Forty years of California lending, one borrower at a time.
Curt has been originating California home loans since 1984 — through every interest-rate cycle, every regulatory shift, every market that experts called impossible. He's still answering his own phone.
Three principles, not negotiable.
Your file, not a queue
You'll work with Curt directly from the first conversation through closing. No call centers, no pass-offs to a junior processor halfway through. The person who quotes you is the person who closes you.
The right loan, even if it's "no"
If the math doesn't work — if refinancing won't break even, if you should wait six months, if a different lender has a better program — we'll tell you. The relationship is worth more than any single transaction.
Plain English, every time
Mortgage paperwork is dense by law. The conversation around it doesn't have to be. We translate the jargon, explain the tradeoffs, and make sure you understand what you're signing before you sign it.
Four decades, one practice.
Started in California mortgage lending
Began originating residential loans in the East Bay during a period when 30-year fixed rates were near 14%. Learned the craft when every loan required a sharpened pencil and a phone call to the rate desk.
Built a referral-only practice
By the mid-90s, the practice had transitioned almost entirely to repeat clients and referrals. No advertising, no cold calls — just families who came back for their second, third, and fourth loans.
Through the financial crisis, intact
While the industry contracted by half, the Frandsen practice closed loans every month of the crisis. Conservative underwriting and honest conversations meant clients were positioned to ride it out.
Joined Excel Mortgage Services
Partnered with Excel Mortgage Services to bring institutional infrastructure — direct lender relationships, modern technology, dedicated processing — to a practice still run on personal relationships.
Still answering the phone
Forty years in, the work hasn't changed: listen carefully, find the right program, close on time. Currently serving California borrowers across purchase, refinance, jumbo, government, reverse, and specialty programs.
How a loan moves through our office.
Most clients are surprised by how quiet the process feels. That's intentional. Behind the scenes we're moving fast — but we keep the conversation calm and the inbox short.
You won't be passed between strangers, asked to upload the same document twice, or wonder where things stand. You'll know exactly who's on your file, and what's next, every step.
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01
The first call
20–30 minutes. We listen to your situation, ask the questions that actually matter, and tell you within that call whether we have a path forward.
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02
Pre-approval, in 24–48 hours
You upload documents through our secure portal. We pull credit, structure the file, and issue a real pre-approval letter — the kind sellers and listing agents take seriously.
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03
Shop the market for your rate
Excel Mortgage's lender network gives us access to dozens of programs. We price your file across the right options and present the tradeoffs clearly.
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04
Process & underwrite
A dedicated processor manages your file through underwriting. Curt stays involved on every conditional approval and clears anything tricky personally.
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05
Close on time
Average 21 days from contract to keys. We coordinate directly with your agent, escrow, and title — so closing day is a celebration, not a fire drill.
The first call is on us — and it's the most useful one you'll have.
Whether you're three months out from buying, halfway through a refinance decision, or just trying to figure out what your options actually are — we'll give you 30 honest minutes. No pitch, no pressure.