I'm your guy for the loans that take some building.

David Martel. Arizona native, born in Scottsdale, family up in Rim Country. Ten years in software sales before I got into mortgages, which taught me that most people don't need to be sold. They need someone to do the work and tell them the truth.

Mortgage Loan Originator · NMLS# 2521668 · Barrett Financial Group, L.L.C. (NMLS #181106) · Licensed in 20 states

Why reverse mortgages

My parents, Tom and Lori, got a reverse mortgage on their home in Payson before I was in this business, through another originator. I was skeptical in the way most adult kids are. Then I watched what it did. Their required monthly mortgage payment went away (they still pay their taxes, insurance and upkeep). A small check started showing up every month. The line of credit sits there as the plan for in-home care if that day comes. They are more comfortable, more secure, and more independent in their seventies than they would have been otherwise, and the house is still theirs.

When I started originating, I referred reverse mortgages out. In 2026 I stopped, got the training, and made HECMs the center of my practice. The reason is simple: retirement on a fixed income, with inflation and markets doing what they do, is the hardest financial problem most families will ever face, and the biggest asset most of them have is the house. Somebody should be explaining that option well, without pressure, to the people who need it. I decided it should be me.

How I work

Broker, not banker. Through Barrett Financial Group I have access to more than a hundred lenders, including multiple reverse mortgage investors and proprietary jumbo reverse programs. I shop your loan across them; a single bank offers its own products.
I process my own files. From my first loan I've done my own processing, which means I know exactly what underwriters look for and I don't hand you off to a department.
Options before applications. You see one to three real options within a business day of our first conversation, before anyone pulls credit. That's the Options Process.
In person when it matters. For families in Arizona considering a HECM, I'll come to the kitchen table. For everyone else, phone, video, and a notary who comes to you.
Small family team. My wife's uncle, Roger Berry, is also a Barrett loan originator and my business partner, and my sister Sarah handles operations and support. You'll know everyone by name.
On camera every week. I publish a long-form video on YouTube most weeks because I'd rather you learn this before you call me than after.

Who I'm not for

If all you want is a rate quote, there are faster ways to get one and I'll point you to them. If my loan isn't the best option for you, I'll say so. I'd rather you leave with a plan and send me your neighbor.

Credentials and community

NMLS# 2521668 · Verify on NMLS Consumer Access
Licensed in: AZ, CA, CO, HI, KS, KY, MD, MI, MO, MT, NV, NJ, NC, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, UT, WA (Illinois pending)
Barrett Financial Group, L.L.C., NMLS #181106, 2701 East Insight Way, Suite 150, Chandler, AZ 85286
Vice President, BNI Phoenix Business Builders
Teaches a HECM for Purchase class for real estate agents and hosts reverse mortgage lunch-and-learns for seniors and their families

You don't need all the answers to ask the first question.

Tell me what you're considering. A 15 to 30 minute conversation, then within one business day your options in writing, or the plain reason it doesn't fit yet and what would change that. No application, no credit pull.

The consultation and the options review are free. If you choose to proceed, third-party costs such as HUD counseling and an appraisal may be due before closing. Licensed in 20 states; see the full list below.