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Brian Mutter, CDLP®
Certified Divorce Lending Professional  ·  Broker/Owner, Forward Mortgage
Bloomfield Hills, MI
(248) 956-0445
NMLS #1109257  ·  Co. NMLS #2401169
Professional Summary

As a Certified Divorce Lending Professional® (CDLP®), I navigate the complex intersection of divorce proceedings and mortgage lending guidelines. I specialize in providing expert financial guidance to divorcing clients and their legal teams, helping all parties make informed decisions regarding home equity solutions and mortgage financing options during one of the most consequential financial transitions of their lives.

My background is rooted in mortgage operations — as a processor, administrator, and operating partner — which shapes everything about how I work: information, education, and clear communication are the cornerstones of my approach. Divorce mortgage planning is higher-level problem-solving, and I find it genuinely rewarding to bring clarity to people navigating an incredibly stressful time.

Credentials & Education
Certified Divorce Lending Professional® (CDLP®) — Divorce Lending Association2023
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE)June 2022
NMLS Licensed Mortgage Originator — NMLS #11092572014 – present
B.S., Journalism — Bowling Green State University1998 – 2002
Professional Experience
Broker / OwnerNovember 2022 – Present
Forward Mortgage  ·  NMLS #2401169  ·  Bloomfield Hills, MI
Independent mortgage brokerage serving Michigan homeowners with purchase, refinance, and divorce mortgage planning solutions. CDLP®-certified specialty practice in divorce lending strategy.
Mortgage Loan OriginatorSeptember 2019 – November 2022
Rockwood Mortgage  ·  NMLS #1792262
Mortgage Loan OriginatorNovember 2018 – September 2019
Envoy Mortgage  ·  NMLS #6666
Mortgage Loan OriginatorAugust 2017 – November 2018
Direct Home Mortgages  ·  NMLS #1522405
Owner / CEONovember 2011 – August 2017
Capital Processing
Owned and operated an independent mortgage processing company serving broker clients throughout Michigan.
Operating PartnerJune 2007 – November 2011
Continental Title Agency
Mortgage Loan ProcessorOctober 2006 – June 2007
National Mortgage Access Center
Title ProcessorAugust 2005 – October 2006
Abstract Title Agency
Mortgage Loan OriginatorOctober 2004 – August 2005
Direction Financial
Awards & Recognition
Ambassador of the Year, Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce2022
President's Club, Rockwood Mortgage2020, 2021, 2022
Top Producer's Club, Direct Home MortgagesJuly 2018
Memberships & Affiliations
Divorce Lending Association2023 – present
Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME)2019 – present
Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador2019 – 2026
Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce2018 – 2024
Published Writing

All articles independently researched and written. Published at goforwardmortgage.com/newsletter and brianmutter.substack.com.

2026
"2026: What's in Store for Mortgage Interest Rates?"
"Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and Your Mortgage Rate"
"The Latest on Rates — and Why the Middle East Matters"
2025
"What's Been Going on with Mortgage Rates, and What Comes Next?"
"Is a 50-Year Mortgage Really the Fix?"
"The FED Finally Cut Rates — Now What?"
"Mortgage Rates are Falling: Without the FED's Help"
"Refinance Now?"
"Mortgage Rates: Still Held Up by the Labor Market"
"Housing is Still Tight. Rates Remain Stubborn. Why, and What's Next?"
"Opportunity or Caution? The Latest Twist in Mortgage Rates after Tariff Talks"
"Tariffs Rattle Markets, but Lower Rates & Refinance Opportunities Await!"
"Trump, Tariffs, and the 10-Year Treasury Tangle"
"Is 2025 a Good Time to Buy a Home?"
"The 2025 Housing Market Decoded"
2024
"Where Are Interest Rates Headed in 2025?"
"Who Really Controls Interest Rates?"
"Mortgage Rates Were Steadily Declining — Until Friday"
"Waiting for Mortgage Rates to Drop? Here Are 3 Ways That Could Happen"
"Market Update: Is a Refinance Opportunity On the Horizon?"
"100+ Experts Predict 2028 Home Prices: Fannie Mae Survey Reveals Insights"
"First-Time Buyers in Michigan: Must Read!"
"Home Prices, Inventory, and Interest Rates — A Delicate Balance"
"Are We Entering a New Normal in Housing?"
"Housing 2024: Competition Continues to Increase, but it's Not Just Among Buyers"
"2024 Housing Industry Forecasts"
2023
"Rates Are Starting to Fall — Hooray! So it Must be Time to Refinance Then, Right?"
"Housing Affordability: It's a Challenge Everywhere, But it's All Relative"
"Housing Affordability — What's Happened & What's Being Done?"
"In Its Fight Against Inflation, Has the FED Met Its Match?"
"The FED's Trouble: A Stubborn Labor Market"
"Will Lower Rates Bring More Inventory to the Housing Market?"
"Summer 2023 Housing Update: Rates and Inventory"
"Mid-Year Housing Update"
"Have Higher Rates Cooled the Housing Market?"
"Housing Trends: National Headlines vs. Local Reality"
"How the Government Broke the Housing Market, Part II"
"How the Government Broke the Housing Market, Part I"
"Is a More Normal Housing Market on the Horizon for 2023?"
2022
"Hooray for Rental Units!"
"What Are the Industry Trade Groups Forecasting for 2023?"
"All Over Again? Not So Fast!"
43 articles published, 2022–2026