Mortgage Lending (246), Sales (237), Leadership (204), Loans (180), Microsoft Office (172), Residential Mortgages (166), U.S. Federal Housing Authority (FHA) (160).
Where the team actually sits
Lower people are concentrated in Ohio, United States (90), Texas, United States (46), Florida, United States (39), Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area (29).
Search footprint
Lower attracts about 23,720 organic search visits a month, traffic worth roughly $1M a month if bought through ads. It gained 11,098 ranking keywords and lost 4,959 in the last period.
What employees say
- Compensation
- 3.30 / 5
- Career opportunities
- 3.40 / 5
- Senior management
- 3.30 / 5
- Work-life balance
- 3.50 / 5
Frequently asked
Lower has 1,083 employees as of September 2026.
Lower has raised $100M in total, most recently a Series A round in June 2021.
Lower was founded in 2018 by Mike Baynes.
Dan Snyder (Chief Executive Officer) sits at the top of Lower's reporting structure, with 9 direct reports.
The most common previous employers of current Lower staff are Homeside Financial (33 people), CrossCountry Mortgage (30 people), OJO (25 people).
Former Lower employees most often move to JPMorganChase (25), NFM Lending (16), CrossCountry Mortgage (15).
At least 8 companies have a founder who previously worked at Lower, including HubiFi, Tithe Lending, Y&S Digital Growth.
Lower attracts about 23,720 organic search visits a month, worth roughly $1M a month in equivalent ad spend.
The most common skills among Lower staff are Customer Service, Mortgage Lending, Sales, Leadership, Loans.
Lower staff are concentrated in Ohio, United States (90), Texas, United States (46), Florida, United States (39).
Lower has about 341 people in Finance, up 24% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Lower has about 94 people in Sales, up 29% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Computed from 449 current and 941 former Lower profiles, as of September 2026. Source: Crustdata.
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