Keith Akada (NMLS #112443) is a Seattle loan officer and branch manager at The Mortgage Reel, powered by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #2289), a direct lender. Born and raised in Seattle, he has helped Puget Sound buyers and homeowners with their mortgages for more than 25 years, with closings in as few as 9 business days.
I am Keith, and I do not sell, I educate. This page is the short version of who I am, how I work, and where you can check my license and read what clients say. If you found me searching for a Seattle mortgage broker, here is the plain answer: I am a licensed loan officer at a direct lender, which means my team underwrites and closes your loan in-house instead of sending it out to someone else.
Keith Akada at a Glance
| Detail | Keith Akada |
|---|---|
| Role | Loan Officer and Branch Manager, The Mortgage Reel |
| Individual license | NMLS #112443 (Mortgage Loan Originator) |
| Company | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #2289, a direct lender with in-house underwriting |
| Experience | Mortgage lending since 2000, after about nine years in banking |
| Office | 600 Stewart St., Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98101 |
| Areas served | Seattle, Bellevue and the Eastside, plus King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties |
| Loans | Conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, USDA, DSCR, bank statement, construction, HELOC, refinance and cash-out |
You can confirm my license yourself on NMLS Consumer Access, the national registry every mortgage loan originator has to be listed in. It shows my license history and the company I originate for, so you never have to take my word for it.
How Keith Akada Came to Seattle Mortgage Lending
I grew up in Seattle, so the neighborhoods on this site are places I have known my whole life, not markets I studied from a spreadsheet. Before mortgages I spent about nine years in banking at KeyBank, where I finished as a branch manager. That job taught me how lending decisions get made from the inside, and that is still how I explain them to clients.
| Years | Where | What it added |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2000 | KeyBank, ending as branch manager | How banks review credit, income and risk |
| 2000 to 2012 | Seattle Pacific Mortgage | More than a decade of Seattle purchases and refinances |
| 2012 to 2018 | RPM Mortgage, loan officer | Six years as a loan officer for Seattle-area buyers and homeowners |
| 2018 to today | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, as The Mortgage Reel | Loan officer and branch manager at a direct lender with in-house underwriting |
Across those years I have helped more than 1,500 homeowners and closed over $500 million in home loans. I also coach real estate and mortgage professionals through Ignite Coaching, and I bring the same teaching habit to every client conversation.
Who Keith Akada Works With Around Puget Sound
Most of my clients fall into a few groups, and each one needs something different from a loan officer.
- First-time buyers who want to understand the whole process before they write an offer. My Seattle first-time buyer programs guide is a good place to start.
- Tech employees at Microsoft, Amazon, Google and other Eastside and South Lake Union employers, where RSU and stock income has to be documented the right way. I explain how that works in using RSU income to qualify.
- Move-up buyers and relocations who need to buy before they sell, or who are learning Seattle from out of state. See Seattle bridge loan options.
- Investors and self-employed borrowers who qualify on rental income or bank deposits instead of tax returns, through DSCR loans and bank statement loans.
- Veterans and service members using their VA benefit, explained on my VA home loans page.
- Real estate agents who need a lender that picks up the phone. I wrote a page just for Seattle agents.
If you are not sure which group you are in, that is a good first conversation. Call me at (206) 601-3426 or send a quick email, and we will keep it pressure-free.
Why Does a Direct Lender Close Faster in Seattle?
A direct lender underwrites, approves and funds the loan inside the same company. At Fairway, my files go to in-house underwriters, so questions get answered in hours instead of bouncing between a broker and an outside lender for days. That is the main reason my team can close in as few as 9 business days, depending on the loan, the property and how quickly documents come in.
Speed matters in Seattle for two reasons. In a multiple-offer situation, a short and believable closing date can make a seller choose your offer. In a slower week, it can give you room to ask for a price reduction or seller-paid closing costs, which I walk through in using a 9-day close to negotiate.
How Keith Akada Works: Education First
My rule is simple: you should understand your options before you decide anything. In practice that looks like this.
- We start with your goal, not a product. Lowest payment, lowest cash to close and fastest payoff usually point to different loans.
- I show you the full numbers, including the parts beyond the rate: points, lender fees, mortgage insurance and cash to close. My Seattle mortgage calculator lets you test payments on your own.
- I underwrite before you shop, when your file allows it, so your pre-approval has real work behind it.
- You hear from me at each milestone (appraisal, approval, closing disclosure, funding), and so does your agent.
Each week I also post current pricing with the full APR assumptions on my Seattle mortgage rates page, so you can see how pricing changes before we talk about your own file.
Keith Akada’s Seattle Mortgage Guides and Videos
The guides on this site answer the questions clients ask me most, and I record short videos on the same topics on my YouTube channel. Good places to start:
- Seattle home financing, the overview of loan options in the city
- Seattle neighborhood mortgage guides, from Ballard to Rainier Beach
- King County home loans, Snohomish County home loans and Pierce County home loans
- The Seattle mortgage FAQ, with answers to the questions I hear every week
- How to buy a home, my step-by-step guide
Where to Verify Keith Akada’s License and Read Reviews
I would rather you check me out than take a sales pitch at face value. These are the places that track my license and my clients’ feedback independently:
- NMLS Consumer Access for my license record
- Experience.com, where verified clients review me after closing
- Google Business Profile, plus Zillow and Redfin
- LinkedIn for my work history
- My Seattle mortgage broker reviews page, which collects what Seattle buyers have said
Frequently Asked Questions: Keith Akada
Is Keith Akada a mortgage broker or a loan officer?
Keith Akada is a licensed loan officer and branch manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, a direct lender. Many people search for a Seattle mortgage broker when they mean a local loan expert, and that is how many clients find him. The difference is that Fairway underwrites and closes loans in-house rather than sending them to an outside lender.
What is Keith Akada’s NMLS number?
Keith Akada’s individual NMLS number is 112443. Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation’s company NMLS number is 2289. You can look up both on NMLS Consumer Access, the national licensing registry.
Where is Keith Akada’s office, and what areas does he serve?
Keith’s office is at 600 Stewart St., Suite 400, in downtown Seattle. He works with buyers and homeowners across Seattle, Bellevue and the Eastside, and throughout King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties, and most meetings can happen by phone or video.
How fast can Keith Akada close a home loan?
Keith’s team can close in as few as 9 business days because Fairway underwrites in-house. The actual timeline depends on the loan type, the appraisal, the property and how quickly documents come in, so he sets a realistic date with you and your agent at the start.
Can Keith Akada help self-employed buyers and investors?
Yes. Self-employed borrowers may qualify with bank statement loans that use 12 to 24 months of deposits instead of tax returns, and investors may qualify with DSCR loans based on a property’s rental income. Eligibility depends on the full file and is subject to credit approval.
How do I get started with Keith Akada?
Call or text (206) 601-3426, email keith@mortgagereel.com, or start an application online. The first conversation is about your goals and timeline, and Keith will tell you what documents to gather before anything is pulled or locked.
Ready to Talk With Keith Akada?
Whether you are buying your first home, moving up, investing or refinancing, the first step is the same: a short conversation about where you want to end up. I will explain your options in plain language and show you the numbers, and you decide from there.
Let’s connect to talk about your goals.
Bring your questions, your timeline and anything you are unsure about. We will keep it pressure-free.
Keith Akada, NMLS #112443, The Mortgage Reel
Phone: (206) 601-3426
Email: keith@mortgagereel.com
Website: themortgagereel.com
Apply: Start Your Application
More from Keith: Seattle mortgage broker home page · Seattle mortgage rates · Seattle mortgage FAQ · Client reviews · Conventional home loans