In July, Fairway Independent Mortgage refreshed its branding, including revising its name to Fairway Home Mortgage.

The company was started as a mortgage broker by its CEO Steve Jacobson in 1996. It grew by adding regional branches throughout the country. 

Fairway has been very successful in retaining staff long-term. David Lazowski, who in 2024 became president of national recruiting and growth, has been with the company for 18 years. Its retention rates are helped because it is employee-owned, having started an employee stock option plan in 2016. 

Lazowski began in the mortgage industry in 2005 after a career on Wall Street and quickly became a top producer, a 2010 profile noted. He was on the Top Producer list for 2012 and 2013.

Fairway's rebrand is part of its plans to build an end-to-end ecosystem which promotes homeownership, through its website Home.com, Lazowski said. It should be noted that Costar owns a similarly named and well-promoted website, Homes.com

National Mortgage News recently spoke with Lazowski about what the rebrand is looking to accomplish.

Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.